Ski Orienteering World Cup: Many firsts for Alexandersson
Posted on | January 31, 2012 | Category: News
Tove Alexandersson on her way to her first ever World Cup win – in her first ever ski orienteering World Cup race. Photo: Markku Vauhkonen
The Ski Orienteering 2012 World Cup started with a long distance mass start race, and the reigning champions were still the best in Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Centre in Truckee, California. In the women’s class, Sweden’s young Tove Alexandersson took her first World Cup victory with an undisputed superiority, where as Russia’s Andrey Grigoriev got the victory in the mens class with a smart route choice to the second last control. Last year in Sweden, Alexandersson was the World Champion in sprint, and Grigoriev took gold both on long distance and in mixed sprint relay.
“There were a lot of firsts for me here in California. This was my first World Cup event in ski orienteering. My first victory in World Cup. First time ever I orienteer in the United States. First time I had to accommodate to the time difference, and I have never before competed in such a high altitude”, said the 19-years-old winner from Sweden. “But I felt physically strong in skiing, although the Swedish team came to California quite late. My orienteering was also good, and I think I managed to win the others today by utilising a lot of short cuts on the route thanks to hard and fast snow.”
Alexandersson’s victory was accompanied by another Swede, Josefine Engström, taking the silver position. Russia’s Polina Malchikova was third today. USA’s Ali Crocker was chasing the top trio on the last long loop, but did not this time manage to catch them leaving her the fourth position – the best result ever by a North American athlete in ski orienteering.
The happy winners: Tove Alexandersson, Josefine Engström, Polina Malchikova.
Photo: Markku Vauhkonen
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