Athletes From Russia Rule Slopes as Nordic World Cup Ends

The 2009 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup ended this past weekend in Whistler, Canada, with athletes from Russia claiming many of the podium positions.

Taking place from 4-7 March, the final day had the Cross-Country Skiing Sprint as the finishing competition. In the Men’s Sitting category, Roman Petushkov from Russia took the top position, with compatriot Irek Zaripov in second. Dzmitry Loban from Belarus took third. In the Men’s Standing competition, Russian athlete Vyachcslav Laikov took first, with Poland’s Jan Kolodziej in second and Finland’s Ilkka Tuomisto in third. The Visually Impaired category saw Russian pairs Evgeniy Safronov with guide Salavat Gumerov and Nikolay Polukhin with guide Andrey Tokarev in second and third position respectively. Canadian stronghold Brian McKeever with guide Robin McKeever took first position.

The Women’s Sitting competition saw Liudmila Vauchok (BLR) in first, with Irina Polyakova (RUS) and Olena Iurkovska (UKR) in second and third respectively. The Standing category had Oleksandra Kononova (UKR) in first, with Larisa Varona (BLR) and Anna Burmistrova (RUS) in second and third respectively. In the Women’s Visually Impaired category, Russian pairs Polina Kameneva with guide Natalia Yakimova and Tatiana Ilyuchenko with guide Valery Koshkin in first and second respectively. Canada’s Robbi Weldon with guide Brian Berry took third.

The Biathlon competition on 6 March took hold of spectators, with more impressive finishes from athletes. In the Men’s Sitting category (12.5km), Irek Zaripov (RUS) took first with a result of 38:43.1. Vladimir Kiselev (RUS) and Georges Bettega (FRA) took second and third respectively. The Men’s Standing category (12.5km) saw Grygorii Vovchynskyi (UKR) and Yannick Bourseaux (FRA) in first and second respectively, with Nils-Erik Ulset (NOR) in third. The Visually Impaired category (12.5km) had Irek Mannanov (RUS) with guide Rostislav Pavlov taking first, and Thomas Clarion (FRA) with guide Tommy Terraz in second. Vitaliy Lukyanenko (UKR) and guide Volodymyr Ivanov came in third.

At the Women’s Sitting competition (10km), Lyudmyla Pavlenko (UKR) came in first, with Irina Polyakova (RUS) and Olena Iurkovska (UKR) in second and third respectively. The Women’s Standing category (12.5km) saw Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova and Iuliia Batenkova take first and second respectively. Italy’s Pamela Novaglio came in third. The Visually Impaired category (12.5km) had Russian pairs Liubov Vasilieva with guide Viacheslav Goldinov and Tatiana Ilyuchenko with guide Valery Koshkin take first and second respectively. Yakviha Skorabahataya (BLR) and guide Vasili Haurukovich took third place.

The 2009 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup began on 4 March with the Biathlon Pursuit qualifier where athletes sprinted around the 800m/1km loop three times, and entered the shooting range between and after the first two laps, firing five sets of shots in the set position. Familiar names took top positions on the first two days of competition, like in the Men’s Sitting competition, with Russian athletes Vladimir Kiselev and Irek Zaripov taking the first and second positions respectively. The Women’s Biathlon Sitting category had Ukraine’s Olena Iurkovska and Lydmyla Pavlenko take first and second positions respectively.

The following day also had similar familiar showings in the Cross-Country Skiing competition. Russia’s Irek Zaripov and Roman Petushkov took first and second respectively in the Men’s Sitting category. Canadian pair Brian McKeever and guide Robin McKeever took first in the Men’s Visually Impaired category. Russian pairs Nikolay Polukhin with guide Andrey Tokarev and Evgeniy Safronov with guide Salavat Gumerov took second and third respectively. In the Women’s Sitting category, Olena Iurkovska (UKR) and Liudmila Vauchok (BLR) took first and second respectively.

The 2009 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup was a test event, finishing successfully, and continuing the series of test events taking place in Canada. The next event will be the 2009 IPC Alpine Skiing World Cup Finals in Whistler (9-14 March), followed by the 2009 IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Finals in Mt. Washington (11-14 March).