WOC 2016 Sprint Favourite Preview – LIVE from 09:00 CET

[Qual Live From 09:00 CET, Finals from 15:41 CET] The World Orienteering Championships starts on Saturday August 20th at 09:00 CET with sprint qualification in Strömstad. 

• Program: Qual Women 09:00. Qual Men 10:00. Final Women 15:41. Final Men 16:46
• Web TV  (only final): Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, International (IOF Live Centre)
• Other Live services: Live results, GPS-tracking (only final, via IOF Live Centre) 
• Background: Startlist, WorldofO All You Need to Know article
• Note that the 15 best in each qualification heat go to the final

Women: Maja Alm & Judith Wyder

The main favourites in the women’s class are the Gold medalists from the two last World Championships – Maja Alm (Denmark) in Scotland last year and Judith Wyder (Switzerland) in Italy in 2014. Alm has probably the best running speed on flat ground, but the hilly terrain in Strömstad and the tricky orienteering the athletes will meet can open the field for both Wyder and several of the outsiders. Wyder showed with her victory in the hilly sprint at the European Champs in Czech Republic earlier this year that her sprint form is excellent this year – Alm finished third.

The other two big favourites in the women’s sprint are last year’s WOC silver medalist Nadiya Volynska (Ukraine) and last year’s WOC bronze medalist Galina Vinogradova (who took silver at European Championships this year). These four are in a separate class in this sprint – with other top sprinters like Tove Alexandersson, Anne Margrethe Hausken and Helena Jansson not starting.

World of O’s medal tip:
1. Maja Alm
2. Judith Wyder
3. Galina Vinogradova

Below is a list of the 20 top women sprinters the last years using a point system which weights medals in the biggest championships the last years highest. The non-starters at WOC Sprint are marked accordingly.

1.	Maja Alm	DEN		Gold WOC Sprint (2015), Silver WOC Sprint (2012), Bronze WOC Sprint (2014), Bronze EOC Sprint (2016), Gold WC #7, Sprint (2015), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2016), 4th WOC Sprint (2013), Bronze EOC Sprint (2012), Silver WC #9, Sprint (2014), Silver WC #14, Sprint (2014), Silver WC #5, Sprint (2012), Bronze EOC Sprint (2010), Bronze JWOC Sprint (2007) Ranked Gold in Sprint World Ranking.
2.	Judith Wyder	SUI		Gold WOC Sprint (2014), Gold EOC Sprint (2016), Gold EOC Sprint (2014), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2016), Gold WC #9, Sprint (2014), Silver WC #1, Sprint (2015), Silver WC #13, Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #14, Sprint (2014), Bronze WC #6, Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #11, Sprint (2012) Ranked Silver in Sprint World Ranking.
3.	Nadiya Volynska	UKR		Silver WOC Sprint (2015), Silver EOC Sprint (2016), Silver EOC Sprint (2014), 4th WOC Sprint (2014), Silver WC #7, Sprint (2015), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2016), 11th WOC Sprint (2013), 9th WC #13, Sprint (2013), 12th WC #9, Sprint (2014) Ranked Bronze in Sprint World Ranking.
4.	Tove Alexandersson (Not starting	SWE		Silver WOC Sprint (2014), Gold WC #1, Sprint (2015), Gold WC #14, Sprint (2014), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2013), Silver WC #4, Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2016), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2014), Bronze WC #5, Sprint (2012), Gold JWOC Sprint (2012) Ranked 20th in Sprint World Ranking.
5.	Helena Jansson (Not starting	SWE		Silver WOC Sprint (2011), Gold WOC Sprint (2009), Silver WOC Sprint (2010), Gold EOC Sprint (2010), 4th WOC Sprint (2012), Silver WC #12, Sprint (2012), Gold WC #5, Sprint (2010), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2014), Bronze WOC Sprint (2008), Silver WC #12, Sprint (2010), Bronze WC #10, Sprint (2011), Bronze EOC Sprint (2008), Silver WC #1, Sprint (2007) Ranked 346th in Sprint World Ranking.
6.	Galina Vinogradova	RUS		Bronze WOC Sprint (2015), Bronze EOC Sprint (2016), 7th WOC Sprint (2014), 6th WOC Sprint (2013), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2011), Bronze WC #7, Sprint (2015), 8th WOC Sprint (2011), Bronze WC #5, Sprint (2010), 4th WOC Sprint (2008) Ranked 4th in Sprint World Ranking.
7.	Rahel Friederich	SUI		7th WOC Sprint (2015), 6th WOC Sprint (2014), 5th WOC Sprint (2012), 5th EOC Sprint (2014), 16th WOC Sprint (2013), 9th WOC Sprint (2011), 5th EOC Sprint (2012), 5th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 16th WOC Sprint (2010) Ranked 5th in Sprint World Ranking.
8.	Julia Gross (Not starting	SUI		Bronze EOC Sprint (2014), 9th WOC Sprint (2015), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2014), 11th WOC Sprint (2014), 6th WC #1, Sprint (2015), 9th EOC Sprint (2012), 7th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 6th WC #13, Sprint (2013), 9th WC #7, Sprint (2015) Ranked 13th in Sprint World Ranking.
9.	Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg (Not starting	NOR		Gold WOC Sprint (2008), Gold EOC Sprint (2008), 10th WOC Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2012), Silver WOC Sprint (2005), 25th WOC Sprint (2012), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2009), Silver WC #9, Sprint (2009), 7th WOC Sprint (2009), Gold WC #9, Sprint (2008), Gold WC #13, Sprint (2008), Bronze EOC Sprint (2002), Gold WC #3, Sprint (2005), Bronze WC #10, Sprint (2007) Ranked 348th in Sprint World Ranking.
10.	Lizzie Ingham (Not starting	NZL		13th WOC Sprint (2014), 9th WOC Sprint (2012), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2013), 32nd WOC Sprint (2015), 14th WOC Sprint (2013), 11th WOC Sprint (2011), 20th WC #1, Sprint (2015), 32nd WC #7, Sprint (2015), 15th JWOC Sprint (2008) Ranked 53rd in Sprint World Ranking.
11.	Marika Teini	FIN		Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2016), 16th WOC Sprint (2014), 14th WOC Sprint (2012), 11th EOC Sprint (2016), 8th EOC Sprint (2012), 12th EOC Sprint (2014), 10th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 18th WC #4, Sprint (2013), 19th WC #7, Sprint (2013) Ranked 7th in Sprint World Ranking.
12.	Silje Ekroll Jahren	NOR		8th WOC Sprint (2015), 10th WOC Sprint (2012), 14th EOC Sprint (2016), 20th WOC Sprint (2011), 8th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 13th EOC Sprint (2012), 7th WC #5, Sprint (2012), 10th WC #13, Sprint (2013), 17th WC #9, Sprint (2014), Silver JWOC Sprint (2008) Ranked 10th in Sprint World Ranking.
13.	Anastasia Rudnaya	RUS		5th WOC Sprint (2011), 21st WOC Sprint (2015), 10th EOC Sprint (2016), 23rd WOC Sprint (2012), 21st EOC Sprint (2014), 19th EOC Sprint (2012), 12th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 7th WC #11, Sprint (2012), 21st WC #7, Sprint (2015) Ranked 15th in Sprint World Ranking.
14.	Lina Strand	SWE		17th WOC Sprint (2014), Bronze WC #4, Sprint (2013), 12th WOC Sprint (2013), 15th EOC Sprint (2016), 10th EOC Sprint (2014), 6th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 9th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 9th WC #7, Sprint (2013), 12th WC #6, Sprint (2013) Ranked 11th in Sprint World Ranking.
15.	Marianne Andersen	NOR		Bronze WOC Sprint (2010), Silver EOC Sprint (2006), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2009), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2009), 5th WOC Sprint (2007), Silver WC #5, Sprint (2007), 9th WC #5, Sprint (2010), 21st WC #10, Sprint (2011), 6th WC #13, Sprint (2008) Ranked 347th in Sprint World Ranking.
16.	Fanni Gyurkó	HUN		18th WOC Sprint (2015), 33rd WOC Sprint (2014), 14th WOC Sprint (2012), 36th WOC Sprint (2013), 45th EOC Sprint (2016), 26th WOC Sprint (2009), 18th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 48th EOC Sprint (2012), 39th EOC Sprint (2010) Ranked 51st in Sprint World Ranking.
17.	Ursula Kadan	AUT		18th WOC Sprint (2014), 37th WOC Sprint (2015), 23rd WOC Sprint (2013), 22nd WOC Sprint (2012), 34th EOC Sprint (2016), 33rd WOC Sprint (2011), 18th EOC Sprint (2014), 16th EOC Sprint (2012), 30th WOC Sprint (2009) Ranked 28th in Sprint World Ranking.
18.	Svetlana Mironova (Not starting	RUS		13th WOC Sprint (2015), 22nd WOC Sprint (2014), 21st WOC Sprint (2012), 7th EOC Sprint (2012), 29th EOC Sprint (2014), 10th WC #1, Sprint (2015), 19th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 13th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 14th WC #14, Sprint (2014) Ranked 22nd in Sprint World Ranking.
19.	Léa Vercellotti	FRA		29th WOC Sprint (2015), 28th WOC Sprint (2014), 17th WOC Sprint (2013), 18th WOC Sprint (2011), 36th WOC Sprint (2012), 35th EOC Sprint (2016), 28th EOC Sprint (2014), 25th EOC Sprint (2012), 12th WC #9, Sprint (2014) Ranked 54th in Sprint World Ranking.
20.	Merja Rantanen	FIN		8th WOC Sprint (2013), 5th EOC Sprint (2016), 7th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 6th WC #11, Sprint (2012), 5th EOC Sprint (2008), 18th EOC Sprint (2010), 8th WC #1, Sprint (2011), 10th WC #9, Sprint (2012), 9th WC #2, Sprint (2011) Ranked 12th in Sprint World Ranking.

Men: The Swedes and Swiss

The men’s race is much more open than the women’s race with 10-15 runners who can win on a perfect day. All the Swiss and Swedish runners are definitely Gold medal candidates – with last year’s World Champion Jonas Leandersson (Sweden) and this year’s European Champion Matthias Kyburz (Switzerland) the biggest favourites in the field. But also the two Swiss Hubmann brothers are among the big favourites: Daniel who is ranked on top in the World Sprint Ranking has silver from WOC 2014 and gold from WOC 2011. Martin took silver at the World Championships last year.

The last of the big favourites in the men’s class is Jerker Lysell (Sweden) – bronze medalist from the World Championships in Scotland last year. Last year’s bronze medal was a big surprise, with Lysell barely being able to run ahead of the championships. This year Lysell has shown impressive shape, and the sprint specialist has even been winning long distance race in the Elite category at O-Ringen. Definitely a man to look out for.

World of O’s medal tip:

1. Matthias Kyburz
2. Jerker Lysell
3. Daniel Hubmann

Below is a list of the 20 top men sprinters the last years using a point system which weights medals in the biggest championships the last years highest. The non-starters at WOC Sprint are marked accordingly.

1.	Jonas Leandersson	SWE		Gold WOC Sprint (2015), Gold EOC Sprint (2014), Bronze WOC Sprint (2013), Gold EOC Sprint (2012), Gold WC #7, Sprint (2015), Gold WC #9, Sprint (2014), 6th WOC Sprint (2014), Gold WC #12, Sprint (2012), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2016), Bronze WC #13, Sprint (2013), Bronze JWOC Sprint (2010) Ranked Silver in Sprint World Ranking.
2.	Matthias Kyburz	SUI		Gold WOC Sprint (2012), Gold EOC Sprint (2016), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2016), Gold WC #1, Sprint (2015), 5th WOC Sprint (2014), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #7, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #13, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #4, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #11, Sprint (2012), Silver WC #14, Sprint (2014), Gold WC #1, Sprint (2011), Silver WC #5, Sprint (2012), Silver WC #9, Sprint (2012), Silver WC #12, Sprint (2012), Bronze WC #6, Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #10, Sprint (2011), Bronze WC #2, Sprint (2011), Gold JWOC Sprint (2009) Ranked Bronze in Sprint World Ranking.
3.	Daniel Hubmann	SUI		Silver WOC Sprint (2014), Gold WOC Sprint (2011), Gold WC #14, Sprint (2014), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2016), 6th WOC Sprint (2015), Silver WC #1, Sprint (2015), Silver EOC Sprint (2010), Bronze EOC Sprint (2012), Silver WC #9, Sprint (2014), Silver WOC Sprint (2008), Bronze WOC Sprint (2009), Silver WC #7, Sprint (2013), Silver WC #4, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #10, Sprint (2011), Gold WC #12, Sprint (2010), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2011), Silver EOC Sprint (2008), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2009), Gold WC #9, Sprint (2009), Silver WOC Sprint (2006), Silver WOC Sprint (2005), Gold WC #13, Sprint (2008), Gold WC #3, Sprint (2005), Gold WC #10, Sprint (2005), Silver WC #8, Sprint (2006), Silver WC #9, Sprint (2004), Bronze WC #10, Sprint (2007) Ranked Gold in Sprint World Ranking.
4.	Martin Hubmann	SUI		Silver WOC Sprint (2015), Bronze EOC Sprint (2014), Silver WC #7, Sprint (2015), Silver WC #13, Sprint (2013), 10th WOC Sprint (2014), 7th EOC Sprint (2016), 22nd WOC Sprint (2013), 5th WC #6, Sprint (2013), 7th WC #14, Sprint (2014), Bronze JWOC Sprint (2009) Ranked 4th in Sprint World Ranking.
5.	Jerker Lysell	SWE		Bronze WOC Sprint (2015), Silver EOC Sprint (2014), 4th WOC Sprint (2014), Bronze EOC Sprint (2012), Gold WC #5, Sprint (2012), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2013), Silver WC #7, Sprint (2013), Gold WC #2, Sprint (2011), 8th WOC Sprint (2013), Bronze WC #7, Sprint (2015), Bronze WC #14, Sprint (2014), Silver WC #10, Sprint (2011), Silver WC #5, Sprint (2010), Bronze WC #12, Sprint (2012) Ranked 214th in Sprint World Ranking.
6.	Søren Bobach (Not starting	DEN		Gold WOC Sprint (2014), 9th WOC Sprint (2015), 9th WOC Sprint (2012), 20th EOC Sprint (2016), 14th EOC Sprint (2014), 7th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 24th WOC Sprint (2010), 9th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 8th WC #14, Sprint (2014), Bronze JWOC Sprint (2008) Ranked 8th in Sprint World Ranking.
7.	Mårten Boström	FIN		Gold WOC Sprint (2013), 4th WOC Sprint (2015), 4th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 20th EOC Sprint (2016), 11th EOC Sprint (2014), 8th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 7th WC #6, Sprint (2013), 13th WC #1, Sprint (2015), Bronze EOC Sprint (2004) Ranked 9th in Sprint World Ranking.
8.	Fabian Hertner (Not starting	SUI		Silver WOC Sprint (2010), Silver WOC Sprint (2009), Gold EOC Sprint (2010), Gold WC #6, Sprint (2013), 4th WOC Sprint (2013), Gold WC #5, Sprint (2010), Bronze WC #12, Sprint (2012), Bronze WC #1, Sprint (2011), 4th WC #14, Sprint (2014) Ranked 42nd in Sprint World Ranking.
9.	Andrey Khramov	RUS		Gold WOC Sprint (2009), Gold WOC Sprint (2008), 5th WOC Sprint (2012), 8th WOC Sprint (2010), Silver WC #2, Sprint (2009), 18th EOC Sprint (2016), 10th EOC Sprint (2014), 26th WOC Sprint (2011), Bronze EOC Sprint (2008), Silver EOC Sprint (2004), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2009), Bronze EOC Sprint (2006) Ranked 40th in Sprint World Ranking.
10.	Tue Lassen	DEN		Bronze WOC Sprint (2014), 11th WOC Sprint (2015), Bronze WC #4, Sprint (2013), 5th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 6th EOC Sprint (2010), 6th WC #2, Sprint (2013), 11th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 8th WC #9, Sprint (2012), 11th WC #6, Sprint (2013) Ranked 26th in Sprint World Ranking.
11.	Gustav Bergman (Not starting	SWE		Silver EOC Sprint (2016), Bronze WC #1, Sprint (2015), 17th WOC Sprint (2013), 5th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 6th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 7th WC #4, Sprint (2013), 6th WC #9, Sprint (2012), 13th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 8th WC #6, Sprint (2013) Ranked 12th in Sprint World Ranking.
12.	Yannick Michiels (Not starting	BEL		5th WOC Sprint (2015), 7th WOC Sprint (2014), Bronze WC #9, Sprint (2014), 12th WOC Sprint (2013), 31st WOC Sprint (2012), 5th WC #7, Sprint (2015), 23rd EOC Sprint (2014), 6th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 19th WC #6, Sprint (2013) Ranked 7th in Sprint World Ranking.
13.	Kiril Nikolov	BUL		Silver EOC Sprint (2012), 14th WOC Sprint (2014), 31st WOC Sprint (2015), 24th WOC Sprint (2013), 6th WOC Sprint (2009), 16th WOC Sprint (2010), 46th WOC Sprint (2011), 12th EOC Sprint (2010), 31st WC #7, Sprint (2015) Ranked 69th in Sprint World Ranking.
14.	Frederic Tranchand	FRA		Bronze WOC Sprint (2010), Silver WC #11, Sprint (2012), 33rd WOC Sprint (2015), 10th WOC Sprint (2011), 43rd WOC Sprint (2013), 13th EOC Sprint (2014), 5th WC #12, Sprint (2012), 9th WC #14, Sprint (2014), 5th WC #2, Sprint (2011) Ranked 28th in Sprint World Ranking.
15.	Øystein Kvaal Østerbø	NOR		Silver WC #6, Sprint (2013), 7th WOC Sprint (2013), 16th WOC Sprint (2015), 4th WOC Sprint (2010), 12th WOC Sprint (2014), 10th EOC Sprint (2016), 8th EOC Sprint (2014), 4th WC #2, Sprint (2016), 11th WOC Sprint (2011), Gold WC #9, Sprint (2004), Silver WC #5, Sprint (2007), Bronze WC #3, Sprint (2005) Ranked 6th in Sprint World Ranking.
16.	Jonas Vytautas Gvildys	LTU		10th WOC Sprint (2015), 9th WOC Sprint (2014), 7th WOC Sprint (2012), 14th WOC Sprint (2013), 4th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 8th EOC Sprint (2012), 14th EOC Sprint (2014), 31st WOC Sprint (2010), 10th WC #7, Sprint (2015) Ranked 21st in Sprint World Ranking.
17.	Florian Howald (Not starting	SUI		Bronze EOC Sprint (2016), 7th EOC Sprint (2014), 4th WC #1, Sprint (2015), 6th WC #7, Sprint (2013), 17th WC #2, Sprint (2016), Bronze JWOC Sprint (2011), 10th WC #13, Sprint (2013), 20th WC #9, Sprint (2014), 25th WC #14, Sprint (2014) Ranked 15th in Sprint World Ranking.
18.	Kris Jones	GBR		8th WOC Sprint (2015), 18th WOC Sprint (2014), 6th EOC Sprint (2014), 16th WOC Sprint (2013), 15th EOC Sprint (2016), 8th WC #7, Sprint (2015), Silver JWOC Sprint (2010), 17th JWOC Sprint (2011), 25th JWOC Sprint (2009) Ranked 10th in Sprint World Ranking.
19.	Andreu Blanes Reig	ESP		7th WOC Sprint (2015), 26th WOC Sprint (2014), 33rd WOC Sprint (2013), 24th WOC Sprint (2012), 31st EOC Sprint (2016), 7th WC #7, Sprint (2015), Silver JWOC Sprint (2011), 40th EOC Sprint (2014), 18th JWOC Sprint (2010) Ranked 22nd in Sprint World Ranking.
20.	Jan Prochazka	CZE		8th WOC Sprint (2014), 10th WOC Sprint (2013), 8th WOC Sprint (2011), 26th WOC Sprint (2012), 15th WOC Sprint (2010), 18th EOC Sprint (2014), 7th WOC Sprint (2008), 28th WC #1, Sprint (2015), 15th WC #6, Sprint (2013) Ranked 88th in Sprint World Ranking.