World Championships Sprint Relay: emphatic victory for Denmark
Posted on | August 1, 2015 | Category: News
Denmark led almost throughout in today’s first medal event, the Sprint Relay, and finished with an emphatic victory, 1.21 ahead of their nearest rivals, Norway. Russia took the bronze medals.
Photos: Erik Borg
On a cool but bright afternoon in Nairn, Scotland with the arena on a large open grassland area close to the beach, Emma Klingenberg led the way for Denmark with a very strong run in which she opened up a clear lead after just a few controls. The course started in bushy low sand dunes, went through an area of nineteenth century cottages and in succession the dunes and cottages again, including a long leg with several route choices. There was then a public control above the main spectator area before the course went through an area of more modern housing and parkland before the penultimate control at the edge of the beach and into the finish. By this point Emma had set up a lead of 46 seconds over closest rival Italy.
Tue Lassen had this lead reduced by a third, and then Søren Bobach was caught just before the changeover by a very hard-running Matthias Kyburz, Switzerland who gained several seconds in the very last part. But Maja Alm was in great form and gradually got away from Switzerland’s Judith Wyder, who towards the end of the course faded badly and was caught first by Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg for Norway and then, shortly before the finish, by Galina Vinogradova, Russia who brought her team into a medal position from 10th when she started.
So this was revenge for Denmark after last year in Trento, where Maja Alm just failed to catch Judith Wyder by 3 seconds.
A very large crowd created a superb atmosphere for the race, which followed the Opening Ceremony where the athletes were led in by a pipe band. The Championships were opened by IOF President Brian Porteous.
Tomorrow it is the Sprint Final in Forres, with the first start at 9 minutes to 5, British Summer Time.
Interviews can be read in the Around the Arena section of this website, at the foot of the Home Page.
Leading results
- Denmark (Emma Klingenberg, Tue Lassen, Søren Bobach, Maja Alm) 1:00:54
- Norway (Elise Egseth, Håkon Jarvis Westergård, Øystein Kvaal Østerbø, Anne Margrethe Hausken Nordberg) 1:02:15
- Russia (Tatyana Riabkina, Gleb Tikhonov, Andrey Khramov, Galina Vinogradova) 1:02:20
- Switzerland 1:02:25
- Sweden 1:02:32
- Finland 1:02:59
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