Natalia Korosteleva leaves Demino with two medals
Kategori: Russia
Natalia Korosteleva
Russian Natalia Korosteleva returns home from Rybinsk, where the fifth stage of x-country World Cup took place, with silver and bronze medals.
In a program of the first day were two mass-starts: mens 30 km and womens 15 km free style. Russia had a privilege of national groups, that is why in both races took part 16 athletes both men and women. However just few of them could show the same speed as World Cup leaders. Despite Bjoergens missing of the stage due to preparations to Tour de Ski, in the womens race led Norwegians. The most active of them was Vibeke W. Skofterud, but won the race another Norwegian young Astrid Jacobsen, who increased speed toughly on the last uphill. Second to the finish line went Natalia Korosteleva, third was Riita Liisa Roponen from Suomi.
Mens 30 km race wasnt so good for Russia. Best Russian Alexander Legkov finished 6th. He spent all the race in a leading group and even tried to brake the group on the last lap, but didnt succeed and lost his advantage on the downhill because the group speed is higher. Second Russian Dmitry Osinkin finished only at the 15th place. The winner was Olympic sprint champion Tor Arne Hetand, who was on the finish line just ahead of Ville Nousiainen from Finland and Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer.
In free style sprint Natalia Korosteleva succeed again and won bronze medal. Qualification winner Natalia Matveeva didnt manage to get throw semifinals, thats why Korosteleva had to race by herself. Her main competitors were first day winner, sprint World champion Jacobsen and American Kikkan Randall. Randall, who didnt race at the first day, looked more fresh, then Korosteleva and Jacobsen and took an incredible victory. Jacobsen was also tougher then Korosteleva and took the silver.
In the mens free style sprint race Russian ski team had a bad luck. Only son of Olympic champion Mikhail Deviatyarov went to semifinals and finished second in B final. In the main final spectators saw real Norwegian national championship. In A final raced five Norwegians and the single Swede was disqualified because of false start. 21 years old Anders Gloeren took first World Cup victory in his career. Ola Vigen Hattestad second, Oeystein Pettersen third.