Australian Open / Junior Championship and FIS Australian New Zealand Cup
Update August 25
The 2008 Australian Open and Junior Championships for Cross Country Skiing concluded this weekend August 23-24 at Falls Creek with interval start classic and freestyle races. The open 5km events for women and open 10km events for men were also part of the 2008 FIS Australia — New Zealand Cup (ANC), which concludes next weekend with the Kangaroo Hoppet 42km event at Falls Creek.
Evelyn Dong (USA) from the XC Oregon Ski Team made a clean sweep for the weekend, winning the 5km Freestyle on Saturday by 13.3 seconds and the 5km Classic on Sunday by 6.4 seconds, on both occasions ahead of Aimee Watson (AUS). Esther Bottomley (AUS) was third in the Freestyle and Chloe McConville (AUS) third in the Classic. Bottomley now has an unbeatable lead in the ANC, 135 points clear from Watson. With her two victories Dong moves up into equal third place together with Milaine Theriault (CAN).
 winning the 10km Freestyle on and Viktor Novotny (CZE) winning the 10km Classic. Ben Sim (AUS) was leading both races after the first 5km lap, however was unable to hold off the international competition. Sim ended up third in the 10km Freestyle, 4.7 seconds behind second placed Novotny, and then was pipped by Novotny the next day by just 2.0 seconds in the 10km Classic. Fourth place on both days went to Geoffroy Pais (FRA), who still retains the overall lead in the ANC ahead of Sim.</p>
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