Sports, Orienteering | A completely unexpected feat: – My absolute greatest moment with Halden

Year after year, Halden picked up victories and podium places at the big international relays. Then came the drought that lasted until Sunday.

– This is certainly my greatest moment with Halden, smiles coach Raul Ferra.

Admittedly, he also highlights the victory at the NM relay last year, but the top three at this year’s Tiomila is something that hangs far above the NM gold.

– When was Halden last in the top three internationally?

– It was before my time, says Ferra, who has been a coach since 2020.

– This is cool and very funny. All of us on the team have delivered well, says Minna Wingstedt.

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Impressed by the young runners

Halden residents Minna Wingstedt (16) and Alina Niggli (20), who normally live in Switzerland, ran the two night stages for Halden late on Saturday evening. They laid a solid foundation, but 18 teams were ahead.

On Sunday morning and forenoon, something unexpected happened for Haldense residents as well as others present. Gradually Halden came forward and on the last stage Megan Carter-Davies was involved in a terrific battle for second and third place. The new enrollment from Great Britain jumped so incredibly fast.

– You had a lot of injuries last winter. Now you have to be injury free?

– Yes, if I had been injured, I would not have finished in third place, smiles Megan (28).

The others at the orientation day were Ana Isabel Toledo Navarro (23), lives in Spain, Inés Berger (20) lives in Switzerland, and Svetlana Mironova (37), lives in Halden.

– This is certainly the biggest thing we have experienced with Halden, say the girls.

– It is especially impressive that the young girls are performing so well. This means a lot to the whole team, says Ferra.

The men were number ten

The Halden ladies had not been in the top three at Tiomila or Jukola since 2018 when it was third place precisely at Tiomila. The men’s last top three was the following year.

– It is so great to achieve this, smiles trainer Ferra.

Sunday night and morning went as it has often done in the big relays in recent years when the men made a few mistakes and finished tenth.

– But there wasn’t much that needed to be done before they had also succeeded, says Ferra.

Emil Wingstedt, father and central to the elite work in Halden, believes that it has become a very good performance environment in the team.

– We have had good gatherings, says Emil.

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Coming to town

Two of the relay girls are on their way to live more in Halden, partly permanently.

– In September, I will move to Halden both to raise my own level towards the WC in Finland and also to help raise the team’s level, says Ana.

– I hope to live for a longer period in Halden in the autumn, says Ines.