Race Day One

Alex Almoukov finished 69th and Callum Watson 76th in their opening event at the 2008 World Junior Championships today. Alex was 19.48 seconds behind the fastest qualifier Sindre Wiig Nordby (NOR) in the 1.3km Sprint Freestyle time trial, and Callum was 2.85 second further back. It was a big field, with 99 athletes starting from 33 nations. The A-final was won by Calle Halfvarsson (SWE). The women's qualification was won by Hanna Kolb (GER), with Laure Barthelemy (FRA) winning the A-final. Both Australians were reasonably happy with their performances, and are hoping to move up the result list in the distance events in the coming week. It was a tough course with pretty much all of the climb in the first 500m. Callum felt that his legs were "like concrete" at the top of the hill, and Alex reckoned that he was buggered already by the second pinch in the hill after about 400m. Both athletes recorded their best sprint FIS points.

Tomorrow Ben Sim and Aimee Watson take on the U23 Sprint Freestyle. Simbo is ranked 36th out of 63 entered athletes, while Aimee is ranked 42nd out of 47.

Alex Almoukov in the Sprint Freestyle

Race Day Two

Ben Sim finished 52nd out of 63 and Aimee Watson 45th out of 47 today in the Sprint Freestyle event at the World U23 Championships. Both the men's and women's fields were very strong, with the men's field in particular containing a lot of regular World Cup skiers. Though she was up the back of the result list it was a good sprint result for Aimee, as she was only 21.2 seconds behind the fastest qualifier Aurore Cuinet (FRA) and scored her best ever sprint FIS point of 157.57. Simbo was 18.8 seconds behind the fastest male qualifier Eligius Tambornino (SUI), and not so satisfied with his race. Right at the start of the race he had problems with nerves, a phenomena which has happened previously only a very few times. The A-finals were won by Robin Bryntesson (SWE) and Vesna Fabjan (SLO).

Tomorrow are the junior individual classic races. Alex Almoukov and Callum Watson have start numbers 71 and 78 out of the junior men's field of 104 athletes. Unfortunately this afternoon Callum had a stomach upset and then threw up this evening. We are still hoping that this is a short-term upset and that Callum will recover quickly and be able to race tomorrow, or at least that he will be right for the 20km next Wednesday.

Ben Sim coming over the hill towards the stadium, Sprint Freestyle

Courtesy XC Files