20.07.2021 - The rocky stage
Technology and family sport in the mountains
The ride on the Urdenbahn to the start of the third SOW-stage made multiple impressions possible. First of all, the weather offered unique conditions again despite high wispy clouds. Additionally, the floating gondola allowed a perfect view of today’s terrain with numerous controls in the grassy and rocky basin between Urdenfürggli and Hörnli. From a bird’s eye view, one could ponder the first orienteering strategies which was definitely a rarity for orienteering events. Thirdly, the cable car impressed once more with its bold architecture and technical facilities. Without supporting pillars, they meet all the requirements to transport around 1700 passenger an hour at a pace of 30 kilometers/hour. After opening in 2014, this engineering marvel looked back to a long development: the mountain railway was talked about and negotiated for 40 years, and it went into operation after only nine months of construction.
Such events did not affect the little guests in the day care center at all. They immediately were comfortable in the dormitory in the attic of the Hörnli restaurant creating their playful world and ensuring lots of activity. This is no wonder with the team of professional helpers. They supplied not only a wide selection of materials suitable for children, but also gave the little ones their first feel for orienteering with their names on stickers. In emergencies, even diaper changes are included, which once again proves that both orienteering freaks and young families can participate without any problems at the SOW. Knowing about the good day care service, numerous parents used the opportunity today to temporarily entrust their little ones to this service in order to focus without worries to their orienteering races.
A somewhat less voluminous mechanical technique than the one of the Urdenbahn largely determined day-to-day events today. Besides all the equipment necessary for the competition, radio links, security or emergencies, orienteering events are no longer conceivable without private communication. In view of the complex technology necessary to distribute pictures or comments worldwide at any time from the mountains, the question of the necessity of constantly using the smartphone also arose up here. But the answer came promptly from the loudspeaker when a wonderful Rock’n’roll song from Elvis Presley by the name of “The Rocky” paid a musical tribute to the SOW 2021 at 2500 meters above sea level. Wireless, of course, based on the latest communication technology!
