Canada and Norway gain on Russia in Nordic rankings

Fifty athletes from Canada, Italy, Japan, Russia, Germany, Norway, USA, Sweden and Argentina competed in the second World Cup event, which will culminate in the World Cup Finals in Sochi, Russia, in March.

The final day of the cross-country races at the IPC Nordic Skiing World Cup in Cable, Wisconsin, USA, saw athletes competing in the freestyle sprint.

Fifty athletes from Canada, Italy, Japan, Russia, Germany, Norway, USA, Sweden and Argentina competed in the second World Cup event, which will culminate in the World Cup Finals in Sochi, Russia, in March.

With a much smaller Russian team competing in Cable, Norway and Canada excelled to pick up valuable points and push ahead in the World Cup rankings.

Canada’s Brian McKeever, guided by Erik Carleton won his third race of the week in the men’s standing cross-country free technique. Sweden’s Zebastian Modin, guided by Albin Ackerot came second, and USA’s Kevin Burton was third with guide Bethann Chamberlain. McKeever garnered 300 points and pulled ahead of Russia’s Nikolay Polukhin (200 points), who did not take part in the competition.

Canada’s Robbi Weldon won the women’s visually impaired cross-country sprint. She is now second in the rankings with 180 points, behind Russia’s Elena Remizova who has 200 points but did not compete in Cable.

Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset won the men’s standing event, and his teammate Dahle Vegard came third. Canada’s Mark Arendz finished second. Dahle leads the cross-country World Cup rankings with 282 points, Ulset is second on 240 points and Arendz has 224. They all overtake the previous leader, Russia’s Rushan Minnegulov (200 points) who did not take part in the competition.

Norway’s Mariann Marthinsen won the women’s sitting sprint. Italy’s Francesca Porcellato was second and Russia’s Nadezda Andreeva came third. Andreeva now leads the rankings on 275 points. Marthinsen is second with 260 points and Canada’s Colette Bourgonje is a whisker behind on 259 points. Germany’s Andrea Eskau, who was leading the rankings before Cable (200 points), did not compete there.

Russia’s Ramil Ilalutdinov consolidated his lead in the men’s sitting event to finish first. Norway’s Trygve Steinar Larsen was second and Russia’s Igor Kuznetsov was third. Ilalutdinov now dominates the rankings with 460 points. Kuznetsov has 261 and Cnossen 254 points after Russia’s Irek Zaripov (150 points) and Roman Petushkov (160 points) did not compete at the competition.

Russia also won the women’s standing cross-country sprint. Anna Milenina won her third event in Cable and now has 420 points. Japan’s Shoko Ota was second and her compatriot Momoko Dekijima third. Ota is now second in the rankings with 205, with Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kononova close behind with 200 points. The Ukrainian did not take part in the Cable World Cup event.

The competition continues in Cable with the biathlon events on Thursday (17 January). For full results, please visit the IPC Nordic Skiing calendar and results page.

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Nils-Erik Ulset is a three-time Paralympic and world champion.