Estonia joins World Cup ranks
Bjervig, Martinsen win first-ever cross-country events
Posted: Tuesday January 05, 1999 10:16 PM
OTEPAA, Estonia (AP) -- Espen Bjervig and Bente Martinsen gave Norway the solitary honor of winning the first Nordic World Cup cross-country ski events in Estonia on Tuesday, claiming a men's 15K and women's 10K classical races.
A lack of snow threatened the races in this southern town, but proceeded only after Estonian soldiers were called in to spread artificial snow on a hilly 5-kilometer trail, making for a rough and often icy route.
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| Men's World Cup Standings |
| Name |
Country |
Points |
Bjorn Daehlie
Mathias Fredriksson
Per Elofsson
Espen Bjervig
Michail Botwinov
Jari Isometsa
Mika Myllyla
Alois Stadlober
Alexej Prokurorov
Erling Jevne
|
Norway
Sweden
Sweden
Norway
Austria
Finland
Finland
Austria
Russia
Norway
|
380
308
222
220
218
184
169
132
130
124
|
|
|
Bjervig finished the 15K course in 40 minutes, 8.6 seconds, nearly 40 seconds ahead of Finland's Mika Myllyla. Sweden's Anders Bergstrom was third.
The victory boosted Bjervig to fourth place in the World Cup standings. Norwegian standout Bjorn Daehlie remains atop the standings despite not competing on Tuesday. Mathias Fredriksson retained second place after an eighth-place finish on Tuesday.
| |
| Women's World Cup Standings |
| Name |
Country |
Points |
Bente Martinsen
Katerina Neumannova
Antonina Ordina
Nina Gavriljuk
Olga Danilova
Kristina Smigun
Stefania Belmondo
Larissa Lazutina
Anfisa Reztsova
Svetlana Nagejkina
|
Norway
Czech Republic
Sweden
Russia
Russia
Estonia
Italy
Russia
Russia
Russia
|
394
330
271
266
260
235
216
208
149
142
|
|
|
Martinsen completed the 10K women's race in 30:08.6, more than 30 seconds ahead of Sweden's Antonina Ordina. Kristina Smigun of Estonia was third.
The victory vaulted Martinsen to first place in the standings ahead of Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic, who finished fifth in Otepaa. Ordina is in third place in the standings.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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