The ski orienteering World Championships have begun in Japan, featuring the sprint distance as the opening event. The Estonian team, consisting of eight members including four World Championship debutants, faced tough competition. Among the Estonians, Olle Ilmar Jaama and Epp Paalberg performed best, both finishing in 29th place in their respective events, showcasing the challenges faced by the team.

In the men's category, the clear favorite Jörgen Baklid from Norway clinched the gold medal, a remarkable achievement as he won gold in all four events during the previous World Championships in Ramsau in 2024. Baklid completed the 3.8 km course with a time of 16:18, finishing ahead of his compatriot Styrk Kamsvaag by 18 seconds, who captured the silver medal, and Finnish Niklas Ekström, who took bronze 20 seconds behind. This victory marks Baklid's eighth gold medal at the ski orienteering World Championships.

Baklid's accomplishments extend beyond ski orienteering; last summer, he also secured victory in the relay event at the World Championships in orienteering running as part of the Norwegian national team. This indicates his broad skillset and dominance in different orienteering disciplines, further boosting his status as one of the leading athletes in the sport.