The end of the summer also signifies the end of the dry-land season and the 2008 FIS World Cup Roller Skiing. This year’s edition of the FIS World Cup concluded last weekend in an awesome atmosphere in Thessaloniki, Greece. The long summer season included events at six different World Cup venues and a total of 15 competitions in Italy, Germany, Croatia and Greece.
Italians Mateja Bogatec and Emanuele Sbabo dominated the series, winning the women's and men's overall titles respectively. Bogatec, second in the 2007 overall standings, won the ladies' title by a margin of 162 points over Elena Ektova (RUS). Erika Bettineschi (ITA) took third, 255 points behind her compatriot Bogatec.
On the men’s side, Sbabo defeated last year's champion, Igor Glushkov (RUS), who was second this year, 54 points back. Simone Paredi (ITA) finished third. The Nations' Cup went to Italy in dominating fashion, ahead of Russia and Germany.
The standings were dominated by rollerski specialists. Many top Cross-cuntry racers particpated with strong results in several events, but did not travel to follow the series.
In the junior category, Solange Chabloz (ITA) and Ragnar Bragvin Andresen (NOR) claimed victory in the overall rankings.
Source: FIS
FIS and the FIS Roller Skiing Sub-Committee led by Özkan Koyuncu can be proud of a successful season with more than 200 athletes from 20 countries, the highest number ever in the history of the FIS Roller Skiing World Cup.
