December 31, 2010 – For the second year in a row, Esther Bottomley made the podium for the Swiss Cup Classic Sprint in Campra. Bottomley was third in the 1.2km Time Trial behind Swiss skiers Sereina Boner and Doris Trachsel, and that was how they finished in the final. Georgia Merritt and Belinda Phillips were knocked out in the quarter-finals, while on the men’s side only junior Phillip Bellingham made it into the finals with a strong 11th place amongst the field of 51 Swiss juniors.

The next day, Bottomley backed up with a very fine 4th place in the 10km Freestyle, just 7 seconds from the podium in one of her best distance FIS races in Europe. On the men’s side Ewan Watson scored a PB 105 FIS points in the 15km Freestyle in 18th place.

More details are available on the AUS XC Website HERE and full results from all the Campra FIS races are available on the FIS site HERE.

FIS Tour de Ski 2010-11 – Dec. 31-Jan. 9
It starts today, eight World Cups in ten days, Callum Watson is racing, that’s all the detail for the moment otherwise there won’t be enough time to wax his skis for the opening 3.5km F Prologue.

Other Coming Events

Fischen Night Sprint, January 4
That old family favourite, this year hopefully the team will make it to the start on time. Ten Australian athletes are entered, most of them travelling up from Campra in the morning before the race.

OPA Continental Cup, Oberwiesenthal, Germany, January 7-9
An even larger crew of Australians will compete in Oberwiesenthal, at last count thirteen athletes were entered. It will be a tall ask for team manager Brian Keeble and German coach / wax technician superstar Fabian Mauz but they are up for the challenge.

Reports will be posted on the AUS XC Website HERE.