WOC Middle: Niggli wins – Kauppi misses

Simone Niggli wins Gold also on Middle after deciding a tricky middle distance for herself . Niggli started with a mistake on the first control – being in 34th place of the 45 starters when she found the flag – but took over the lead after a fantastic long leg to control 7 which she won with 27 seconds to Mari Fasting – and with nearly two minutes to silver medalist Tove Alexandersson who was in the lead at control 6.

Minna Kauppi was closest to Niggli until losing the chances for gold and silver after a mistake at control 10 at the last loop. Another mistake at control 14 made Kauppi also lose the bronze medal – to Merja Rantanen, Finland. Rantanen was extremely happy for her medal – the most happy face we have seen so far here in Vuokatti, Finland during the championships.

The illustration below compares Rantanen to Kauppi on the last loop. Notice how Kauppi runs very fast up the hill towards control 10, then looses control, and is nearly at control 11 before regaining control.

The below illustration shows the mistake of Simone Niggli at control 1.

Maps

See below for maps / GPS-tracking:

• Maps men and women

Results

1	30		Simone Niggli	Switzerland	35:25
2	44		Tove Alexandersson	Sweden	37:10	+1:45
3	43		Merja Rantanen	Finland	37:59	+2:34
4	31		Minna Kauppi	Finland	38:39	+3:14
5	28		Irina Nyberg	Russia	38:45	+3:20
6	40		Annika Billstam	Sweden	38:49	+3:24
7	29		Amélie Chataing	France	38:50	+3:25
	32		Tatiana Ryabkina	Russia	38:50	+3:25
9	34		Anne M. Hausken Nordberg	Norway	38:56	+3:31
10	21		Maja Alm	Denmark	39:13	+3:48
11	42		Ida Bobach	Denmark	39:43	+4:18
12	45		Inga Dambe	Latvia	39:46	+4:21
13	16		Judith Wyder	Switzerland	39:50	+4:25
14	35		Venla Niemi	Finland	40:03	+4:38
15	27		Ausrine Kutkaite	Lithuania	40:24	+4:59
16	25		Nadiya Volynska	Ukraine	40:30	+5:05
17	20		Vendula Haldin	Czech Republic	40:42	+5:17
18	12		Tone Wigemyr	Norway	40:45	+5:20
19	38		Mari Fasting	Norway	41:10	+5:45
20	41		Saila Kinni	Finland	41:13	+5:48