FIS Junior World Ski Championships and U 23 Cross-Country Skiing World Championships in Kranj-Medovde (SLO)
Sprint F women and men, 31.01.2006
Dasha Gaiazova of Canada had the best North American finish of the day in the U23 Championship Sprint race today, placing 5th. Other North American results:
Women:
5. Dasha Gaiazova, CAN
11. Chandra Crawford, CAN
14. Laura Valaas, Whitman College
16. Perianne Jones, CAN
27. Lindsey Williams, Northern Michigan U
35. Kasandra Rice, University of Alaska Anchorage
37. Alison Crocker, Dartmouth College
42. Madeleine Williams, CAN
Men:
13. Michael Sinnot, Dartmouth College
17. Phil Widmer, CAN
25. Graham Nishikawa, CAN
29. Steve Scott, Maine WSC
32. Sean Crooks, CAN
35. Leif Zimmerman, Bridger Nordic
40. David Nighbor, CAN
47. Tyson Flaharty, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Solli and Wurm won the U 23 World Champion title
Guro Stroem Solli (Norway) and Harald Wurm (Austria) could celebrate today the victory of the U 23 World Champion title in the Sprint race. Solli won clearly ahead of the Russian Valentina Novikova. Third place took the German Nicole Fessel after a crash with Petra Markelova (Czech Republic) in the last downhill.
The sprint specialist Solli was third in the last World Cup Sprint in the classical style in Oberstdorf and is at the moment on the rank 11 in the Sprint World Cup.
The 21-year-old Harald Wurm won the men's race clearly ahead of the German Josef Wenzl. The third place took the 20-year-old Marcus Heller from Sweden. Wurm as well as Wenzl took part this season in some Sprint World Cup races.
Spectators: 1.000
Weather, cloudy, +4°C
Quotes:
Guro Stroem Solli, NOR: ” The conditions here in Medvode are quite difficult but it is for everybody the same. Normally I like more the Scandinavian conditions with hard packed snow and cold weather. I feel very strong this morning and my expectations were to fight for a medal. Now I'm satisfied about my victory.”
Valentina Novikova, RUS: “It was a tough race today. I gave my best but it was not enough. My goal was it to win and now I'm not so satisfied with my today's race. I hope I will be faster in the future.”
Nicole Fessel, GER: “Petra Markelova had problems in the downhill and felt down. I was right behind her and I had no chance to avoid. So I crashed into her. That could be happened. The course was quite deep today. All competitors had this problems. Now I will start again here in Medvode on the Pursuit race and hope I'm under the top ten.”
Harald Wurm, AUT: “The course today was very soft. You had to ski with feelings. I build up my shape for the U 23 Championships and the Olympic Games and I feel now in a very good shape. For the Olympics I expect a place under the top 16. That is my goal.”
Josef Wenzl, GER: ” I'm very satisfied about my second place. Harald was to strong for me today but maybe next time I could beat him. I only start in this race at the U 23 World Championships. One start – one medal – that is a good result.”
Marcus Hellner, SWE: “I happy about my podium place in the today's race. It was tough but for me very good. The best surprise was, that my former Coach, Lars Gunnar Petterson, gave me the flowers on the podium.”
Full Results: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=17492&cal_suchsector=CC
