World Vertical Week was held last week and the hundreds of pictures tagged with #VerticalWeek give a wonderful look at what people were up to during the event. Thank you very much for participating and sharing the photos, everyone! The three lucky photo contest winners are Kyle Conway, David Jeker and Kimberly Strom. Congratulations! They all will receive Suunto Ambit3 Vertical GPS watches for their inspiring images.  putting in some more hard miles before #gorge100k @briehemingway @ultracrazychris #teamultracrazy #trailfamily #trailrunning #trailporn #training #suuntoverticalcanada #verticalweek #epictrailrunning #teamtransalpine A photo posted by Kyle Conway (@kc_lumberguy) on Feb 20, 2016 at 11:08pm PST Kyle Conway shot his winning photo at his local Baden Powell Trail in North Vancouver, Canada. “We ran about 30 km with about 1250 m of climbing, including two loops of the "Seymour Grind", a popular "climbing route" for trail runners,” Kyle tells about the day the photo was taken. Over the Vertical Week Kyle climbed 4700 m. “2016 has been a year with goals of improving my climbing, and Suunto's Vertical Week was a perfect opportunity to step things up.” Dream big. #trailrunning #catogne #trailvsb #whatanadventure #waaultra #waateam #verticalweek #livingthedream #jesuisloup A photo posted by David Jeker (@davidjeker) on Feb 17, 2016 at 8:11am PST David Jeker used the Vertical Week as his last week of hard training before tapering for Transgrancanaria in early March. “I ran nine times during the week, always near my place in Salvan, Switzerland. I kept the best training for the end and did some hill repeats on a very steep trail on Sunday. I ran up and down five times for a total of 2300 meters. Totals for the week were 122 km with 4350 meters of ascent.” David’s photo was taken during a 33 km long run with 1350 meters of ascent. “I had originally planned on doing an easy run down in the valley but when I saw that the snow had mostly melted higher up, I changed my plan. It was Vertical Week after all! I ran up to one of my favorite trails and took a picture of Catogne,” David says. “I’m running a race (X-Alpine / Trail Verbier St-Bernard) this summer that goes up, down and around that mountain. Since I’ve registered for that race, the sight of this impressive mountain is always a great source of motivation!” Finished the week with a big day, +2400m and plenty of sun. #verticalweek #suuntoski A photo posted by @kimberly.strom on Feb 21, 2016 at 10:38pm PST Kimberly Strom’s Vertical Week was a true multisport one: she ran in the Jura mountains, nordic skied, and had a big skimo day in the French Alps gaining a total ascent of about 5000 m for the week. In Kimberly’s photo her friend Noémie leads their climb to Col de l'Encrenaz on the way to Mont Buet (3096 m), in the French Alps. “The route allowed us a quiet morning, away from the busy ascent of Buet. With some extra skinning we earned the chance to be alone at the summit, arriving late in the afternoon after two long climbs (1300 m and 1100 m).” Along the way they saw many small avalanches as the sun heated the snow, watched a huge ibex perched on an impossible ledge, took a break to sit protected from the wind and enjoyed the view, kick-turned up icy slopes, and struggled to break through the crusty, crème brûlée descent. When they arrived back at the bottom the towering peaks glowed pink. “I can't think of a better day than spending all of it with friends in the mountains: working hard, feeling sun and wind burn, rewarded constantly with beauty, feeling accomplishment and the desire to go again.” Kimberly uses Suunto Ambit3 Sport to track her moves. “I never leave home without it. Track-back feature helps me find my way after some exploring!” 

World Vertical Week started today! Share a photo showing your World Vertical Week spirit on Instagram or Facebook between February 15–21, 2016 and tag the photo with #VerticalWeek for a chance to win a Suunto Ambit3 Vertical watch. The three most inspiring photos will be chosen as winners. During World Vertical Week every move will add to your country’s totals and soon we’ll find out where in the world people push uphill the most. Track your adventures with your Suunto watch. Every move and every sport counts. The only thing you need to do to participate in the event is to make sure your country information in the settings is correct. After that your ascent will automatically be calculated in your home country’s total figure. By the end of the week we’ll find out where in the world the real climbers live and can compare different sports, too. Have fun! Read the terms and conditions of the photo contest

Thought orienteering was a strange fringe sport for runners who like map reading? Think again! The guys competing at the top are phenomenal athletes. Suunto ambassador Mårten Boström is one of them. We asked him how he does it – and why he loves a good map, especially if it’s upside down. What’s your training involve? Whenever I'm healthy I am running around 140-170 km per week, but since my sport is not only about running, I do many other forms of training too. At the moment it adds up to 20 hours a week. Time in the gym?I am just in the midst of a speed strength period where I go to the gym for short and fast series of squats, one leg squats and calf-lifts. Towards the end of the period I transfer the gained power to running through jumps and 7x7 second hill sprints. How did you get into orienteering?My older siblings were practicing the sport so I followed their example at a young age and remember my first race at the age of five. What is the appeal? The dual-task to manage finding the best route through unknown terrain while you put your body under hard physical stress. Is it more important to be a great athlete or great navigator? The challenge is to stay focused in navigating while running as fast as you can, so both are important. Nowadays maps are so good at elite events that any small mistake in navigation will likely put you outside the podium. And you need to be good at math right? It's continuous thinking until the finish line. Your bio says you like making maps? Mapmaking is both professional and fun. I'm pursuing a PhD in Geographical Information Science at the University of Helsinki, where I research methods of using LiDAR data (laser technology) for mapmaking, but I have also drawn various maps around the world. The best situation is when I can combine running and work, which I have recently done in Taita Hills, Kenya. Why is navigating with a map and compass better than GPS? There is a place for both! Generally a GPS would show you the shortest way pointing you towards a POI, (point of interest) but with a map and compass I can find the fastest way. I do however also use GPX tracks guiding me on trail runs whenever out in unknown terrain, such as on remote islands in Thailand. Have you always loved maps?Maps are works of art! As a kid I used to admire maps depicting far-flung places and draw fantasy maps of my own, so yes, I have always loved maps. When one learns how to read a map it's like learning a new language – and a new world of possibilities open up. Do you have a favorite? I like maps which depict things other than purely geographical themes, like bulging countries to represent population, rather than land mass. My favorite map however would have to be "the Upside Down World Map" which challenges the cartographic rule of always having north up and Europe in the center. Can you give x3 tips to be a better map reader? 1) Study maps of different parts of the world2) Imagine what the terrain looks like, by creating a 3D image in your mind3) Keep your thumb pointing to your location on the map always moving it along as you run further. What are your goals for 2016?I’m aiming at reclaiming the gold at the World Champs at the sprint distance in orienteering. MAIN IMAGE: © Matleena Boström

Technical diver and commercial dive supervisor Andy Torbet began exploring the ocean when he was 12 and has been at it ever since. He’s explored sunken cities, elaborate cave systems, deep wrecks and reefs. We caught up with Andy just before he left for an expedition and asked what divers should do to stay dive-ready in the off-season. Here are his 7 off-season tips. Don’t have an off-season My personal recommendation for the off-season is not to have one. Even if you dive only very occasionally, and the dives are shallower and shorter than normal or even in a pool, it will help. They will keep those essential skills from fading and make sure your kit is working and familiar. Most diving incidents and accidents happen every year in spring when people come back to diving after taking the winter off. Just a quick dive a few times over the winter will help you stay on top of your game. Andy explores Finland's Ojamo Mine, where Suunto tests its dive products. © Janne Suhonen “Most diving accidents happen in spring when people come back to diving after taking the winter off.” Diving’s not physical, but it’s also physical Diving is not primarily a physical performance sport but it is still physical. Recent medical investigations supported by incident reports have shown that your body is put under pressure even on simple dives and the more physically robust we can make ourselves the safer we are. Why fitness matters Ask yourself this: if two divers had identical diving skills, experience and attitude would you rather dive with the fit one or the out of shape one? Which diver do you think would have the greater chance of having a problem and which would you rather count on? Being physically fit can help in nearly all situations and is particularly important in some situations, from finning against a strong current, towing a casualty on the surface or just hauling oneself out of the water in a less than ideal condition. “Being physically fit can help in nearly all situations.” © Martin Hartley Take care of your body It’s worth keeping a basic level of activity going in the off-season to keep you healthy for the new season. I know a lot of divers who go hill walking in winter just to keep their bodies active. But it’s also a time to look at doing some work on those problem areas you’ve been putting off (because you were too busy diving). Perhaps it’s a sore shoulder or a weak knee. Make sure you start the new season in the best shape possible. That way you can dive more, enjoy it more and be capable of more. Core strength is key Diving kit is heavy so spend some time working on your strength, and especially core strength. I’ve seen a number of dives cut short because someone injured their lower back getting kitted up. You can spend the spare time in the off-season getting into the habit so when you start diving again these exercises have become part of your routine.“I’ve seen a number of dives cut short because someone injured their lower back getting kitted up.”© Janne Suhonen Maintain and take stock I don’t have an off-season, but the winter is less busy so I use that period to service equipment, look at what needs replacing or go over the last year and see what I could can change or improve for next year. It’s an opportunity to take stock and look to improve. Stay inspired Keep yourself inspired. The off-season is also a good time to start planning projects or booking those courses you want to get done. Get the paperwork side of things done when the weather is bad to make full use of your time when it’s time to start diving.

Omar is returning to the Arctic Circle next winter. © Omar di Felice How was the Arctic? It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! The roads were treacherous with spots of ice and snow all the way. The longest stage was the third; 203 km with an average temperature of -18° C! Staying on my bike for 10 hours in those conditions required a huge a mental effort. I often said to myself, “Hey Omar, you worked hard to come here, so enjoy the ride, look at the beautiful landscapes, and don’t think about effort.” Ride and smile: that’s the secret! Was it like being in a freezer? Yes, it was - 10°C to -34°C! I wore a specific Arctic base layer of merino wool. Then I wore cycling clothes and, to keep my hands and feet warm, I wore winter cycling shoes and two pairs of gloves. The way to pass over your limits is with mind power. The bicycle had studded tires and disc brakes. © Omar di Felice What attracts you to the Arctic Circle? Cycling in the Arctic Circle is like a dream: the sound and the colour of the landscape are unreal! After one tough stage, I saw the magical northern lights. What is ultracycling all about? Ultracycling starts where standard cycling ends. During Tour de France you can rest and recover and usually you don’t face extreme weather conditions. I love to explore extreme environments and to stay on my bike for hours and hours. The colors and quiet of the landscape is what attracts Omar to the Arctic Circle. © Omar di FeliceHow did you get into it? When I finished my ‘standard cycling’ career I tried to find something that would allow me to explore my limits. So I started cycling alone, for more than 10 hours at a time. I did my first extreme cycling race in 2011 and fell in love with it. Why do you enjoy it? I enjoy the ability to explore the world at the speed and in the manner I prefer. For example, in 2015, when I cycled from Paris to Rome (1600 km) nonstop, I passed by the Tyrrhenian Coast, through the Alps, and two countries in only 72 hours. Exploration is one of my considerations when I look for an extreme challenge. Omar says cycling in the Arctic Circle is like a dream. © Omar di FeliceDo you prefer racing or your solo adventures? I’ve won races like the Race Across Italy, Le Raid Provence Extreme, Ultracycling Dolomitica and Le Tour du Mont Blanc and enjoy the intensity. But my solo adventures are more fascinating: it’s a fight against myself! I decide on a route, and I try to reach the goal in a predetermined time. Training keep you busy?Depending on the time of the year I ride between 400-500 km to 600-700 km per week. I don’t like to spend all my energy during training. It’s important to train well but also to arrive at race day with full mental and physical energy. Ride and smile: that’s the secret! Due to the conditions Omar limited his speeed to 22-23 km/h. © Omar di Felice How do you train? Recently the level of competition has become very high. To win the Race Across Italy, for example, I rode for 29 hours at a high average speed. This means I have to train for both endurance and power. For Back to the Arctic, I trained during the night and in cold conditions, wearing summer apparel to acclimatise my body. How does technology help you? I’m very fascinated by the science of training. My Suunto Ambit3 Sport helps me monitor progress during and after training by analysing performance data. The watch is also useful for social media as one of the most important things for an athlete is telling the story of an adventure! © Omar di FeliceWhat’s next for you? Next winter I’ll do another Arctic cycling adventure, but this time Iceland’s 1358 km ring road. In September, I will attempt my longest ride yet – 2000 km from Pau in the French Pyrenees to the top of Stelvio Pass in northern Italy, crossing the Pyrenees, Mont Ventoux and the French, Italian and Swiss alps along the way.

Meet the former Maoist child soldier turned trail runner who is blazing a trail for Nepalese women. © Martina ValmassoiYou can be forgiven if you haven’t heard of Mira Rai. But the young Nepalese trail runner is fast making a big impression after turning up on European soil. In June last year she won the Mt Blanc 80 km, 20 minutes ahead of her nearest rival and came second, just four minutes behind Emelie Forsberg, at the 100 km Ultra Pireneu in the Pyrenees last September. Hers is a remarkable story: she grew up in small village with just three families living on top of a hill, escaped aged 14 to join the Maoists and trained as a soldier. Always competitive, she later took up running, was talent-spotted in Kathmandu and switched to trail running, winning her first race, a 50 k, in March 2014 wearing a $4 pair of shoes. During the race, she stopped once to borrow 50 rupees to buy noodles and a carton of orange juice. © Richard BullIt was tough growing up, she says, but also rewarding. “From a young age I carried water and collected fodder for the animals, and later I did a lot of work carrying heavy bags of rice to the market. It was hard, but now I know it made a difference for me.” It may seem surprising but she volunteered for the Maoists for the opportunities they afforded. “I joined for different reasons,” she says. “We certainly had financial difficulties in home, I wanted an opportunity to learn new things, and I wanted a chance to prove that women can be equal to men. Maoists respected women soldiers also.” Her manager Richard Bull, who arranged for her to compete in Europe, takes up the story. “Mira has told me that it was a choice between being stuck in the village doing the hard work required to keep life going, or taking a chance and seeing where it would lead. It’s a tough life in the village, and especially tough for girls as they are ultimately the workers.” © Martina ValmassoiBeing competitive is in her blood though. “She and her friends would compete at the daily household chores, like who could cut grass for the animals quicker, who could carry the bigger load or reach the destination faster,” says Bull. Her good fortune was to join the Maoists as Nepal’s 10 year civil was ending and she never saw combat. “We did a lot of training in different sports, and different exercises, drills and skills to be fit. It was also a chance to compete against others in sports which I enjoyed a lot.” Her big opportunity came years later after her Maoist sports coach Dhruba Bikram Malla heard she was thinking of moving to Malaysia to work in a factory. He invited her to Kathmandu to try to run seriously. However, mountain running was unheard of. “Athletics organisations in Nepal focus on track up to marathon distance - IAAF recognised distances,” adds Bull. “The coaches dislike trail running as ‘it makes runners slow’. So all focus is on the track and marathon. In Kathmandu in her early 20s, she was trying for any event that came up – 10 km, 15 km etc.” And that’s when she had a chance encounter with some runners who invited her to the 50k race that she won. “A week afterwards I met her,” adds Bull. “I told her about this sport and asked if she would like to try it. She looked a little bit incredulous, as if she thought ‘hilly up down running’ as she called it was a ridiculous idea. But slowly she came around to the idea that her potential was not on the track and she could try ‘hilly up down running’.” It’s safe to say there’s now no turning back for the athlete. “My goal is to run for a few years, to run really hard and do the best I can,” adds Rai, “then to help more Mira Rais to run, and to try and support them as best I can!”  Nepal is struggling to recover from a devastating earthquake that struck in 2015. To support the recovery, Suunto created the Ambit3 Nepal Variant. With every watch sold, Suunto will donate €25 to the Nepal earthquake rehabilitation operation. More here. MAIN IMAGE: Lloyd Belcher