Aebersold and Svensk Triumph in 2026 Forest World Cup Opener

Simona Aebersold from Switzerland and Viktor Svensk from Sweden emerged victorious in the inaugural forest World Cup race of the 2026 season, which took place in hilly terrain in southern Czechia.

The race presented athletes with route choice challenges and varying runnability, particularly in stony areas. In the women's category, Aebersold finished ahead of Marie Olaussen from Norway and Tereza Rauturier from Czechia, who she caught during the race. The start interval was shortened to two minutes due to an approaching thunderstorm, impacting the race's dynamics. Pia Young Vik finished fourth after a significant error at the penultimate control.

In the men's category, Svensk outpaced Fabian Aebersold, finishing with high speed. Kasper Fosser from Norway secured second place despite making a notable mistake towards the end. Quentin Moulet from France and veteran Daniel Hubmann from Switzerland rounded out the top five. The race featured a long leg to the fourth control, with both men's and women's legs analyzed for route choices, revealing strategic differences in performance.