Salla Koskela, Finland and Erik Rost, Sweden won the last individual race of the IOF Ski Orienteering World Cup season 2017-2018.
In a mass-start long distance race Rost finished 43 seconds ahead of the Norwegian Lars Moholdt and 1 minute 43 seconds of the Russian Eduard Khrennikov.
The women’s race turned into a real drama. The Russian Mariya Kechkina was first to the finish line, but eventually she was disqualified for punching a wrong control point. The World Cup leader Tove Alexandersson, Sweden took a route choice through the finish, then reached the finish line in second position, but later was disqualified for crossing the finish line without punching all the controls.
Salla Koskela finished third, but became a winner of the Long race. It was a second win this season for the Finnish athlete – she won a season opener – a Sprint race in Ylläs, Finland.
Tatyana Oborina, Russia finished second, only 10 seconds behind the winning time. Evelina Wickbom, Sweden was third, finished 2 minutes 8 seconds behind Koskela.
Men
1. Erik Rost SWE 87:00
2. Lars Moholdt NOR 87:43
3. Eduard Khrennikov RUS 88:10
4. Tero Linnainmaa FIN 88:26
5. Stanimir Belomazhev BUL 88:42
6. Markus Lundholm SWE 88:48
Women
1. Salla Koskela FIN 84:14
2. Tatyana Oborina RUS 84:24
3. Evelina Wickbom SWE 86:22
4. Linda Lindkvist SWE 86:53
5. Marjut Turunen FIN 87:12
6. Milka Reponen FIN 89:02
On Saturday the last race of the World Cup season 2017-2018, a Mixed Sprint Relay will be held.