AUSTRALIANS OFF TO STRONG START IN CROSS COUNTRY SKI WORLD CUP IN DAVOS
Published Thu 15 Dec 2016
Phil Bellingham in action at Davos, Switzerland. Image courtesy @marcelhilger
Article courtesy www.ausxc.com
Australian cross country skiers joined the world’s fastest ski athletes, at the FIS Cross –Country World Cup in Davos, Switzerland over the weekend (10-11 December). The team of four Australian athletes put in some strong performances on the technical and challenging course covering 30km (Men) and 15km (Ladies), in the Freestyle Distance and Freestyle Sprint (1.6m).
Whilst Norway, Finland and Sweden dominated the podium on both days, the Australian skiers really punched above their weight, with some solid efforts against World Cup and Olympic champions. Racing in the green and gold suit for the first time, new Australian citizen, Barbara Jezersek (former Slovenian Olympian now living in Warriewood, Sydney), just missed top 30 placing by 12 seconds in the Ladies 15km Freestyle, finishing in an impressive 37th position (out of 60 starters).
“For my first World Cup race in two years, I am very satisfied with today’s result and to be now representing Australia on the international stage, makes me very happy. Racing against these girls in World Cup events, is always challenging, but I have tried my best today and feel confident that I can ski even faster and move up the rankings, over the next races”, said Barbara Jezersek.
It was an impressive start to the World Cup season for Mt Beauty (VIC) skier, Phil Bellingham, finishing just 3 seconds off qualifying for the finals. In a race of strong technical skiing with speed and precision on the steep downhills and explosive energy on the gruelling uphills, Bellingham’s goal of top 30 World Cup placing, looks close to being achieved as the season progresses.
“I worked really hard in this race and felt solid right to the end. It’s a good, positive start to my World Cup program, achieving the best result on this Davos course to date, so that really pleases me. Hopefully, I can now build on today and crack that top 30 over the coming races – well that’s my goal and I am doing all I can to make that a reality,” Bellingham explained,
It’s a long way from Cooma (NSW) to the Swiss Alps, but for Callum Watson the northern hemisphere has become his second home, with a training base in Sweden allowing him to maximise time on snow. A true test of physical strength, endurance and technique, the 30km race was Watson’s first World Cup event this year and he crossed the finish line with not much left in the tank, but happy to have put in a solid performance.
“It’s always a tough race the 3okm and today was no exception. I was lucky to have a few guys to work with over the first 3 laps and then I tried to maintain that same pace for the final laps. It was hard and I gave it everything, so happy with that,” Watson said.
In his World Cup debut, Albury (NSW) skier, Mark Pollock, admitted to pre-race nerves but didn’t allow the World Cup frenzy and lining up next to the ‘big guns’ of international cross country skiing, to affect his race performance. Competing in the 1.6km Freestyle Sprint, Pollock looked strong and focused as he executed the race strategy he had planned.
“It’s certainly a bit daunting being here, but I tried to use the energy of the crowd in a positive way and just focus on the job ahead. I was happy with my preparation coming into this World Cup and feel I’m in the best form ever for overseas competition, so hoping to take that into the next races and keep improving,” Pollock said.
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup tour now moves to La Clusaz, France for competitions on the 17-18 December, 2016.
RESULTS FROM DAVOS:
Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway notched his second victory in 30 km free technique in Davos, Switzerland. Sundby previously won the same event in 2015. He joins his countryman Petter Northug Jr with two victories at the 30 km distance. Only Bjorn Daehlie, Torgny Mogren, Vladimir Smirnov and Gunde Svan have more with 3 victories each.
In second place was Norway's Anders Gloeersen was second today +13.7 behind Sundby's winning timing of 1:07:31.6. Gloeersen improved on his previous best results in the same event from 2015 where he was 3rd. Finland's Matti Heikkinen rounded out the podium after a blistering final 5 km to take third +25.7 back of Sundby.
Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg of Norway has won her first FIS Cross-Country World Cup of the season in the 15 km free technique in Davos, Switzerland. For Oestberg it was also her first win at the 15 km distance in her career. Her teammate Heidi Weng was second place and remains the Overall World Cup leader by 70 points ahead of Oestberg. Finland's Krista Parmakoski took third place for only her second ever podium in free technique of her 9 total career top 3 finishes. Today's podium matches the Overall Distance standings. Marit Bjoergen (NOR) was the distance World Cup leader after the Lillehammer mini tour but is not competing in Davos and has fallen to 4th in the standings.
Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR) and Sergey Ustiugov (RUS) have won the 1.6 km sprints at the FIS World Cup competition in Davos, Switzerland. For both Falla and Ustiugov it was their first victories of the season. Falla was already the Sprint World Cup leader coming into Davos after two second place finishes in the previous sprint competitions this season. She now leads her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg by 70 points in the sprint standings. Sweden's Hanna Falk continued her strong start to the season with another third place finish. Like today's podium Falk sits third in the overall sprint standings just 24 points behind Oestberg.
Russia's Ustiugov was comfortable to push the pace all day and in the finals it was only Finn Hagen Krogh (NOR) who was able to keep it close just +0.59 seconds behind for second place. Sindre Bjoernestad Skar (NOR) the day's third place finisher was +3.29 seconds after Ustiugov.
Ustiugov moves into second in the overall sprint standings with his result today. He now sits 22 points behind Norway's World Cup sprint leading Paal Golberg.
All Results: http://www.fis-ski.com/cross-country/news-multimedia/news/article=oestberg-gets-first-season-victory-davos.html