Sweden at the Top of the Medal Ranking List

[Press Release – 10/07/09 – Mario Facchini – Newspower Press Office] – SWEDEN TAKES IT ALL AT THE JWOC 2009
– Golden Relay for Sweden and Switzerland
– In Val Canali, in the men’s relay, Sweden rules the group
– Among ladies, Switzerland grabs the gold, thanks to a lightening leg of Julia Gross
– Gold medal also to the OC of U.S. Primiero – San Martino and G.S. Pavione

[All photos: Newspower Canon]

JWOC 2009: Sweden at the top of the medal ranking list and therefore of the young world of Orienteering. This is the verdict of the fifth and last day of competitions of the Junior World Orienteering Championships, which took place in the Primiero Valley, in Trentino, Italy. The Val Canali, one of the most beautiful corners of this area of Trentino, was the spectacular venue of the last race scheduled, the team relay.

Incredible leg of Matthias Kyburz

Among men, the winning team was the Swedish one, composed by Bostrom, Ridefelt and Bergman (the winner of the long distance race of Tuesday). His team, thanks to a perfect race from a tactical and agonistic point of view, was able to defeat the strong Swiss team, but it wasn’t definitely an easy task. In the first leg, Sweden pushed really hard, with Olle Bostroem closing in first position, followed at short distance by Jerker Lysell of the second Swedish team and Thibaut Poupard of France. Philipp Sauter (SUI) had a difficult start, but the Swiss team was able to come back in the fight for the gold thanks to an incredible leg of Matthias Kyburz, who was able to close his leg in first position, with a solid gap on everyone else.

At the start of the last leg, Sweden was in second place, with 1’40’’ to recover. It could seem an advantage that could be enough to win a race, but in Orienteering nothing is sure until the last control. Bergman, one of the best runners of the group, used all his ability to close up the gap with the Swiss, taking also a couple of risky decisions to establish his course between the different controls. Hubmann tried everything to keep the pace of the young Swedish, but in the second part of the last round, Bergman shifted gear, going alone for the gold and joining his team mates on the final streak to rejoice for the victory.

Soeren Bobach in top shape

After Sweden and Switzerland, the other team stepping on the podium was Denmark, who was able to conquer a medal that seemed almost impossible after a second leg closed in fifth position and more than one minute away from the podium. The Danish team took advantage of the incredible physical shape of Soeren Bobach, who led his team on the podium and closed in third position, with a 3’12’’ gap from Sweden.

Unstoppable Julia Gross

Among ladies, the entire race was characterized by the incredible performance of Julia Gross of Switzerland. After two first good legs, run by Fiona Kirk and Sophie Tirtschler, the Swiss team laid in fourth position, with a 3’35’’ gap from the leading team, Sweden II. Nevertheless in the last leg, the last athlete of Sweden II, Linnea Martinsson, made a couple of big mistakes and left a temporary leading position to Norway, with Mari Jevne Andresen.

But Julia Gross was unstoppable today. The Swiss girl was able to find all controls without any problem, running at a pace that was just too fast for all the others, and one by one every competitor was left behind in the trail of the young Swiss. At the finish line, Norway came 1’47’’ behind the Swiss team, with a gap of 10’’ on the last runner of the Danish team, Signe Klinting.

4 Gold medals for Sweden

After today’s race, Sweden makes its way up to the top of the medal ranking list, with 4 gold on the 8 available and one silver, distinguishing itself as the main team of this edition of the JWOC. Another main character of this Junior World Championships is Ida Bobach, who – after the bronze won today – will travel home with four medals: one gold (from the long distance), one silver (from the sprint) and two bronze (from the middle distance and the relay). A new star might be born in the shades and the woods of the Dolomites, which in these days offered a perfect ground for the Junior Orienteering World Championships, thanks also to the great job did by all the volunteers of the OC of the U.S. Primiero – San Martino and G.S. Pavione. Next year the JWOC will take place in Denmark, in Aalborg, and the show will be guaranteed.

Info: www.jwoc2009.it

Men:

1) Team Sweden 2.08.51 (Boström Olle, Ridefelt Albin, Bergman Gustav); 2) Team Switzerland 2.09.34 (Sauter Philipp, Kyburz Matthias, Hubmann Martin); 3) Team Denmark 2.12.03 (Ødum Marius Thrane, Hansen Rasmus Thrane, Bobach Søren); 4) Team Sweden2 2.12.23 (Lysell Jerker, Tynong Anton, Johansson Kalle); 5) Team Norway 2.15.44 (Bjugan Mathias, Nørbech Torgeir, Indgaard Ulf Forseth)

Women:

1) Team Switzerland 1.44.42; (Kirk Fiona, Tritschler Sophie, Gross Julia); 2) Team Norway 1.46.29 (Nydal Britt Ingunn, Skjerve Elen Katrine, Arnesen Mari Jevne); 3) Team Denmark 1.46.39 (Klingenberg Emma, Bobach Ida, Klinting Signe); 4) Team Sweden 1.47.28 (Alexandersson Tove, Löfgren Kristin, Lönnkvist Jenny); 5) Team Czech Republic 1.51.12 (Bochenkova Ivana, Madlova Vera, Petrzelova Tereza)