Poll: Orienteering Achievement of 2017 - Women

» Runner profile Tove Alexandersson

    Vote for Tove Alexandersson

Story
The World Championships didn’t start in the best way for Tove Alexandersson. After a good Sprint Qualification race, Alexandersson caught a cold and had to skip the Sprint Final. The question marks where there ahead of the middle distance - would Alexandersson get another championships like 2015 were injuries at the Sprint Qualification ruined the rest of the championships? But no, Alexandersson emerged strong as ever and took the remaining gold medals in the championships - the last one together with her team on the relay. The Swedish multi-talent won the World Cup yet another time - both in foot-orienteering and ski-orienteering. No words.

» Runner profile Natalia Gemperle

    Vote for Natalia Gemperle

Story
Natalia Gemperle got her big breakthrough last season with individual WOC medals at both long distance and middle distance. This year she took another step both in the forest and in the urban sprint discipline: In sprint she took the step up to the WOC medals also in sprint - in the forest she took her first ever World Cup victory. She now has individual WOC medals in all disciplines - and has shown that she can beat everybody on the big occasions. Her stability is also impressive: This year on world cup stages her placing was never lower than 7th place, with 7 podiums in total.

» Runner profile Marianne Andersen

    Vote for Marianne Andersen

Story
Marianne Andersen’ was one of the biggest stars of orienteering between 2006 and 2010 - taking double silver medals both at WOC and EOC in 2006 - and winning another 4 WOC silver medals between 2007 and 2010. But then Andersen struggled with injuries for several years - being away from the sport between 2011 and 2015, but still pushing on, training after training, determined to get back to the top. The power, the will, the patience in one place! The silver of this year is not the end, it is just a new beginning!?

» Runner profile Simona Aebersold

    Vote for Simona Aebersold

Story
Six JWOC gold medals in 2 years - what a success and stability by young Swiss runner Simona Aebersold. Winning three gold medals on home ground in Switzerland is one thing - repeating it in tough Scandinavian terrain is an even bigger achievement. Aebersold did however move to Finland to prepare in the best possible way. On national level Aebersold shows that she can beat the very best on a good day - it will be very interesting to see what Aebersold can do when she get to compete with the World’s best in the international races. Photo: Kimmo Hirvonen

» Runner profile Maja Alm

    Vote for Maja Alm

Story
Maja Alm has dominated the sprint discipline the last years - simply running away from the competition. This year she took another big step by winning the silver medal at one of the forest races at the WOC - the long distance in very tough Estonian terrain. Another step on her way to become a complete orienteer. In addition Alm might be aiming for the Olympics in athletics - after running several excellent races on the track this year.

» Runner profile Elena Roos

    Vote for Elena Roos

Story
Elena Roos has really impressed the orienteering world with fantastic results this year - being strong in all disciplines, and suprising everybody including herself by winning the long distance World Cup race at home ground over long distance. What can this woman from the Italian part of Switzerland do at the European Championships on home ground in Ticino next year?

» Runner profile Venla Harju

    Vote for Venla Harju

Story
Being a top athlete is not always easy, with lots of pressure from all sides, most of all from yourself. Venla Harju is one of many athletes who felt this strongly with a long "burn out period" in 2014-2016 - telling the world about her struggles in an open letter in 2016. Her rise back to top level with the WOC medals in Estonia tasted extremely well, and impressed everybody knowing her story immensely!