AMERICAN BIRKEBEINER A CATTANEO E PEYROT
Entusiasmante corsa quella della American Birkebeiner di sabato, si
sono aggiudicati la vittoria i due poliziotti Marco Cattaneo e Lara Peyrot rispettivamente
con il tempo di 2:03'14" e 2:15'30".
In campo maschile Marco Cattaneo (nella foto) ha tagliato da solo il traguardo,
dietro a lui hanno lottato per il terzo posto Pierluigi Costantin e Ivan Margaroli, che ha
avuto al peggio. |
Il vincitore Marco Cattaneo |
In campo femminile vittoria
di misura per Lara Peyrot che ha chiuso la gara in 2:15'30" con sei minuti di
vantaggio su Cristina Paluselli (2:21'32") seguita a sua volta da Brooke Baughman a
soli 30 secondi (2:22'00"). Fonte: www.skitime.it - Foto: www.skinnyski.com
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Lara Peyrot, vincitrice della gara femminile |
Cristina Paluselli, seconda classificata |
Pier Luigi Costantin (12) conduce le fasi iniziali
della gara, segue Marco Cattaneo (5) e Ivan Margaroli (10) |
In gara anche il tecnico della nazionale italiana di skiroll Mauro
Sormani (nella foto), che ha concluso la gara al 27° posto in 2:12'45".
Mauro Sormani
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Mauro Sormani all'arrivo
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L'American
Birkebeiner si disputa nel Wisconsin ed è la più prestigiosa maratona dello sci nordico
del Nord America. La gara vede al via oltre 8,000 sciatori provenienti da molti paesi, e
prevede diverse prove durante i tre giorni della manifestazione. La gara più importante,
la Birkie, si è disputata sabato 26 febbraio sulla distanza di 51 km con partenza in
linea a tecnica libera con una temperatura al via di -20°C (-4 Farenheit).
L'American Birkebeiner ebbe inizio nel 1973 da Tony Wise, residente a Hayward ma di
origini norvegesi. La prima edizione vide alla partenza trenta uomini e una donna. In
seguito la gara assunse una sempre maggiore importanza, fino a diventare una delle 14
tappe del circuito della Worldloppet.
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Il tracciato della gara
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American
Birkebeiner Coverage - February 26, 2005
The big one -- the American Birkebeiner burst out of the gates (literally for the elite
wave) on Saturday morning as skiers raced from Cable to Hayward on the famed Birkie trail.
With temperatures starting in the single digits and quickly rising to the 20s, along with
good snow coverage and a firm track, it was ideal racing conditions. Italy retained their
recent dominance of the event with Marco Cattaneo crossing the line after 2:03 on the
course, with a minute's lead over fellow countryman Pier Luigi Costantin. In the chase
pack with Costantin was the top US finisher, Leif Zimmermann of Bozeman, MT, finishing
4th. Italy's Leyra Peyrot crushed the women's field, crossing the finish line at 2:15 and
in the top 50 of the overall finishers. Brooke Baughman of Ketchum, ID was the first US
women's finisher. Michael Myers hammered the classic Birkie course for the win, with Sara
Zimmerman-Whit winning for the women. In the Freestyle Kortelopet, Ben Fick and Maria
Stuber took top honors, while Derek Laan and Audrey Weber bested the Kortie classic
fields. We shot nearly 1500 photos on Saturday, of which we've posted over 500 photos
separated into two photosets. www.skinnyski.com
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Il profilo altimetrico della gara
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| Seguono
alcune notizie apparse sulla stampa locale: |
Italians Claim Victory at Birkie
2005
by Leslie Hamp
HAYWARD, Wis. - Marco Cattaneo and Lara Peyrot, both of Italy, skied to victory at the 51k
Subaru American Birkebeiner in Hayward today. Cattaneo captured the championship at the
32nd annual cross-country ski race in 2:03:14 and Peyrot claimed victory with a time of
2:15:30.
Two fellow Italians shared the winners’ podium with Cattaneo. Pier Luigi Constantin
skied to a second-place finish in 2:04:10 followed by Ivan Margaroli with a third-place
time of 2:04:11.
In the women's field, Peyrot was trailed by Cristina Paluselli, Italy, who took second
with a time of 2:21:32. Brooke Baughman of Ketchum, Idaho, finished third with a time of
2:22:00.
Lief Zimmerman of Bozeman, MT, was the first American to finish the 51K race with a
fourth-place time of 2:04:12.
Through interpreter and team coach Marco Selle, Cattaneo said conditions for today’s
race were the best he had experienced in the five years he’s competed in the American
Birkebeiner. Cattaneo, who placed 5th in Birkie 2004, said it was very satisfying to
arrive on Main Street with no other skiers in sight. For the past few years Cattaneo
helped teammate and 3-time Birkie Champ Gianantonio Zanetel capture the title. When
Zanetel did not return for Birkie 2005, Cattaneo was able to ski for himself and stand on
the winnner’s podium as Birkie 2005 Champion.
Three-time female Champion Lara Peyrot said she had some problems at the beginning of the
race because of cold conditions but that she was able to warm up once she reached the
wooded area of the trail. She said the track was very good and fast and that she was
pleased to be able to hold the title for the third year in a row.
Earlier this morning, under blue skies and –4 degree temps (Farenheit), Sven Wiik, an
84-year old Swede who laid out the Birkie trails more than 30 years ago, sent 6,368 skiers
on their way for the 2005 American Birkebeiner before he jumped into a wave to ski the
race with participants from 19 foreign nations and 45 U.S states, including Hawaii, New
Mexico and Kentucky.
In the 23 kilometer Kortelopet, Ben Fick, Marine On St. Croix, Minnesota, claimed victory
in the Kortelopet with a time of 58:33.4; Colin Mahood of Bend, Oregon, finished second in
58:33.8; and Nick Mahood of Woodstock, Vermont, finished third in 59:12.
In the women's division, Maria Stuber of Marquette, Michigan, became the new Kortelopet
Champ with a time of 1:05:21; Gretchen Czaja of Woodstock, Vermont, finished second in
1:08:32; and Stephanie Howe of Marquette, Michigan, finished third in 1:08:45.
Executive Director Shirley Riedmann said she was very pleased with the 32nd American
Birkebeiner, participation numbers and Governor Doyle's “Putting Wisconsin on the
Map” award presented to the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation by Jim Holperin,
Wisconsin Department of Tourism. The award honors the Birkie as a ski mecca that brings
skiers from around the world to northern Wisconsin.
For race day results, log on to www.birkie.com.
Birkie 2005 is sponsored by Subaru, Johnson Bank, Polartec, Murphy McGinnis Media and
other businesses throughout the region and country. |
Posted on Sat, Feb. 26, 2005
Cattaneo has his day
AMERICAN BIRKEBEINER: After four years in a supporting role, Italian Marco Cattaneo wins
the Birkebeiner.
BY KEVIN PATES
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
HAYWARD - Marco Cattaneo had paid his dues at the American Birkebeiner cross-country ski
marathon.
For four years he helped set the pace as Italian teammates won four straight men's titles.
The 32nd Birkebeiner was Cattaneo's on Saturday morning. With two-time defending champion
Gianantonio Zanetel, Italy's top skier, opting to skip the race, Cattaneo enjoyed his day
in the sun.
He broke away from countrymen Pier Luigi Costantin and Ivan Margaroli with 11 kilometers
left in the 51K race to win in a lightning-fast 2 hours, 3 minutes, 14.6 seconds in a
field of 4,405.
It was the third-fastest 51K winning time in race history and worth $4,850. Austria's
Mikhail Botwinov set the course record of 1:57:51 in 1997.
"We arrived here in very good shape and everything has gone perfectly," said
Cattaneo, a policeman, who lives near Milan. "The course was in the best condition of
the last five years."
Italian coach and interpreter Marco Selle said his team missed an airplane connection in
Amsterdam on Wednesday and arrived in the United States on Thursday, a day late.
Yet, the delay had little effect on race day, he said. Just minutes before the start, in a
team meeting, it was agreed that Cattaneo would have the benefit of pacemakers and he took
full advantage.
Cattaneo, 30, had finished 5-4-8 the past three years at the Birkebeiner and led for much
of the 2004 race before giving way to Gianantonio, who won for the third time. Cattaneo
never looked back over the final 10K and was alone heading to the finish in front of a
cheering crowd on Main Street. By then it was 23 degrees.
"We started together, and pushed together, and when he moved very fast (with about
six miles left) it was difficult to follow," said Costantin.
The Italians, however, did gain a 1-2-3 sweep. Costantin, 34, was second in 2:04:10.9 to
earn $3,450 and Margaroli, 27, third in 2:04:11.1 for $2,775.
Cattaneo, No. 4 in the FIS Marathon Cup series, earned his first career victory and
continues his schedule with a Worldloppet race a week from today at the Vasaloppet in
Mora, Sweden.
The Italians weren't completely alone at the 8:20 a.m. start at the Cable Union Airport
near Telemark Lodge. On a calm, clear morning, nearly perfect for racing despite minus-4
temperatures, young American Leif Zimmerman of Bozeman, Mont., stayed close.
Zimmerman, 21, in his first long-distance race, hung on while working with Russian-born
Ivan Babikov of Canmore, Alberta, and finished fourth in 2:04:12.8. Babikov, 24, the U.S.
SuperTour leader, was sixth in 2:04:25.3.
"I didn't know how I'd hold up, so the biggest thing for me was to be consistent. I
didn't want to bonk," said Zimmerman, a member of the U.S. development team after
just six years in Nordic skiing. "The Italians were so composed while working
together. My skis were very fast, but not that fast."
A pack of six was together near the halfway point at Seeley at 23K, coming through in 55
minutes and traveling about 16 mph. Zimmerman was at the back of that group.
"We tried and tried and tried to pull away, but it was not so simple," said
Costantin. "The American was very strong."
The second U.S. finisher was Eli Enman, 27, of Huntington, Vt., seventh in 2:07:38.3,
followed by Scott McArt, 27, of Anchorage, Alaska, in 2:07:48.8.
Bruce Bauer, 33, of Duluth was the Northland's top racer for a third straight year,
finishing 10th in 2:07:48.8. |
Posted on Sat, Feb. 26, 2005
Peyrot wins third straight women's Birkebeiner
BY KEVIN PATES
NEWS TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
HAYWARD - Three American Birkebeiners. Three championships. One course record.
That's the resume of Italy's Lara Peyrot who demolished the women's field in Saturday's
32nd American Birkebeiner.
Peyrot, 29, won the 51-kilometer cross-country ski race in 2 hours, 15 minutes, 30.7
seconds, finishing more than six minutes head of countrywoman Cristina Paluselli, who was
second in 2:21:32.5.
The previous 51K course best was 2:19:45 by Austria's Gudren Pflueger in 1997.
It was Peyrot's third straight victory -- a Birkebeiner first for a woman or man. She's
3-for-3 from Cable to Hayward.
"Each time there is great emotion when I arrive on Main Street (on the final
straightaway). This year I was the most emotional," said Peyrot, who earned $4,850
for the victory. "I tried my regular speed and at 10K I was already alone. I was
surprised."
Top American Brooke Baughman, 32, of Ketchum, Idaho, third in 2:22:00.9, said she knew
immediately that Peyrot was feeling strong. Baughman said no one but Peyrot was prepared
for such a swift early pace.
Paluselli agreed.
"My goal wasn't to stay with her," said Paluselli, who was also second last
year. "I knew her plan was to go very fast. Next week I'm in the Mora (Sweden)
Vasaloppet and I didn't want to spend all my energy trying to stay with her."
Paluselli earned $3,450 and Baughman $2,775.
Because of a minus-4 temperature at the start, Paluselli said she overdressed and then
overheated during the race.
Also because of the cold, Baughman said she didn't carry energy snacks, figuring they'd
turn into solid blocks. She also felt she had on too many layers of clothes.
"You have to be really smart in a race this long and I didn't take enough food at the
feed stations," said Baughman.
Peyrot is ranked No. 2 in the 2005 FIS Marathon Cup series and says she can't help but
look toward the 2006 Winter Olympics. However, she's not exactly sure what her chances are
of making the Italian women's team.
"It's a dream of mine to be in the Olympics, but it is not so easy to get
there," said Peyrot.
If she's chosen to represent her country, it will be a short trip to the Winter Games.
She's a political science student at a university near Turino, Italy, site of the
Olympics.
After the top two finishers, Americans took the next nine positions Saturday, led by
Baughman. St. Paul native Abigail Larson, 25, of Bozeman, Mont., was eighth in 2:27:34.2
and 2000 Minnesota high school pursuit champion Anna McLoon, 22, of Roseville was 10th in
2:29:38.
Hayward High School teacher Diane Tremblay was the top Northland finisher for a third
straight year placing 11th in 2:31:37.3. |
Notizie correlate
Aggiornato il 05-03-05. |
