Hilly Middle Distance Final in Susch-Lavin, 14 July 2016

The courses of the middle finals will be fun, but at the same time technically exceedingly challenging. The area requires full physical effort from the athletes. Whoever masters combining speed and technique and staying calm in the heat of competition will run into the top postitions that day.

The terrain near Susch-Lavin is situated on a broken-up hill-side containing areas with detailed contours and rocky features, as well as pine and spruce forests and small open areas. The ground is often covered with grass and in some parts runnability is reduced because of vegetation and rocky ground. 

After the convincing performances in yesterday’s qualification race in Ftan, as well as the Sprint and Long Distance races, the top favourites for gold are double World Champion Joey Hadorn (Switzerland)  and the Finn Olli Ojanaho. In 2015 in Norway, he won the title in both the Long and the Middle distance. They will be challenged by the Swedes Simon Hector (19), Simon Imark and Isac von Krusenstierna (18) and the Swiss Thomas Curiger, who are all to be considered further favourites.

In the women’s class, the new Long distance champion Anna Haataja (Finland) and Sprint winner Simona Aebersold (Switzerland) will be the top favourites. Valérie Aebischer (Switzerland) and Johanna Öberg (Sweden) seem to be the most important challengers.

Anna Haataja

Joey Hadorn