Sprint World Cup, Otepaa, Estonia, February 10

Paul Murray flew across from Sweden this weekend for the World Cup Sprint Classic in Otepaa in Estonia today, however the race didn't go quite to plan. Murray was travelling well in the 1.4km classic time trial but fell on a corner and then ran out of steam in the final straight after stressing and trying to make up time. He ended up in 64th place, 27 seconds behind the fastest qualifier. It was a disappointing result, as Murray had been training well in the last couple of weeks since returning from Canada. He is set to travel to Czech this week to join team-mate Ben Sim for the classic Team Sprint World Cup on the 2009 World Championship tracks in Liberec.

Late addition: Murray didn't actually fall, but rather spun around on a hairpin corner, touched one hand to the ground, and ended up stopped still facing backwards on the edge of the track.

Biela Stopa, Kremnica, Slovakia, February 9

Ben Sim finished 2nd in the 25km Freestyle at the Biela Stopa in Slovakia on Saturday, 1:57 behind Slovakian World Cup skier Martin Bajcicak. Alex Almoukov finished 6th overall in the same race, and Juliette Booth was the 11th woman. The Biela Stopa is Slovakia's biggest loppet event, and part of the Euroloppet series. Booth returns to Australia this weekend, while Sim and Almoukov are staying on in Europe for the postponed World Junior/U23 Championships that seem likely to be in Italy in two weeks' time. In addition to the aforementioned Team Sprint, Sim will race the 15km Freestyle in Liberec next weekend.

International Koasalauf, Pillersee, Austria, February 10

Aimee Watson kept her podium run going with a second place in the 20km Classic at the Koasalauf in the PillerseeTal in Austria. Aimee was 2:45 behind the fastest women Franziska Schneider from Germany. Callum Watson was 6th overall and second junior in the 20km Classic. Aimee will travel to Czech next week to make her World Cup debut in Liberec, while Callum will remain in Austria training with the British Junior Team in Lofer.

Transjurassienne, Lamoura-Mouthe, France, February 10

In the main event at the French Worldloppet in the Jura mountains Andrew Mock finished in 34th place just under 7 minutes behind the winner Marco Cattaneo from Italy; who won in a 6-way sprint ahead of Mathias Fredriksson of Sweden. The race was possibly 50km Freestyle - the normal course from Lamoura to Mouthe is 76km, but the times seemed too quick. Mock will head up to Sweden this week to join Leon Spiller for the Scandinavian Cup events in Sundsvall.

Courtesy XC Files