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Klebl Earns Second Consecutive Second-Place Finish at Finland World Cup
// U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association
// January 14, 2007
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Chris Klebl earned his second consecutive World Cup podium Sunday, finishing second in the men's sit-ski 15K.
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VUOKATTI, Finland - Sit-skier Chris Klebl (Heber City, Utah) made made it two cross country World Cup podiums in two days Sunday, finishing second again in a 15K race during the opening weekend of the season.
Irek Zaripov of Russia, who started right behind Klebl, won the six-lap race in 41:33.4 with Klebl timed in 42:38.5.
"It was a pretty good day considering we got to Europe Monday," Klebl said. "I've been fortunate because I've had a lot of time on snow. We've had good snow in Utah and in West Yellowstone [MT], too."
Klebl said Zaripov caught him, "about halfway through the third lap. He's sort of the new guy on the Russian team. He can go."
Vuokatti, like so much of central and northern Europe, has seen a combination of warm temperatures and a lack of snow, meaning poor snow conditions. "It's quite bad," Klebl said, adding machine-made snow is being used to form much of the ski tracks and mostly level terrain throughout Finland. He added that organizers "use every foot of ascension to put some vertical into the course."
Head Coach Jon Kreamelmeyer said Klebl deserves all the credit for his double-podium start to the new season. "Chris' work ethic in the last eight or nine months, since the Paralympics in Torino [in March]. He said, 'This is what I need to do' and he has gone after it. He's trained, thanks to SkiTam [the major funding source for the U.S. Disabled Ski Team], in New Zealand and he came over here to Vuokatti in October since they have a ski tunnel (where athletes can train indoors, away from poor weather or a lack of snow on a 1.5K loop)."
"He's been on snow a lot and he's worked hard to get this success. Bottom line: Chris skied very well. I think he's been ready for the season," Kreamelmeyer said.
Elsewhere, Paralympic champion Steve Cook (Salt Lake City, Utah), whose trump card is his skating, was fourth for the second day in a row, this time in the men's standing 20K classic technique. "He made a mental error yesterday [in the 10K freestyle] and today he skied well again, but the standup class is just so competitive - like the men sit-skiers - and he finished fourth."
The disabled cross country schedule heads next to Oberstdorf, Germany, for six races.
IPC NORDIC SKIING WORLD CUP
Vuokatti, FIN - Jan. 14, 2007
Class Technique - All times adjusted
Men's Sit-ski 15K
1. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 41:33.4
2. Chris Klebl, Heber City, Utah, 42:38.5
3. Aliaksandr Davidovich, Belarus, 44:50.8
4. Enzo Masiello, Italy, 45:03.5
5. Oliver Anthofer, Austria, 46:05.0
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Men's Standup 20K
1. Kjartan Haugen, Norway, 50:07.1
2. Svein Lilleberg, Norway, 50:53.4
3. Ilkka Tuomisto, Finland, 51:00.0
4. Steve Cook, Salt Lake City, Utah, 51:11.0
5. Kirill Mikhaylov, Russia, 51:32.4
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Women's Sit-ski 10K
1. Liudmila Valchok, Belarus, 31:06.5
2. Irina Polyakova, Russia, 32:56.3
3. Shauna Whyte, Canada, 33:35.3
4. Maria Iovleva, Russia, 35:30.3
5. Monica Bascio, Denver, Colo.,36:09.7
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Women's Standup 15K
1. Anna Burmistrova, Russia, 46:52.6
2. Alena Gordunova, Russia, 47:37.8
3. Larysa Varona, Belarus, 48:38.7
4. Maija Loetynoja, Finland, 49:53.4
5. Shoko Ota, Japan, 51:07.3
For complete results:
http://www.championchip.fi
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