Tuomas Heikkilä has achieved individual sprint EC bronze in Verona, Italy. Switzerland’s Matthias Kyburz celebrates the EC gold.
Tuomas Heikkilä has achieved orienteering individual sprint EC bronze in Verona, Italy. Finland’s men’s previous medal in the orienteering sprint was by Morten Boström World Championship gold from 2013.
Heikkilä missed Switzerland who won the EC gold Matthias from Kyburz four seconds. The Norwegian star orienteer took the silver Kasper Fosserwho was also four seconds behind the winner.
Heikkilä, who won his own qualifying group, started the final strongly and led the race by a second at the first TV check mark. The top five in the 3.3-kilometer final was very even, as it fit within five seconds.
Heikkilä has invested in sprinting this season. He won the distance SM gold in September.
Remember the Finns who advanced to the finals Teemu Oksanen was the 26th Akseli Ruohola 34th and Aaro Aho 43:s. The top 15 from each of the three qualifying groups made it to the finals. Ending his international career at this World Cup in Italy Aleksi Niemi missed the qualification.
The women’s race is currently underway. Finland is in the final Venla Harju, Hanne Hilo, Miia Niittynen, Maija Sianoja and Aino Mänkärä.
The races continue on Friday with a sprint relay and on Sunday with a cross-country style knock-out sprint.