Orienteers Kasper Fosser and Martin Regborn were successful in the men’s competition.
Ilona Mononen ran to victory in the Nordic cross-country championships in Hakunila, Vantaa. The Finn finished the 7.5-kilometer race 14 seconds ahead of Sweden Evelina Henriksson. of Denmark Nanna Bové was third.
– I was hoping for a bit stronger resistance, but I didn’t go for any hard pull myself, Mononen, 20, who clocked a time of 26.23, said.
Mononen broke away from the others in the last three kilometers and in the process tuned up for the European cross-country championships, which will be held in Antalya, Turkey, in a month’s time. A year ago, Mononen ran for European Championship silver in the under-23 category.
– I got the power boost I was hoping for from this race in the middle of the alpine hut section. I tried to find a fighting gear for myself, even though there wasn’t a lot of competition now. It was good mental training, and I thought in the last laps that there was a lot of resistance on my chest, Mononen said.
The men’s 7.5 kilometer race was won by Denmark Joel Ibler Lillesö (22:23) before the top Norwegian orienteer who bowed by three seconds Kasper Fosseria. Swedish Martin Regborn was the third, a guide too.
Listed in advance favorites Filip Ingebrigtsen did not go to the competition due to illness.
Sources: SUL’s bulletin, NRK.