Nordic Championships 2018: The Big Show of Jenny Damm and Norway

The Nordic Championship 2018 will probably be associated with Jenny Damm and their sovereign double victory in the large individual competition. The probably most successful Swedish Agility athlete secured the starting position already in the two runs yesterday. Even if it didn’t look for a podium for her and Ziv yesterday. But unlike all the others, she kept her nerves and brought a third clean run over the finish line. When she was at the start with Border Collie Lilli, it was already clear that she had a medal for safe. After an another clean run, the only question was whether it would end up in place one or two. Because Janita Leinonen with Fu from Finland was the whole weekend faster than the Swede. But a mistake at the long jump cost her victory. Fu passed the long jump surprisingly. Happy Third is Paisan Santtu Stenberg with Rai Rai which secures the medal for Finland.

Large Individual (Results)
 Jenny Damm with Lilli
Jenny Damm with Ziv
Santtu Stenberg with Rai Rai

The medium single tournament was entirely inspired by the colours red, blue and white from Norway. It was already yesterday clear that there will be no way around Norway today. But that the places 1 til 4 go to Norway was a bit surprising then. If Irene Yrstad – as second after the first two runs – had either a clean run with Lukas, then the first five places would have been in the Norwegian hand. But she was a bit to far behind after the dogwalk and Lukas took the jump from the wrong side. The same fate happened to the leading Jonna Kannisto with Nana from Finland. At the end Eivind Berdo Fossum with Ficus wins in front of Christian Fredrik Ekeren with Cæsar and the third place goes to Mette Elin Sandbakken and Ellie. The winner almost missed his round of honour, as he hardly reckoned with the victory or even a place on the podium.

Medium Individual (Results)
Eivind Berdo Fossum with Ficus
Christian Fredrik Ekeren with Cæsar
Mette Elin Sandbakken and Ellie

There was a defeat for Sweden in the small tournament. Despite a good position after yesterdays runs with the first place of Patrik Rosendal and the third place from Richard Scholvin, there was no Swede able to reach the podium in the end. Last year they also managed the triple in the Small Individual tournament. The best Swede is at the end Enya Habel and Party with a fourth place and by far the best time. Just one mistake too much. One of the competitor without a fault in all the three runs was the winner from Finland: Anki Molander and Wii. The silver medal goes to Denmark to Anette Andersen and Fritz. It remains the only individual medal this year for Denmark. Third is Jeanette Sandbæk Håland with Tequila from Norway.

Small Individual (Results)
Anki Molander with Wii
Anette Andersen with Fritz
Jeanette Sandbæk Håland with Tequila

Even in the team competition led Jenny Damm – among others – the Swedes to the gold medal. But they only win because of fewer mistakes. The third-placed Finns were total 2 seconds faster. Also the Danes benefit from the «mistakes before time» rule. They only made three mistakes in the two runs.

Large Team (Results)
Jenny Damm, Annika af Klercker, Jenny Damm, Ebba Eriksson, Jouni Orenius
 Morten Juhl Hansen, Poul Lerche, Sussi Nielsen, Morten Juhl Hansen, Channie Elmestedt
Niina-Liina Linna, Kim Kurkinen, Mikko Aaltonen, Janita Leinonen, Tuulia Liuhto

As a host and most successful nation in the history of the Nordic Championship, Finland had probably hoped for more medals. Even in the medium competition there was only the bronze medal reserved for them for the the third place. As in the individual tournament, the Norwegians were also unbeatable in the team competition. The Norwegians stayed until the end without any mistakes. Ina Himle with Wii showed in todays run impressively why the Norwegians had won the team competition that sovereign. They’re gap to the second place was almost four seconds. Even on this competition goes the Second place to the Danes.

Medium Team (Results)
Ina Himle, Mina M. Engh Mathisen, Christian F. Ekeren, Mette E. Sandbakken, Eivind B. Fossum
 Pia Metz, Louise Nielsen, Susanne Rødtness, Sarah Lorentzen, Nadine Sørensen
Taina Airaksinen, Jonna Kannisto, Ville Liukka, Outi Leppänen, Ville Liukka

As expected, the Swedes took the first place in the small team competition before the Norwegians and the Danes. Finland got four disqualifications in the last run and had to award all the odds on medals. Also Denmark has lost a lot of ground to the other two teams in the last run.

Small Team (Results)
 Patrik Rosendal, Jocke Tangfelt, Heidi Penttilä, Enya Habel, Fiona Lövdinger
 Eli Beate Sæther, Iene Yrstad, Tarjei Bratt Hveding-Gabrielsen, Sandbæk Håland, John Odlolien
 Natasha Gjerulff, Jannie Hedegaard Nielsen, Henrik Olsen, Anette Andersen, Gitte Hoffmeister