Cecile Calandry (FRA) and August Mollén (SWE) are European Champions in Knock-Out Sprint after an exciting Friday afternoon in Geel, Belgium.
With the central Maarkt square as a packed arena for all of the afternoon’s races, the Belgian organizers created an atmospheric finish to all 20 races in today’s Knock-Out races.
Starting with the quarterfinals early Friday afternoon, the athletes were faced with demanding courses with a mix of short legs where they had to keep a close eye on the details and longer legs where there was the opportunity to create time differences to the rest of the starting field by chosing your own route.
Most of the favorites made it through the quarterfinals without being knocked out, but among others Kasper Fosser, Eirik Langedal Breivik (both NOR) and WOC sprint silver medalist Tino Polsini (SUI) finished outside the top 3.
Seven men in the final
In the semifinals, the leg to the penultimate control was particularly decisive in several cases, where the athletes overlooked a passage and lost important seconds on their way back.
This meant that, among others, Sanna Fasth (SWE) and Tuomas Heikkilä (FIN) missed out on a place in the final. In the men’s second semifinal, a situation arose where Akseli Ruohola (FIN) and Isac von Krusenstierna (SWE) collided in the run-up and finished last.
Subsequently, the referee decided that Ruohola should have a place in the final, which thus had seven participants, while von Krusenstierna was disqualified.
Decisive final loops
First, it was the women’s final, where the starting field stayed together on the first half of the course. But after passing the arena, the athletes split up decisively.
The later European champion Cecile Calandry took a faster route to the ninth control and created a lead over Simona Aebersold (SUI), who had otherwise led most of the way. On the way to the final control, Calandry again took the fastest route, followed by Pia Young Vik (NOR), while Aebersold took a different route and had to settle for bronze.
Cecile Calandry on the final meters. Photo: Silke van Rooy/EOC2025
This is Calandry’s first international championship, while Pia Young Vik could also celebrate her first individual international medal with the silver.
In the men’s race, the field was also united until the last controls. Sprint world champion Martin Regborn led, but different route choices meant that compatriot August Mollén was suddenly in front on the way to the last control.
He took the southern route, which turned out to be the fastest, together with four others. Mollén held on to the lead all the way to the finish, while Jonatan Gustafsson (SWE) just squeezed ahead of Akseli Ruohola in the fight for the silver medal.
August Mollén celebrates his victory. Photo: Silke van Rooy/EOC2025
Mollén won KO Sprint silver at the WOC in Denmark three years ago, but this is his first international championship title.
Full results, GPS tracking, TV links, maps and photos in IOF LIVE.
Pia Young Vik, Cecile Calandry and Simona Aebersold with their KO Sprint medals. Photo: Christophe Amerijckx/EOC2025
Jonatan Gustafsson, August Mollén and Akseli Ruohola. Photo: Christophe Amerijckx
The European Championships in Belgium continue on Sunday with the individual sprint in Lier.
There is qualification in the morning, while the final is run in the afternoon