ROLLERSKI 2006: THE WORLD CUP IN 4 STAGES
At the FIS congress in Vilamoura (Portugal) the 2006 Rollerski World Cup calendar was confirmed. Next season was also planned, with the World Championships 2007 set for Italy.
The rollerski World Cup starts this season stronger than ever. In 2006 it will include four stages, as the FIS Congress in May approved.
The opening of the World Cup has been given to the excellent organizing ability of Croatia. The opening races will take place the weekend of the 23th/25th June. In the program there is an uphill race and two sprints trials: a team-sprint and an individual sprint.
A week later the rollerski athletes' group moves to Italy, at Presolana, the mountain which overlooks the district of Valle Seriana nearby Bergamo. On Saturday and Sunday (01st/02nd July 2006) around 200 athletes are expected to arrive, and they will challenge in two uphill races (one in classic technique and the other in skating) and a night-sprint.
Third stage of FIS Rollerski World Cup is in Russia, in the marvellous and aristocratics small town of Yaroslav, with two competitions (05/06 August 2006) that will also award the European Championships.
The circuit ends with the Transjuressienne (16/17 September 2006) with the extraordinary mass start race that mimics the winter cross-country skiing competition.
The Russian Igor Glushkov is the favourite athlete among the men, as last year he drove back the assaults of the Italian team, composed of the young athletes Simone Paredi and David Bogatec, who ended respectively in second and third place. They learned very well from the veteran Alfio di Gregorio, winner of the World Cup races in Croatia. The Ukranian Vitaly Martsvy requires attention too, as he is young but improving.
Among the women Mateja Bogatec from Triest will have to defend her title from last year against the Russian Marina Firsova, second in general ranking, and against the other veteran in the Russian team, Elena Vedeneeva, who remained at the foot of the podium. Third last season was Viviana Druidi.
In the 2005 World Cup, the junior category was conquered by the Turkish Muhammet Kizilarsan and by the Italian Ana Kosuta. Finally, whole Italian domination in the Nations Cup thanks to 9293 points over Russia (3938 points) and Germany (2728 points).
And for the next year? The season hs not started yet, but the calendar has already been planned, with the top competitive event of the FIS Rollerski World Championships set up again at Presolana between August and September 2007, organized by Promoeventi Sport. Moreover, France, Croatia, Germany, Russia and Turkey have presented their candidatures in order to host the World Cup races.
