Lars Jakob Waaler winner of the unofficial European Cup in TrailO 2013

Lars Jakob Waaler winner of the unofficial European Cup in TrailO 2013

Lars Jakob Waaler, Norway, won the first unofficial European Cup in TrailO. 

The last two events of the unofficial European Cup in Trail Orienteering (ECTO) took place in a rainy Plitvička Jezera, Croatia. Lars Jakob Waaler from Norway was in a clear lead before these two competitions. The only one who could threaten him was his compatriot Martin Jullum. To win the overall Cup Jullum would have to win both competitions in Croatia, and Lars Jakob would have to finish 7th or worse.

The competitions took place in a UNESCO nature reserve with special terrain with very big depressions in which there were a lot of rock faces and boulders, all formed by the rock formations coming up through the ground.

After the first days competition Martin Jullum had taken the first step. He won that competition very clear and Lars Jacob Waaler was not that successful. Before the final day, if Martin Jullum would also win the second day, Lars Jakob Waaler had to finish in the top 6 to be the winner of the ECTO. If not, Martin Jullum would be the overall winner.

You could say that both did their job. Martin Jullum took his second victory but at the same time Lars Jacob Waaler finished third – and the European Cup victory was his.

The final result of the unofficial European Cup in TrailO is:

1^st Lars Jakob Waaler, Porsgrunn OL, NOR, 213 points; 2^nd Martin Jullum, Halden SK, NOR, 200 points and 3^rd William Rex, OK Landehof, SWE, 146 points.

All results from the competitions in Plitvička Jezera can be found here.

The final results of the unofficial European Cup TrailO 2013 can be found here.