Magdalena Olsson (SWE) and Jørgen Baklid (NOR) both took a clear victory in the sprint at 2024 World Ski Orienteering Championships in Ramsau, Austria.
Tuesday’s sprint offered courses of 3,1 and 3,5 kilometers for women and men respectively in the hilly area around the Cross Country Skiing Arena in Ramsau and heavy snowfall during the races created a challenging terrain for the first raceday at the championships.
And it was clear early on that the athletes’ ability to cut through the terrain at the right times would be decisive for the results.
Stanimir Belomazhev (BUL) took a clear lead in the men’s class after a nearly perfect race, where he executed many of the legs in high speed. Only Jørgen Baklid (NOR) did it faster and chose to follow the tracks on his way to control 14, where Belomazhev first tried to go through the terrain but changed his mind and lost time getting back to the tracks.
That ended up deciding the gold medal, as Baklid won by impressive 23 seconds ahead of Belomazhev. Behind them, Niklas Edström (FIN) and Henrik Frederiksen Aas (NOR) tied for the bronze.
Sweden swept women’s medals
While Sweden was missing from the men’s podium, the Swedes swept all three medals in the women’s class.
And just as in the men’s class, the final legs ended up the deciding the medals, as Magdalena Olsson chose to follow the tracks like Baklid, where compatriot Elin Schagerström lost time on changing her mind going through the steep shortcut and had to settle for silver, 43 seconds behind Olsson.
Tove Alexandersson (SWE) lead the race at control 10, but lost her way in the tracks to control 11 and ended up in third position, four seconds behind Schagerström.
Today’s results will determine the starting order of Wednesday’s pursuit race, where the newly crowned sprint world champions will be first out in the terrain in a chase start.
The broadcast on IOF TV from Wednesday’s Pursuit Race begins at 11.50 (UTC+1).
Men’s race begins at 12.00 and the women’s race at 13.15.
Find all results and GPS-tracking on IOF LIVE
Junior golds for Sweden and Estonia
Prior to the WSOC-races, the juniors went out in the snow to race for JWSOC-medals and the golds went to Sweden and Estonia.
Elsa Brandt (SWE) won the W20-class after leading all the way and keeping compatriot Ella Turesson 10 seconds behind in silver position. Lotte Line Ekström (FIN) was 26 seconds further behind in third.
Olle Ilmar Jaama (EST) won M20 by impressive 30 seconds. The silver medal went to Switzerland and Corsin Müller, while Marek Sterba from Czechia took the bronze.
In the European Youth Ski Orienteering Championships classes, Minna Turesson (SWE) won W17 by 53 seconds, with Finland’s Maija Rajala and Saule Traubaite (LIT) beneath her on the podium.
The M17 gold went to Lavio Müller (SUI) with Ludvig Eggoy Markhester (SWE) and Niklas Hirvilahti (FIN) in subsequent positions.
All photos by Peter Krappel / WSOC 2024