Ski Orienteering World Cup: second win for Tunis

Ski Orienteering World Cup: second win for Tunis

Women’s winner Tatiana Rvacheva (RUS) celebrates her victory. Photo: Hanna Vehviläinen

Home athlete Staffan Tunis gained his second win of the World Cup round in the mass start Long distance race at Ylläs, Finland today, but took the lead only in the last kilometre of the 24.0 km course. The women’s race was won by Tatiana Rvacheva, Russia who led throughout.

Up until the 22.8 km mark the men’s race victory seemed destined for Andrey Lamov, Russia, who led at that point by 52 seconds. But a sharp slow-down shortly afterwards meant that he had to settle for second place in a sprint finish involving him and Tunis and also Hans Jørgen Kvåle, Norway who finished third. The three were separated at the finish by just 8 seconds.

Andrei Lamov had been at the front almost throughout the race. At the 10.8 km mark Vladimir Barchukov, Russia was briefly in the lead, but he dropped from 2^nd to 6^th place in the last stages of the race. Staffan Tunis had a relatively slow start and was 7^th at the 10.8 km point, but then moved steadily forward to challenge Lamov. One strong starter was Gion Schnyder of Switzerland who was third after 10.8 km; his challenge gradually receded, however, and he ended in 10^th place.

World and European Champion at Long distance, Peter Arnesson from Sweden, finished 8^th today.

Finland’s Milka Leppäsalmi was closest to Tatiana Rvacheva in the 18.7 km women’s race, running in second place throughout. She was 15 seconds down after 7.7 km and finished 14 seconds down. One of the favourites for success in this race, Tove Alexandersson, Sweden, had a slow start and was 7^th, 1.15 down, after 7.7 km. She gradually worked her way up to fourth place, 1.04 down, by the finish.

The surprise of the day was the form of the Estonian Daisy Kudre, currently 33^rd in the IOF World Rankings, who had a good race throughout and finished in third place, 32 seconds down on the winner.

Leading results, Long distance

Women

1. Tatiana Rvacheva RUS 1:08:56
2. Milka Leppäsalmi FIN 1:09:10
3. Daisy Kudre EST 1:09:28
4. Tove Alexandersson SWE 1:10:00
5. Yuliya Tarasenko RUS 1:10:31
6. Anastasiia Kravchenko RUS 1:10:35

Men 

1. Staffan Tunis FIN 1:21:38
2. Andrei Lamov RUS 1:21:43
3. Hans Jørgen Kvåle NOR 1:21:46
4. Erik Rost SWE 1:22:05
5. Lars Moholdt NOR 1:22:19
6. Vladimir Barchukov RUS 1:22:37