Home / Orienteering News / Venla 2017: Alfta-Ösa wins ahead of Swiss OL Norska

Venla 2017: Alfta-Ösa wins ahead of Swiss OL Norska

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Alfta-Ösa won the 2017 edition of Venla after a very strong team effort. Alfta-Ösa was in the lead already out from the start – and except for some trouble at the third leg the Swedish team was in the lead all the way until the finish.

Swiss OL Norska took the first ever podium place for a Swiss team after a fantastic performance by Simone Niggli at the third leg where Niggli took OL Norska all the way into a one minute lead to Alfta-Ösa.

On the last leg Alfta-Ösa’s Natalia Gemperle was too fast for OL Norska, catching Sabine Hauswirth and increasing the gap second by second. Behind Stora Tuna’s Tove Alexandersson was chasing, but a gap of 3:54 on the start of the leg to one of the world’s very best orienteers was too much for Alexandersson this time. Gemperle was alone in the lead also at 10Mila this year but missed in the very end there – giving the victory to Alexandersson. This time Gemperle did the right thing towards the end of the relay, and could run Alfta-Ösa in to a clear victory.

For OL Norska this was a great result – the team aimed for a Top10 ahead of this year’s Venla – and a second place was way above expectations.

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Leg 1: Vinogradova takes the first leg

Galina Vinogradova started the great day for Alfta-Ösa with returning first after the first leg with a 26 second gap down to Keuruun Kisailijat and with only 8 teams within 2 minutes. Several of the top favourites lost a lot of time – with Halden at +5:35, SK Pohjantähti at +6.44, Koovee at +6.50 and TP at +9:21.

1 SWE Alfta ÖSA OK (6) 45:38 Galina Vinogradova 45:38
2 FIN Keuruun Kisailijat (188) +26 Sari Anttonen 46:04
3 SWE OK Tisaren (16) +1:13 Lilian Forsgren 46:52
4 LTU IGTISA (26) +1:25 Irina Nyberg 47:04
5 SWE Järla Orientering (19) +1:28 Emma Klingenberg 47:06
6 SWE Pan-Kristianstad (27) +1:29 Nicole Ljungdahl 47:08
7 FIN Angelniemen Ankkuri (29) +1:30 Heini Saarimäki 47:08
8 FIN Hiidenkiertäjät (17) +2:18 Annika Rihma 47:56
9 SUI Ol Norska (32) +2:20 Sarina Jenzer 47:58
10 FIN Pargas IF (46) +2:42 Yvonne Gunell 48:20
11 SWE Stora Tuna OK (7) +2:42 Anna Mårsell 48:20
12 FIN Rastikarhut (75) +2:44 Suvi Ylikylä 48:22
13 FIN Lynx (24) +2:58 Karoliina Sundberg 48:36
14 FIN MS Parma (11) +3:53 Tuulia Viberg 49:31
15 SWE Södertälje Nykvarn Orienter (63) +3:54 Jana Knapova 49:32
16 SWE IFK Göteborg (10) +3:57 Ingjerd Myhre 49:36
17 SWE OK Linne (14) +4:01 Riina Kuuselo 49:40
18 SWE IK Hakarpspojkarna 2 (92) +4:08 Anna Dvoryanskaya 49:47
19 SWE OK Orion 2 (97) +4:16 Myrra Carlsson 49:54
20 NOR Nydalens SK (35) +4:17 Marion Huber 49:55

Leg 2: Heikka increases gap to 4 minutes for Alfta-Ösa

Alfta-Ösa’s Josefine Heikka increased the gap to more than 4 minutes. Swiss OL Norska is closest at 4:05 – with many teams behind OL Norska also in the battle for the top positions.

1 SWE Alfta ÖSA OK (6) 1:29:52 Josefine Heikka 44:14
2 SUI Ol Norska (32) +4:05 Silje Ekroll Jahren 45:59
3 FIN Paimion Rasti (9) +4:13 Emma Silvennoinen 44:06
4 SWE OK Tisaren (16) +4:58 Ellinor Eriksson 47:59
5 FIN Hiidenkiertäjät (17) +5:41 Jenny Patana 47:37
6 FIN Rastikarhut (75) +5:42 Tuija Kuusela 47:13
7 SWE OK Kåre (12) +5:47 Kajsa Risby 44:31
8 FIN Kangasala SK (30) +5:55 Outi Hytönen 44:07
9 FIN Tampereen Pyrintö 2 (34) +6:11 Anni Haanpää 44:19
10 SWE IFK Moras OK (33) +6:46 Olha Panchenko 45:46
11 SWE Södertälje Nykvarn Orienter (63) +6:59 Vendula Horcickova 47:19
12 SWE Stora Tuna OK (7) +7:11 Magdalena Olsson 48:43
13 FIN MS Parma (11) +7:17 Anastasia Rudnaya 47:38
14 SWE Göteborg Majorna OK (5) +7:23 Viktoria Erntsson 46:45
15 LTU IGTISA (26) +7:27 Vesta Ambrazaite 50:15
16 FIN SK Pohjantähti (3) +7:30 Heini Wennman 45:00
17 NOR NTNUI 2 (69) +7:34 Ingrid Guldbrandsen 45:26
18 SWE Pan-Kristianstad (27) +7:35 Nelly Carlsson 50:20
19 SWE Göteborg Majorna OK 2 (41) +7:38 Runa Fremstad 46:53
20 FIN Pargas IF (46) +9:35 Frida Lönnberg 51:07

Leg 3: Simone Niggli runs OL Norska into the lead

Early on the third leg Alfta-Ösa’s Sara Eskilsson makes a big mistake early on the course, and OL Norska with Simone Niggli gets down from more than 4 minutes to only 48 seconds behind already after 2.8 km. Niggli runs a fantastic leg – passing Sara Eskilsson and giving OL Norska a one minute lead with one leg to go. A fantastic performance by the Swiss veteran who retired from international top orienteering several years ago. Can we get the first victory ever by a team from Switzerland?

1 SUI Ol Norska (32) 2:09:46 Simone Niggli 35:48
2 SWE Alfta ÖSA OK (6) +1:03 Sara Eskilsson 40:57
3 SWE Stora Tuna OK (7) +3:54 Julia Gross 36:36
4 FIN Tampereen Pyrintö 2 (34) +4:53 Sonja Kyrölä 38:36
5 SWE IFK Moras OK (33) +4:56 Denisa Kosova 38:04
6 FIN Paimion Rasti (9) +5:55 Saara Norrgrann 41:35
7 FIN MS Parma (11) +6:14 Tiia Miettinen 38:51
8 FIN Rastikarhut (75) +7:15 Laura Jakobsson 41:26
9 FIN Hiidenkiertäjät (17) +7:31 Anu Åkerman 41:44
10 SWE Göteborg Majorna OK (5) +7:57 Anna Forsberg 40:28
11 NOR Halden SK (1) +8:05 Hollie Orr 36:13
12 FIN SK Pohjantähti (3) +8:16 Sofia Haajanen 40:40
13 FIN Koovee (4) +9:45 Miia Niittynen 39:00
14 SWE Pan-Kristianstad (27) +9:47 Elin Carlsson 42:05
15 SWE OK Kåre (12) +9:56 Matilda Andersson 44:02

Last leg: Gemperle takes Alfta-Ösa to victory

On the last leg Natalia Gemperle did a great run for Alfta-Ösa, catching OL Norska’s Sabine Hauswirth and increasing the gap second by second. Behind Stora Tuna’s Tove Alexandersson was chasing, but a gap of 3:54 on the start of the leg to one of the world’s very best orienteers was too much for Alexandersson this time. Gemperle was alone in the lead also at 10Mila this year but missed in the very end there – giving the victory to Alexandersson. This time Gemperle did the right thing towards the end of the relay, and could run Alfta-Ösa in to a clear victory.

Final results

1 6 Alfta ÖSA OK SWE 3:00:12
1 Galina Vinogradova 45:38
2 Josefine Heikka 44:14 1:29:52
3 Sara Eskilsson 40:57 2:10:50
4 Natalia Gemperle 49:21 3:00:12
2 32 Ol Norska SUI 3:01:35
1 Sarina Jenzer 47:58
2 Silje Ekroll Jahren 45:59 1:33:58
3 Simone Niggli 35:48 2:09:46
4 Sabine Hauswirth 51:48 3:01:35
3 7 Stora Tuna OK SWE 3:02:00
1 Anna Mårsell 48:20
2 Magdalena Olsson 48:43 1:37:04
3 Julia Gross 36:36 2:13:40
4 Tove Alexandersson 48:20 3:02:00
4 34 Tampereen Pyrintö 2 FIN 3:08:27
1 Lotta Eerola 51:44
2 Anni Haanpää 44:19 1:36:03
3 Sonja Kyrölä 38:36 2:14:40
4 Simona Aebersold 53:46 3:08:27
5 9 Paimion Rasti FIN 3:10:29
1 Nina Temjakova 50:00
2 Emma Silvennoinen 44:06 1:34:06
3 Saara Norrgrann 41:35 2:15:42
4 Ida Marie Näss Björgul 54:47 3:10:29
6 1 Halden SK NOR 3:10:55
1 Jo Shepherd 51:13
2 Eva Jurenikova 50:24 1:41:38
3 Hollie Orr 36:13 2:17:52
4 Elena Roos 53:02 3:10:55
7 12 OK Kåre SWE 3:11:17
1 Vilma von Krusenstierna 51:09
2 Kajsa Risby 44:31 1:35:40
3 Matilda Andersson 44:02 2:19:43
4 Lisa Risby 51:33 3:11:17
8 33 IFK Moras OK SWE 3:11:47
1 Anastasia Trubkina 50:52
2 Olha Panchenko 45:46 1:36:39
3 Denisa Kosova 38:04 2:14:43
4 Kristin Löfgren 57:04 3:11:47
9 11 MS Parma FIN 3:12:17
1 Tuulia Viberg 49:31
2 Anastasia Rudnaya 47:38 1:37:09
3 Tiia Miettinen 38:51 2:16:01
4 Maija Sianoja 56:16 3:12:17
10 3 SK Pohjantähti FIN 3:12:52
1 Anna Haataja 52:22
2 Heini Wennman 45:00 1:37:23
3 Sofia Haajanen 40:40 2:18:03
4 Marika Teini 54:48 3:12:52

The start & ahead of the race

About Jan Kocbach

Jan Kocbach is the founder of WorldofO.com - taking care of everything from site development to writing articles, photography and analysis.

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