Sweden and Norway took the top spots in the Relay events at the World Cup Round 3/pre-WOC in Norway. The Swedish women’s team dominated their Relay from start to finish, showing no signs of being threatened by other teams. Meanwhile, the men’s race was thrilling until the very end. Norwegian runner Magne Daehli clinched victory for his team with a dramatic finish, edging out the two Swedish teams that finished close behind.
Overall, the Swedish team performed well throughout World Cup Round 3/pre-WOC. In the women’s Relay, Sweden maintained the lead throughout the race. Lina Strand had a powerful start, Karolin Ohlsson followed up with a solid performance, and Tove Alexandersson, running the final leg, secured her third World Cup win of the weekend. Norway finished in second place, and Finland came in third.
In the men’s Relay, Sweden 1 and Sweden 2 led most of the race. However, Norway’s relay team, the reigning World Champions, again showed their strength. Magne Daehli’s impressive final leg earned them the victory by just three seconds. Eskil Kinneberg and Olav Lundanes ran the first and second legs, respectively. Sweden 1 finished as the runner-up, narrowly ahead of Sweden 2. Since only the top team from each country counts towards the World Cup standings, the Czech Republic, who finished fourth, ended up in third place in the World Cup results.
The Swedish team, particularly Tove Alexandersson, established themselves as the frontrunner for the upcoming World Orienteering Championships in Norway 2019. “I’m looking forward to preparing for the world championships next year,” says Alexandersson. “I will do everything I can to perform at my best in August.”
