POM 2017: Thierry Gueorgiou and Simone Niggli are back to the victories

Thierry Gueorgiou and Simone Niggle were the winners of POM 2017's second stage. Returning to Aldeia da Mata for another beautiful sunny day, both athletes showed why they are the best orienteers ever, leading a really strong start field.

Thierry Gueorgiou (Kalevan Rasti) won the Long Distance stage on the second day of Portugal O' Meeting 2017 . In a quite demanding course, particularly from a physical point a view, the French kept an intense duel with Albin Ridefelt (Ok Linné), finishing with a short nine-second advantage. Gueorgiou spent 1:36:10 in a eighteen-kilometer course, against Ridefelt's 1:36:19. Frederic Tranchand and Olav Lundanes, both from Paimion Rasti, were third and fourth placed with more 2:30 and 3:05, respectively, than Thierry. Andreu Blanes (Colivenc) achieved a great fifth position, finishing his course 4:16 after the winner. In the 45th place, with 1:57:31, Manuel Horta (GafanhOri) was the best Portuguese athlete in the Men Super Elite class.

After a three-year gap, Simone Niggli (OK Ravinen) returned to Portugal and to the victories in the Portugal O' Meeting. Keeping the focus during all race, she was able to be consistent enough to complete the 11.3 km of the race in 1:12:37, the best time today in the Women Elite class. Eva Jurenikova (Halden SK) got the second place with a three-minute disadvantage from Simone. Ida Marie Naess Bjoergul (Paimion Rasti) was third with 1:16:37, Karoliina Sundberg (Lynx) was a surprising fourth placed with 1:19:23 and Lizzie Ingham (Halden SK) finished in the fifth position, 7:24 after the winner. The best Portuguese athete was Mariana Moreira (CPOC) in the 18th position with the time of 1:30:23. As in the Men Super Elite class, the Men Elite class' course had 18.0 km and the fastest was Johan Ek-Larsson (SNO) with the time of 1:54:33. Yesterday's winner, Rafal Podzinski (PNT), got the second place, one minute after Ek-Larsson. Podzinski reinforced his leading position in this class, while Thierry Gueorgiou and Simone Niggli are the new leaders of the Men Super Elite class and the Women Elite class, respectively.

Results

Men Super Elite

1. Thierry Gueorgiou (Kalevan Rasti) 1:36:10 (+ 00:00)

2. Albin Ridefelt (OK Linné) 1:36:19 (+ 00:09)

3. Frederic Tranchand (Paimion Rasti) 1:38:40 (+ 02:30)

4. Olav Lundanes (Paimion Rasti) 1:39:15 (+ 03:05)

5. Andreu Blanes (Colivenc) 1:40:16 (+ 04:06)

Women Elite

1. Simone Niggli (OK Tisaren) 1:12:37 (+ 00:00)

2. Eva Jurenikova (Halden SK) 1:15:39 (+ 03:02)

3. Ida Marie Naess Bjoergul (Paimion Rasti) 1:16:37 (+ 04:00)

4. Karoliina Sundberg (Lynx) 1:19:23 (+ 06:46)

5. Lizzie Ingham (Halden SK) 1:20:01 (+ 07:24)

Men Elite

1. Johan Ek-Larsson (SNO) 1:54:33 (+ 00:00)

2. Rafal Podzinski (PNT) 1:55:33 (+ 01:00)

3. Timon Schweizer (Individual SUI) 2:01:58 (+ 07:25)

4. Ken Peeters (OK Linné) 2:03:50 (+ 09:17)

5. Emil Andersson (Ärla IF) 2:04:57 (+ 10:24)

To see the complete results, please visit the event's webpage at http://pom.pt/en/.

Joaquim Margarido

POM 2017: Martínez and Kadan were the fastest in the Night Sprint

Antonio Martínez and Ursula Kadan won the Night Sprint of POM 2017. Alter do Chão's historical centre and the “dark” Jardim do Álamo hosted a great course attended by over 1,100 competitors.

As usual, the first day of Portugal O' Meeting ended with the Night Sprint party. More than 1,100 competitors headed Alter do Chão, changing the Sprint race into a fast, furious and funny moment. Antonio Martinez (Turun Metsänkävijät) was the fastest in the Men Super Elite class, covering the 3.2 km of his course in 12:22. Ivan Sirakov (Variant5) got the second best time, 9 seconds after Martinez. In the third position, both with 12:33, finished Riccardo Scalet (HS) and Timo Sild (Koovee). The Men Elite class presents another Spanish athlete on top of the final standings. Marc Serralong (Dreamteam) achieved the best time between the sixty finishers with 12:49, sharing the first place with Chris Smithard (OK Pan-Kristianstad). Luis Sanchéz (Villena-O) finished in the third place, 21 seconds after the winner.

In the Women class, Ursula Kadan's great performance meant the first place, finishing the 2.8 km of her course in 11:38. Catherine Taylor (OK Södertörn) got the second place, 8 seconds after Kadan. The third place was achieved by Tereza Janosikova (TSM Hana) with 11:40, while Svetlana Mironova (Koovee) finished fourth, 18 seconds after the winner. Without competitors in the Men Super Elite and Women Elite classes, Portugal's best athlete was Nelson Baroca in the Men Elite class with the time of 16:14 which earned him the 41st position.

Results

Men Super Elite

1. Antonio Martinez (Turun Metsänkävijät) 12:22 (+ 00:00)

2. Ivan Sirakov (Variant5) 12:31 (+ 00:09)

3. Riccardo Scalet (HS) 12:33 (+ 00:11)

3. Timo Sild (Koovee) 12:33 (+ 00:11)

5. Frederic Tranchand (Paimion Rasti) 12:44 (+ 00:22)

Women Elite

1. Ursula Kadan (Austrian Military Team) 11:30 (+ 00:00)

2. Catherine Taylor (OK Södertörn) 11:38 (+ 00:08)

3. Tereza Janoziková (TSM Hana) 11:40 (+ 00:10)

4. Svetlana Mironova (Koovee) 11:48 (+ 00:18)

5. Tessa Strain (IL Tyrving) 12:00 (+ 00:30)

Men Elite

1. Marc Serralonga (Dreamteam) 12:49 (+ 00:00)

1. Chris Smithard (OK Pan-Kristianstad) 12:49 (+ 00:00)

3. Luis Sánchez (Villena-O) 13:10 (+ 00:21)

4. Vladimir Gribin (Individual RUS) 13:24 (+ 00:35)

5. Jakob Andersson (OK Linné) 13:40 (+ 00:51)

Complete results and further information at http://pom.pt/en/.

Joaquim Margarido

POM 2017: Night Sprint Maps

POM 2017: Middle Distance Day 1 Maps

Joaquim Margarido

POM 2017: Lundanes and Volynska won the first stage

Portugal O’ Meeting 2017's kick off, in Aldeia da Mata, couldn’t be better. A perfect weather, demanding courses and, in the end, Olav Lundanes and Nadiya Volynska winning comfortably the Middle Distance stage on the first day.

Alter do Chão, in the North Alentejo region, is hosting by this days the 22nd edition of the Portugal O’ Meeting. More than 2,300 competitors from 36 nations headed the event which had, this morning, its first stage. In the Women Elite class, the Ukrainian Nadiya Volynska (OK Orion) started quite early and, from the very first moment, she showed very confident, very fast, taking really good route choices and reaching here a good advantage that she was able to keep all the way till the end. Volynska finished the 4.7 km of her course with the time of 33:43, large 2:30 over Lizzie Ingham (Halden SK) and Emma Johansson (Fredrikstad SK), both in the second position with the same time. Great figure of the Portugal O' Meeting, which on for six times, Simone Niggli (OK Tisaren) finished her course in the fourth position, with the time of 36:19.

As for the Men Super Elite, Olav Lundanes showed why he's the World Ranking leader, achieving a great winning with 33:25 for 6.4 km of his course. A great start of the Portugal O' Meeting for the Norwegian, now with the colours of Paimion Rasti. Joahn Runesson (Tampereen Pyrintö) and Frederic Tranchand (Paimion Rasti), got the second and third position, respectively with more 1:15 and 1:16 than the winner. Gustav Bergman (OK Ravinen) finished in the fourth position with the time of 35:18, while the fifth position went to the Lucas Basset (OK Linné) and the five times winner of Portugal O' Meeting Thierry Gueorgiou, both with the time of 36:17. In the Men Elite, Rafal Podzinski (PNT) was stronger than his opponents, winning with the time of 40:15. Assar Hellström (OK Ravinen) was the second placed with 41:17, while João Mega Figueiredo (CN Alvito) got the third place, 1:03 after the winner.

Results

Men Super-Elite

1. Olav Laundanes (Paimion Rasti) 33:25 (+ 00:00)

2. Johan Runesson (Tampereen Pyrintö) 34:40 (+ 01:15)

3. Frederic Tranchand (Paimion Rasti) 34:41 (+ 01:16)

4. Gustav Bergman (OK Ravinen) 35:18 (+ 01:53)

5. Lucas Basset (OK Linné) 36:17 (+ 02:52)

5. Thierry Gueorgiou (Kalevan Rasti) 36:17 (+ 02:52)

Women Elite

1. Nadiya Volynska (OK Orion) 33:43 (+ 00:00)

2. Lizzie Ingham (Halden SK) 36:13 (+ 02:30)

3. Emma Johansson (Fredrikstad SK) 36:13 (+ 02:30)

4. Simone Niggli (OK Tisaren) 36:19 (+ 02:36)

5. Helena Jansson (OK Ravinen) 36:33 (+ 02:50)

Men Elite

1. Rafal Podzinski (PNT) 40:15 (+ 00:00)

2. Assar Hellström (OK Ravinen) 41:17 (+ 01:02)

3. João Mega Figueiredo (CN Alvito) 41:18 (+ 01:03)

4. Jakob Andersson (OK Linné) 41:41 (+ 01:26)

5. Topi Anjala (Koovee) 41:45 (+ 01:30)

Complete results and further information at http://pom.pt/en/.

Joaquim Margarido