Hello to the KEEGO Community!
My name is Georg Koffler.
Since I approached KEEGO in the summer of this year, I have been part of the KEEGO Ambassadors. Since it is important to be fast in my sport, it is important not to waste any time drinking. Drinking with one hand and the easy squeezability of the KEEGO help me enormously. I am also convinced that it cannot be good to absorb large quantities of plastic particles through the drink. That's why I'm happy to ride with KEEGOs on my bike.
I am happy to introduce you to my sport Mountain Bike Orienteering (MTBO) in this blog post.
It has now been 5 years since I have been doing MTBO at a competitive level. MTBO is not only about the physical performance of an athlete, but also about the ability to orientate and concentrate under high stress. The goal is to pass all the control points marked on the map as quickly as possible with the help of a map and compass and to cross the finish line. The right choice of route and as few mistakes as possible are decisive.
Since 2017, I have been an integral part of the Austrian national team in various age categories and have had the honor of representing Austria at several World and European Championships.
Since the current season, I have been starting my races in the elite category due to my age. The big leap from the juniors to the world elite went better than expected. Although currently one of the youngest athletes, I was able to qualify directly for the European Championship and World Championship - a huge success!
Accordingly, I was able to compete with the international competition for the first time this year and collect my first World Cup points.
In September, I went to my season highlight: the U23 World Championships in Bulgaria. Since it took place in the course of the Elite World Cup, the individual races of the U-23 athletes were evaluated in the World Cup as well as in the World Championship.
While the maps at the World Championships in Sweden and the European Championships in Lithuania showed a dense network of paths and therefore demanded a lot in terms of orientation, the maps in Bulgaria proved to be “easier”. The difficulty of the map determines the pace of the races. My preference: Simpler maps, as they increase the toughness and intensity of a competition. I also prefer the long distance over the sprint distance.
U-23 World Championship Day 1: Sprint Distance
The U-23 World Championship was opened with the sprint competition. The race was held on a simple map depicting a typical Bulgarian village. A mixture of forest roads and asphalt roads, which mainly met at right angles, created a chessboard-like competition area. The race was incredibly fast and required a lot of concentration to never lose contact with the map. The route selection was decisive for this race: it was necessary to avoid as many changes of direction as possible in order not to have to brake at the checkpoints. Far from all my expectations, I finished this race in 4th place (only 5 seconds behind the medal ranks) and thus my second individual diploma, ex aequo with my compatriot Hannes Hnilica.
The result in the Elite World Cup was all the more impressive for me: 10th place (ex aequo with 4 other athletes). My first top 10 result in the World Cup – and that in my first elite season!
U-23 World Championship Day 2: Long Distance
On the second day of the competition, medals were fought for over the long distance. Since I am better at long distances, my expectations of myself were correspondingly high.
With the great result from the previous day behind me, I went into the race with a good feeling and got off to a great start. The challenge in MTBO: Choosing the best route. That's exactly what I didn't manage to do that day. Due to the wrong choice of route, I was rather slow and lost a lot of time.
The physically demanding race dragged on. In the last third, we entered an area that demanded a lot of concentration from us athletes. Not easy after more than 70 minutes alone in the forest with full concentration.
I did my best, but taking too much risk was punished with several small mistakes that cost me a lot of time.
In the end, I narrowly missed out on a diploma with 7th place. In the World Cup, I finished 22nd.
I also qualified for the first mixed relay of the Austrian national team. Together with Jana Hnilica and Andreas Waldmann, we finished the team competition in a great 9th place - congratulations to both of them!
My achievements and successes in Bulgaria make me confident about the upcoming seasons. For 2022, the racing season is over for me. After the results and successes, I am already looking forward to the 2023 season!
For an athlete, external support is always an additional motivation to pursue their goals and persevere, so I am very happy to share the motto and values of KEEGO – KEEP GOING!
P.S.: If you are interested in learning more about MTBO or being there as a spectator or as an athlete at a competition, feel free to contact me.
The sport is for young and old and lives mainly from families who practice this sport together in their free time.
Just write to me on Instagram: @kofflergeorg
