World Orienteering Championships, women’s sprint qualification: win again for Simone Niggli

World Orienteering Championships, women’s sprint qualification: win again for Simone Niggli

Defending Sprint World Champion Simone Niggli, Switzerland won her heat in the qualification this morning, by the big margin of 35 seconds. The other heat winners, and therefore last starters in the final this evening, are Galina Vinogradova, Russia and Maja Alm, Denmark.

Twenty-four nations have runners in the women’s final. Switzerland have 4 runners in the final as the current World Champion is guaranteed a place, and Australia, Italy, Lithuania, Russia and Sweden have 3 runners in the final.

No really well-known runners missed qualifying, although one Finn was disqualified and Jana Knapova, Czech Republic missed by 11 seconds. China was unlucky in having 2 16^th placings (the first 15 qualify from each heat), but the other Chinese runner qualified.

Full results are posted on the World Championships website www.woc2013.fi.