ASOM KO sprint: top contenders

This weekend, the city of Turnhout will once again host one of the most exciting sprint orienteering events of the year — ASOM (Antwerp Sprint Orienteering Meeting). Known for its fast-paced urban races and high-profile international attendance. This year, all eyes are on the Knock-Out (KO) Sprint, a thrilling format where speed, tactics, and nerves are pushed to the limit through head-to-head heats.

Earlier this week, we took a general look at the event, but now it's time to dive deeper into the top favorites for the KO sprint. From seasoned World Cup athletes to rising stars, the start list promises fireworks in both the women's and men's fields.

Women:

3 stars - ***

Eline Gemperle (Switserland)

Gemperle enters the weekend as the top pick after a string of impressive World Cup top 20 results. She finished 7th in last year’s ASOM KO sprint and already showed strong form at a race in Italy just four weeks ago. In this format, anything can happen, but Gemperle is certainly the one to beat.

Inka Nurminen (Finland)

Nurminen has proven herself with several top 20 finishes and standout performances at the WOC and World Cup last season. After a winter of training and preparation, she’ll be hoping to return to top form and ASOM could be the perfect warm-up for EOC.

2 stars - **

Alva Sonesson (Sweden)

Is also a very young (24) runner but had an incredible year in 2024 with peak performances on the world cup and woc. Maybe the less experienced runner in a KO sprint of all the "top women". 

Josefine Lind (Denmark)

Has high peak performances in important races but hasn't the best consistancy. Didn't perform well in Italy 4 weeks ago.

1 star - *

Deborah Stadler (Switserland) has some experience in Belgium in 2023 where she finished 4th in the KO sprint. Cecilie Andersen (Great Britain) her experience is more found in individual sprints. Vilma Von Krusenstierna (Sweden) hasn't had that many international races last year. Tilda Johansson (Sweden) is also more found in the front at individual sprints.

Men:

3 stars - ***

Jonatan Gustafsson (Sweden)

Bronze medalist in last year’s WOC KO sprint and currently ranked 2nd in the world, Gustafsson is a blend of speed and precision. With growing confidence and experience, he is a prime candidate for the win.

Jorgen Baklid (Norway)

Last years silver medal at WOC. Has showed, he can master the KO sprint and can peak at the right moments. He is ranked 1st in ski orienteering and has won multiple gold medals at world cup ski orienteering this year so hasn't been doing orienteering much in the winter.

2 stars - **

Tuomas Heikkila (Finland)

Has had a solid year in 2024 but missed the last kick. Going out really fast and keep the pace will be the method for this stable Finnish runner.

Yannick Michiels (Belgium)

He will be desparate to win after last year second place at ASOM KO. He has the advantage of knowing this type of terrain very well but in KO sprint, it often comes down to the fastest last sprint where he had his best times a few years ago.

Timo Suter (Switserland)

Is always there at important races but has difficulties to be the best one. He has multiple top 6 places at wcup and is extremely fast.

1 star - *

As the field is very stacked, there are a lot of outsiders who can aim for a final and maybe even more. Adrien Delenne (France) has showed some good performances in KO. Tino Polsini (Switserland) one of the break throughs from last year. Jakub Glonek (Czechia) performed well in the last years. Fransesco Mariani (Italy), who is maybe a bit better in the individual sprint. August Mollen (Sweden) who also peaks more in the individual sprint. Florian Attinger (Switserland) who is also one of the break throughs of last year.

The 2025 ASOM Knock-Out Sprint promises to be one of the most exciting editions yet. With an exceptionally strong and diverse field, the races in Turnhout are set to deliver tight finishes, and maybe even a few shocks. Whether it’s the established stars holding their ground or a new name rising to the top, fans can expect world-class action from start to finish.

Good luck to all athletes competing, may the fastest, smartest, and boldest prevail!

ASOM 2025: Preview

This weekend ASOM is back for its 10th anniversary and will take place in Turnhout! With the upcoming European Orienteering Championship organized in Belgium, this event is the perfect preperation to achieve high results in August. This also means that a lot of world class runners will participate. Let's have a look at some of the favourites for the podium of the knock-out sprint on Saturday and the normal sprint on Sunday. 

In the women's class we are happy to welcome almost a quarter of the top 100 sprint orienteers in the world. The highest ranked athletes are Eline Gemperle (19), Ike Nurminen (=20) and Alva Sonesson (=20). These three are naturally in three different heats for the qualification on Friday where only the top 12 of each heat goes through to the quarter finale of the knock-out sprint on Saturday. Being second in your heat means that you can choose first in which of the six quarter finales you want to compete. After this, the winners of each heat can choose and from there on, it goes from the third place all the way down to the twelfth place. Will these top three ladies try to win their heat, or maybe try to end up more in the middle of the pack to be able to have a more interesting heat choice? We will see :). 

In the men's class we have, with 28, even more than a quarter of the top 100 sprint orienteers in the world competing. Even more exciting is that there are not one, not two, but three top 10 runners coming to Turnhout. Jonas Gustafsson (2), Yannick Michiels (3) and Tuomas Heikkilä (7) will try to win  ASOM (again) at its 10th anniversary. 

Some other contenders for the women's class are: Tilda Johansson (38), Josefine Lind (39), and Deborah Stadler (40). For our Belgian runners all eyes are on Danielle Dewickere (176) and Marine Sillien (199). Wile some other runners eying for a medal in the men's class are Timo Suter (13), Tino Polsini (15), and Fransesco Mariani (21). The Belgian runners that can cause some danger in front of the pack next to Michiels are Warre De Cuyper (77), Wouter Hus (83), and Mathias Blaise (102).

Nice courses and exciting races will for sure be present this weekend and let's see if somebody can beat the favourites and cause an upset. We are excited and hopefully you are too!

See you this weekend

Bos selecties + Team Belgium naar WCUP en WOC

Afgelopen weekend trok de Belgische federatie naar onze zuiderburen om een middel en lang te lopen als selectie voor de belangrijke kampioenschappen komende zomer. Sommige atleten hadden de selectie (al zo goed als) binnen, andere moesten nog flink hun best doen om genoeg punten te krijgen. 

Marine Sillien voltooide haar clean sweep maar we zagen de comeback van Julia Krekels en Lotte Tiesters na respectievelijk ziekte en blessure. Krekels liep 2 verdienstelijke wedstrijden waarvoor ze beloond werd met een WCUP selectie. Evert Leeuws won de belangrijkste discipline op zondag en Mathias Blaise liep een zeer cleane wedstrijd op zaterdag maar had last van de maag op zondag.

Bij de junioren deed Mats de Smul wat hij het beste kan, winnen (met bravoure). Rune de Clercq had ook last van maagkrampen waardoor hij niet 100% kon lopen. Louis Bourgeois moest opgeven op de lang door pijn aan zijn voet. Thomas Jansen liep 2 uitstekende wedstrijden en ook Victor Brouwier heeft een goed weekend achter de rug. De selectie voor JWOC wordt elk weekend duidelijker maar voor EYOC is alles nog mogelijk op de sprint. Sarah Rooman kon ook 2 maal haar wedstrijd winnen en zit close bij selectie maar heeft maar 1 kans (i.p.v. 3) aangezien ze champagne moet gaan drinken in Frankrijk tijdens het ASOM weekend, terwijl de andere D20 hun kans zullen moeten grijpen in Turnhout.

Anaïs Mazy domineerde zoals al vaker D16 en kan haar EYOC selectie al ruiken en ook Nathan Jansen liep 2 keer naar de overwinning in H16.

Zowel Victor Mullens als Mathis Brouwier liepen MP door de drankpost vergeten te nemen... 

Het Belgische team voor WCUP in Zweden bestaat uit 4 mannen en 1 vrouw: J. Krekels, Blaise, Leeuws, Van der Ouderaa en U23 atleet Mullens. Het WOC team bestaat uit Sillien, Blaise, Leeuws en Van der Ouderaa. Met een compact maar talentrijk team zal de Belgische delegatie naar het Scandinavisch schiereiland afzakken om met zo goed mogelijke resultaten terug te komen.

Ondertussen zitten de Belgische junioren onder het toeziende oog van militair Benjamin Anciaux en ex-militair François Van der Ouderaa in Italië op trainingkamp. Binnen 1.5 week maken we ons klaar voor ASOM in Turnhout, tot dan!