People will be talking about control 8 for a long time. On both the men’s and women’s courses at Saturday’s Orienteering World Cup Middle distance race in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, that control point proved very decisive.
Placed on a slope after a relatively long leg, the control cost so much time that many positions were lost in that area.
Two of those who were most successful in finding the control after the leg, which was almost the same on the women’s and men’s courses, were Tove Alexandersson (SWE) and Max Peter Bejmer (SWE).
Bejmer – like most of the World Cup field – also made small mistakes along the way on today’s course, but kept such a high pace towards the end that he won his first World Cup victory ever.
Max Peter Bejmer (SWE) on his way to his first World Cup-win. All photos: Tero Marjamäki, Svensk Orientering
There was a crowd among the Swedes on the podium, because Anton Johansson was just 13 seconds behind in second place, Gustav Bergman was third, while Emil Svensk followed shortly after in fourth place.
The two French teammates Quentin Moulet and Mathieu Perrin made up the rest of the top 6.
Men’s top 3. Anton Johansson, Max Peter Bejmer and Gustav Bergman
In the women’s race, Tove Alexandersson started strongly and looked set to repeat her victory from Thursday’s long distance quite masterfully.
On the much-talked-about leg to control 8, she passed Simona Aebersold (SUI), who had started two minutes earlier, but like so many other athletes, began to search too early after the control and lost time.
More than halfway down the course, Alexandersson’s lead was two minutes, but at the fourth-to-last control, the Swede lost time, so there was still excitement about the result.
After her early mistake, Aebersold picked up the pace, but Alexandersson’s lead was so large that she ended up winning by 27 seconds over the Swiss.
Tove Alexandersson took another win in Idre Fjäll on Saturday.
Cecile Calandry (FRA) sat in the leader’s chair in the arena for a long time and finished in third place, 1:27 minutes behind the winning time. That’s her first international top 3 race ever.
Women’s top 3. Simona Aebersold, Tove Alexandersson and Cecile Calandry.
She was followed by Finn Amy Nymalm, Andrine Benjaminsen (NOR) and Lotta Karhola (FIN) in top 6.
Find all results, GPS-tracking and TV-broadcast in IOF LIVE
Regardless of today’s performance, there is a chance to wipe the slate clean in tomorrow’s relay, that concludes the World Cup round in Sweden.
The broadcast begins at 10:50 CEST (UTC +2) and the women are first to start ten minutes later.
Follow the relay in IOF LIVE and IOF TV
Top 6 results
Men
1 Max Peter Bejmer, SWE 35:16
2 Anton Johansson, SWE +0:13
3 Gustav Bergman, SWE +0:26
4 Emil Svensk, SWE +0:28
5 Quentin Moulet, FRA +1:03
6 Mathieu Perrin, FRA +1:41
Women
1 Tove Alexandersson, SWE 34:35
2 Simona Aebersold, SUI +0:27
3 Cecile Calandry, FRA +1:27
4 Amy Nymalm, FIN +1:48
5 Andrine Benjaminsen, NOR +2:41
6 Lotta Karhola, FIN +3:13