Olav Lundanes and Marianne Andersen won Lørdagskjappen on saturday and the Fredrikstad runners Kamilla Olaussen and Martin Hubmann won Smaaleneneløpet on sunday. Here's a little recap of this weekends orienteering action in Østfold.
Lørdagskjappen
-Some hesitation, but no mistakes, Olav Lundanes commented after he won Lørdagskjappen in lovely weather in Våler.
And the Halden runner had a great time in the spring sun:
-I always like it here, and I liked the terrain, today’s winner said.
PHOTO: Olav Lundanes won the mens class in Lørdagskjappen. Photo: Ivar Haugen, NOF
-The course suited me as well, with many route choice options.
Lundanes found the best route choices of them all in the neighbouring terrain to August’s WOC, and won ahead of national team mates Eskil Kinneberg and Gaute Hallan Steiwer.
By this win he gets a confidence boost towards this season big goal, in WOC relevant terrain:
-With a recent period of illness and injuries I entered the race with some uncertainties. But now I’m back and attacking.
Photo: Ivar Haugen, NOF
The same can be said about the women’s winner Marianne Andersen.
She gathered confidence as well after Saturday’s clear win:
-The flow was bad in the start, but kept improving throughout the race, and it felt good to perform at this level after a tough period.
She won two minutes ahead of Finish runner Sara Anttonen. Elena Roos of Switzerland came in third.
Andersen only ran on Saturday this weekend:
-I’ve stayed in Østfold since Tuesday, and I’ll go home on Sunday. I plan to stay at home the next two weeks and prepare for 10-mila.
At 10-mila she is a part of a very strong Fredrikstad SK team, with clear winning ambitions.
The junior classes were won by Oskar Spets Storhov, Aurora Gjølsjø, Vegard Kittelsen and Oda Scheele.
Smaaleneneløpet
- It was difficult today, and I hesitated some places. But I made sure to do a couple of complete stops to avoid any big mistakes, Kamilla Olaussen says after having secured a comfortable win in Smaaleneneløpet in Båstad, Indre Østfold today.
The girl from Fredrikstad was in a league of her own, with Finish Anu Tuomisto in second and national team mate Silje Ekroll Jahren in third place.
PHOTO: From left: Anu Tuomisto, Kamilla Olaussen and Silje Ekroll Jahren. Photo: Martin S. Nielsen, WOC2019
- I made good use of my technical skills today and let them control my decisions. I hope to maintain the same flow in my orienteering as I had today, then speed will resolve automaticlly.
A troubled knee has created difficulties in the training work, but she has been working on her strength throughout the winter with several hours of cycling;
- I have not been able to perform as much running as I’ve hoped for. Still my running form is good, and now the flow in my orienteering is starting to arrive.
Eyes are set on this season’s big goal:
- I look so much forward to WOC.
PHOTO: Olaussen en route to victory on sunday. Photo: Martin S. Nielsen, WOC2019
Her teammate in Fredrikstad, Swiss Martin Hubmann, probably does the same.
Today he won the men’s course:
-After struggling with my orienteering technique in the vague terrain at Lørdagskjappen in Våler, Moss yesterday I really looked forward to this race. This terrain suited me better with the clearly visible contour shapes. But it was also physically challenging, as you were given few opportunities to run on paths and roads, the Swiss runner tells.
However, he performed excellent on his journey between the controls:
- I didn’t miss any control, but I probably lost time on one leg with a bad route choice.
It was still good enough to win ahead of Torgeir Nørbech and Fredrikstad SK team mate Gaute Hallan Steiwer.
PHOTO: From left: Torgeir Nørbech, Martin Hubmann and Gaute Hallan Steiwer. Photo: Martin S. Nielsen, WOC2019
World champion Olav Lundanes did not feel well and stepped out of the race at an early stage.
Saturday’s runner up Eskil Kinneberg has due to an injury not been able to perform as much running training as he’d liked and chose not to participate Sunday.
The junior classes were won by Kasper Fosser, Ane Dyrkorn, Isak Jonsson and Oda Scheele.
