Yesterday, a full simulation of the WOC Individual Sprint was held in Liguria, featuring a morning qualification race in Celle Ligure and an afternoon final in the spectacular setting of Boccadasse.

The qualification consisted of three heats, with the top 15 athletes from each heat advancing to the final. More than 100 competitors representing national teams took part in the event, many of whom will be competing at the World Orienteering Championships in just two weeks.

In the men's race, a highly demanding and selective course produced an exceptionally close finish. Three athletes were separated by only one second at the top of the results: Tomáš Křivda (CZE) and Guilhem Verove (FRA) shared the victory, while Tuomas Heikkilä (FIN) finished just one second behind. No athlete managed to execute a perfect race, making the competition even tighter and highlighting the technical challenge of the course.

In the women's race, Malin Agervig Kristiansson (DEN) delivered a dominant performance to secure a clear victory, with the Finns Maija Sianoja and Inka Nurminen finishing in second and third place respectively.

The WOC simulation programme now continues with the Knock-Out Sprint and the Sprint Relay, providing further opportunities for athletes to test themselves and fine-tune their preparations ahead of the World Championships.