Portuguese MTBO Championships of Middle Distance 2017: Davide Machado and Ana Filipa Silva got the Elite titles

After a two-year break, Davide Machado and Ana Filipa Silva achieved the Portuguese MTBO titles of Middle Distance. The event took place in Cantanhede and was attended by one hundred competitors.

Cantanhede, one of the stages of the recent MTB Orienteering World Championships, hosted another important event of this exciting discipline. We are talking about the 11th edition of the Portuguese MTBO Championships of Middle Distance, organized by ADM Ori-Mondego and the Parish Council of Ança and attended by one hundred competitors from 23 clubs.

The competition in the Men Elite class was entirely dominated by Davide Machado (.COM) who finished the 16.6 km of his course in 47:25. Almost four minutes after the winner, Daniel Marques (COC) was the second placed, while the third position was achieved by the former Middle Distance Champion in 2015 and 2016, João Ferreira (CA Bairrada), with the time of 52:52. In the Women Elite class, Ana Filipa Silva's (CPOC) victory was even wider, having finished her race, with the distance of 13.6 km, in 52:16, against 58:28 of the former National Champion in 2015 and 2016, Susana Pontes (COC). Noémia Magalhães (Amigos da Montanha) achieved the bronze medal with the time of 1:11:38.

Daniel Marques and Ana Filipa Silva won Ançã MTBO 2017

The Portuguese MTBO Champions of Middle Distance in the young classes were Bernardo Rosa (COC), João Mendonça (BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS), Tomás Mora (ADM Ori-Mondego) and Marisa Costa (BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS), in M15, M17, M20 and W20, respectively. As for the masters, Kátia Almeida (ATV) and Marco Póvoa (ADFA) got the titles in W40 and M40, Luisa Mateus (COC) and Eduardo Sebastião (ADFA) did the same in the W50 and M50 classes and Jorge Artur (ADFA) achieved the title in the M60 class. NADA got the clubs' title in Men Elite class, BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS was the winner in M17, COC won in M35 and ADFA in M45.

But the MTB Orienteering party didn't summed up to the Middle Distance Championships, and the participants had the chance to try a new Middle Distance stage on the second day. Ana Filipa Silva did another great race, winning by more than five-minute advantage, while the winner in the Men Elite class was Daniel Marques (COC), with an advantage of nearly three minutes over Duarte Lourenço (BTT Loulé / BPI / ELEVIS). In the two stages, Ana Filipa Silva and Daniel Marques were the great winners of the Ançã MTBO 2017, while BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS got the first position in the collective standings.

Results

Portuguese MTBO Championships of Middle Distance

Men Elite

1. Davide Machado (.COM) 47:25 (+ 00:00)

2. Daniel Marques (COC) 51:18 (+ 03:53)

3. João Ferreira (CA Bairrada) 52:52 (+ 02:27)

4. Duarte Lourenço (BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS) 54:05 (+ 06:40)

5. Luís Barreiro (NADA) 54:08 (+ 06:43)

Women Elite

1. Ana Filipa Silva (CPOC) 52:16 (+ 00:00)

2. Susana Pontes (COC) 58:28 (+ 06:12)

3. Noémia Magalhães (Amigos da Montanha) 1:11:38 (+ 19:22)

4. Maria Sá (ADFA) 1:18:35 (+ 26:19)

mp Carla Saraiva (Ori-Estarreja)

Ançã MTBO Overall standings

Men Elite

1. Daniel Marques (COC) 1:41:01 (+ 00:00)

2. Duarte Lourenço (BTT Loulé/BPI/ELEVIS) 1:46:16 (+ 05:15)

3. Luís Barreiro (NADA) 1:46:37 (+ 05:36)

4. Marco Palhinha (CP Abrunheira) 1:50:20 (+ 09:19)

5. Fernando Henrique (NADA) 1:50:55 (+ 09:54)

Women Elite

1. Ana Filipa Silva (CPOC) 1:59:20 (+ 00:00)

2. Susana Pontes (COC) 2:10:39 (+ 11:19)

3. Noémia Magalhães (Amigos da Montanha) 2:35:41 (+ 36:21)

4. Maria Sá (ADFA) 2:44:11 (+ 44:51)

mp Carla Saraiva (Ori-Estarreja)

Complete results and further information at https://admorimondego.wixsite.com/oribtt-anca.

[Photo: ORI BTT ADM / facebook.com/ORI-BTT-ADM]

Joaquim Margarido

Portugal City Race 2017: Maikel Rodriguez and Raquel Ferreira won in Vila do Conde

Maikel Rodriguez and Raquel Ferreira were the winners of Vila do Conde City Race 2017, in the main classes of competition. Scoring for the Portugal City Race 2017, the event also included a super sprint and an Adapted Orienteering stage, calling to the banks of Ave River 250 competitors.

The city of Vila do Conde received yesterday the third stage of the Circuit Portugal City Race 2017. Having the support of Vila do Conde Municipality, the Orienteering School Sport's Group from the Association of Schools D. Afonso Sanches and the Grupo Desportivo dos Quatro Caminhos organized the Vila do Conde City Race 2017, which attracted nearly 250 athletes. The fun started early in the morning with a Middle/Long Distance urban stage, continuing in the afternoon with a short and fast Super Sprint, with a large number of controls and requiring constant changes of direction. An Adapted Orienteering stage, scoring for the respective Portuguese League, was also part of the program, reinforcing the event's inclusive character, one of the brand images of Portugal City Race.

The Spanish Maikel Rodrigues, representing Budiñoraid, won easily this stage, finishing the 7.02 km of his course with the time of 38:48. Gil Sousa Pinto (OriMarão) spent more 8:22 than the winner and finished in the second place. With this result, Rodriguez built up his leading position of the Circuit Portugal City Race 2017, achieving his third victory in as many stages. The fight for the victory in the Women Senior class was much more balanced, but Raquel Ferreira (Individual) ended up being stronger than Daniela Alves (AD Cabroelo), winning by the difference of 1:29, after finishing the 5.7 km of her course with the time of 48:04. Raquel Ferreira also strengthened her leadership of this year's edition of the Portugal City Race 2017, after winning the first stage in Esposende and being second placed in Braga, in the second stage.

The event also included the Vila do Conde Super-Sprint, with Maikel Rodriguez climbing once again on the top of the podium, this time alongside with María Pilar Hernández, and a stage of Adapted Orienteering scoring for the Portuguese League, in which Vitor Pereira and Raquel Cerqueira were the winners.

Results

Vila do Conde City Race 2017

Men Senior
1. Maikel Rodriguez (Budiñoraid) 38:48 (+ 00:00)
2. Gil Sousa Pinto (OriMarão) 47:10 (+ 08:22)
3. Luís Ferreira (AD Cabroelo) 47:12 (+ 08:24)
4. Leandro Lima A. Montanha 47:25 (+ 08:37)
5. Ricardo Figueroa (Aromon) 49:17 (+ 10:29)

Women Senior
1. Raquel Ferreira (Individual) 48:04 (+ 00:00)
2. Daniela Alves (AD Cabroelo) 49:33 (+ 01:29)
3. Pilar Hernandez (Escondite) 51:24 (+ 03:20)
4. Zélia Viana (.COM) 52:54 (+ 04:50)
5. Carlota Veiga (Aromon) 1:01:15 (+ 13:11)

Complete results and further information HERE.

[Photo: Fernando Costa]

Joaquim Margarido

10MILA 2017: IFK Göteborg is the winner

IFK Göteborg was the brilliant winner of 10MILA 2017. It was the recover of the title achieved two years ago and the 8:35 advantage over OK Linné was the widest triumph since 2004, when Halden SK got the winning over Kalevan Rasti by 9:40. It was also the third year in a row that a Swedish team wins the Men Relay, something that didn't happened since 1990.

Partille, near Gotebörg, hosted the 71st edition of 10MILA. Divided by Youth, Women and Men Relay, close to 7,000 competitors from all over the World took part in the event, which had in the Men Relay its highest moment. The race started at 21.00 p.m., with 324 teams reaching the forest for a long and exciting orienteering night. Martin Regborn (Hagaby GoIF Örebro) did a perfect first leg, finishing with a four-minute advantage over a large group, led by MS Parma, OK Trian and Hiidenkiertäjät. Viktor Larsson managed to keep Hagaby's boys in the lead in the end of the second leg but things changed after that, with Lauri Sild (Koovee) reaching a two-minute advantage over the crowd in the end of the third leg. Always expected as one of the most significant moments of the course, the fourth and longest leg was tightly contested, finishing with the first six teams separated by seven seconds. IFK Göteborg, Lillomarka OL, IFK Mora OK, Koovee, MS Parma and Lynx had a unique opportunity to conduct the course towards the final victory, having at the moment a good eight-minute lead over the remaining teams.

In the end of the fifth leg, the leading group was reduced to three teams, with Koovee in the first position. But it was during the sixth leg that IFK Göteborg's victory turned out to be a real possibility. Jonas Pilblad performed amazingly, finishing his course 3:51 before Steinar Kollerud (Lillomarka OL), second placed, 4:59 before Jarno Parkkinen (Koovee), third placed and 9:12 before Baptiste Rollier (Kalevan Rasti), in the fourth position. Oleksandr Kratov could reduce Koovee's disadvantage to 54 seconds in the end of the seventh leg, but became clear after the eight leg that IFK Göteborg would be the winner, after Max Peter Bejmer's achievement of nearly ten (!) minutes. Eskil Kinneberg, first, and then Fredrik Bakkman would confirm an amazing victory with the overall time of 10:57:14, the second in the club's history after the winning in 2015. 8:35 after the winners, OK Linné got the second place and Södertälje-Nykvarn OF, the winner in 2016, stayed in the third position with the overall time of 11:06:18.

Results

Men Relay Kavlen

1. IFK Göteborg 10:57:14 (+ 00:00)

2. OK Linné 11:05:49 (+ 08:35)

3. Södertälje-Nykvarn OF 11:06:18 (+ 09:04)

4. Koovee 11:06:31 (+ 09:17)

5. Tampereen Pyrintö 11:10:16 (+ 13:02)

6. Lillomarka OL 11:14:09 (+ 16:55)

7. Kalevan Rasti 11:15:18 (+ 18:04)

8. IFK Lidingö SOK 11:15:41 (+ 18:27)

9. Halden SK 11:22:44 (+ 25:30)

10. IFK Mora OK 11:32:49 (+ 35:35)

Complete results and further information at http://online.10mila.se/.

[Photo: Mårten Lång / svenskorientering.se]

Joaquim Margarido

10MILA 2017: Stora Tuna OK wins Women Relay

Exciting from the beginning and with a dramatic ending, so it was the 2017 10MILA's Women Relay, won by the Swedish team of Stora Tuna OK. It was the return of the Swedish club to the first place of the podium of this prestigious competition, nine years after the last great achievement and an unique moment of joy for Anna Mårsell, Magdalena Olsson, Julia Gross, Frida Sandberg and Tove Alexandersson.

313 teams lined up for the 10MILA 2017 Women Relay. After an excellent performance by Marianne Andersen, Kristiansand OK took the lead after the first leg with a 31-second advantage over Järla Orienteering. NTNUI followed in the third position, almost three minutes (!) after the first placed. The second leg was dominated by Halden SK, with Mari Fasting taking the lead, two seconds ahead of Kirsi Nurmi, from IFK Göteborg, and a twenty-second advantage over Emma Silvennoinen, from Paimion Rasti.

Although the longest, with 10.7 km, the third leg just came out shuffling the standings, since in the end were 13 the teams that stood in the lead, separated by only 12 seconds from each other. The 14th ranked, MS Parma, already had a six-minute disadvantage for the front group, which was led by Stora Tuna OK. In the fourth leg, the shortest out of the five, with only 4.5 km, Venla Harju got a good advance with his team of Tampereen Pyrintö, leaving for the decisive leg with a 1:40 advantage over IFK Göteborg and 2:56 over the IFK Lidingö SOK, respectively second and third placed.

Victory of IK Hakarpspojkarna in the Youth Relay

With a tremendous pressure on her, Saila Kinni was still able to keep Tampereen Pyrintö's leadership during the first two thirds of the last leg, over the distance of 8.3 km, but the final moments would be dramatic. Doing an incredible race, Tove Alexandersson was able to recover more than six minutes and take the Stora Tuna OK to the third place with just 500 meters to finish the race. Next to her was Judith Wyder (Göteborg-Majorna OK), a little further ahead Saila Kinni that was now the runner-up and ahead Natalia Gemperle (Alfta-Ösa OK), leading with a 30 second advantage. But the momentum of victory was on the side of Alexandersson and Wyder, who eventually benefited from a big mistake of Gemperle and imposed their class until the last meters. Stora Tuna OK won with a 2 second lead over Göteborg-Majorna OK and 7 seconds over the Tampereen Pyrintö. This was Stora Tuna OK's fourth win at the 10MILA's Women Relay after the triumphs in 1982, 1984 and 2008.

Starting this wonderful journey in the best way, IK Hakarpspojkarna (Viktor Gunnarsson, Emma Ling, Joar Hertin and Hilda Holmqvist Johansson) won the Youth Relay with the time of 1:37:26. The fight for the next position was really hard, with five teams separated by less than 30 seconds. Paimion Rasti (Jarkko Rantoja, Essi Hölsö, Vilma Wahlsten, Topias Arola, Klaus Haanpää and Milja Väätäjä) got the second place with 1:38:59 and Espoon Suunta (Ida Haapala, Topias Uusitalo, Lauri Puupponen, Topias Kemppi, Emil Laaksonen and Maria Määttänen) achieved the third placed, 1:42 after the winners. 300 teams participated in this competition.

Results

Women Relay Damkavlen

1. Stora Tuna OK 4:25:04 (+ 00:00)

2. Göteborg-Majorna OK 4:25:06 (+ 00:02)

3. Tampereen Pyrintö 4:25:11 (+ 00:07)

4. SK Pohjantähti 4:26:20 (+ 01:16)

5. Järla Orientering 4:26:22 (+ 01:18)

6. IFK Lidingö SOK 4:26:25 (+ 01:21)

7. IFK Göteborg 4:26:41 (+ 01:37)

8. Alfta-Ösa OK 4:26:51 (+ 01:47)

9. Halden SK 4:27:14 (+ 02:10)

10. Paimion Rasti 2:29:40 (+ 04:36)

Youth Relay Ungdomksvalen

1. IK Hakarpspojkarna 1:37:26 (+ 00:00)

2. Paimion Rasti 1:38:59 (+ 01:33)

3. Espoon Suunta 1:39:08 (+ 01:42)

4. Nydalens SK 1:39:19 (+ 01:53)

5. Freidig 1:39:23 (+ 01:57)

Complete results and further information at http://online.10mila.se/.

[Photo: Lars Rönnols / facebook.com/lars.ronnols]

Joaquim Margarido

WMOC 2017: Swedish Masters stronger in the Long Distance

Orienteering was one out of 19 sports in action on the penultimate day of the World Masters Games, in Auckland, New Zealand. In the Woodhill Forest took place the Long Distance Final of the World Masters Orienteering Championships 2017, in which Sweden was the great winner after achieving eight World titles.

The World Masters Orienteering Championships 2017 have come to an end. The masters' big party gathered in Auckland close to 1800 athletes from 40 countries, for a week full of excitement and fun, with the highest points falling on Monday, with the Sprint Finals and today, with the Long Distance Finals. A total of 1558 competitors were in action at the last major moment of the Championships, of whom 848 were in the direct fight for the medals and the remainder competing in the B and C Finals.

With 183 representatives, Sweden lined up in the A Finals with the widest team and managed to combine quality with quantity, as demonstrated by the eight gold medals achieved, as well as five silver and four bronze medals. Finland won four gold medals, five silver and five bronze medals, while Australians and Norwegians won three gold and one silver medals; here, Norway were at a disadvantage, getting only one bronze medal against three of the Australians. In addition to the four countries already mentioned, athletes from Great Britain, Bulgaria, Russia, Switzerland and New Zealand, the host country, also won gold medals.

Among the 23 World Long Distance Champions, six won their second gold medal at these Championships, after their triumphs in the Sprint Final on Monday. In this situation it's possible to see the Australians Jo Allison (W40), Natasha Key (W45) and Warren Key (M55), the Finnish Petteri Muukkonen (M40), the Swedish Birgitta Billstam (W70) and the Norwegian Paul Forseth (M85). As a matter of curiosity, Petteri Muukonen and Natasha Key were the only athletes to keep the world titles achieved in 2016, in Estonia.

Long Distance World Champions

W/M35 – Paivi Autio (Finland) and Samuli Salmenoja (Finland)

W/M40 – Jo Allison (Australia) and Petteri Muukkonen (Finland)

W/M45 – Natasha Key (Australia) and Ivaylo Ivanov (Bulgaria)

W/M50 – Carina Svensson (Sweden) and Mats Nylund (Sweden)

W/M55 – Carey Nazzer (New Zealand) and Warren Key (Australia)

W/M60 – Kjellrun Sporild (Norway) and Stefan Carlsson (Sweden)

W/M65 – Irina Stepanova (Russia) and Markku Pietikäinen (Finland)

W/M70 – Birgitta Billstam (Sweden) and Robin Sloan (Great Britain)

W/M75 – Anne-Beate Persson (Sweden) and Heinz Keller (Switzerland)

W/M80 – Unni Dirro Bøhlerengen (Norway) and Sivert Axelsson (Sweden)

W/M85 – Signe Nyman (Sweden) and Paul Forseth (Norway)

M90 – Rune Isaksson (Sweden)

Complete results and further information HERE.

Joaquim Margarido