World Orienteering Championships, men’s sprint qualification: defending champion safely through

World Orienteering Championships, men’s sprint qualification: defending champion safely through

Defending sprint world champion Matthias Kyburz, Switzerland qualified easily for this evening’s final, finishing 2 seconds down on the Swedish sprint star Jerker Lysell in his heat. The other heat winners were Rasmus Thrane Hansen, Denmark and Öystein Kvaal Österbö, Norway, who both had clear victories.

There was a tie for fifteenth place in Heat 1, so there will be 46 runners in the final. 22 nations will be represented, with Switzerland as in the women’s final having 4 runners, and Austria, Czech Republic, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, Spain and Sweden each having 3 in the final.

Only one Russian runner reached the final, and experienced runners such as Lucas Basset, France and Roberto Dallavalle, Italy just missed qualifying.

24 nations in all are represented in the two finals. The women’s final starts at 17.54 Finnish time, after the Opening Ceremony, and the men’s final starts at 19.21.