Tim Robertson and Toby Scott both qualified comfortably for the WOC Middle Distance Final in the Czech Republic overnight. Tim was 14th in Heat A and Toby an impressive 11th in Heat C. The qualification races which started with 5 or 6 controls on a steep rocky hillside before moving into easier running terrain and finishing on top of the largest hill around!

Neither found it easy going in the much rockier final where the course meandered round a single big hill. In the end the two were separated by only 11 seconds with Toby in 41st place and Tim in 42nd. After no Swiss men made the medals in Saturday’s sprint, Matthias Kyburz won their first men’s individual medal of WOC2021 with a 40s victory over Gustav Bergman of Sweden, with Ukraine’s Ruslan Glibov in 3rd.

1. Matthias Kyburz (SUI) 39:31, 2. Gustav Bergman (SWE) 40:11, 3. Ruslan Glibov (UKR) 40:18, 4. Lucas Basset (FRA) 41:36, 5. Kasper Harlem Fosser (NOR) 41:38, 6. Eskil Kinneberg (NOR) 41:40, 41. Toby Scott (NZL) 54:17, 42. Tim Robertson (NZL) 54:28.

The women’s race was won by Tove Alexandersson by over 2 minutes with Andrine Benjaminsen of Norway picking up her 2nd silver after anchoring the Norwegian sprint relay team to 2nd place. Simona Aebersold of Switzerland was 3rd.

1. Tove Alexandersson (SWE) 38:12, 2. Andrine Benjaminsen (NOR) 40:33, 3. Simona Aebersold (SUI) 41:33, 4. Kamilla Steiwer (NOR) 41:35, 5. Sara Hagstrom (SWE) 41:46, 6. Lisa Risby (SWE) 42;10.