CROSS COUNTRY: Ski and Snowboard Australia cross country skier Ben Sim has raced to successive personal best results at the 2009 World Nordic Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.
Sim finished 51st out of 75 starters in the men's 15km Classic race (or 130 starters, including those in the qualification race two days previously), then backed up in the 30km Pursuit, cranking home on the skate leg to take 42nd place.
In the Pursuit event, the 23-year-old Cooma skier was just four minutes 3 seconds, or 5.3%, behind the winner, Petter Northug of Norway.
Sim finished the classic leg in 52nd place, then quickly moved up to 48th place with about the tenth fastest time split from the 16 to 18km mark.
Skiing alongside British junior Andrew Musgrave for much of the skate leg, the two reeled in a number of big name skiers including Jean Marc Gaillard and Emmanuel Jonnier of France, and Remo Fischer of Switzerland.
The Australian kicked away from a small pack over the last hill to climb up to 42nd place, one place behind the World Cup leader Dario Cologna of Switzerland.
Australia has fielded the largest team ever at the 2009 Championships, with 11 athletes participating.
In other results, Callum Watson was 68th and Andrew Mock 70th in the 15km Classic, while Aimee Watson was 64th in the women’s 10km Classic.
In the men’s 30km Pursuit, Callum Watson placed 61st out of the 95 starters, Chris Darlington was 69th and Andrew Wynd 74th.
In the women’s 15km Pursuit, Aimee Watson finished 60th out of 75 starters.
The sprint events start Tuesday night Australian time.