Sprint Qualification: huge win for Judith Wyder

Sprint Qualification: huge win for Judith Wyder

This morning’s Sprint Qualification heats on a fine morning in Strömstad, Sweden saw all the strongest runners through to this afternoon’s finals. Most impressive heat winner was Judith Wyder, Switzerland who showed herself back to full form after injury last year with a win by 1.09.

The other women’s heat winners, and therefore last starters in the final, were Sari Anttonen, Finland and Cecilie Friberg Klysner, Denmark. The best fifteen athletes from each of the three heats go through to the final. Six nations – Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine – have three athletes in the women’s final.

In the men’s heats the winners were Tue Lassen, Denmark, reigning sprint champion Jonas Leandersson, Sweden and a joint first place for Daniel Hubmann, Switzerland and Martin Regborn, Sweden. Jan Prochazka, Czech Republic failed to make the top fifteen in his heat. Sweden has four athletes in the final (three plus the reigning champion), and Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland also have all their male athletes through to the final.

Martin Hubmann, Switzerland on the run-in     Photo: Malin Bjorkqvist

23 nations will be represented in the women’s final and 22 in the men’s, with a total of 25 nations in all.

The women’s final starts at 1540 CET and the men’s at 1645. Full live coverage (TV pictures plus commentary) is on IOF LiveCenter, with live results and an online blog on the Championships website www.woc2016.se.