Skumringskampen Finale (18-10-2021)

https://www.livelox.com/Viewer/Skumringskampen-finale/H17-Kort?classId=427228

Chasing start final of this race series, I started in 2nd position almost 3 min behind the leader, Eivind Hoff and with several competitors close behind, the guy who started just 9 secs after me was a fairly new orienteer who had started as an adult, he told me afterwards that he liked to tag behind, and he did so for my entire race.

Pretty much OK to the first 4 controls, then I planned to go straight to #5 but changed my mind as I hit the big ski track and followed the small path around instead. I did not see the final path junction but I knew that I had probably passed it and as soon as I spotted a possible pond to my right I cut down left and hit the control nicely. I am guessing I lost about 15 s by not going back out the same way I entered #4.

#6 was my only real miss, the path junction near the edge of the old felled area was too hard to see (but some others did spot it), I lost at least a minute here and was passed by Håvard Hågård who ended up in 2nd place, half a minute in front of me in the end.

#7 was nice, just found the reentrant that lead all the way to the control, the only one who beat my split time here was the guy following me around.

My headlamp battery failed just after #7, the slowdown while I turned it back on in limp mode (maybe 2-5% light?) is obvious on my track, and from that point I was quite nervous that my follower would sprint past me but he was polite and stayed behind all the way to the finish line.