Tag Archive | "Pavel Petr"

Canada’s Burden Tops Women’s Freestyle at Masters WCup Day 3 – Interviews with Burden and McCabe

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March 08, 2011 (Vernon, BC) – Monday was the biggest day of racing at the Sparkling Hill Masters World Cup with 405 Canadians gracing start lines out of 1,000 racers competing in the short distance races – 5km and 10km – for either classic or freestyle technique.

“Perfect sunny skies, blue conditions and the tracks held up really well,” described American top master skier and former Olympian, Laura McCabe, of the near perfect conditions.

McCabe had another great day of racing winning silver in the women’s F03 10km CL at 9s behind the fastest woman of the classic races, Russian Liliya Vasilyva with a time of 31:26. “She gapped me by three feet on the downhill, and I just couldn’t quite get it back, but it was a good race,” she added.

Fellow American Leslie Hall took her second gold in the women’s F04 10km classic race on Monday in 33:14 ahead of two Canadians, Sheila Kealey with a time of 33:54 and Marg Fedyna who finished in 34:42.

The men’s 10km classic fastest time went to Biagio Di Santo of Italy (30-34) who finished in 28:16 while the freestyle overall male title went to Pavel Petr of the Czech Republic (40-44) in 25:24.

The fastest US male in classic racing was Eric Martin in 28:26, finishing ahead of Canadian Stephan Desfosses in 29:44.

The USA’s Nathan Schultz posted the best North American freestyle finish with the quickest time of 26:08 while Canadian Michele Labrie posted the second fastest NA time in 27:11.

“It was a great course, and a great day,” said Canuck William Gardner of his M09 (70-74) 10km classic race . “Everything was great. The snow was perfect.”

Canada’s Nancy Burden had a superb race, leading by two minutes in the 45-49 category with the fastest female freestyle race time. “I wanted to be right at the front, but not push too hard and then as soon as I get into the hills, that’s my strength… as soon as there’s climbing, then just start to wind it up. That was my approach.”

Local skiers continue to show their home town advantage, with Pat Pearce scoring her second gold in the women’s classic (55-59) and Marta Green taking gold in the 10km freestyle (30-34).

“It was a really tough race today, but very exciting,” said Pearce. “The conditions are absolutely perfect. I could go up every hill the way I like to.

“I absolutely feel that I have an advantage. I know the course, I know where I can pick up speed, I know where I can relax. I feel like it’s been a big advantage.”

Local Olympian Joe Derochie had the loudest fan club, drawing over 70 spectators to watch his race. Derochie was racing in the men’s freestyle (70-75) while his son Darren, also an Olympian, raced in the classic (40-44).

Derochie said “Me and the Swede fella worked one against another, and I caught him on a hill. My skis were well waxed. It was a good race.”

Day 3 Classic results HERE.
Day 3 Freestyle results coming

Russians Dominate Master WCup Classic Races on Day 2 – Farley Interview

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March 07, 2011 (Vernon, BC) – Russia showed their strength on Sunday in the classic mass starts dominating the field in the second day of competition at the Sparkling Hill Masters World Cup, winning 11 golds out of 23 races. The first men’s Classic races (M01, M02, M03) were led by Russia’s Anton Shevchenko and Alexander Mindrin along with Pavel Petr of the Czech Republic.

The first American medal of the day went to Dan Streubel in the M02 category in third place. Canadian Donald Farley was pleased with his second place finish in the 30km Classic M03 category.

“It was a tough race, right from the start,” Farley told SkiTrax. “There’s a good uphill at 4km. We all attacked there, and the group separated. We ended up with three guys and we worked together until the last 5km. I lost ground to the Czech on the last uphill. He had more legs.”

 

Canadian Michel Labrei, 2nd in M04 race, told us, “The first guy was too strong for us. I skied with the third and the fourth. I skied alone the last 15km. It was a very nice course but with the snow it was very slow.”

The first American gold medal in the women’s 15km classic races went to Inge Scheve in the F02, who was followed in by her teammates Sann Sevanto and Marlene Farrell in second and third place.

US skier Ginny Price took first place in the F06 category while Canada’s Marg Fedyna topped the podium in the F04 competition with teammate Wieske Eikelenboom in second.

Canada finished with 13 medals on day two while the and Americans netted nine – full results HERE.