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Cross Country Ski Championships August 17-21, Falls Creek, Victoria |
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Cross Country Ski Championships August 17-21, Falls Creek, Victoria |
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August 21Morton Pips Derrick in Kangaroo Hoppet Preview
The 2001 Australian Cross Country Skiing Championships finished up today at Falls Creek with the 10km events. Cameron Morton from Benambra took his second Australian title in as many races in the men's competition, while Camille Melvey from Bondi notched up victory number 28 in the women's competition.
In an exciting conclusion to the championships Cameron Morton edged out Ben Derrick of Wangaratta Ski Club by just 9 seconds in the 10km freestyle. Only 2-3 seconds separated the two skiers for most of the race, before Morton opened up a 10-12 second lead on the last uphill. Derrick fought hard but couldn't take back enough seconds in the closing kilometres, and Morton won in a time of 28min 21.5sec.
The event also gave a sneak preview for the Kangaroo Hoppet 42km freestyle event coming up on Saturday August 25. Two of the top international skiers Frederick Aukland from Norway and Gaber Lah from Slovenia shook out some cobwebs to take third and sixth place. Both skiers only recently arrived to the Australian snow-fields, and are likely to come into better form as the week progresses. It should be a good contest on the weekend as Morton is already in good shape and 2000 Kangaroo Hoppet winner Ben Derrick is also on the rise after illness prior to the Australian Championships.
Camille Melvey was on a mission today to restore her Australian season dominance after a third place in the sprint and a narrow win in the 5km. The 37 year old NSW Institute of Sport skier was unstoppable as she mowed down the entire field to be the first across the line in 33min 52.9sec. Belinda Phillips and Rhiannon Palmer from Lake Mountain Ski Team had a close battle for second place, with Phillips coming out on top by 5 seconds. Katie Calder from the ACT, who had beaten Melvey twice this season unfortunately took the wrong pair of skis before start and could only manage 4th place.
Melvey and Calder are now dead level in the 2001 Australian Continental Cup on 310 points, with only the Kangaroo Hoppet 42km remaining. Morton has an almost unassailable lead in the men's Continental Cup standings with 350 points ahead of Derrick on 256.
August 19Close Finishes in Australian Championship Classic Races
The 2001 Australian Cross Country Skiing Championships continued today at Falls Creek in North Eastern Victoria. 27 year-old Cameron Morton from Benambra claimed his first Australian title in the men's 15km classic, while Camille Melvey from Bondi took her 27th Australian title in the women's 5km classic.
Snow fell steadily throughout the competitions, making for difficult waxing conditions. Several of the top contenders only just made it onto the start line after changing wax at the last minute.
The women's 5km saw Melvey, Katie Calder from the ACT and 18 year old Rhiannon Palmer from Howmans Gap all in contention after 3km. However Palmer took a fall in the soft snow, leaving Melvey and Calder fighting for every second over the last kilometres. At the finish Melvey ran away to win by just 9 seconds ahead of Calder, with Palmer taking bronze 28 seconds off the pace.
After the first 5km lap in the men's 15km there were 5 skiers all with a chance, Morton leading 5 seconds up on Fredrik Aukland from Norway and then Ben Derrick, Paul Murray and Japanese junior Naoto Yamamoto all within 15 seconds. Morton worked hard to take his lead out to almost 40 seconds with only 2km to go, but then a flying finish by Murray nearly took the title from his grasp. In the end Morton was lucky to get away with a 14 second victory after nearly 50 minutes of racing.
Morton, the principal of Benambra Primary School and current Australian Biathlon champion, has had his sights on a cross country skiing title for several years, and was very happy to finally reach his goal.
"I've worked very hard for this, "said Morton at the presentations. "I'm surprised that it came in a classic race, and I have to thank my wax technician for that, but I couldn't have managed any of this if I didn't have my wife looking after my two kids. When the ski season is over I have a lot to make up."
The final races of the Australian Championships take place at Falls Creek at Tuesday August 21 with 10km freestyle events for both men and women.
August 18Murray and Bottomley take Back to Back Sprint Titles
The 2001 Australian Sprint Championships for Cross Country Skiing were held today at Falls Creek in North East Victoria. Reigning sprint champions Paul Murray, 23, and Esther Bottomley,18, both from Mt Beauty, continued their dominance of the sprint event with impressive victories in the finals.The forecast was for gale force winds, but the conditions were almost perfect in the Falls Creek Nordic bowl. Heavy snowfalls overnight were packed down by the snow groomers to produce a fast and wide 800m loop, and alternating sunshine and light snow flurries during the competition added to the atmosphere.
The fastest qualifiers were Bottomley and Fredrik Aukland from Norway however tight qualifying times lead to exciting finals, particularly in the hotly contested men's event. Some of the favourites were knocked out in the semi finals, including 2000 runner-up Belinda Phillips and Australia's overall number one Ben Derrick, who both live at train at Howmans Gap 5km from Falls Creek.
Aukland opened hard in the men's final, just ahead of Murray and semi-retired national coach Finn Marsland. Cameron Morton fell coming into the first corner and was out of contention. Coming into the final straight Murray was right on Aukland's heels, and pulled out an incredible finishing sprint to take the Norwegian on the line.
Bottomley lead out in the women's final ahead of ACT skiers Sally Cunningham and Katie Calder, then Calder worked hard to get past into second position. Unfortunately the 20 year old ACT Academy of Sport skier took a fall at the top of the course, giving Bottomley an uncontested finish for her second national title. Calder managed to hold off a fast finishing Camille Melvey for second place
The Australian Championships continue tomorrow at Falls Creek with the women's 5km and men's 15km classic events.
August 16Classic Race moved to August 19
The Australia 5/15km Classic Championship races scheduled for Falls Creek on Friday August 17 have been moved to Sunday August 19 because of snow and weather conditions. Heavy snowfalls and high winds are expected and race organisers expect better race conditions for SundayThe Australian Sprint Championships on August 18 and 10/10km Championships on August 21 remain unchanged.
August 14Sprint and Classic set to be showdowns
The cross country skiing race season moves now to Falls Creek for the last three races of the Australian Championship. The events also carry points for the 2001 Australian Continental Cup Series, which finishes with the Kangaroo Hoppet at Falls Creek on August 25.While Ben Derrick from Wangaratta and Camille Melvey of Boonoona Ski Club claimed the Australian 30km and 15km titles last weekend, Katie Calder from Canberra and Cameron Morton from Benambra lead the Continental Cup courtesy of the opening races in Perisher Valley on August 4.
The women's 5km classic on Friday August 17 should be a good contest, with Calder and Melvey keen to gain the number 1 ranking, and Lake Mountain Ski Team members Belinda Phillips and Rhiannon Palmer also in contention. The men's 15km on the same day will see Norwegian Frederick Aukland up against Morton and Derrick, with local Mt Beauty physical education teacher Paul Murray also a chance in classic technique.
The spectator highlight of the championships will be the sprint events on Saturday August 18. The sprint format will make its Winter Olympic debut in Salt Lake City in 2002, and features exciting head to head action round a tight loop. Last year's sprint champions Paul Murray and Esther Bottomley will be hard to beat, however there are plenty of other pretenders to the sprint crown and anything can happen on the day in a sprint.
The 2001 Australian Championships conclude on Tuesday August 21 with the 10km freestyle events for men and women.
August 12Australian 15/30km Championship and Snowy Mountains Classic
The first races of the 2001 Australian Cross Country Skiing Championships were held on Saturday August 11 at Perisher Valley in NSW. The men's 30km classic event was won by Ben Derrick of Wangaratta Ski Club, while the women's 15km classic event was won by Camille Melvey from City Tatts Boonoona Ski Club.Derrick was pushed for the first 10km by three time Winter Olympian Anthony Evans of Cooma Ski Club, but then steadily pulled away and went on to win his 8th Australian Championship in a time of 1:32:34. Evans took second place just under two minutes back, with Paul Murray from Birkebeiner NSC in third place and 19 year old Chris Darlington from Boonoona skiing a strong race for fourth.
Melvey opened up a lead on the rest of the field soon after the start and never looked back. The 37 year old from North Bondi won her 26th Australian Championship in a time of 1:00:03, 2:08 ahead of Belinda Phillips from the Lake Mountain Nordic Team. Katie Calder from CAC and the ACT Academy of Sport took third place.
The Australian Championships continue at Falls Creek from August 17 to 21.
Additional information can be found from:
Finn Marsland
Tel: 0408 147940
Email: marslandf@ausport.gov.au
XC is the official website of the Skiing Australia Cross Country Committee. It is produced with the assistance of the Australian Sports Commission, and the Kangaroo Hoppet. The editor can be contacted via info@hoppet.com.au