WMTBOC2019 Long: gold for Benham Kvåle and Gritsan

The World Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships continued with the Long Distance race on Wednesday in Denmark. The race was held in a beautiful Stråsø forest in the western part of Midtjylland region.

British Emily Benham Kvåle continued her amazing performance and won her third gold medal, while Czech Veronika Kubinova won her third silver medal of the championships. Gabrielė Andrašiūnienė finished third and brought the first medal to the Lithuanian MTBO team.

In the men’s group, Russian Ruslan Gritsan had a nearly perfect race and won his fifth Long title.  Gritsan first became World Champion in the Long distance back in 2005 and repeated his success in 2007, 2008 and 2012. Baptiste Fuchs, France finished in silver medal position and Anton Foliforov was third.

Results

Women

1. Emily Benham Kvåle (GBR) 1:55:51

2. Veronika Kubinova (CZE) 1:59:25

3. Gabriele Andrasiuniene (LTU) 1:59:54

3. Ingrid Stengard (FIN) 2:02:45

5. Maja Rothweiler (SUI) 2:03:14

6. Clare Dallimore (GBR) 2:03:28

Men

1. Ruslan Gritsan (RUS) 1:50:49

2. Baptiste Fuchs (FRA) 1:52:18

3. Anton Foliforov (RUS) 1:52:36

4. Samuel Pokala (FIN) 1:53:16

5. Valeriy Glukhov (RUS) 1:53:25

6. Vojtech Ludvik (CZE) 1:53:28

Interview with Emily Benham Kvåle and Ruslan Gritsan:


Jan Hasek, Czech Republic and Kaarina Nurminen, Finland were fastest in junior classes.

Men Junior

1. Jan Hasek (CZE) 1:29:28

2. Thomas Steinthal (DEN) 1:31:19

3. Teemu Kaksonen (FIN) 1:32:42

4. Juha Lilja (FIN) 1:34:05

5. Juandiego Marin Baraza (ESP) 1:34:23

6. Richard Wohanka (CZE) 1:34:52

Women Junior

1. Kaarina Nurminen (FIN) 1:31:44

2. Marine Denoual (FRA) 1:34:00

3. Vilma Kralova (CZE) 1:34:11

4. Mari Linnus (EST) 1:35:01

5. Lilou Pauly (FRA) 1:37:08

6. Marisa Costa (POR) 1:37:28

Results

Thursday is a rest day, and competition resumes on Friday with Mass Start race.