World of O News
[Press Release – 10/07/09 – Mario Facchini – Newspower Press Office]
– Alexandersson grabs the third swedish Gold.
– In the middle distance of San Martino di Castrozza, forecasts fulfilled
-The Nordic countries take it all, leaving only a silver for Switzerland
-Gold for Taivainen (FIN) and Alexandersson (SWE)
5 medals of the 6 available
The Scandinavian athletes were the main starring actors of the fifth day of the Junior World Orienteering Championships, the JWOC 2009, which are taking place in the Primiero Valley, in Trentino, Italy. Today, after the qualification of yesterday, San Martino di Castrozza was the venue of the middle distance race and the competitors coming from the far North distinguished themselves for their ability to find their way out of the woods and up on the podium, taking 5 medals of the 6 available.
– I started very early with orienteering
Among ladies, the gold medal went to Tove Alexandersson, who yesterday closed sixth in her qualification heat. Tove, one of the youngest in the group, was able to defeat all the other competitors, running an almost perfect race and – despite of a couple of small mistakes made at the last controls- was able to cross the finish line with the best time and cover the 3.1 km of the final in 23:24. “I started very early with orienteering. My parents do the sport and when I was seven years old, I started to compete.” Earlier this year, at the JWOC in ski orienteering, she won one gold in the relay and two individual medals, distinguishing herself as one of the best young stars of the orienteering world.
In second position, only 18’’ seconds slower than the young Swedish, came ngunn Britt Nydal (NOR), who took the first medal for Norway in this edition of the JWOC, while the winner of the long distance race, Ida Bobach, closed in third position with a 35’’ gap. After the medal won today, Bobach is the most winning athlete of this JWOC, with one gold, one silver and one bronze. At the same time, in this JWOC, Sweden counts three gold medals, strengthening its first place at the top of the medal ranking for nations.
Incredible year until now
Among men, the already four-time junior world champion of ski-orienteering, Olli-Markus Taivainen, did a perfect race and nothing could stop him from taking the gold. “It’s much tougher to win in orienteering than in ski orienteering, so I think this is the biggest success of my career.” Olli-Markus had an incredible year until now: earlier this year he won four gold at the JWOC in ski orienteering and even one gold in the WOC for senior in ski-orienteering. The young Finnish champion covered the 4.1 km of the race in 26’21’’, with a 39’’ gap on Philipp Sauter (SUI) – the only non-Scandinavian medallist of today – and 1’18’’ on Ulf Forseth Indgaard (NOR).
Tomorrow will be the closing day of the 2009 edition of the JWOC and the last race will be the spectacular team relay, which will take place in Val Canali, one of the most beautiful valleys of the Primero area, right at the bottom of the Dolomites. The closing ceremony instead will take place in the city centre of Fiera di Primiero at 9 PM.
Info: www.jwoc2009.it
Source: Press Release – 10/07/09 – Mario Facchini – Newspower Press Office
Men – Middle distance
1) Taivainen Olli-Markus (Fin) 26.21; 2) Sauter Philipp (Sui) 27.00; 3) Indgaard Ulf Forseth (Nor) 27.39; 4) Hubmann Martin (Sui) 28.05; 5) Bobach Søren (Den) 28.24; 6) Ridefelt Albin (Swe) 28.36; 7) Bergman Gustav (Swe) 28.52; 8) Kyburz Matthias (Sui) 28.57; 9) Klusacek Matej (Cze)29.00; 10) Hajek Daniel (Cze) 29.28
Women – Middle distance
1) Alexandersson Tove (Swe) 23.24; 2) Nydal Britt Ingunn (Nor) 23.42; 3) Bobach Ida (Den) 23.59; 4) Kirk Fiona (Sui) 24.11; 5) Aebi Bettina (Sui) 24.54; 5) Gross Julia (Sui) 24.54; 7) Teini Marika (Fin) 24.58; 8) Löfgren Kristin (Swe) 24.59; 9) Klinting Signe (Den) 25.07; 10) Arnesen Mari Jevne (Nor) 25.17
