The second stage of the FIS Rollerski World Cup got underway on Friday, 19th August at the famous ski stadium in Otepää, Estonia with a fascinating day of ski sprinting as a first event in a long weekend of Rollerskiing.
More than 120 athletes from 10 different nations, some as far as China had come to Estonia to see whose racing shape is sharpest in the middle of high-volume training period in most of their schedules.
Skate sprint was held on a 1,2km loop that took athletes from the biathlon stadium around the shooting range up to the Tehvandi hotel sometimes referred to „Pentagon“ due to its distinctive shape and same way back to the stadium. The sprint course had total climb of 24 vertical meters and maximum climb of 21m.
Qualification
The fastest man in qualification Tommaso Dellagiacoma from Italy with the time 2:13,32. That is more than 3 seconds faster than the best time last year on the same course. Second best was Estonian Karl Sebastian Dremljuga (+0,32) and third his teammate Martin Himma (+2,05).
Finals
In the final heats, Dremljuga couldn’t proceed from his quarter final finishing third. Last year’s fastest qualifier, today 4th fastest, Patrick Fossum Kristoffersen was third as well and out from further racing. Dellagiacoma failed to move on from his semi-final heat. That gave the best chances for Latvian Raimo Vigants, the winner of the last year World Cup sprint, to score second consecutive win here in Otepää. He was smart and fast throughout the day (5th in qualifier). Italian Matteo Tanel finished second, Amund Korsaeth from Norway third in the men’s final heat leaving local Martin Himma first one out from the podium.
In women’s field there were no match for Swede Linn Sömskar (9 times rollers skiing World Champion) who crushed everyone in the qualifier by more than 5 seconds. She cruised through the heats and took a comfortable win. Chinese Ma Qinghua who had second fastest qualifier time had a head-to-head finish Estonian Keidy Kaasiku, photo finish gave a slight advantage to the last and Chinese had to back her bags for the day. For the delight of local public, Mariel Merlii Pulles took the second place in the final (3rd Q-time) and Johanna Udras (EST) finished third (4th Q-time). Kitija Auzina was 4th in the final.
In junior women, Samanta Krampe was fastest throughout the day and took the win quite comfortably. Second place belonged to Kazahstan Mariya Gerachshenko and third place to Anna Mariya Ghiddi from Italy. Estonians were first out of the podium once again when Gerda Kivil finished 4th in the final heat.
In the junior men, quite similarly to women, Anton Grahn from Sweden was the fastest throughout the day and took the second win of the day to Sweden. Jonatan Lindberg secured a double victory for Sweden, leaving Rainers Paeglis (LAT) to third and Riccardo Munari (ITA) to fourth.
Click here for the official result lists.
