European Ski Orienteering Championships: A second team can very well be the best!
Posted on | February 7, 2011 | Category: Arena
Eduard Khrennikov brought the victory to Russia.
Photo: Erik Borg
That Russia won the relays at the European Championships wasn’t a surprise, but maybe it was a bit of a surprise that it was the second team that won in each class.
But Eduard Khrennikov wasn’t that surprised, and he also had a leading role in the success. He was the anchor for the second team in the men’s class and finished with a flag in his arms. “Great to win. The relay is something extra”, he smiles. “There are so many good Russian runners that there isn’t that big a difference in the level of the teams, but this time the selection for the teams was made on how it had gone earlier in the championships”, he says.
Russia 2 won just in front of Finland and Sweden. Khrennikov won the tough battle at the end of the last leg. Russia 1 finished fifth.
In the women’s class there were very big smiles on the faces of three Russian girls after the winner had finished. Also here it was Russia 2 taking the golds. Also among the women there are a lot of strong competitors.
Russia 1 was leading out on the last leg, but Tatiana Vlasova, the best-ever female ski orienteer, had some problems. Alena Trapeznikova started on her last leg just a couple of seconds after Vlasova, but she ended with a comfortable victory. It was almost one minute to Sweden in second place. Russia 1 ended fifth.
“I didn’t know we were winning until I came towards the finish”, Alena smiles.
For the Russian teams there will soon be some tough qualification races. That’s a stern challenge. “I hope to qualify for the World Championships in Sweden, but it won’t be easy”, Eduard Khrennikov, last year’s World Cup winner, says.
Very happy Russians: anchor Alena Trapeznikova in the middle.
Photo: Erik Borg
The winning ladies Mariya Kechkina, Alena Trapeznikova and Anastasia Kravchenko.
Photo: Erik Borg
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