Ben Derrick and Ben Sim have led the Australian performances in the opening events of the World Cross Country Skiing Championships in Obersdorf, Germany.
Ben Derrick and Ben Sim have led the Australian performances in the opening events of the World Cross Country Skiing Championships in Obersdorf, Germany.
Derrick crossed the finish line of the men’s 15km freestyle in a time of 39 minutes and 34.7 seconds to earn 80th place, with Sim 11 seconds behind in 83rd place. Andrew Mock was a further seven seconds behind in 81st place. The other Australian in the 122-skier field, Paul Murray, was well back in 101st place in a time of 41:54.4.
The race was won by Pietro Piller Cottrer of Italy in a time of 34 minutes 49.7 seconds, 11.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Fulvio Valbusa. Tore Ruud Hofsstad was a further three seconds back in the bronze medal position.
Clare-Louise Brumley, the only Australian in the women’s 10km freestyle, placed 52nd in a field of 75 skiers. She recorded a time of 30 minutes 42.6 seconds, four minutes 15 seconds behind the time of gold medallist Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic. Julija Tchepalova of Russia claimed the silver medal and Maarit Bjoergen of Norway the bronze.
In the 2x7.5 km double pursuit two days later, Brumley finshed in 49th place in a field 67 starters, recording a time of 49:17.4. The race was won by Julija Tchepalova of Russia in a time of 42:16.8, 16 seconds ahead of Marit Bjoergen of Norway, with Kristin Steira Stoermer of Norway in third.
Tchepalova collected the silver medal in the opening 10km freestyle event of the championships. She was the sprint gold medallist in Salt Lake 2002.
Bjoergen also won bronze in the opening 10km race and currently leads the World Cup overall standings
In the men’s pursuit event, won by Vincent Vittoz of France, Ben Derrick and Ben Sim did not finish.
Derrick crossed the finish line of the men’s 15km freestyle in a time of 39 minutes and 34.7 seconds to earn 80th place, with Sim 11 seconds behind in 83rd place. Andrew Mock was a further seven seconds behind in 81st place. The other Australian in the 122-skier field, Paul Murray, was well back in 101st place in a time of 41:54.4.
The race was won by Pietro Piller Cottrer of Italy in a time of 34 minutes 49.7 seconds, 11.2 seconds ahead of team-mate Fulvio Valbusa. Tore Ruud Hofsstad was a further three seconds back in the bronze medal position.
Clare-Louise Brumley, the only Australian in the women’s 10km freestyle, placed 52nd in a field of 75 skiers. She recorded a time of 30 minutes 42.6 seconds, four minutes 15 seconds behind the time of gold medallist Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic. Julija Tchepalova of Russia claimed the silver medal and Maarit Bjoergen of Norway the bronze.
In the 2x7.5 km double pursuit two days later, Brumley finshed in 49th place in a field 67 starters, recording a time of 49:17.4. The race was won by Julija Tchepalova of Russia in a time of 42:16.8, 16 seconds ahead of Marit Bjoergen of Norway, with Kristin Steira Stoermer of Norway in third.
Tchepalova collected the silver medal in the opening 10km freestyle event of the championships. She was the sprint gold medallist in Salt Lake 2002.
Bjoergen also won bronze in the opening 10km race and currently leads the World Cup overall standings
In the men’s pursuit event, won by Vincent Vittoz of France, Ben Derrick and Ben Sim did not finish.
