Emily Benham’s previous best ride was her silver medal placing in the Sprint at last year’s World Championships in Hungary. Today she out-paced and out-thought all the opposition to win by 2 minutes and 13 seconds. Her closest challenger was the Swede Cecilia Thomasson, and Ingrid Stengård from Finland took third place a further 1:11 down. Six different nations were represented on the podium after the race.

In the men’s race there were two Russians and two Czech riders in the top six. Valeriy Glukhov won by 1:38 with the experienced Pekka Niemi, Finland, getting the silver medal. Bronze medallist was the equally experienced Jiři Hradil, Czech Republic, who was 15 seconds slower than Niemi.

Tomorrow morning the relay event will be held.

Leading results, Middle distance

Women

1. Emily Benham GBR 47:43
2. Cecilia Thomasson SWE 49:56
3. Ingrid Stengård FIN 51:07
4. Ksenia Chernykh RUS 51:33
5. Michaela Gigon AUT 51:38
6. Laura Scaravonati ITA 51:54

Men

1. Valeriy Glukhov RUS 49:53
2. Pekka Niemi FIN 51:31
3. Jiři Hradil CZE 51:46
4. Marek Pospišek CZE 52:15
5. Tõnis Erm EST 53:12
6. Ruslan Gritsan RUS 53:29

Jussi Laurila ensured the best possible start for the strong Finnish team in the first race of the European Championships in Poland today, taking the men’s gold medal in the urban sprint. The women’s race results were unfortunately annulled due to a closed gate in the terrain which was not shown on the map.

The men’s race was a tight affair, with Laurila winning by 20 seconds over IOF world-ranked number 1, Ruslan Gritsan from Russia. Finland’s Juuso Jutila, 23^rd in the IOF World Rankings, achieved a creditable third place, 5 seconds slower than Gritsan. Five different nations were represented on the podium.

The Championships continue tomorrow with the Middle Distance race. It is planned to organise a new women’s urban sprint race on the rest day.

Leading results – urban sprint

Men

1. Jussi Laurila FIN 23:57
2. Ruslan Gritsan RUS 24:17
3. Juuso Jutila FIN 24:22
4. Luca Dallavalle ITA 24:35
5. František Bogar CZE 24:38
6. Tõnis Erm EST 24:45

Venla relay at 13:45 Eastern European Summer Time

In Finnish:

http://areena.yle.fi/tv/1932332

In Swedish:

http://arenan.yle.fi/tv/1932332

Jukola relay at 22:50 Eastern European Summer Time

In Finnish:

http://areena.yle.fi/tv/1932333

In Swedish:

http://arenan.yle.fi/tv/1932333

For more information on Jukola relay, please visit the organisers’ website: www.jukola.com/2013

The IOF’s presence at the SportAccord Convention was very useful, and many new contacts were established. The IOF booth got compliments, and the orienteering video, made by Timo Mikkola, was highly appreciated as it “showed the essence of the sport”. Several delegates commented how “orienteering really is a fantastic TV sport”.

At the Convention we also launched the Ski Orienteering book compiled by Alexander Bliznevsky. Bliznevsky was present at the Convention as a representative for the Russian Orienteering Federation.

Next year’s SportAccord Convention will be held in the beginning of April in Belek, Turkey, and the IOF will be present there as well.

Alexander Bliznevsky (Russian Orienteering Federation, member of the IOF Ski Orienteering Commission), Brian Porteous (IOF President), Barbro Rönnberg (IOF Secretary General), Anna Jacobson (IOF Assistant Secretary General) and Eivind Tonna (IOF Ski Orienteering Commission Chair) at the IOF booth at SportAccord Convention.

Tomilova provided a sample on 26 March 2013 at the CISM World Winter Games in Annecy, France. That sample was sent to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Paris, France, for analysis, and was found to contain a stimulant, 4-phenylpiracetam (carphedon). It is a Prohibited Substance under section S6 of the 2013 WADA List of Prohibited Substances and Prohibited Methods.

The CISM Discipline Commission confirmed Natalia Tomilova’s commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, and it was determined that she is suspended from participation for a period of 2 years, back-dated to commence from 26.3.2013. It was also determined that Tomilova’s results at the 2013 CISM World Winter Games events shall be annulled. 

When informed about the matter, Tomilova did not request a B sample analysis. Tomilova has the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision by the CISM Discipline Commission within 21 days of the date of this notification.

Natalia Tomilova did not participate in the World Ski Orienteering Championships this year. At the European Ski Orienteering Championships her best results were an 8^th place in sprint and long distance. At the CISM World Winter Games she won the individual distance and her team finished third in the relay. Both of these results will be annulled.

IOF President Brian Porteous commented: “I was very disappointed to hear the news. The IOF is committed to ensure that doping does not undermine the high standards of fairness of which we orienteers are so proud. We are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, and we test our athletes frequently both in- and out-of-competition. In cooperation with WADA, we have in recent years also significantly improved our education and outreach programme for athletes and coaches. It is the athletes’ fundamental right to be able to participate in doping-free sport and the IOF remains determined to continue its efforts in the fight against doping.”

The Event Centre is at Krasnobród, 270 km south-east of Warsaw and about 50 km from the border with Ukraine. The races will be held there and around the town of Zamość. Hilly terrain – urban, open and forest – is promised, and a highly technical as well as physical challenge will be facing the riders throughout the week. In these areas off-track riding is allowed.

The Opening Ceremony on Sunday is followed on Monday by the individual Urban Sprint in Zamość. There are two other individual races, over Middle and Long distances, the latter with mass start and in one-man-relay format, and two relays: the traditional 3-leg relay (maximum 2 teams per nation) and the mixed sprint relay.

Each day there are also European-level competitions for Youth and Junior classes and an open competition.

The peak of the MTBO season will be the World Championships in Estonia at the end of August, and Round 3 of the World Cup will take place in Portugal in mid-October.

European Championships Programme (week beginning 16^th June)

Sunday          Opening Ceremony

Monday         Urban Sprint

Tuesday        Middle distance

Wednesday  Relay

Thursday      Rest day

Friday            Long distance

Saturday       Mixed Sprint Relay

The Swiss men and Swedish women stand out in showing strength in depth; there are 4 Swiss and 3 Swedes in the top six in the respective lists. Sweden has also 2 men in the top six, so the only other countries represented at this level are Russia (Tatyana Riabkina, 4^th) and Denmark (Ida Bobach, 5^th).

Eight of the thirteen competitions which make up the World Cup have now taken place; the remaining competitions comprise the three individual finals in the World Championships next month and the World Cup Final weekend in Switzerland in October. The total score for each athlete after the Final in October will be the sum of all scores from competitions 1 to 8 (i.e. the current score) plus the best 2 scores from competitions 9 to 12 and the score from the final race, the World Cup Final Sprint.

With 1^st place in a race carrying 100 points and 4^th place having only half that value, the situation at the top can change quite quickly. And for the very final race the points scores allocated for each place are doubled. There is a total prize money pot of 7000 Euros which is divided amongst the six best in the final standings.

Leading World Cup standings after Second Round

Women

1. Tove Alexandersson SWE 576
2. Simone Niggli SUI 485
3. Annika Billstam SWE 371
4. Tatyana Riabkina RUS 357
5. Ida Bobach DEN 354
6. Lina Strand SWE 280

Men

1. Matthias Kyburz SUI 540
2. Daniel Hubmann SUI 440
3. Fabian Hertner SUI 397
4. Jerker Lysell SWE 330
5. Matthias Merz SUI 323
6. Gustav Bergman SWE 320

Switzerland can look back on the Tour with immense satisfaction. Daniel Hubmann appears to have no injury after-effects following a much restricted season last year, whilst Simone Niggli continues to be almost unbeatable. But they also showed huge strength in depth, exemplified by the fact that 5 of the first 6 in the men’s Tour standings were Swiss. Only Gustav Bergman, Sweden who was third was able to break the Swiss dominance.

Behind Simone, Tove Alexandersson and Annika Billstam retained their overall positions, Tatyana Riabkina moved up from fifth to fourth and Ida Bobach from seventh to fifth. Fabian Hertner dropped a place to fourth (1 second down on third) in the men’s race, but Matthias Merz and Martin Hubmann both had strong runs to finish fifth and sixth respectively.

The third round of the 2013 World Cup comprises the finals at the World Championships, which start in Vuokatti, Finland in early July.

Leading final Nordic Tour results (total times shown)

Women

1. Simone Niggli SUI 2:11:16
2. Tove Alexandersson SWE 2:17:36
3. Annika Billstam SWE 2:19:42
4. Tatyana Riabkina RUS 2:20:36
5. Ida Bobach DEN 2:26:05
6. Lina Strand SWE 2:26:15

Men

1. Daniel Hubmann SUI 2:35:48
2. Matthias Kyburz SUI 2:37:10
3. Gustav Bergman SWE 2:37:57
4. Fabian Hertner SUI 2:37:58
5. Matthias Merz SUI 2:38:48
6. Martin Hubmann SUI 2:40:06

Simone Niggli therefore took revenge on Emma Klingenberg, who had narrowly beaten her in the knock-out sprint in Sweden three days ago. Simone was the last starter after winning the qualification race this morning. Annika Billstam, Sweden, finished third as she also did this morning, pushing her compatriot Tove Alexandersson into fourth place. Galina Vinogradova, Russia and Judith Wyder, Switzerland completed the podium placings.

The men’s race was nail-biting to the end. Matthias Kyburz had to wait for several minutes whilst Daniel Hubmann and at the end Jerker Lysell, last starter, both just failed to match his time. Placings 4 to 6 were taken by Jonas Leandersson, Sweden, Rasmus Thrane Hansen, Denmark and Florian Howald, Switzerland.

The final race of the Nordic Tour is tomorrow: a Long distance chasing start race, start times based on the Nordic Tour overall time standings after the first 4 Tour races. The first runner to the finish is the Nordic Tour winner. The race will take place in typical Finnish coastal terrain with some open-rock hilltops and some steep slopes with dense vegetation, plus plenty of paths and tracks through runnable forest.

The race starts at 13.20 Finnish time, and will again be transmitted on Finnish TV with a link from the Nordic Tour website www.nordicorienteeringtour.com.

Leading results, sprint

Women

1. Simone Niggli SUI 14:03
2. Emma Klingenberg DEN 14:17
3. Annika Billstam SWE 14:23
4. Tove Alexandersson SWE 14:36
5. Galina Vinogradova RUS 14:56
6. Judith Wyder SUI 14:58

Men

1. Matthias Kyburz SUI 13:51

2=  Daniel Hubmann SUI & Jerker Lysell SWE 13:52

4.    Jonas Leandersson SWE 14:07

5.    Rasmus Thrane Hansen DEN 14:11

6.    Florian Howald SUI 14:17