Norway's Eirik Langedal Breivik won despite not being the favourite and Switzerland's Simona Aebersold defended her middle distance title as the first final of the European Orienteering Championships took place in Mor on Saturday. Technically demanding courses in the Hungarian countryside provided challenges and crucial time losses. Temperatures in the high 30s added to the challenge in an event organised by the International Orienteering federation (IOF).

The women were first on the course, with 4.5 kilometres and 340 metres of climbing ahead of them, and as expected, the final starters came to decide the medal positions.  The very last starter, Simona Aebersold, had already opened up a gap of more than a minute after 10 minutes of running. 

She never let up and finished more than two minutes ahead of her compatriot Natalia Gemperle, who took silver despite a few mistakes. Norway's Andrine Benjaminsen was faster through the course, but lost time at checkpoints 13 and 18 and had to settle for bronze, 0:59 behind Gemperle. Six-time European champion Tove Alexandersson of Sweden lost about three minutes at the third checkpoint and finished fourth, ahead of two great Swiss performances by Paula Gross and young Ines Berger. The winner defended her first EOC Middle title from Estonia in 2022.

The high number of mistakes continued in the men's final, which took place later in the afternoon. Norwegian Kasper Fosser got off to an early start and finished with a clear lead, despite losing time on control 20 just before the finish. 

The big surprise of the day, Eirik Langedal Breivik, avoided big time losses and went straight to control 20 to take the gold medal and by far the biggest result of his career. Fosser's was 24 seconds slower than his compatriot and behind them, defending champion Albin Ridefelt of Sweden took bronze after also losing time at control 20. He was 1:05 behind the Norwegian winner. 

The athletes will not have much time to rest as the championships continue on Sunday with the long distance, with the first women starting at 9.50 and the first men at 10.35. The European Orienteering Championships will end on Tuesday with the relay (men at 14.10 and women at 16.08).