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FIS ANC X-Country Cup Race 2008 - Final Results
TUESDAY, 19 AUGUST 2008
LAKE WANAKA, New Zealand - A weekend of closely fought competition in excellent snow conditions saw both sprint and freestyle titles decided in the FIS Cross-Country Continental Cup at Snow Farm NZ.
On Saturday, Shohei Honda (JPN) took out the men's sprint title in a race that was so close a photo finish was required to decide second and third place. Geoffroy Pais (FRA) had qualified for the finals in the fastest time of 1:50:90 for the 1km lap but could not repeat his speed in the finals falling to third place, a hair's breadth behind Masaaki Kozu (JPN). In the women's event, Bettina Gruber (SUI) qualified a convincing five seconds ahead of the rest of the field and went on to win the sprint title, ahead of Esther Bottomley (AUS) and Sandra Gredig (SUI).
Fresh snowfall on Sunday created beautiful but slow conditions for the men's and women's freestyle races. Canadian national champion Robin McKeever, won the men's 10km title in a time of 26:58:36, just .07 of a second ahead of Japan's Masaaki Kozu in a closely run race that saw Ben Sim (AUS) take third. Highest placed New Zealand, Nat Anglem, finished in 10th place in a field that included a number of World Cup level competitors.
McKeever said of his victory, "The course was great and my second lap felt good after a tough first lap, although I'm glad Masaaki has small feet! There was less than a boot length between us at the end!"
Olympic bronze medalist Milaine Theriault (CAN) continued her success from Thursday's Classic event, taking out first place in the women's 5km Freestyle in a comfortable win over Sumiko Ishigaki (JPN). New Zealand's Katherine Calder completed the women's podium in third place.
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