The World Orienteering Championships 2024 were off to a great start Friday morning, where the Sprint Qualification was held in the Leith district in northern Edinburgh.
An assymetric street plan and artificial barriers created numerous challenges for the approx. 200 athletes trying their hand at getting into top 15 in their heat to qualify for the finals Friday afternoon.
And after some cloudy days in the Scottish capital, the sun was shining at 09.00, when the first men started their qualification race.
Less than two hours later it was clear that athletes from 25 of the participating 45 nations had made it to the final.
Reigning sprint world champion Megan Carter-Davies (GBR) won her qualification heat, while Simona Aebersold (SUI) and Tove Alexandersson (SWE) claimed the top spots in their heats.
In the men’s heats, World Cup-leader Martin Regborn (SWE), Yannick Michiels (BEL) and Tim Robertson (NZL) ended up in first spot.
Among the women the qualifying margin from the winner to 15th spot was between 1:43 to 1:47 minutes, whereas the men had to finish within 52 seconds to 1.15 minutes to secure a spot in the final.
The final takes place in Central Edinburgh from 15:12 BST (UTC+1) and can be followed in IOF LIVE and in Eurovision Sport (in UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Ireland) or IOF TV (rest of the world). Both places with commentary in English, French and German.
Photo: Brazil’s Juliane Heinrichs Peres in Friday morning’s qualification. By Kristina Lindgren