Indoor XC Ski Sprint in Beijing

Wed, Jun  30, 2010 - By NordicWays

From NordicWays.com

The last part of the China Summer Ski Tour was a Team Sprint where the European participants，which were divided into teams, consisting of a lady and a gentleman. The contest was a display competition which can popularize this sport event to the media and potential sponsors. The sport channel of China Central Television, CCTV-5, was there and will broadcast about the contest as soon as the World Cup is done. All the matches from South Africa are broadcasted to the huge audience since soccer is very popular in China. The media friends said that it is appealing to the audience and a brand new experience.

The competition was held indoors; it is perhaps the 1st time of indoor race at the international level and the equipment of the arena is normally used for XC skiing.

Qiaobo Ice and Snow World, located  in northeast Beijing, is a year-round facility for alpine skiing, It’s about 1 hour drive  from downtown. The stadium covers about  40 000 m2 and it is unique in its kind in the northeast part of the giant country. It is built in two parts and each includes a alpine sloop.

Qiaobo Ice and Snow World is owned and operated by Mrs. Ye Qiaobo, the Olympic medallist in speed skating, winning two silver medals in Alberville 1992 and a bronze medal in Lillehammer 1994. She is currently building two similar halls in other parts of China.After today's race she revealed her feelings to participate and organize a series of sprint races indoors. Qiaobo said, "I just feel like I am back to the competitive world of sports- where is the home of my heart.”

Though there were not so many audiences, but they were so enthusiastic, they lit the whole atmosphere. The contest  went on well to semi finals and then B and the prestigious A-finals respectively. The time ladies finished the last leg is when the men began. Each participant did three laps of the 500-meter long course, which contained two alpine sloops.

The final is so exciting that it made people hold their breath. The top players, including  Inger-Liv Bjerkreim Nilsen, NOR and Therese Karlsson, SWE played very well.  In the end the Norwegian player crossed the finish line and became the  winner. Later on when standing on the podium, the two winners opened and shared champagne with all the people around.

Reults
Summer Ski Sprint 2010 Qiaobo Ice & Snow World Stage, Beijing 23.06.2010
1st       David Frisk, ENG / Inger-Liv Bjerkreim Nilsen, NOR
2nd     Theodore Peterson, SWE / Therese Karlsson, SWE
3rd     David Jansson, SWE / Jenny Hansson, SWE
4th     Peter Larsson, SWE / Sanna Hallberg, ENG

The European riders said that it was cool to compete indoor, which is not usually used for cross country skiing  because there are high ceilings. It makes you feel like if you are in a underground tunnel”.

The winners ,Nilsen and Frisk, expressed their feelings afterwards. Nilsen said, "It’s fun to participate in indoor skiing and competing with so many excellent players. I feel so excited when I finished the last lap which is so tough.

Frisk said, "It was tough when you compete man-to-man and it felt incredibly good to be able to challenge the Olympic skier and sprint specialist, such as Teodor Peterson"

There will be a joint dinner at Beijing's best Thai Restaurant, Purple Haze. Tomorrow half of the athletes will  return to Europe and the rest are taking the night train to Changchun. On Saturday they will appear on the starting line in Liding?loppet China, a 30K cross country running race, organized by Nordic Ways. There will be many talented Chinese runners and two invited runners, Mr. Japhet Kipkorir of Kenya and Mr. Lars Johansson from Sweden. Kipkorir won in China last summer and the Swedish Liding?loppet later in the autumn. Lars Johansson was the winner last year in Swedish Liding?loppet and also the best Swedish runner in half marathon, G?teborgsvarvet in May 2010.




Winning team; David Frisk, SWE carrying his team mate Liv Inger Bjerkreim Nilsen, NOR




Mrs. Ye Qiaobo, Director of Qiaobo Ice and Snow World, give “thumb up” to the athletes together with Mr. Gavert Waag from organizer Nordic Ways.


Ladies leg, tight and tough fights in the track. No.bib 3 is Liv Inger Bjerkreim Nilsen, NOR from winning team.




Men’s leg, in the lead, from winning team, no. 3 David Frisk ahead of Teodor Peterson (No. 1) and Peter Larsson (No. 8)