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The Russian selection system for the Tour de Ski takes is based on three factors: World Cup results, Russian National Trials and the vote of the national team head coach. Originally the National Trials should have taken place in Krasnogorsk, near Moscow, but had to be moved North-East to Syktyvkar due to the lack of snow. The results of the Natioanal Trials were nothing short of sensational. Twenty three year old Sergey Shyryaev won both of the distance events. Especially noticeable was Shyryaev’s almost half a minute dominance over the Russian national team leader Evgeniy Dementyev in the 15 km freestyle race. Before this victory, nobody considered Sergey as a potential national team member. But there was an even more amazing story in women part of the program. 35-year old Elena Vedeneeva won the classic N K race, and also took the third place in the sprints. Before this season she was known as one of world’s top roller skiers, but never as a national level snow skier This was the first time in her life to compete at a national level on the snow. Interestinlgly, both of the sensational newcomers train with Anatoliy Tchepalov, father and coach of Yulia Tchepalova ( Yulia is expecting her second baby and is going to skip the upcoming season).
Another surprise was the revival of the Salt Lake City Olympic champion Mikhail Ivanov who took the podium in his favorite distance 15 km classic event. The sad side of the story was Vassiliy Rochev’s strong flu, which will not allow the Russian National Team captain to compete in the Tour de Ski. Ivan Babikov could not make the team either. Seems, that his adjustment to the Russian National Team training system was not smooth. Another surprise was controversial selection of Ivan Alypov over Sergey Novikov, which was not consistent with Alypov’s performance this season.
Results of Russian national Tour de Ski Trials
23 of December, Syktyvkar
Women, 10 km, freestyle
1 Natalya Korostelyova 1981 25:42,6
2 Evgeniya Medvedeva 1976 25:53,7
3 Olga Zavyalova 1972 26:24,2
4 Natalya Ylyna 1985 26:29,8
5 Alyona Sydko 1979 26:32,1
6 Elena Buruhina 1977 26:41,3
7 Yryna Artyomova 1984 26:42,6
8 Veronika Timofeeva 1982 26:49,6
9 Yulya Tchekalyova 1984 26:55,9
10 Vera Zyatikova 1974 26:57,8
………………………………………………………….
13 Natalya Matveeva 1986 27:13,0
…………………………………………………………..
16 Elena Vedeneeva 1971 27:15,8
…………………………………………………………..
21 Svetlana Nageykina 1965 27:27,3
Men, 15 km, freestyle
1 Sergey Shyryaev 1983 34:13,5
2 Evgeniy Dementyev 1983 34:40,1
3 Dmitriy Osinkin 1978 34:44,8
4 Ilya Tchernousov 1986 35:04,2
5 Alexandr Legkov 1983 35:04,7
6 Ivan Babikov 1980 35:11,8
7 Dmitriy Tishkin 1980 35:14,3
8 Vladimir Tokarev 1980 35:26,6
9 Andrey Nutryhyn 1973 35:28,5
10 Vasliliy Nehaev 1980 35:41,1
11 Ivan Arteev 1977 35:41,7
………………………………………………………….
14 Nikolay Pankratov 1982 35:44,8
………………………………………………………….
20 Ivan Alypov 1982 35:57,9
………………………………………………………….
22 Mikhail Ivanov 1977 36:06,7
25 of December, Syktyvkar
Women, sprints 1,25 km, classic style, final A
1 Natalya Matveeva 1986
2 Elena Shapovalova
3 Elena Vedeneeva 1971
4 Alyona Sydko 1979
5 Yulya Ivanova 1985
6 Viktoriya Melina 1981
Men, sprints 1,25 km, classic style, final A
1 Dmitriy Egoshin 1981
2 Devyatyarov Mikhail 1985
3 Dmitriy Lyashenko 1977
4 Semyon Ivanov
5 Viktor Revin 1975
6 Alexei Kuritsyn 1977
26 of December, Syktyvkar
Women, 10 km, classic style
1 Elena Vedeneeva 1971 29:52,8
2 Yulya Tchekalyova 1984 29:53,0
3 Alyona Sydko 1979 29:56,9
4 Yryna Artyomova 1984 29:58,9
5 Yulya Ivanova 1985 30:12,7
6 Natalya Korostelyova 1981 30:15,6
7 Olga Tyagay 1985 30:18,6
8 Yambbaeva Tatyana 1980 30:22,1
9 Elena Kalugina 1972 30:29,2
10 Elena Buruhina 1977 30:30,5
11 Svetlana Nageykina 1965 30:31,2
Men, 15 km, classic style
1 Sergey Shyryaev 1983 38:45,7
2 Sergey Novikov 1980 38:54,4
3 Mikhail Ivanov 1977 39:00,2
4 Dmitriy Lyashenko 1977 39:02,4
5 Dmitriy Egoshin 1981 39:03,2
6 Maxim Bulgakov 1983 39:14,5
7 Alexandr Kuznetsov 1982 39:16,0
8 Nikolay Morilov 1986 39:18,1
9 Nikolay Pankratov 1982 39:21,0
10 Ivan Alypov 1982 39:26,0
…………………………………………………………..
24 Ivan Babikov 1980 39:50,7
…………………………………………………………..
28 Devyatyarov Mikhail 1985 40:06,9
Russian National Tour de Ski Team Selection
Women
Olga Zavyalova, Natalya Korostelyova , Evgeniya Medvedeva, Yryna Artyomova , Yulya Tchekalyova, Elena Vedeneeva .
Men
Evgeniy Dementyev, Alexandr Legkov, Иван Алыпов, Николай Панкратов, Ilya Tchernousov, Sergey Shyryaev, Dmitriy Osinkin.
