World Cup Round 1: Middle and Relay Round up

On Saturday the Men’s and Women’s Middle event took place with Sweden’s Sara Hagström taking her first World Cup Win over teammate Tove Alexandersson.

The seventeen-time World Champion was leading until the last couple of controls but Hagström strong finish secured her win by 10 seconds and was joined by 6 of her team mates in the top 10, showing the strength of the Swedish Women’s team.

In the men’s Kasper Fosser (NOR) had followed up on Thursday’s long-distance win by taking victory over Matthias Kyburz (SUI). Sweden’s Gustav Bergman was 14 further behind in third.

For the British team, Megan Carter- Davies was once again the highest placed team member, finishing 15^th, with Ralph Street finishing in 34^th place in the Mens.

World Cup Round 1: GB Team's Middle Distance Results

Sunday saw the first Orienteering World Cup round of 2023 come to an exciting end, when Sweden won both the men’s and women’s relays.

The men were the first to start and saw two close legs to begin with. It wasn’t until Gustav Bergman (SWE) made a great start on the third legs and created a gap of around a minute just before the arena passage. Even though the teams behind caught up some seconds on the last loop, Bergman ran alone into the win at the finish line.

In the women’s relay Sweden was looking to repeat the men’s success, but during the second leg Tove Alexandersson lost time on two controls before the arena passage and Sweden dropped down to make space for six teams.

In the end it was Sweden -2 with Lisa Risby on the last leg who proved to be the strongest to take the win.

The British team of Joshua Dudley, Ben Mitchell and Ralph Street were the highest placed men’s relay, after a good final leg from Ralph moved them up six places. The team also finished 9^th Nation.

In the women’s race, the teams finished tightly in 22^nd and 23^rd place with both Fiona Bunn and Megan Carter-Davies making up good ground on their legs. Great Britain 1 finished as 12^th nation.

World Cup Round 1: GB Team's Relay Results

All images are credited to the International Orienteering Foundation's press photos.