ROL WSC 2021 at Val di Fiemme - results
Sep 26, 2021·Cross-Country
With the four-day event of the FIS World Rollerski Championships in Val di Fiemme (ITA), the FIS Rollerski season 2021 has come to an end. The world elite in Rollerskiing concluded a busy race schedule and all sorts of weather conditions during the four days, finishing off with the summer edition of the “final climb” up to Alpe Cermis.
DAY 1
Each competition was held in the four categories of junior women and men as well as senior women and men. For Thursday’s 10km / 13km / 16km Interval start, the weather proved that we are headed towards autumn. The juniors had to defeat partly heavy rain during their course but managed well on the brand new Rollerski course on Passo Lavaze’. The 3.2km loop on an altitude of 1’800m saw its first international competition and proved not only to be an excellent high altitude training course, but also a very divers and suitable race course.
Hana Mazi Jamink (SLO) took the title of World Champion in the junior womens categories +31 seconds before Yuliya Astakhova (RUS) and Klara Mali (SLO). The junior men followed up and Oleksandr Lisohor (UKR) completed the 13km race course +12 seconds before Aksel Artusi (ITA) and Nikita Smirnov (RUS).
Linn Soemskar from Sweden started her successful weekend on Passo Lavaze’ and raced to her first title this weekend before Natalia Nepryaeva (RSF) and Mariya Istomina (RSF).
By the time the senior men category headed out on the course, the rain had disappeared and the Italian fans who defied the weather were rewarded with a great victory of local favorite Matteo Tanel who took the title only 6 seconds before Amund Korsaeth (NOR) and Denis Spitsov (RSF).
DAY 2
The Sprint competitions on Friday evening attracted many spectators along the 200m race course in the Via Nazionale in Ziano di Fiemme. The sun came out for the spectacular knockout fights and two Italians raced to their World Champion title. In the junior categories, Sabrina Borettaz (ITA) and Pavel Makarov (RSF) took the titles of junior World Champion. Olga Letucheva (RSF) won the grand final against Linn Soemskar (SWE) who collected her second World Championships medal in two days. Third placed Julie Henritte Arnesen (NOR) completed the podium as she won the small final against two time ROL Sprint World Cup winner of this season, Alena Prochazkova (SVK)
As the day before, the cheering crowd along the Via Nazionale awaited a thrilling finale of the mens Sprint duo Dmitriy Voronin (RSF) and Emanuele Becchis (ITA). The two Sprint experts with each their own specific style paced along the 200m stretch, but Becchis managed to gain a +0.52 second advance and earned the title of Sprint World Champion 2021.
Day 3
A loop of 2.2km was setting the stage in Ziano di Fiemme for the third day of the FIS World Rollerski Championships and the scheduled Teamsprint. The junior team of Yuliya Astakhova and Ekaterina Gryaznova (RSF) were pacing against the Italian duo with Sabrina Borettaz and Laura Mortagna. Gryaznova and Astakhova ended with a 3 second margin before the Italians. The two teams remained a league of their own as the third on the podium lied almost 1 minute back. Bronze thereof goes to Marianna Sehlinyk and Mariia Chamara from Ukraine.
The mens juniors remained closer together but also here, Maxim Lipkin and Oleg Polyakov (RSF) were not to catch. Second place goes to Volodymyr Aksiuta and Oleksandr Lisohor from Ukraine before Riccardo Munari and Aksel Artusi from Italy.
In the senior categories, Natalia Nepryaeva and Anna Grukhvina (RSF) were the head of the group right from the start. Despite a good call from Elisa Sordello and Elisa Brocard (ITA), the Russian duo raced to the titles before the Italians. Third on the podium is Maryna Antsybor and Yuliia Krol from Ukraine.
The only non-Russian victory of the day went down in the senior mens category with Erik Silfver and Alfred Buskqvist from Sweden going for the victory. It was a tight final as Amund Korsaeth and Ragnar Bragvin Andresen were on the heels of the Swedish duo. Only 2.2 seconds separated the two from the title of World Champion but the Norwegian team was rewarded with bronze before Oleksii Krasovskyi and Ruslan Perekhoda ensured Ukraine the fourth medal on this day, completing one WSC medal in each category for Ukraine!
DAY 4
As a summer edition of the prestigious Final Climb, the final competition day led from Ziano di Fiemme past the Cross-Country stadium in Tesero and up to the Alpe Cermis. The total of 13km C started as a mass start but along the way, various athletes were troubled by defects with the Rollerskis. The junior Yuliya Astakhova (RSF) won her first individual title and her third medal in these Championships with completing the course in a time of 51.07 minutes. Hana Mazi Jamnik (SLO) also claimed her second medal of this years WSC with the silver medal. Third in line ended Mira Goeransson from Sweden.
A double Italian victory celebrated Elia Barp (gold) and Aksel Artusi (silver) in the junior categories before Maxim Lipkin (RSF).
The finish of the senior womens category would have been an even closer call if the Rollerskis of Natalia Nepryaeva would have functioned more efficient during her race. Linn Soemskar from Sweden however was not easy to keep up with and with these circumstances, Soemskar raced to her second victory in four days and third World Championships medal of the WSC in 2021. Nepryaeva fought hard to keep her second position and could just defend it before her team colleague Mariya Istomina who ended in third place.
In the senior mens categories, it was Alexey Chervotkin (RSF) and Paul Constantin Pepene (ROU) who went on for a showdown. Only 4 seconds apart, the two crossed the finish line after a strenuous 45-minute race. Chervotkin claimed the title as World Champion before Pepene and third placed Matteo Tanel from Italy.
Last but not least, the FIS Rollerski World Cup overall winners were awarded the prestigious Crystal Globes. This seasons most successful athletes were Sandra Schutzova (CZE) and Matteo Tanel (ITA).
