The international Ski Orienteering season begins this weekend in Norway, when Round 1 of the IOF Ski Orienteering World Cup 2024-2025 and the World U23 Ski Orienteering Championships 2025 are held in Sjusjøen.
More than 120 athletes from 14 nations are registered for the event, which will be raced over three days from Friday to Sunday, and there is plenty of snow in the terrain, as well as below-zero temperatures reported throughout the weekend.
The program features a sprint race on Friday, a middle distant on Saturday and a pursuit race on Sunday.
Last year’s winners of the Ski Orienteering World Cup are ready to begin their title defense in Norway: Magdalena Olsson (SWE) and Jørgen Baklid (NOR) are both registered and were quite dominant last year: Olsson’s lead over Anna Ulvensøen (NOR) in the 2023-2024 World Cup was 70 points, while Baklid won sixty points ahead of Niklas Ekström (FIN).
Magdalena Olsson and Elin Schagerström (both SWE) at last years World Cup Round in Estonia. Photo: Reigo Teervalt
Niklas Ekström, however, has a chance to defend two titles from last year, as he won gold at the U23 World Championships in Estonia in both the sprint and middle distance. His compatriot Maria Hoskari won the U23 gold in the women’s middle distance. They are both racing their last year in the U23 class in 2025.
Ella Turessson (SWE), who took the U23 gold home to Sweden in the sprint in Estonia, is also in Sjusjøen.
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Program
SkiO World Cup Round 1 + World U23 Ski Orienteering Championships 2025
All times: CET (UTC +1)
Friday, January 10
Sprint distance
11:00 First start Men (incl. U23)
12:11 First start Women (incl. U23)
Saturday, January 11
Middle distance
10:00 First start W+M (incl. U23)
Sunday, January 12
Pursuit
10:00 First start Men
10:50 (app.) First start Women
The IOF Ski Orienteering World Cup 2024-2025 and U23 Ski Orienteering World Cup 2024-2025 will be run over three rounds.
In addition to the races in Sjusjøen, the World Cup goes on in Germany from 15-17 February and will conclude from 21-23 March at the European Ski Orienteering Championships in Finland.
The best seven out of nine results will count towards the overall competition and double points will be awarded in the final long distance race in Finland.