Anna Ulvensøen wins the sprint (Photo IOF)
The first gold medals at the World Ski Orienteering Championships in Japan went to Norwegian athletes Anna Ulvensøen and Jørgen Baklid in the sprint in Rusutsu, Japan.
In the women’s class, Ulvensøen was absolutely dominant – especially in the second half of the course – and won with an impressive margin of 70 seconds over Sweden’s Linda Lindkvist. Four seconds further behind, Delia Giezendanner (SUI) and Magdalena Olsson (SWE) shared the bronze medal.
Ulvensøen won all three distances at the World Cup round in Luleå a month ago and shows no signs of slowing down.
Double Norwegian at the top
In Luleå, Jørgen Baklid failed to reach the top of the podium, but the conditions in Japan seem to suit him perfectly.
Baklid’s margin of victory in the men’s class was also large – 18 seconds ahead of compatriot Styrk Kamsvåg, while Niklas Ekström (FIN) was two seconds further behind in bronze position.
Thus, Baklid defended her gold medal in the sprint from WSOC in Austria two years ago.
The large victory margins for both Ulvensøen and Baklid provide a good starting point for more Norwegian medals today, when the pursuit race takes place based on Monday’s results.
The victories also give a greater lead in the World Cup standings for both Ulvensøen and Baklid, who are leading after eight races.
Top results:
Women:
1 Anna Ulvensøen, NOR 17:33
2 Linda Lindkvist, SWE +1:10
3 Delia Giezendanner, SUI +1:14
3 Anna Magdalena Olsson, SWE +1:14
5 Frida Sandberg, SWE +1:24
6 Eliane Deininger, SUI +1:37
Men:
1 Jørgen Baklid, NOR 16:18
2 Styrk Kamsvåg, NOR +0:18
3 Niklas Ekström, FIN +0:20
4 Vegard Gulbrandsen, NOR +0:21
5 Stanimir Belomazhev, BUL +0:31
6 Aapo Viippola, FIN +0:41
