Pritchard Racing La Sgambeda – With Broken Wrist

Mon, Dec  6, 2004 - By Mike Muha

Team NordicSkiRacer.com member Hugh Pritchard is flying to Italy this weekend (Sunday, December 12)to ski the opening race of the Marathon World Cup. And he’s doing it with a broken wrist…

“I will be skiing next weekend in Italy, racing at la Sgambeda, the first race of the Marathon World Cup. Unfortunately I will be racing one-handed, as I broke my wrist roller-skiing on Sunday,” says Hugh. “Fractured scaphoid, with an avulsion fracture in the IP joint of the thumb. I guess I will race one-handed at la Sgambeda. Meanwhile, I will have done more core strength work than normal.”

The Sgambeda opens the prestigious World Cup Marathon circuit, the FIS Marathon Cup, with a 42 km freestyle race. The course winds along the ‘Piccolo Tibet’ Valley in Italy. 1,500 cross country skiers are expected to compete.

The 42 km marathon runs over a two-lap course. There are five food and refreshment points with Enervit products (10 for the marathon race of 42 km), and 6 technical, medical and emergency repair and assistance areas. At the end of La Sgambeda is a big pasta party organized by Livigno Hotel Association. On the eve of La Sgambeda and the morning of the race, Maplus and Holmenkol will provide waxing services. The day before , all cross-country skiers will have the chance to test the latest ski news by Ski Trab and Fischer, or to visit the Open Air Expo where it's possible to meet many companies, such as Sportful, Rossignol, Adidas eyeswear, Salomon, Terramia.

More info can be found at http://www.lasgambeda.it/eng/index.php.

Rumor is that Hugh is doing the Marathon as a training race in preparation for the first two Michigan Cup races in 2005, the Chesnut Valley Freestyle and the Boyne Highlands Classic...