Second forest Final at the 2025 World Orienteering Championships, and two PWT Italia athletes were once again on the start line for Team Italy. Today’s men’s Long Distance in Kuopio, Finland featured a demanding course: 16.0 km, 565 meters of climb, and 27 controls.

Sebastian Inderst and Mattia Debertolis finished 30th and 31st, respectively, both just over 25 minutes behind the winner. Kasper Harlem Fosser of Norway, reigning world champion from WOC 2023 in Switzerland, claimed another gold with a time of 1:37:50.

For Mattia Debertolis, it was his first World Championship Long Distance:

“Technically, today went well, but physically it was tough. Before the arena passage I felt okay, but right after that I started to feel really tired. I chose some route options that stayed on roads or trails because I was struggling in the forest. I also had stomach issues and couldn’t take my gels as planned. I’m still satisfied I got through it — 31st in the World Champs Long isn’t bad. But it’s frustrating, because on a good day, the top 20 was definitely within reach.”

Sebastian Inderst, dealing with muscle issues in the lead-up to the race, delivered a composed effort despite physical challenges:

“It was a bittersweet day. I’m really happy that my hamstring held up throughout the race — I had been struggling with a strain the past few days — and that despite not feeling great, the result was still decent. Physically, it was tough: I started feeling nauseous just 30 minutes in, and cramps hit me in the final section. It stings a bit to know that just a few seconds less could have made a huge difference in the final standings.”

Today’s race was physically demanding, with slow-running forest sections and technical terrain that pushed athletes to their limits.

Official Results Long Distance

The World Championships will conclude tomorrow with the Relay. For PWT Italia, Sebastian Inderst will run the second leg for the men’s team, and Jessica Lucchetta will race the second leg for the Italian women’s team. The women’s race will start at 12:30, and the men’s at 14:30.