Finland’s Miika Kirmula kept Sweden behind her and anchored Finland to the World Cup silver. Olli Ojanaho, who navigated the second leg, managed to knock Sweden and Norway off their heels with his choice of route.
The Finnish team won silver in the men’s relay at the World Orienteering Championships in Switzerland. Orienteering in the Finnish team Topi Syrjäläinen, Olli Ojanaho and Miika Kirmula. The relay medal is the 20th silver for the Finnish national team and the 11th for the men’s team.
Kirmula anchored Finland in the goal and at the end was able to hold off Sweden, who made a hard final push Emil Svenskin back. The experienced anchor also guided Finland to silver in the 2019 World Cup relay.
– It was a little rough for first place, but I got the hang of it, unlike in those previous races, and it started to go well. I saw Emil many times when the track turns, but luckily this time it was enough, Kirmula said at the finish line.
Switzerland headed for the championship. The Finnish team was 43 seconds behind the winner.
Finland’s relay raced strongly from the start, and in the opening leg Syrjäläinen was replaced only 23 seconds behind the lead.
– Halfway there was a really long gap and it started to feel a bit like the hills. The end was quite a struggle, but I was able to pick up my own marks pretty well with the top hose, Syrjäläinen judged at the finish.
Switzerland on the second leg Joey Hadorn ran away to Ojanaho, Sweden Gustav Bergman and Norway Kasper Harlem Fosser ahead, and the Swiss was no longer visible.
– The run felt pretty good, and even Joey’s pace didn’t seem that much harder. Even though we nailed one breakaway check very well with Gustav, Switzerland got a bit of a lead in it and apparently ran away for a long time, Ojanaho said at the finish.
One of the turning points in the fight for silver was seen in the fourth televised race, when Ojanaho went to perform his own route selection via the road.
– There was a draw with Gustav and Kasper and then I made my own route selection when I came out and I obviously got ahead, Ojanaho said.
1. Switzerland 1:57.16
Daniel Hubmann, Joey Hadorn, Matthias Kyburz
2. Finland +00.43
Topi Syrjäläinen, Olli Ojanaho, Miika Kirmula
3. Sweden +00.57
Albin Ridefelt, Gustav Bergman, Emil Svensk
4. Norway +04.49
Lukas Liland, Kasper Harlem Fosser, Eskil Kinneberg
5. France +06.35
Guilhem Elias, Mathieu Perrin, Lucas Basset