Golden Saturday: Křivda Wins the Middle, Dittrichová Takes Bronze, Aebersold wins again.

World Cup Round 3 – Middle, 8 August 2026

If Thursday’s long distance gave the home fans a podium to celebrate, Saturday’s middle distance in Martínkov gave them everything. Tomáš Křivda won the men’s race in front of a roaring home arena, and Lucie Dittrichová climbed onto the women’s podium with bronze – the finest day for Czech orienteering in this World Cup, and one that will be talked about for years.

Men: Krivda strikes in the final stage

For most of the 5.37 km course it looked like Sweden’s Viktor Svensk – so dominant in the long distance – would double up. Svensk led at every radio control deep into the race, with Křivda lurking within twenty seconds. Then came the final part. Between the 4.3 km and 5.0 km controls the Czech turned the race on its head, arriving at the arena in the lead and holding his nerve on the run-in to win in 31:50, fourteen seconds clear.

Svensk had to settle for silver, with his compatriot Gustav Bergman completing an experienced podium at +0:51. Behind them, Jakub Chaloupský (15th) and Daniel Bolehovský (18th) added two more Czech results inside the top twenty.

Women: Aebersold again – but the arena belonged to Dittrichová

Simona Aebersold remains untouchable this week. The Swiss star added the middle title to her long distance win, taking control before halfway and winning in 31:21 ahead of France’s Cecile Calandry (+2:07).

But the loudest moment of the afternoon came behind them. Lucie Dittrichová, fifth in the long, claimed the third place at +2:29 after actually leading the field at the first radio control. She edged out Norway’s Pia Young Vik by just four seconds in a fight that went to the very last control. Tereza Rauturier backed up her long distance podium with 13th.

A tough day for some favourites

The technical 4.49 km women’s course and its 5.37 km men’s counterpart punished any lapse in concentration. Norway’s Kasper Harlem Fosser, always among the favourites, never found the front and finished sixth, while Fabian Aebersold – third in the long – dropped to 40th after a costly opening. Veteran Daniel Hubmann finished 22nd. On the women’s side, Marie Olaussen, silver medallist in the long, slipped to 27th, and Sweden’s Tuva Ostangard sat tenth before a single disastrous leg cost her over five minutes. Finland’s Elisa Mattila and Sweden’s Frida Vikstrom saw their races wiped out by mispunches.

The World Cup round concludes tomorrow with the relays – and after today, the home teams will start them full of belief.