Simona Aebersold (SUI) and Max Peter Bejmer (SWE) lead the World Cup standings after last week’s European Orienteering Championships in Belgium, which was also Round 2 of this year’s Orienteering World Cup.
And an exciting finish is set for the World Cup final, which will be held in Uster, Switzerland later this month.
Reigning champion took over lead after Belgium
Among the women, the defending World Cup winner Simona Aebersold took over the lead from Tove Alexandersson (SWE), who did not compete in Belgium.
Simona Aebersold finished 5th in the Sprint in Lier. Photo: Silke van Rooy
After a 3rd place and a 5th place in the two individual races in Belgium, Aebersold now has 330 points, but is being chased by the two newly crowned European champions.
Cécile Calandry (FRA), who won gold in the Knock-Out sprint in Geel and two days later finished 16th in the individual sprint, jumps to second place in the World Cup with 258 points.
Pia Young Vik (NOR), who won silver in the KO Sprint and became European champion in the sprint, also flies up the table and is third with 242 points.
Just five points further behind is Natalia Gemperle (SUI) in fourth place, while sprint bronze winner Inka Nurminen (FIN) and Tove Alexandersson are some way down in fifth and sixth place respectively.
Fosser leads chase for Bejmer
In the men’s category, Max Peter Bejmer (250 points) continues to have a solid 40-point lead in the overall World Cup standings after a semi-final place in the KO Sprint and a 13th place in the sprint.
Max Peter Bejmer during World Cup Round in Idre Fjäll. Photo: Tero Marjamäki
Defending World Cup champion Kasper Fosser (NOR) is now in second place after his silver medal in the EOC Sprint.
Martin Regborn (SWE) is in third place with 202 points, while Tomáš Křivda (CZE) is new in fourth place with a total of 183.
The big surprise in the men’s EOC Sprint, European champion Mathias Barros Vallet (FRA) jumps straight into fifth place with 158 points after two strong races in Belgium, while Fabian Aebersold (SUI) is five points behind in sixth place.
The Team World Cup standings are led by Sweden ahead of Norway and Switzerland.
See the full World Cup standings here
The World Cup final will be decided by three sprint races in the Swiss town of Uster from 26-28 September.