The lead has gone through and Eric Ohlund from Ulricehamn went out as the race leader on leg 3. I know Eric prtty well, having first met him when he was about 5 or maybe younger. He's a really good runner and was on the Swedish Junior National Team, and is now a 2nd or 3rd year senior.

-- Swampfox (wmikell@earthlink.net), April 24, 2004

Answers

Video has been showing one of the radio controls, on one side of a grassy knoll. A giant light is pointed at the knoll and at least 3 people are standing around on top, a few meters above the flag looking at maps. The first 2 runners arrived together (from Ulricehamns and Goteborg). Halden led the next group in a couple of minutes back (with Lynx, Malungs). DELTA, OK Ravinen, Helsingin Suun., SK Pohjantahti, KFUM Orebro...

When the first two arrived, they were in a group of 4 headlamps. 4 runners came into the control. 2 knew what they were doing. I suppose the others were in the forest from the 2nd leg. They moved more slowly, seemingly confused as they found themselves up among the big boys at the front!

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

A good sized train of orienteers is together in around 11th-27th place including Leksands, T-Met, OK Orion, Linkopings and a bunch of other clubs, especially the Finns. IKHP is a bit behind that group with one of the Karlssons (Joakim) taking the 3rd leg.

Team 18 (SK Pohjantahti - Oulu 1) has mispunched... bummer!

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

Halden in the lead for the first time! Is this the beginning of the end?

Malungs, Lynx, Goteborg follow over the next minute. This is a nice video control, with the runners approaching the control from above and the camera, a well-lit area along a trail with some advertising banners thrown in for good measure.

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

OK Ravinen is next, 4:23 back at this same control. The gaps are really opening up nicely. Öyvind Helgerud is the Halden runner. There's a big group coming in now about 6+ minute back, stretching out to the 11th-placed runner at least.

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

Halden seems to have increased its lead not only over the following 2 teams, but the other groups after that (a good minute between the previous radio control and this forewarning).

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

Halden had a lead of 1:18 at the end of the leg. 2nd- IFK Göteborg, 3rd- Malungs, 4th- Lynx in 1:18-1:50 behind.

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.

We can finally add a Maggi update. Magnus ran 1:57:48 for this leg while the best times were in the 1:18 range.

-- Mook (mook@mook.com), April 24, 2004.