XC World Cup Wraps Up In Germany

U.S. Disabled Cross Country Ski Team

Sun, Jan  27, 2008 - By US Ski Team

OBERSTORF, Germany (Jan. 22) - The U.S. Disabled Cross Country Ski Team's Chris Klebl (sit-ski; Heber City, UT) is on his way to matching his 2007 World Cup podium spots after picking up a win and a second place during the first portion of the Team's World Cup season.

The Team competed in Oberstorf from Friday through Tuesday.

Klebl started out red hot on Friday by winning the men's sit-ski 10K in any extremely close finish. He won with an adjusted time of 28:57.6 followed by Italian Enzo Masiello at 29:04.5 and Irek Zaripov of Russia at 29:04.7

U.S. skiers who made the top 20 were Andy Soule (sit-ski; San Antonio, TX) at 14th and Sean Halsted (sit-ski; Ephrata, WA) at 18th.

Sunday, Klebl led three other U.S. riders into the top 20 in the men's 10K sit-ski race. Klebl finished seventh with a time of 25:19.6, followed by Halsted at 26:24.1, Soule at 26:28.8 and Greg Mallory (Portland, OR) at 27:08.9.

Monday, Halsted led the U.S. men's resultsin the 5K sit-ski, finishing 11th in 12:26.7. Three other U.S. skiers made top 20 starting with Soule in 15th in 12:44.6, Bob Balk (Long Beach, CA) 17th in 12:53.4 and Mallory 19th in12:59.3.

The last day of competition, Klebl picked up his another podium, coming in second Tuesday with an adjusted time of 49:35.4 in the men's 15K sit-ski race. Russian Irek Zaripov's winning time was 49:27.8 and Aliaksandr Davidovich of Belarus was third (50:26.8).

The Team heads next to Vuokatti, Finland, for races Jan. 26-Feb. 3.


2008 DISABLED CROSS COUNTRY WORLD CUP
Oberstorf, Germany - Jan. 18
(All times adjusted)
Men's 10K-sit-ski
1. Chris Klebl, Heber City, UT, 28:57.6
2. Enzo Masiello, Italy,
3. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 29:04.7
-
14. Andy Soule, San Antonio, TX, 31:27.2
18. Sean Halsted, Ephrata, WA, 32:39.1
20. Greg Mallory, Portland, OR, 32:39.6
21. Bob Balk, Long Beach, Ca, 32:49.1

Men's 10K-standing
1. Kirill Mikhaylov, Russia, 24:28.0
2. Nils Erik Ulset, Norway, 24:54.8
3. Michael Kurz, Austria, 25:16.2

Men's 10K-visually impaired
1. Frank Hofle, Germany, 23:48.8
2. Irek Mannanov, Russia, 24:54.8
3. Vasili Shaptsiaboi, Belgium, 24:56.5
--
Women's 5K-sit-ski
1. Liudmila Vauchok, Belarus, 16:48.5
2. Olena Iurkovska, Ukraine, 16:54.3
3. Irina Polyakova, Russia, 17:20.5

Women's 10K-standing
1. Anna Burmistrova, Russia, 32:02.8
2. Oleksandra Kononova, Ukraine, 32:44.6
3. Shoko Ota, Japan, 33:13.0

Women's 10K-visually impaired
1. Verena Bentele, Germany, 28:29.5
2. Yadviha Skorobahataya, Belarus, 29:55.8
3. Tatiana Ilyuuchenko, Russia, 30:26.7

Jan. 20
Men's 10K-sit-ski
1. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 23:58.3
2. Aliaksandr Davidovich, Belarus, 24:38.8
3. Iurii Kostiuk, Ukraine, 24:36.8
-
7. Chris Klebl, Heber City, UT, 25:19.6
14. Sean Halsted, Ephrata, WA, 26:24.1
15. Andy Soule, San Antonio, TX, 26:28.8
20. Greg Mallory, Portland, OR, 27:08.9

Men's 10K-standing
1. Ilkka Tuomisto, Finland, 29:03.8
2. Yoshihiro Nitta, Japan, 29:07.7
3. Kirill Mikhaylov, Russia, 29:43.7

Men's10K-visually impaired
1. Nikolay Polukhin, Russia, 28:55.9
2. Frank Hofle, Germany, 29:15.1
3. Marian Balaz, Slovakia, 29:19.8
--
Women's 5K-sit-ski
1. Liudmila Vauchok, Belarus, 13:35.5
2. Colette Bourgonje, Canada, 13:50.8
3. Olena Iurkovska, Ukraine, 14:13.3

Women's 10K-standing
1. Oleksandra Kononova, Ukraine, 36:47.2
2. Anna Burmistrova, Russia, 37:09.0
3. Shoko Ota, Japan, 38:44.8

Women's 10K-visually impaired
1. Tatiana Ilyuchenko, Russia, 35:44.0
2. Yadviha Skorobahataya, Belarus, 36:28.4
3. Elvira Ibragimova, Russia, 36:53.7

Jan. 21
Men's 5K-sit-ski
1. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 11:35.4
2. Lurii Kostiuk, Ukraine, 11:42.7
3. Sergiy Khyzhnyak, Ukraine, 11:54.4
-
11. Sean Halsted, Ephrata, WA, 12:26.7
15. Andy Soule, San Antonio, TX, 12:44.6
17. Bob Balk, Long Beach, CA, 12:53.4
19. Greg Mallory, Portland OR, 12:59.3
DNF: Chris Klebl, Heber City, UT

Men's 5K-standing
1. Kirill Mikhaylov, Russia, 12:20.7
2. Ilkka Tuomisto, Finland, 13:02.3
3. Nils Erik Ulset, Norway, 12:42.8

Men's 5K-visually impaired
1. Vitaliy Lukyanenko, Ukraine, 12:08.5
2. Frank Hofle, Germany, 12:18.4
3. Nikolay Polukhin, Russia, 12:21.5
--
Women's 2.5K-sit-ski
1. Liudmila Vauchok, Belarus, 6:18.6
2. Colette Bourgonje, Canada, 6:34.7
3. Olena Iurkovska, Ukraine, 6:44.3

Women's 5K-standing
1. Oleksandra Kononova, Ukraine, 15:26.2
2. Anna Burmistrova, Russia, 15:35.4
3. Yuliya Batenkova, Ukraine, 16:05.5

Women's 5K-visually impaired
1. Verena Bentele, Germany, 14:17.4
2. Tatiana Ilyuchenko, Russia, 14:51.7
3. Yadviha Skorobahataya, Belarus, 15:11.7

Jan. 22
Men's 15K-sit-ski
1. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 49:27.8
2. Chris Klebl, Heber City, UT, 49:35.4
3. Aliaksandr Davidovich, Belarus, 50:26.8
-
14. Greg Mallory, Portland, OR, 54:38.8
15. Andy Soule, San Antonio, TX, 55:10.8
18. Sean Halsted, Ephrata, WA, 56:26.3
20. Bob Balk, Long Beach, CA, 58:29.4

Men's 20K-standing
1. Ilkka Tuomisto, Finland, 1:06:01.4
2. Yoshihiro Nitta, Japan, 1:07:20.1
3. Alfis Makametdinov, Russia, 1:07:57.3

Men's 20K-visually impaired
1. Frank Hofle, Germany, 1:05:06.5
2. Nikolay Polukhin, Russia, 1:06:41.3
3. Vasili Shaptsiaboi, Belarus, 1:08:42.2
--
Women's 10K-sit-ski
1. Liudmila Vauchok, Belarus, 37:52.3
2. Irina Polyakova, Russia, 39:33.6
3. Olena Iurkovska, Ukraine, 39:58.0

Women's 15K-standing
1. Oleksandra Kononova, Ukraine, 58:59.8
2. Anna Burmistrova, Russia, 1:00:28.7
3. Shoko Ota, Japan, 1:00:47.9

Women's 15K-visually impaired
1. Tatiana Ilyuchenko, Russia, 58:43.4
2. Michalina Lysova, Russia, 1:01:01.5
3. Liubov Vasileva, Russia, 1:01:54.4