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The orienteering world championships start on Sunday in Denmark. From a Swiss point of view, there is a lot in it.
The World Orienteering Federation is coming up with something new this year. For the first time, the World Championships will be held as pure sprint competitions. These will be held in three categories in southern Denmark. The mixed relay starts on Sunday.
Swiss medal hopes
The Swiss federation Swiss Orienteering has set 4 medals in 5 competitions as the target for the title fights, one of which should be in the sprint relay (with Simona Aebersold, Joey Hadorn, Matthias Kyburz and Elena Roos).
SRF-OL expert Simone Niggli-Luder says: «4 medals are a realistic goal. It can be more, but also less. The sprint is extremely fast. Even a top favorite can take a wrong turn and that’s it.”
The team pillars
The Swiss delegation is led by Kyburz among the men and by Aebersold and Roos among the women. Kyburz from Fricktal is a specialist for the knock-out sprint, where he starts as the reigning European champion. At the World Championships in the Czech Republic last year, the 32-year-old shone with gold over the middle distance and silver over the long distance. There was also bronze with the relay. Daniel Hubmann is also ambitious: the 39-year-old “Team Senior” is aiming for his 10th world championship medal in the sprint.
Legend:
medal hoarder
Matthew Kyburz.
Keystone/Jean-Christophe Bott
Niggli-Luder says:
- “If you’re part of the Swiss team, you’re also among the medal contenders. Practically everyone can have a say at the very front. Matthias Kyburz is definitely one of the top favourites. In addition, Joey Hadorn has the running qualities to keep up. With Daniel Hubmann, everything has to come together so that he can fight for the medals.”
- “I would pick Simona Aebersold and Elena Roos from the women’s team. Both have international successes. Aebersold still had physical problems in winter and spring, but these should have been overcome. She’s an extreme competitive type and can usually go a step further when it counts.”
What can “team chick” Gemperle tear?
Niggli-Luder says: «The 22-year-old Eline Gemperle may deliver, but does not have to. She quickly found her feet among the elite as a junior world champion in the sprint. On an international level, it might still be missing one or the other physical component. But who knows, maybe she’ll get something done.”
Why the mode change?
The annual orienteering world championships now take place alternately as sprint and forest world championships. Actually, the Sprint World Championships should have taken place in Denmark in 2020, but Corona prevented this. Next year it will be Switzerland’s turn. The Forest World Championships 2023 will take place in Flims and Laax.
Niggli-Luder says: “They also wanted to push specialization forward. The athletes can first focus on the sprint for a year and then back to the forest. The change was received differently by the runners. It might take a few years to really appreciate the pros and cons.”