Venla Harju took a medal from another personal trip at the orienteering European Championships. Olli Ojanaho was the best of the Finnish men, fourth.
On Thursday, he won the EC gold in orienteering by a long way Venla Harju continued in medal pace in Estonia’s Rakvere on Saturday. Harju won the bronze medal in the competition, which was overwhelmingly won by Switzerland Simona Aebersold.
32-year-old Harju was 2 minutes and 50 seconds behind Aebersold on the 5.3 kilometer course. Estonian Evely Kaasiku headed for a surprise silver in his home competition. The top two survived the course almost cleanly while the other women made mistakes.
Harju said in the Orienteering Association’s press release that Thursday’s gold medal was no longer on his mind.
– It was another competition. Doesn’t it bring any relief if you’ve won the previous one? I was able to keep my thoughts well in the middle distance, because I knew there was a demanding competition.
According to Harju, his performance in Saturday’s competition was similar to his middle distance performance in previous years’ prestigious competitions. There was one mistake and one slower route choice on the trip.
– Some mistake has always come in the middle of the prestigious competitions. At one point, I got a little distracted from what I was doing and it was hard to read myself on the map. However, I am really satisfied that maltoin navigates precisely in the most difficult parts, the bronze medalist summed up.
Harju, who has now won gold and bronze in these games, had previously won three bronze medals and relay silver and bronze at the World Championships.
On the long way to the bronze medal Marika Teini was close to the medal for a long time in the race, but a mistake less than a kilometer before the finish dropped him from the medals to fifth.
Men’s average distance of 6.3 kilometers Olli Ojanaho steered nicely to fourth. Sweden took a triple victory in the competition, when Albin Ridefelt won, Anton Johansson towards silver and Gustav Bergman for bronze.
Ojanaho was 2:05 behind the winner and one and a half minutes behind the medal. Miika Kirmula was seventh in the race, 2.27 behind the winner.
Long distance EC bronze medalist on Thursday Elias Kuukka was not involved in the middle distance race.
The EC competitions will end on Sunday with the posts of three legs. According to Venla Harju, Finland has good chances of success.
– In the evening, we look at old maps of the race course and think about how the tracks could run there. Probably mistakes will be seen in the message as well, Harju predicts.
Orienteering results – European Championships
1. Simona Aebersold, Switzerland, 35.40
2. Evely Kaasiku, Estonia, +1.27
3. Venla Harju, Finland, +2.50
4. Ane Dyrkorn, Norway, +3.17
5. Marika Teini, Finland, +3.29
other Finns:
11. Miia Niittynen +5.30
13. Enni Jalava +6.05
17. Anu Tuomisto +7.05
31. Veera Klemettinen +11.43
33. Ina Westerlund +13.05
1. Albin Ridefelt, Sweden, 35.40
2. Anton Johansson, Sweden, +0.17
3. Gustav Bergman, Sweden, +0.37
4. Olli Ojanaho, Finland, +2.05
5. Eskil Kinneberg, Norway, +2.19 NOR
other Finns:
7. Miika Kirmula +2.27
25. Aaro Aho +5.34
38. Joni Hirvikallio +7.37
41. Samu Heiska +8.26