Finally, it’s time for the first world championships of 2022 – when the World Ski Orienteering Championships begins in Finland Tuesday afternoon with the sprint distance.
More than 100 athletes are ready to race for medals in the Kemi-Keminmaa area during four competition days. It all sets off Tuesday with the sprint, followed by the pursuit race on Wednesday and Thursday being rest day. The last individual discipline is middle distance on Friday before it ends with the thrilling sprint relay on Saturday.
And the best news? All distances are available to follow through a high level web-tv broadcast on orienteering.sport LIVE page with English commentary.
Web-tv programme – time zone EET (UTC+2):
Tuesday – Sprint 13:00-16:00
Wednesday – Pursuit 9:50-12:30
Friday – Middle 12:30-15:20
Saturday – Sprint relay 9:50-10:55
In the womens class Estonia’s Daisy Kudre Schnyder is one to look out for, as she the holds the WSOC-title in both sprint and middle after last years championships on her home soil. From Sweden, reigning pursuit world champion Lisa Larsen and two-times silver medalist Anna Magdalena Olsson will definitely be worth watching as well.
Another reigning world champion participating this year is Norway’s Jørgen Baklid, who won the mens middle distance in February 2021. Although he showed great performances at the WUSOC in Czech Republic three weeks ago, Switzerland’s Nicola Müller and Sweden’s Gustaf Wickbom managed to beat him in the middle distance race – and will probably try to repeat it this week.
Baklids countryman Audun Heimdal won the pursuit race in 2021 but will not be racing due to an injury.
Along with the seniors, next weeks championships will also serve as Junior World Ski Orienteering Championships and European Youth Ski Orienteering Championships.
The SkiOrienteering World Cup of 2022 will be decided as well, and so will the Team World Cup and the new U23 World Cup. Find the standings here.
Due to the suspension of the Russian Orienteering Federation and Belarusian Orienteering Federation, athletes from those countries will not be allowed to participate.