ROLLER SKI (SKI.BG) -- Several world famous names in cross-country skiing and orienteering, greatly international participation, greater competition and challenging battle from the start to the final in all age groups, excellent conditions and perfect organization – so can briefly be described 18th edition of SIVEN ROLLER SKI CUP, which held today, august 18th, 2013 in the region of Belmeken, Rila mountain, Bulgaria.

Three-time world vice-champion in cross-country skiing Maxim Vylegzhanin (Russia) won the race in the hardest part of the SIVEN ROLLER SKI CUP 2013 - a 19 kilometers long distance for men from Yundola to Belmeken sport base with uphill of elevation of 580 meters. Maxim almost equalized his achievement from year 2011, stopping the chronometer at 51 minute 54 seconds. Two years ago Vylegzhanin won the race from Yundola to Belmeken with time 51:40.0min, almost reaching the record of SIVEN ROLLER SKI CUP from 51:12min, placed from the Russian Sergey Rozhkov in 2005.

Traditionally the start was given at the same time exactly in 10:00h on each of the start lines: Yundola (19km – men), Kurtovo (9km – women, juniors, boys-cadets) and “5th kilometer” (5km – girls, girls-cadets, senior boys and junior, senior girls and juniors, veterans). Around 140 competitors from Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Norway and Bulgaria took part in the competition. Among them were and sportsmen-paralympians from Russia, which also like other foreign competitors in the race are preparing in Belmeken for the next year’ Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

The race for the first places of 19km for men was extremely challenging from the start to the final, for first time the 37 athletes stayed almost to the end in one single group. The leading of the group was taken several times from different competitors, the race was unpredictable to the very end.

To the wall of Belmeken dam, only a kilometer before the final it looked that Maxim Vylegzhanin wasn’t attacking the podium, but with incredible final sprint at the end the Russian won for second time SIVEN ROLER SKI CUP and took the gold medal.

The second place this year is for Roman Tarasov (52:06), and 3rd place for Sergey Yustigov (52:16), the podium was taken from “Sbornaya” (the Russian national cross-country ski team). The winner from last year Evgeni Dementiev took the 4th place (52:20), and the this year winner of World Cup starts in Davos and La Clusaz and 2-times World Championships bronze medalist Alexei Poltaranin (Kazakhstan) took 17th place.

From the orienteering team of Norway the best was Lars Moholdt who took 11th place. The leader of Bulgarian national cross-country ski team Veselin Tsinzov (Alexander Logistics team) took the prestigious 5th place in the final results (52:55min), the Bulgarian with Kazakhstan origin who this year is participating for the Bulgarian national cross-coutry ski team – Andrei Gridin (Alexander Logistics team) finished 8th, and the current European ski-orienteering champion Stanimir Belomazhev finished 18th.

In women group the podium again was for Russia – the 1st place was taken by Julia Chekaliova from “Sbornaya” (25:26), second place took Irina Hazarova from “Moscow” (25:39) and third Natalia Jukova from “Sbornaya”(25:58). The race for ladies podium was very challenging. The difference between the first three finished was just 15 seconds.

The member of Bulgarian cross-country ski team ladies Teodora Malcheva (Alexander Logistics club) finished 15th with time 27:25. Other national cross-country ski talent Antonia Grigorova-Burgova prefere to ran the 19th course for men for 1 hour and 9 minutes 38 seconds.

In the groups of boys and girls the podium was occupied by sport club “Sapareva Banya”. The names of the best runners are Desislava Djordjinova, Krasimir Atanasov, Vanesa Emilova and Krustyo Sofroniev. Girls cadets – Nansi Okoro from Sapareva Banya, Junior cadets – Christian Stoyanov. In this age group on 3rd place finished Lubomir Paparkov from sport club Atlas Velingrad. In upper age groups the top places was for Russian competitors – Olga Kucheruk in juniors, Marina Lefterova girls junior group . Evegnii Grigoriev won in senior boys group. The three winners in Veterans group were Todor Mashov, Evgeni Shutov and the competitor from Velingrad Ilia Paparkov, in ladies veterans group the winner is Veronika Grigorova.

SIVEN ROLLER SKI CUP2013 was organized by SIVEN company which produce sport equipment with the support of Velingrad municipality, Belmeken sport base and Bulgarian Ski Federation.

The organizer SIVEN thanks to all companies which supported the event: SLS, CRAFT Bulgaria, SEAT Bulgaria, SHARK energy drink, PEAK.bg and SKI.BG.

Official Results from SIVEN Roller Ski Cup 2013 are here.

Expect here soon more information and photo gallery from SIVEN Roller Ski Cup 2013 !!!

SKI.BG
August 18, 2013