This 2024 FISU World Universities Championships in Lantsch/Lenz/Lenzerheide, Switzerland, was truly the best showcase that ski orienteering could have wished with perfect conditions: Both the snow and the sunshine lived up to expectations, great organisation with highly motivated and helpful volunteers, thrilling battles with the finish line in sight and over one a hundred athletes from 14 countries mastering maps and exciting terrain in the hope of a good result. 

While athletes from nations such as Japan and China made huge technical and tactical strides over the four days of competition, the event was dominated by the Nordic nations - Sweden, Norway and Finland - as well as Switzerland. The host nation won 10 of the 21 medals, but it was Sweden who brought home the most gold, thanks to the undisputed queen of ski orienteering, Elin Schagerström from Luleå, who simply won every race she entered. 

The smiling Swede admitted she had a great time on the slopes of Lenzerheide and celebrated her final victory by skiing across the finish line holding her country's flag, FISU.net reported.

While the enthusiastic local crowd will be sad to see the athletes leave the beautiful Roland Arena - but will be able to relive all the emotions by looking at all the photos and videos on the official website - the champions are already thinking about the World Ski Orienteering Championships to be held in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria, from 21 to 27 January. 

Will the medallists from Lenzerheide - Elin Schagerstöm (Sweden), Eliane Deininger (Switzerland), Synne Strang (Norway), Delia Giezendanner (Switzerland), Maria Hoskari (Finland), Elsa Hermansson (Sweden), Jonatan Ståhl (Sweden), Nicola Müller (Switzerland), Aapo Viippola (Finland), Jan Lauenstein (Switzerland), Severin Müller (Switzerland) and Gustav Jonsson (Sweden) - be able to stand on the podium in Austria? 

After her victories in the sprint and pursuit, the Scandinavian was the best over the middle distance (7,6 km) by more than a two minutes advantage. She crossed the finish line in 38:39, well ahead of Switzerland's Deininger (40:45, University of Bern) and Finland's Hoskari (41.12, University of Jyväskylä). 

The men's race (8,6 km) was more evenly matched, with the Switzerland's Nicola Müller (University of Bern) winning in 37.15. Sweden's Ståhl (Umeå University) was second in 37.29 and Switzerland's Severin Müller (Swiss Distance Univ. of Applied Sciences FFHS) took the bronze medal in 38.44. 

Finally, there was also no colour in the mixed sprint as Sweden's Schagerström and Ståhl put in an astonishing second leg (both raced three legs) to win in 57.17. Switzerland came second with Giezendanner and Severin Müller (59.49), while bronze went to the second Swedish team with Hermansson and Jonsson (1h:00.02). 

The world of university ski orienteering will meet up next year, as ski orienteering, together with ski mountaineering, will be an optional sport at the Torino 2025 FISU Games, which will start in a little less than a year.