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From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.

Tag: Australia New Zealand Cup

  • Sim, Calder Win Kangeroo Hoppet as 2009 ANC Concludes

    Sim, Calder Win Kangeroo Hoppet as 2009 ANC Concludes

    The nineteenth annual Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia’s international ski marathon, was held today at Falls Creek in north-east Victoria. Rain and wind caused the races to be shortened and the main event was held over 25km instead of the usual 42km. Twenty-four year old Australian Ben Sim from Cooma won the men’s 25km event, breaking away from Thomas Diezig of Switzerland in the last 3km and winning by 40 seconds.

    The winning margin in the women’s 25km was almost the same, with Katherine Calder of New Zealand taking first place 38 seconds ahead of local Mt Beauty skier Esther Bottomley. Over 1200 competitors from 22 nationalities entered in the three race distances of 25km, 15km, and 5km, although it is likely that the weather deterred a number of skiers from starting.

    The Hoppet is the opening race of the 2008/2009 Worldloppet series of cross country skiing marathons, which are held in 15 nations around the world. The event was supported by AGL Hydro, Australia’s largest private producer of renewable energy, Tourism Victoria and the Keep Winter Cool campaign, the Falls Creek Alpine Resort, and Australian sport clothing brand 2XU.

    The track was fast and firm at the start but softened quickly for competitors up the back of the field. A pack of six to seven skiers broke clear after 10km then Sim and Diezig went off the front just before the end of the first 15km lap. Sim attacked continuously on the second 10km loop then finally at the Sun Valley turnaround Diezig was unable to follow. It was a close race for the remaining podium place, with three-time Australian Winter Olympian Anthony Evans from Jindabyne taking third 12 seconds ahead of Swiss sprinter Valerio Leccardi and 20 seconds ahead of NSW junior Alex Almoukov.

    Kangaroo Hoppet Men's Podium Thomas Diezig (SUI), Ben Sim (AUS), Anthony Evans (AUS) (Photo: Chris Hocking)
    Kangaroo Hoppet Men's Podium Thomas Diezig (SUI), Ben Sim (AUS), Anthony Evans (AUS) (Photo: Chris Hocking)

    In the women’s race Calder went clear soon after the start, with 2006 Winter Olympians Bottomley and Clare-Louise Brumley from Mt Beauty skiing the first 7km together. Bottomley left Brumley behind and closed on Calder towards the end but could not stop Calder from scoring her second Hoppet win. Fourth place went to Lescinska Fackerell of Falls Creek and fifth place to former Dutch Winter Olympic speed-skater Carla Zijlstra-Evans.

    Kangaroo Hoppet Women's Podium Esther Bottomley (AUS), Katherine Calder (NZE), Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS) (Photo: Chris Hocking)
    Kangaroo Hoppet Women's Podium Esther Bottomley (AUS), Katherine Calder (NZE), Clare-Louise Brumley (AUS) (Photo: Chris Hocking)

    It was Sim’s fourth Hoppet win, equalling Ben Derrick’s record number of victories. Sim is the current Australian 10km and 30km champion and one of Australia’s leading cross country contenders for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Calder won her first Hoppet in 2007 but this was her first competing for New Zealand. Originally from Canberra, Calder switched to the nation of her father in 2008 and is also on track to compete in Vancouver.

    Australian Team member Nick Grimmer from Falls Creek and NSW junior Lucy Glanville from Sydney won the 15km Australian Birkebeiner event, while Alasdair Tutt from Wangaratta and Anna Trnka from Mt Beauty were first in the 5km Joey Hoppet.

    The Kangaroo Hoppet is also the final race in the 2009 FIS Australia New Zealand Cup (ANC), one of eight Continental Cup series around the world endorsed by the International Ski Federation. Diezig from Switzerland and Calder from New Zealand secured the series win with their results today. Sim’s only chance to win the ANC was if Diezig finished outside of the podium. The winners of the Continental Cup series receive a special start position in the 2009/2010 World Cup series.

    2009 Kangaroo Hoppet 25km

    Top 10 Men Top 10 Women
    1, Ben Sim, NSW
    2, Thomas Diezig, SWITZERLAND
    3, Anthony Evans, NSW
    4, Valerio Leccardi, SWITZERLAND
    5, Alex Almoukov, NSW
    6, Paul Murray, VIC
    7, Callum Watson, NSW
    8, Daniel Wieland, USA
    9, Gaudenz Flury, SWITZERLAND
    10, Andrew Mock, VIC    		 1, Katherine Calder, NEW ZEALAND
    2, Esther Bottomley, VIC
    3, Clare-Louise Brumley, VIC
    4, Lescinska Fackerell, VIC
    5, Carla Zijlstra-Evans, NETHERLANDS
    6, Belinda Phillips, VIC
    7, Johanna Edin, SWEDEN
    8, Chloe McConville, VIC
    9, Robyn Rodd, NSW
    10, Mary Feeny-Hall, USA/VIC

    2009 Australian Birkebeiner 15km

    Top 3 Men Top 3 Women
    1, Nick Grimmer, VIC
    2, Ewan Watson, NSW
    3, Finn Marsland, VIC    		 1, Lucy Glanville, NSW
    2,Juliette Booth, VIC
    3, Georgia Merritt, VIC

    2009 Joey Hoppet 5km

    Top 3 Men Top 3 Women
    1, Alastair Tutt, VIC
    2, Nicholas Montgomery, VIC
    3, Giles Richardson, VIC    		 1, Anna Trnka, VIC
    2, Siobhan Jones, NSW
    3, Gabriella Cigana, NSW

    2009 Kangeroo Hoppet – Complete Results (Available Sunday, August 30th)

  • Canadians Dominate at New Zealand Winter Games

    Canadians Dominate at New Zealand Winter Games

    10/15 km Classic – Sunday August 23

    The NZ Winter Games opened today with the 15km Classic for men and the 10km Classic for women. Devon Kershaw led a Canadian sweep of the podium in the men’s 15-kilometer race. The leader of the men’s team clocked a time of 37 minutes 51.82 seconds. Ivan Babikov was second at 37:56.36, while Alex Harvey rounded out the men’s podium in third at 38:23.02.

    Harvey, Kershaw and Babikov - the 15km classic podium
    Harvey, Kershaw and Babikov – the 15km classic podium

    “It was a hard day with fresh snow last night and grooming in advance of the start of the race,” said Dave Wood, team leader, National Ski Team. “The team has trained extremely hard since arriving here in New Zealand and I’m pleased to see they still put up solid efforts and shows we are on track.”

    Ben Sim (AUS) come out cranking taking 4th place behind the three race favorites, all of whom have been on a World Cup podium. Sim was 58 seconds behind Kershaw, scoring career best FIS points of 35, and 19 seconds ahead of 5th placed Stefan Kuhn (CAN). Australia – New Zealand Continental Cup leader Thomas Diezig of Switzerland wasn’t feeling well and did not start.

    New Zealand cross country skier Ben Koons moved closer to qualifying for the Winter Olympic team today finishing eighteenth amongst a highly competitive international field. The result awards him sufficient FIS points to continue his campaign for the Olympic team. Koons, who recently graduated from Dartmouth College, was the first New Zealand male to race in a World Cup event in 2005.

    Sara Renner (CAN) also proved her summer training is on track by winning the women’s race with a time of 29:49.37. Renner was joined on the women’s podium by teammate Brittany Webster, who finished second in 29:49.37. Chisa Obayashi, of Japan, prevented the Canadian sweep in the women’s 10-kilometer race by finishing third (30:16.46).

    Webster, Renner and Obayashi - the 10km classic podium
    Webster, Renner and Obayashi – the 10km classic podium

    Aimee Watson (AUS) paced the squad from down under, taking 7th place in the 10km, 3:40 behind the winner Renner. There was a bit of chaos at the start due to some absent starters and Aimee missed her start, however the jury decided to use her actual race time because of the confusion. KT Calder of New Zealand the ANC leader also was absent due to a recent cold.

    Aimee Watson (AUS) in the 10km classic
    Aimee Watson (AUS) in the 10km classic

    New snow falling overnight made for an interesting morning for the wax technicians.

    Women’s 10km Classic – Complete Results

    Men’s 15km Classic – Complete Results

    Skate Sprint – Monday August 24

    Canada’s Drew Goldsack had the perfect start to his comeback season by winning gold in the men’s skate-ski sprint on Monday in New Zealand.

    The Red Deer, Alta. native, who celebrated his 28th birthday yesterday, has been sidelined more than a year with an ankle injury. The 2006 Olympian, and another of Canada’s deep contingent of sprint skiers, fought his way through the head-to-head heats en route to the top step of the podium.

    “It was a great day down under for me,” said Goldsack. “This isn’t only my first week back racing, but it is the first time on snow. To start it off with a win is excellence, but I have a long, hard battle ahead of me to completely recover from the surgery and reach my goal of qualifying for the Olympics. Today’s race was a sign that I’m on track.”

    Goldsack was joined on the men’s podium by 20-year-old Julien Nury (CAN) and Gaudenz Flury (SUI).

    Men's sprint podium - Flury, Goldsack and Nury
    Men's sprint podium – Flury, Goldsack and Nury

    Meanwhile, Canada’s Perianne Jones stomped some authority in the women’s skate-ski sprint. The 24-year-old, of Almonte, Ont., set the pace winning the qualification round and each of one of her heats to claim the gold medal and second straight golden sweep for Canadian athletes in New Zealand.

    The Canadian women swept the podium with Calgary’s Shayla Swanson in second spot, followed by Brittany Webster, of Caledon, Ont., in third.

    The women's sprint podium - Webster, Jones and Swanson
    The women's sprint podium – Webster, Jones and Swanson

    In the IPC races James Millar (AUS) had a great day, posting the fasting qualifying time in the standing category and then winning the A-final ahead of competitors from Canada and Japan. James was 4th in the 15km Classic yesterday. The other Aussie IPC cross country skier, Dominic Moneypenny also made it onto the podium today, finishing third in the sit-ski sprint final, and was 4th yesterday in the 10km event.

    Canada’s Para-Nordic athletes were also in action on Monday. Lou Gibson, of Langley, B.C., finished  second in the men’s sit-ski sprint, while Mark Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I., was second in the men’s standing category, and Jody Barber, of Smithers, B.C., was third in the women’s standing. Tyler Mosher, of Whistler, B.C., was second in the men’s classic sprint.

    Men’s Skate Sprint – Complete Results

    Women’s Skate Sprint – Complete Results

    Sources: Cross-Country Canada, Australian National Team