Russians Dominate World Cup Finals

Russian skiers dominated the IPC Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Finals from 22-27 February in Finsterau, Germany.

Russia’s Irek Zaripov, multi Paralympic gold medalist in Vancouver in the Men’s Sitting category, won three out of four races including the Cross-Country Skiing Pursuit, the 15km race and the Biathlon Pursuit. His wins secured him the overall World Cup rankings in both Biathlon and Cross-Country Skiing.

In the Women’s Sitting category, Ukraine’s Olena Iurkovska won both Biathlon races in Finsterau, however the overall World Cup trophy went to Germany’s Andrea Eskau. Both Cross-Country races were won by Belarus’s Paralympic champion Liudmila Vauchok who also topped the overall Cross-Country Skiing World Cup ranking.

The Men’s Visually Impaired category was dominated by Russian Nikolay Polukhin and his guide Andrey Rokarev. Together they won the Biathlon Short Distance and Pursuit races and the 20km Cross-Country Skiing race. Polukhin also won both World Cup rankings.

In the Women’s Visually Impaired category Russia’s Mikhalina Lysova (Guide Alexey Ivanov) won three of four races including both Biathlon races and the Cross-Country Skiing Pursuit. Lysova topped the Biathlon World Cup rankings scoring a perfect 700 points. Compatriot Elena Remizova finished first in the Long Distance Cross-Country Skiing race, helping her clinch the overall Cross-Country Skiing World Cup.

Poland’s Katarzyna Rogowiec experienced an almost perfect event in the Women’s Standing category with three wins in four races. Despite this Russia’s Anna Burmistrova, who had a third and fourth place finish in Finsterau, took home the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup trophy, while Finland’s Maija Loytynoja claimed the Biathlon World Cup.

Kirill Mikhaylov of Russia dominated the Men’s Standing category winning three out of four races to secure first place in the Cross-Country World Cup rankings. Norwegian Nils Erik Ulset won the Biathlon World Cup trophy with a second and sixth place finish in Finsterau.

More than 100 athletes from 14 different nations took part in the World Cup Finals, the last event before the 2011 IPC Biathlon & Cross-Country Skiing World Championships which takes place from 29 March to 10 April in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia.