2025 World Cup Kicks Off Strongly in Sweden

The 2025 Orienteering World Cup commenced successfully in Sweden, attracting over 300 participants to compete in the first round of the year. The qualification race took place on Wednesday afternoon in the picturesque Idre Fjäll, where athletes faced Swedish mountain terrain that tested their skills and endurance.

Qualification Rounds

Participants were split into three heats for both women and men, tasked with completing shortened long-distance courses of approximately 7.5 kilometers for women and 8.5 kilometers for men. The competition saw Elza Kuze from Latvia finishing first, closely followed by Poland's Hanna Wisniewska and Sweden's Johanna Ridefelt.

The qualification format allowed the fastest 20 athletes from each heat to advance to the A-finals for long and middle distances scheduled for Thursday and Saturday. Athletes representing 18 different nations qualified for these finals, alongside four additional nations that entered via the qualification rules.

Notable Performances

The women’s heats witnessed outstanding performances, with notable winners including Malin Agervig Kristiansson from Denmark, Simona Aebersold from Switzerland, and Sanna Fast from Sweden. In the men’s category, the Swedish athletes dominated the podium, led by Albin Ridefelt, Anton Johannson, and Martin Regborn.

British competitor Luke Fisher finished 15th in his heat, ensuring his place in the A-final.

Upcoming Challenges

The competition intensifies tomorrow with a longer course set amidst the challenging mountain terrain. The final distances will be 13.3 kilometers for women and 16.2 kilometers for men, with climbing challenges of 555 and 620 meters, respectively.

For those athletes who did not qualify for the A-finals, there is still an opportunity to compete in a B-final earlier on Thursday. This B-final will award World Cup points to the top five finishers, providing additional competition and excitement.

Live Coverage

Fans can follow the long-distance final on Thursday through high-quality TV production available from 15:45 to 19:50 CEST (UTC +2). Real-time updates for both A- and B-finals, including live GPS tracking of the races, can be accessed via IOF LIVE.

For ongoing coverage and results, visit the International Orienteering Federation’s official channels and join the excitement as the 2025 World Cup unfolds.