A dominant performance from Nikoline Splittorff, winning by 1.41 in today’s Middle race, ensured that she is the overall women’s champion in 2023. Home rider Fabiano Bettega won the men’s race by 5 seconds, where Czechia had 4 riders in the top 6 – the top 2 World Cup placings are still undecided.
In the women’s race over 8.9 km with 300 m climb, Splittorff was fastest throughout the race. Marika Hara FIN started strongly, second fastest after Splittorff after a quarter of the race, but Kaarina Nurminen FIN and later Camilla Søgaard DEN got the better of her time and took second and third places respectively. Denmark finished with three athletes in the top six.
Nikoline Splittorff on her way to Middle distance victory
Bettega was second to the Czech rider Krystof Bogar for much of the men’s race (12.9 km, 360 m), and then took the leading time over the final 9 minutes. Behind the leading two, Vojtech Ludvik and Vojtech Stransky ended with precisely the same time, 1.11 down on the winner. Ludvik was fourth at the final control but gained just enough in the finish schute to tie with Stransky. Both Bogar and Ludvik still have a chance of overall World Cup victory. Current World Cup scores can be found athttps://ranking.orienteering.org/WorldCup/WorldCup?wcup=mtbo&.
The 2023 U-23 Middle Distance World Champions are both Finns: Kaarina Nurminen (second in her race) and Tomi Nykanen (fifth in his). The silver and bronze medals are divided between four nations – France, Italy, Poland and Switzerland.
The two individual races are centred on the Trentino village Lavarone, not far from the Long Distance finish of the FootO World Championships in 2014. Today the conditions were pleasant – dry with mixed sun and cloud; tomorrow for the more physically challenging Long race, some wet weather is forecast.
Follow the action on IOF LIVE from 09.00 CEST!
Leading results – Middle Distance
Women
- Nikoline Splittorff DEN 47:44
- Kaarina Nurminen FIN 49:25
- Camilla Søgaard DEN 50:51
- Marika Hara FIN 52:06
- Ursina Jaeggi SUI 53:17
- Cæcilie Christoffersen DEN 53:24
Men
- Fabiano Bettega ITA 55:50
- Krystof Bogar CZE 55:55
3= Vojtech Ludvik CZE & Vojtech Stransky CZE 57:01
- Tomi Nykanen FIN 57:24
- Martin Kanta CZE 58:05
U-23 World Championship medallists
Women
Gold – Kaarina Nurminen FIN
Silver – Celine Wellerreiter SUI
Bronze – Iris Aurora Pecorari ITA
Men
Gold – Tomi Nykanen FIN
Silver – Armel Berthaud FRA
Bronze – Bartosz Niebielski POL