The Long Distance race in the Swiss Alpine resort of Grindelwald proved a testing opening challenge in the Orienteering World Cup final ©IOF

Home runner Matthias Kyburz set himself up to earn a fourth International Orienteering Federation World Cup title today as he won the opening event of the final in the Swiss Alpine resort of Grindelwald, the long distance race - with Elena Roos completing a Swiss double thanks to an unexpected first place in the women’s long event.

Victory over a challenging 19 kilometres of previously unmapped territory enabled the 27-year-old Swiss athlete to extend his overall rankings lead to 70 points, with the individual competition’s concluding middle distance race scheduled for tomorrow.

Kyburz’s only remaining challenger is Norway’s Olav Lundanes - although his fellow Swiss Daniel Hubmann moved up one position to third overall he missed too many points to remain in contention for the overall title, and now trails the leader by 105 points.

Sweden’s Martin Regborn, who began the final in second place overall, has now dropped to fourth, with 355 points.

Roos, 26, has been a consistent top 10 performer but she was incredulous after securing her first World Cup victory in a 12km event in which the overall World Cup leader, Sweden's Tove Alexandersson, had something of a nightmare.

Matthias Kyburz and Elena Roos celebrate a home double after victories in the Long Distance event on the opening day of the Orienteering World Cup final in the Swiss Alpine resort of Grindelwald ©IOF
Matthias Kyburz and Elena Roos celebrate a home double after victories in the Long Distance event on the opening day of the Orienteering World Cup final in the Swiss Alpine resort of Grindelwald ©IOF

"I cannot believe it yet," said Roos.

Her 29-year-old compatriot Sabine Hauswirth moved up from fifth to third overall by finishing second, with Russia’s Natalia Gemperle finishing third to complete what was almost a clean sweep given that she lives in Switzerland.

Alexandersson, seeking a fourth successive World Cup win this year, appeared en route for victory, but then lost almost five minutes to finish only 14th.

She remains top going into tomorrow’s middle distance event, but her lead of 62 points over Gemperle has been cut to 29.

A total of 200 runners from 23 nations took on the steep course that ran through the Nodhalten area above Grindelwald.