POM 2015: Gustav Bergman and Minna Kauppi start winning

Gustav Bergman and Minna Kauppi won by comfortable margins the first stage of the Portugal O' Meeting 2015. In a well-fought Long Distance that involved nearly two thousand participants, the "grasshoppers" Manuel Horta, Tiago Martins Aires and Raquel Costa were our best representatives in the main competition classes.

The first stage of the Portugal O' Meeting 2015 was held today. Organized by the Clube de Orientação de Estarreja, the Municipality of Mira, the Municipality of Vagos, the Portuguese Orienteering Federation and the International Orienteering Federation, the event drew to the Dunes of Mira, for a hard Long Distance, a total of 1913 athletes from 26 different countries.

In the Men Super Elite class, the Swedish Gustav Bergman (OK Ravinen) was the big winner, completing his course of 17.2 km and 26 controls in 1:18:20, precisely one and a half minutes before the second ranked athlete, the French Frédéric Tranchand (Paimion-Rasti). Baptiste Rollier (Swiss O-Team) finished third, 3:23 after the winner. In the Women Elite class, the winner was the Finnish Minna Kauppi that took 1:09:52 to complete her 12.1 km run and 19 controls. The notourious sensation of last season, the British Catherine Taylor (OK Linné) finished in second place, 40 seconds after Kauppi, while the third place went to the Finnish Sofia Haajanen with a time of 1:12:12. As for the Men Elite class, we highlight the overwhelming victory of the British Alasdair McLeod (Clydeside Orien) with a time of 1:23:52, leaving the second-placed Swiss Jonas Egger (Swiss O-Team), with more than 6 minutes of difference .

Manuel Horta (GafanhOri) was the best Portuguese athlete to run in Men Super Elite class, finishing in 22nd place with a time of 1:31:01. In Elite Men class, Tiago Aires, also from GafanhOri, was the best portuguese representative, finishing in 5th place, although with more 8 minutes and 16 seconds than the winner. Finally, in Women Elite Class, the best Portuguese athlete was Raquel Costa, once again from GafanhOri, who ended on the 45th place with a time of 1:27:38. In all other classes, highlighting Pedro Duarte's wins (ADFA) in H21A and Luis Sérgio (ATV) in H45.

Results

Men Super Elite

1. Gustav Bergman (OK Ravinen) 1:18:20

2. Frédéric Tranchand (Paimion-Rasti) 1:19:50 (+ 01:30)

3. Baptiste Rollier (Swiss O-Team) 1:21:43 (+ 03:23)

4. Albin Ridefelt (OK Linné) 1:22:38 (+ 04:18)

5. Martin Hubmann (Swiss O-Team) 1:24:17 (+ 05:57)

6. Aaro Asikainen (Kalevan Rasti) 1:24:55 (+ 06:35)

7. Ralph Street (SNO) 1:25:20 (+ 07:00)

8. Lucas Basset (Pôles France U) 1:25:30 (+ 07:10)

9. Valentin Novikov (Russia) 1:25:44 (+ 07:24)

10. Gernot Kerschbaumer (OK Pan Pan Kristianstad) 1:26:21 (+ 08:01)

Women Elite

1. Minna Kauppi (Individual FIN) 1:09:52

2. Catherine Taylor (OK Linné) 1:10:32 (+ 00:40)

3. Sofia Haajanen (Individual FIN) 1:12:12 (+ 02:20)

4. Eva Jurenikova (Halden SK) 1:12:16 (+ 02:24)

5. Liga Arniece (Espoon Suunta) 1:13:27 (+ 03:35)

6. Venla Niemi (Individual FIN) 1:13:51 (+ 03:59)

7. Galina Vinogradova (Russia) 1:14:06 (+ 04:14)

8. Maria Magnusson (Sävedalens AIK) 1:14:09 (+ 04:17)

9. Léa Vercellotti (Maximus) 1:14:50 (+ 04:58)

10. Yulia Novikova (Russia) 1:14:51 (+ 04:59)

Men Elite

1. Alasdair McLeod (Clydeside Orien) 1:23:52

2. Jonas Egger (Swiss O-Team) 1:29:53 (+ 06:01)

3. Michael Olejnik (SNO) 1:30:23 (+ 06:31)

4. Richard Robinson (OK Ravinen) 1:30:26 (+ 06:34)

5. Tiago Martins Aires (GafanhOri) 1:32:08 (+ 08:16)

6. Sebastian Gygax (Sävedalens AIK) 1:33:39 (+ 09:47)

7. Georgiy Mavchun (Espoon Suunta) 1:33:59 (+10:07)

7. Nils Spetz (Ulricehamns OK) 1:33:59 (+ 10:07)

9. Severin Denzler (Swiss O-Team) 1:34:30 (+ 10:38)

10. Jukka-Pekka Seppänen (Individual FIN) 1:36:16 (+ 12:24)

Further information at www.pom.pt/en/.

Joaquim Margarido