Olympic News Service (ONS) / sport writer
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Vancouver
2010 Olympic Winter Games,
Whistler, B.C.
Event Review: Sweden seizes Gold as Norway makes power finish for Silver in Men’s 4X10 Relay C/F
WHISTLER, Feb 24 – Sweden has Marcus HELLNER (SWE) to thank for taking Gold in the Men’s 4X10 km Relay Classic/Free on Wednesday at Whistler Olympic Park.
HELLNER put an almost 15 second lead between him, Czech Republic and France during the final stretch of the competition, much of which was a race between those three. Right at the end, Norway burst through to pip Czech Republic and France for the Silver.
France’s Jean Marc GAILLARD (FRA) had an early lead but fell, allowing Finland and Sweden to catch up.
In leg two of lap one of the Classical, Sweden, France and Germany were the front-runners as the rest of the teams, including Czech Republic with Lukas BAUER (CZE), slipped back in the falling snow. But BAUER was not about to be left behind and, going into lap three, made a move that put him in third place. Germany dropped back and, from then on, it was a battle between Sweden, France and Czech Republic through to the Freestyle.
No one else seemed in contention and it appeared simply to be a question of who would take which medal. They didn’t know Petter NORTHUG (NOR) was chasing them down.
NORTHUG had his sights set on the group in the last three Freestyle laps. He was shortening the gap with the leaders when, with just 4.1 km to go, he appeared to lose steam. Still, he managed to catch up with Martin KOUKAL (CZE) and Emmanuel JONNIER (FRA).
HELLNER, flying in the last few metres, knew he was golden. Instead of heading to the finish line, he veered off course and grabbed a Swedish flag from the crowd – waving it as he skied to the end. This is Gold number two for him at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and a second medal for teammate Johan OLSSON (NOR).
Meanwhile, NORTHUG brought out his famous charge – a burst of speed that took Norway to the Silver and NORTHUG to his third medal at the Games. Norway is back on the podium in this event after finishing fifth at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games.
Czech Republic took Bronze, a first for this NOC in a Cross-Country Skiing Relay and BAUER’s second medal in Vancouver. France came fourth.
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Paralympic News
Service (PNS) sport writer
Vancouver Organizing Committee for the Vancouver
2010 Paralympic Winter Games,
Whistler, B.C.
News Article: Athletes deal with ups and downs of hilly Whistler Paralympic Park
Editor’s note: Josef GIESEN (GER) and Katarzyna ROGOWIEC, (POL) are Paralympians, who don’t use poles Cross-Country Skiing.
WHISTLER, Mar 19 – Athletes competing in Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games are climbing almost to the same heights as the Men’s Downhill in Alpine Skiing at the Olympic Winter Games.
Paralympians and Olympians are Cross-Country Skiing on the same course, said Cross-Country Skiing sports manager Len APEDAILE (CAN). The difficult course was designed to test skill, tactics and endurance, especially on the hills.
APEDAILE said the total climb in the Paralympic Cross-Country Men’s 20 km (709 m at Whistler Paralympic Park) is more than the total length of the Super Combined in Alpine Skiing (542 m at Whistler Creekside).
“It’s an interesting comparison to know the height difference and puts it into perspective,” said APEDAILE. “In terms of fitness this is the most gruelling sport there is.”
“I was talking to Josef GIESEN (GER) and his specialty is Biathlon because with long hills he doesn’t have a chance. With short steep climbs he can keep up but on a long climb it wears you down. When you see Katarzyna [ROGOWIEC, (POL)] winning a medal, it makes what they do incredible.” APEDAILE added.
Alain MARGUERETTAZ (FRA) is a Cross-Country skier who races with a sit-ski. He said the climbs at Whistler Paralympic Park were not too taxing.
“The hills aren’t too bad here,” MARGUERETTAZ said. “The hills in Norway where the World Cup [Sjusjoen, November 2009] was held were very, very steep.
MARGUERETTAZ lives in the French Alps and is used to hills terrain.
“In the summer I do a lot of cycling and I do some roller-skiing but that’s very hard on my shoulders,” he said.
Keiichi SATO (JPN), who uses one pole in his Cross-Country Skiing and Biathlon races, said the hills are hard but not an obstacle for him.
“When I was born I had only one hand so one pole is all I’ve known. In the Paralympics it’s a normal situation.”
Nils-Erik ULSET (NOR) thinks the hills are fun.
“They’re more like a typical European course,” ULSET said of Whistler Paralympic Park. “If you look back at what we had in Torino 2006 [Paralympic Games] that was too easy, too flat. Here there are some really great tracks.”
The 2009 world championship course in Vuokatti, Finland had some steep hills, said ULSET, and many skiers fell on the descent.
“If you want to go up, you have to go down. There’s always a good way of doing it and a bad way of doing it.”
ULSET completed several laps around the track during the Games so he knew what to expect. He is also a mountain biker and is not afraid to tackle the rises with speed.
“If I wasn’t a skier I would be a mountain biker.”
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News Article – Appliance of science on the Cross-Country Ski course
WHISTLER, Mar 8 – Several speed traps were set on the Cross-Country Ski track at Whistler Paralympic Park on Monday as the US team’s equipment technician applied a scientific approach to finding the perfect wax combinations ahead of competition.
“We are using empirical data. We got some speed traps and are running tests,” said Jeremiah BEACH (USA), the wax and equipment technician for the US team.
While athlete input is taken in account, BEACH said he uses the speed traps to help find the perfect wax combinations and set up for skis and sit-skis.
Sit-skis, a chair attached to a pair of skis, do not need kick wax. Racers propel the sit-skis with poles.
“Kick wax is used in the middle [of the ski] to give you the grip to stride. On sit-skis you are gliding because you are pushing,” BEACH said.
The sit-ski chair can be made of polycarbonate, polyethylene or polyfibre, which are easily mouldable materials.
“They [the athletes] are going for a good snug fit and lightweight,” BEACH said.
The chair is mounted on a metal sledge and attached to skis. Monica BASCIO’s (USA) chair is made of polycarbonate and she uses Freestyle skis, also known as Skate skis.
“I like how they handle turns and they’re a little quicker depending on the course. I have some Classics [skis] but I never end up using them,” said BASCIO, who is making her second appearance as a Paralympian after competing at the Torino 2006 Paralympic Winter Games.
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Flash Quotes
Men’s Relay 1X4 km + 2X5 km: KOSTIUK (UKR), VOVCHYNSKYI (UKR), LUKYANENKO (UKR) Silver
WHISTLER, Mar 20 – Comments from Silver medallists Iurii KOSTIUK (UKR), Grygorii VOVCHYNSKYI (UKR) and Vitaliy LUKYANENKO (UKR) after the Men’s Relay 1X4 km + 2X5 km at Whistler Paralympic Park on Saturday.
Iurii KOSTIUK (UKR) – Silver
On his Silver medal:
“This is from the purest Silver. The Gold medal is not made from pure gold, but Silver is [from pure silver].”
On whether he thought of the Gold medal during the race:
“Of course we thought about the Gold medal.”
On the race:
“At the start we were in fourth place and it was difficult to catch up in the first stage.”
Grygorii VOVCHYNSKYI (UKR) – Silver
On the Silver medal:
“I wanted a Gold medal but it was too difficult because the Russian were very very strong.”
On the race:
“We were struggling for the results. It was very difficult because at first we were struggling for a Bronze [when Ukraine was in fourth position] and then we were struggling for second place.”
On the composition of the Ukrainian Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games Relay team:
“We didn’t know the start list because the coach decided at the last minute who would be on the team for the Relay.”
On his skis:
“There were some problems with the skis, especially when going up the hill.”
On his expectations for Sunday’s Men’s 1 km Sprint – the final Cross-Country Ski event:
“We’ll see tomorrow [Sunday]. Tomorrow will show.”
Vitaliy LUKYANENKO (UKR) – Silver
On Ukraine getting silver:
“This is one of the best results in the history of Ukraine in the Relay.”
On the race:
“Without a doubt we lost some seconds [in the first leg of the Relay] but the main [effort to make up lost time] was made in the second stage [by VOVCHYNSKYI].”
On his leg of the race as the final competitor:
“The final laps were difficult. My aim was to beat the Norwegian [Nils-Erik UKSET (NOR)] in the first stage.”
On how he feels about the composition of the Relay team, selected by the coach:
“The decision of the coach is final for us.”
On the Russians winning the Gold:
“The Russians are very, very strong. They are good sportsmen and they are wonderful competitors.”
On his expectations for Sunday’s Men’s 1 km Sprint – the final Cross-Country Ski event:
“The weather is very good and if the weather is very good [Sunday] I think the athletes will show very good results.”
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