Russia Reigns Supreme at IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup

Russia continued to dominate the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin over the weekend. It won seven golds, six silvers, five bronze medals in the Biathlon Short (6km for women, 7.5km for men) and Biathlon Middle Distance (10km for women, 12.5km for men) races.

In fact, the only races in which Russia did not medal were the women’s Standing events.

Finland’s Maija Jarvela (24:23.5) won gold in the women’s Biathlon Short Standing, and was closely followed by Poland’s 34-year-old Katarzyna Rogowiec (24:45.7) in second place. Japan’s 22-year-old Shoko Ota (24:50.8) came third.

In the Biathlon Middle Distance Standing, Jarvela (40:54.0) picked up gold. Japan’s Momoko Dekijima (41:20.6) won silver with no misses in the shooting, and Rogowiec (42:43.4) took bronze.

Russia was most dominant in the women’s Biathlon 6km Visually Impaired, winning all three spots on the podium. Paralympic bronze medallist Mikhalina Lysova (22:41.5), aged 19, pushed through to pole position guided by Alexey Ivanov. Close behind her was teammate 33-year-old Valentina Nevidimova (24:38.6) with guide Alexander Maltsev. Iuliia Budaleeva (25:03.3) and guide Tatiana Maltseva came third.

In the Biathlon Middle Distance Visually Impaired Lysova (37:33.7) picked up another gold and Nevidimova (41:35.2) bronze, but it was their teammate Elena Remizova (39:27.6) and guide Natalia Yakimova who picked up silver.

Russia also bagged gold in the women’s Biathlon Short Sitting, with Svetlana Konovalova (27:52.0) skiing to victory. Germany’s 20-year-old Anja Wicker (29:26.4) won silver and Russia’s Marta Zaynullina (31:47.5) came in third.

Wicker (50:18.9) pushed ahead to win gold in the Biathlon Middle Distance Sitting, and Konovalova (51:52.1) had to settle for silver. Zaynulina (53:36.3) came third.

Russia stood atop the podium twice more in the men’s Biathlon Short Visually Impaired and Sitting races.

In the men’s Biathlon Short Visually Impaired, 29-year-old Paralympic silver medallist Nikolay Polukhin (22:52.2) and guide Ilya Cherepanov won the race after no misses in the shooting. France’s 29-year-old Thomas Clarion (23:20.5), guided by Julien Bourla, likewise had a perfect result in shooting to come second. Polukhin’s teammate Stanislav Chokhlaev (23:34.5) won bronze with guide Maksim Pirogov.

Polukhin (37:42.1) could not be beaten in the Biathlon Middle Distance Visually Impaired with his second gold of the weekend. His teammate Chokhalaev (38:16.0) pushed ahead into second position, and Germany’s Wilhelm Brem (39:24.4) won bronze, guided by Florian Grimm.

In the men’s Biathlon Short Sitting, Russia’s Roman Petushkov (25:10.6) won gold. Italy’s Enzo Masiello (27:09.5) took silver and Japan’s Kozo Kubo (27:25.7) won bronze.

Results were identical for the Biathlon Middle Distance Sitting with Petushkov (44:51.0) first, Masiello (45:20.5) second and Kubo (46:38.9) third.

The men’s Biathlon Short Standing saw Norway reach the top of the podium with Nils-Erik Ulset (22:49.4) winning gold. Russia’ Vladislav Lekomtcev (23:30.5) won silver and Canada’s Mark Arendz won bronze.

In the men’s Biathlon Middle Distance Standing, the Russians again reigned supreme, pushing Ulset (38:40.7) down into third place. Lekomtcev took silver (38:08.3) and his teammate Kirill Mikhaylov (37:24.0) won gold.

A live stream of all events is able during competition at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/10074045.