Jarl Magnus Riiber and Mille Moen Flatla take Norwegian summer titles
Sep 23, 2019·Nordic Combined
Minyan Bjørseth and Vilhelmsen win Lillehammer Supersprint
A big weekend came to a close on Sunday with the Norwegian team and some guest athletes starting in the traditional Lillehammer Supersprint and the Norwegian summer national championships on the following day.
Thea Minyan Bjørseth and Emil Storjord Vilhelmsen were the best sprinters in downtown Lillehammer, while Jarl Magnus Riiber and Mille Moen Flatla took the Norwegian titles. Best in the women’s competition on Sunday was actually Italian Daniela Dejori.
The Lillehammer Super Sprint has the athletes competing in pairs on a short sprint course in downtown Lillehammer after a prologue. 16 athletes made it to the 1/8 finals for the men, and eight women contended in the quarterfinals for the women. In the end, jumping prodigy Thea Minyan Bjørseth was pitted against Oda Leiråmo for the finals in the women’s category and Emil Storjord Vilhelmsen competed with Einar Lurår Oftebro for the win in the men’s category.
On the second day of the weekend, the athletes competed in the Individual Gundersen national championships. Nine women, 27 senior and 23 junior men competed for the coveted titles.
Thea Minyan Bjørseth and Jarl Riiber did not disappoint on the jumping hill and lead the way with 89 metres (104 p.) and 132.4 metres (132.1 p.). Fabian Østvold was the best jumper in the NC B category with 98.5 metres (128 p.), the same amount of points that Johan Fredriksen Orset claimed for his 96.5 metre effort.
As Gyda Westvold Hansen did not start in the cross-country race, the competition on the women’s side was wide open. Fourth-placed Daniela Dejori did have the best end on the cross-country track and stormed to the win after having to make up a 19-second deficit on jumping leader Thea Minyan Bjørseth. The second-fastest cross-country time catapulted the Italian to the win, +0:27 seconds ahead of Mille Moen Flatla, who had started from position two. The bronze medal went to Mari Leinan Lund (+0:34).
Johan Fredriksen Orset took the title in the NC-B category with an advantage of one minute and 26 seconds on runner-up Espen Benjaminsen after the 5 km race. The third place went to Iver Olaussen, who finished +1:33 after Orset. Foreign athletes Anton Øvindsson (ISL), Henry Johnstone (USA) and and Markuss Vinogradovos (LAT) reached positions 12, 14 and 17.
On the senior men’s side, Jarl Magnus Riiber added a national summer title to his palmares but had to defend his title against runner-up, Espen Andersen, who finished only eleven seconds after the reigning World Champion. Espen Bjørnstad completed the podium on rank three. He finished exactly one minute behind Riiber. Estonian Kristjan Ilves claimed position four, +1:05 after Riiber.
