WOC test races Middle Switzerland: Maps, Results & Analysis

With only 5 weeks until the World Orienteering Championships (WOC) in Flims Laax in Switzerland, many countries hold their WOC test or selection races in Switzerland this long weekend with more than 300 top runners at the start. Saturday and Sunday Middle distance races were organized, while a Long distance race is held on Tuesday.

The start field is divided into two classes for men and two classes for women based on nationality – with Norway, Switzerland and Czech Repuplic being in one class while Sweden, Finland, France and Austria were in the other for the two middle distance races. The middle distance races were organized in two different terrains – a very detailed, tricky terrain on Saturday’s middle distance and an alpine hillside with less details on Sunday’s middle distance.

Saturday: Detailed, tricky terrain

Victories in the very detailed, tricky terrain on Saturday’s middle distance race went to Emil Svensk (Sweden), Kasper Fosser (Norway), Andrine Benjaminsen (Norway) and  Sara Hagström (Sweden). In this terrain many of the top runners made quite large mistakes. At the top of this article an example leg from one of the women’s courses is shown along with some typical mistakes. In the second part of this article the legs were most runners made mistakes are shown along with some representative mistakes from the GPS-tracking.  Typical mistakes made were direction mistakes or mistakes in the control circle. Also, some runners tried to take longer routechoices which often seemed to lead to time losses.

Some world class runners losing significant time due to mistakes includes Lucas Basset (France), Albin Ridefelt (Sweden), Ruslan Glibov (Ukraine), Gaute Steiwer (Norway), Simona Aebersold (Switzerland), Elena Roos (Switzerland), Ane Dyrkorn (Norway), Venla Harju (Finland), Hanna Lundberg (Sweden) and Johanna Ridefelt (Sweden). 

Below one of the men’s courses from the first middle distance is shown:

In the second part of this article, split time illustrations and timeloss-per-control graphs are shown for each class to show who were in the battle for victories, who made big mistakes and which controls were the most tricky ones. Also, the controls were most top runners lost time are shown for each class, along with some representative mistakes.

Some example legs where many mistakes were made:

Sunday: Alpine hillside

On Sunday in a middle distance in an alpine hillside with less details, Gustav Bergman (Sweden), Daniel Hubmann (Switzerland), Simona Aebersold (Switzerland) and Tove Alexandersson (Sweden) took the victories. Thus no runner won twice – and the Swiss were a lot better on Sunday – indicating both how tricky Saturday’s terrain was, and the difference between the terrain for the two middle distance races. On this second day, there were less control mistakes (although some runners did control mistakes in the hillsides), but some runners lost time on routechoices. However, the time lost due to suboptimal routechoices was relatively minor – at least compared to the big mistakes at day 1.

Below one of the men’s courses from the second middle distance is shown:

Here is a representative routechoice leg – typically there were relatively small differences between the routechoices:

Maps & GPS-tracking

Results & Illustrations Middle 1 (full results)

Men – 1

1.	Emil Svensk	Sweden	35:23	(+0:00)
2.	Anton Johansson	Sweden	36:02	(+0:39)
3.	Gustav Bergman	Sweden	36:14	(+0:51)
4.	Olli Ojanaho	Finland	36:34	(+1:11)
5.	Simon Hector	Sweden	36:35	(+1:12)
6.	Viktor Svensk	Sweden	36:44	(+1:21)
7.	Axel Elmblad	Sweden	36:51	(+1:28)
8.	Gernot Ymsen	Austria	37:20	(+1:57)
9.	Teemu Oksanen	Finland	37:28	(+2:05)
10.	Miika Kirmula	Finland	37:35	(+2:12)
11.	Jannis Bonek	Austria	37:43	(+2:20)
12.	Isac von Krusenstierna	Sweden	37:46	(+2:23)
13.	Simon Imark	Sweden	37:59	(+2:36)
14.	Elias Kuukka	Finland	38:02	(+2:39)
15.	Oskar Sjoeberg	Sweden	38:12	(+2:49)
16.	Joonas Ahola	Finland	38:42	(+3:19)
17.	Topi Syrjalainen	Finland	38:49	(+3:26)
18.	August Mollen	Sweden	39:09	(+3:46)
19.	Jonatan Gustafsson	Sweden	39:13	(+3:50)
20.	Albin Ridefelt	Sweden	39:14	(+3:51)

Men – 2

1.	Kasper Harlem Fosser	Norway	34:59	(+0:00)
2.	Florian Howald	Switzerland	36:43	(+1:44)
3.	Tomas Krivda	Czech Republic	36:47	(+1:48)
4.	Daniel Hubmann	Switzerland	36:52	(+1:53)
5.	Matthias Kyburz	Switzerland	37:17	(+2:18)
6.	Jonas Hubacek	Czech Republic	37:45	(+2:46)
7.	Elias Jonsson	Norway	37:50	(+2:51)
8.	Eskil Kinneberg	Norway	37:51	(+2:52)
9.	Lukas Liland	Norway	38:02	(+3:03)
10.	Martin Hubmann	Switzerland	38:09	(+3:10)
11.	Havard Sandstad Eidsmo	Norway	38:25	(+3:26)
12.	Ralph Street	Great Britain	38:35	(+3:36)
13.	Gaute Steiwer	Norway	39:06	(+4:07)
14.	Andreas Soelberg	Norway	39:10	(+4:11)
15.	Jorgen Baklid	Norway	39:13	(+4:14)
16.	Magne Daehli	Norway	39:46	(+4:47)
17.	Lauri Sild	Estonia	39:53	(+4:54)
18.	Daniel Vandas	Czech Republic	39:57	(+4:58)
19.	Jonas Soldini	Switzerland	40:10	(+5:11)
20.	Alvaro Casado	Spain	40:14	(+5:15)

Women – 1

1.	Andrine Benjaminsen	Norway	34:35	(+0:00)
2.	Ingrid Lundanes	Norway	34:44	(+0:09)
3.	Natalia Gemperle	Switzerland	35:37	(+1:02)
4.	Marianne Andersen	Norway	36:20	(+1:45)
5.	Tereza Janosikova	Czech Republic	36:44	(+2:09)
6.	Kamilla Steiwer	Norway	36:49	(+2:14)
7.	Megan Carter Davies	Great Britain	37:01	(+2:26)
8.	Grace Molloy	Great Britain	37:15	(+2:40)
9.	Marie Olaussen	Norway	37:49	(+3:14)
10.	Victoria Haestad Bjornstad	Norway	38:38	(+4:03)
11.	Tereza Cechova	Czech Republic	39:05	(+4:30)
12.	Cecilie Andersen	Great Britain	39:12	(+4:37)
13.	Hanna Mueller	Germany	39:22	(+4:47)
14.	Hanna Wisniewska	Poland	39:31	(+4:56)
15.	Johanna Trummer	Austria	39:38	(+5:03)
16.	Simona Aebersold	Switzerland	40:11	(+5:36)
17.	Vendula Horcickova	Czech Republic	40:15	(+5:40)
18.	Ane Dyrkorn	Norway	40:18	(+5:43)
19.	Emma Louise Arnesen	Norway	40:30	(+5:55)
20.	Siana Senn	Switzerland	40:38	(+6:03)

 

Women -2

1.	Sara Hagstrom	Sweden	33:56	(+0:00)
2.	Marika Teini	Finland	34:22	(+0:26)
3.	Tove Alexandersson	Sweden	35:30	(+1:34)
4.	Kirsi Nurmi	Finland	35:48	(+1:52)
5.	Sanna Fast	Sweden	36:17	(+2:21)
6.	Elin Mansson	Sweden	36:28	(+2:32)
7.	Aino Mankarla	Finland	37:14	(+3:18)
8.	Karolin Ohlsson	Sweden	37:26	(+3:30)
9.	Hanna Lundberg	Sweden	37:41	(+3:45)
10.	Maija Sianoja	Finland	37:48	(+3:52)
11.	Amy Nymalm	Finland	37:58	(+4:02)
12.	Lina Strand	Sweden	38:02	(+4:06)
13.	Venla Harju	Finland	39:01	(+5:05)
14.	Tilda Ostberg	Sweden	39:43	(+5:47)
15.	Anu Tuomisto	Finland	39:52	(+5:56)
16.	Veera Klemettinen	Finland	40:10	(+6:14)
17.	Isia Basset	France	40:25	(+6:29)
18.	Milja Vaataja	Finland	40:27	(+6:31)
19.	Cecile Calandry	France	40:34	(+6:38)
20.	Saila Kinni	Finland	40:35	(+6:39)

 

Results & Illustrations Middle 2 (full results)

Men – 1

1.	Gustav Bergman	Sweden	36:30	(+0:00)
2.	Emil Svensk	Sweden	36:54	(+0:24)
3.	Oskar Sjoeberg	Sweden	36:56	(+0:26)
4.	Isac von Krusenstierna	Sweden	37:06	(+0:36)
5.	Simon Hector	Sweden	37:14	(+0:44)
6.	Albin Ridefelt	Sweden	37:30	(+1:00)
7.	Jonatan Gustafsson	Sweden	38:27	(+1:57)
8.	Axel Elmblad	Sweden	38:36	(+2:06)
9.	Miika Kirmula	Finland	38:41	(+2:11)
10.	Viktor Svensk	Sweden	38:58	(+2:28)
11.	Topi Syrjalainen	Finland	39:20	(+2:50)
12.	Gernot Ymsen	Austria	39:52	(+3:22)
13.	Simon Imark	Sweden	40:11	(+3:41)
14.	Mathieu Perrin	France	40:12	(+3:42)
15.	Guilhem Elias	France	40:24	(+3:54)
16.	Jens Ronnols	Sweden	40:26	(+3:56)
17.	Filip Ossiansson	Sweden	40:28	(+3:58)
18.	Matthias Groell	Austria	41:07	(+4:37)
19.	Lucas Basset	France	41:23	(+4:53)
20.	Quentin Andrieux	France	41:40	(+5:10)

 

 

Men – 2

1.	Daniel Hubmann	Switzerland	37:18	(+0:00)
2.	Florian Howald	Switzerland	37:31	(+0:13)
3.	Ruslan Glibov	Ukraine	37:33	(+0:15)
4.	Kasper Harlem Fosser	Norway	37:50	(+0:32)
5.	Eskil Kinneberg	Norway	39:00	(+1:42)
6.	Gaute Steiwer	Norway	39:01	(+1:43)
7.	Reto Egger	Switzerland	39:06	(+1:48)
8.	Christoph Meier	Switzerland	39:33	(+2:15)
9.	Matthias Kyburz	Switzerland	39:53	(+2:35)
10.	Timo Sild	Estonia	40:14	(+2:56)
11.	Joey Hadorn	Switzerland	40:17	(+2:59)
12.	Magne Daehli	Norway	40:28	(+3:10)
13.	Lukas Liland	Norway	40:36	(+3:18)
14.	Luis Nogueira	Spain	40:49	(+3:31)
15.	Tomas Krivda	Czech Republic	41:11	(+3:53)
16.	Tino Polsini	Switzerland	41:50	(+4:32)
17.	Tim Robertson	New Zealand	42:06	(+4:48)
18.	Andreas Soelberg	Norway	42:11	(+4:53)
19.	Jorgen Baklid	Norway	42:33	(+5:15)
20.	Elias Jonsson	Norway	42:34	(+5:16)

 

 

Women – 1

1.	Simona Aebersold	Switzerland	40:23	(+0:00)
2.	Ane Dyrkorn	Norway	40:41	(+0:18)
3.	Marie Olaussen	Norway	41:38	(+1:15)
4.	Marianne Andersen	Norway	42:17	(+1:54)
5.	Elena Roos	Switzerland	42:21	(+1:58)
6.	Natalia Gemperle	Switzerland	42:53	(+2:30)
7.	Victoria Haestad Bjornstad	Norway	43:44	(+3:21)
8.	Megan Carter Davies	Great Britain	44:12	(+3:49)
9.	Sanna Hotz	Switzerland	44:36	(+4:13)
10.	Hanna Wisniewska	Poland	44:50	(+4:27)
11.	Siana Senn	Switzerland	44:52	(+4:29)
12.	Jasmina Gassner	Austria	45:08	(+4:45)
13.	Carina Polzer	Austria	45:46	(+5:23)
14.	Sabine Hauswirth	Switzerland	45:56	(+5:33)
15.	Anika Gassner	Austria	46:23	(+6:00)
16.	Ingrid Lundanes	Norway	47:29	(+7:06)
17.	Kamilla Steiwer	Norway	47:54	(+7:31)
18.	Vendula Horcickova	Czech Republic	48:05	(+7:42)
19.	Paula Starke	Germany	49:18	(+8:55)
20.	Kaja Winsnes Nordhagen	Norway	49:23	(+9:00)

Women -2

1.	Tove Alexandersson	Sweden	38:30	(+0:00)
2.	Sanna Fast	Sweden	38:33	(+0:03)
3.	Hanna Lundberg	Sweden	41:11	(+2:41)
4.	Sara Hagstrom	Sweden	41:48	(+3:18)
5.	Elin Mansson	Sweden	42:05	(+3:35)
6.	Johanna Ridefelt	Sweden	42:36	(+4:06)
7.	Tilda Ostberg	Sweden	42:48	(+4:18)
8.	Marika Teini	Finland	43:53	(+5:23)
9.	Miia Niittynen	Finland	44:31	(+6:01)
10.	Karolin Ohlsson	Sweden	44:38	(+6:08)
11.	Anu Tuomisto	Finland	45:23	(+6:53)
12.	Anna Haataja	Finland	46:24	(+7:54)
13.	Tilde Backlund	Sweden	46:43	(+8:13)
14.	Venla Harju	Finland	47:01	(+8:31)
15.	Maija Sianoja	Finland	47:02	(+8:32)
16.	Veera Klemettinen	Finland	47:13	(+8:43)
17.	Isia Basset	France	47:16	(+8:46)
18.	Saila Kinni	Finland	47:23	(+8:53)
19.	Milja Vaataja	Finland	47:28	(+8:58)
20.	Enni Jalava	Finland	47:40	(+9:10)