Demino Ski Marathon

The first day of the great sport event in Demino Skiing Center is over. For the first time Demino Skiing Center has become the place for Worldloppet Marathons. The decision on acceptance of Russian marathons was made in summer of the last year. That is why the organizers did their best to prove the expectations and to correspond to the world standards.

A unique course was prepared. It is 50 km long. The course is not only on the territory of Demino Skiing Center but also passes the suburbs of Rybinsk .

Juniors were the first to race. They opened the sport event with FT 25 km race. To overcome the distance the strongest athletes had to race for a little longer as an hour. The leaders struggled for seconds.

Ivan Smirnov, Yaroslavl (Russia) was the third (1:22:44), Vasilii Basuev, Perm Region, (Russia) won the silver medal (1:22:43), Anton Prostyakov, Kostroma Region (Russia) won the golden (1:22:42).

Lyubov Skryabova, Yaroslavl Region (Russia) (01:37:39), Maria Bochkareva, Perm Region (Russia) (01:38:08.5) and Dar’ya Prokopenkova, Yaroslavl Region (Russia) (01:41:40.5) became the winners among young ladies.

2399 athletes were registered for Golden Race. A little more than 1700 athletes started. Due to difficult weather conditions the race was not easy. The main intrigue was in the elite group between Alexey Petukhov (Russia), Sergey Shiryaev (Russia), Alexei Ivanov (Byelorussia) and Sergei Dolidovich (Byelorussia), Sergio Bonaldi (Italy), the winner of FIS Marathon Cup, Alan Martinelli (Italy), Florian Kostner (Italy), Antonella Konfortola (Italy) (participants of FIS Marathon Cup), Natascia Leonardi Cortesi, (Switzerland). Nikolai Morilov, the bronze prize winner of the Olympics Games 2010, joined the Russian leaders at the very late moment.

But the famous Italian athlete was only the eighth one. Ski fans know a special Italian technique, when the athletes act as a team and do not race just for personal result. Due to this technique or not, but in the finishing gate Sergei Shiryaev (Russia) was next to the Italians and became the bronze prize winner of the first Russian Worldloppet Marathon. Just due to the tenths of a second Alan Martinelli became the second prize winner and Florian Kostner became the gold winner of the race.

Later Florian Kostner said that long finish is his strong point. « I like the distance. It is not easy but interesting. During the last time I could not get in the group of three leading athletes as I was the fourth or the fifth. That is why the race in Russia was very important for me. I am very glad that I managed to dash round such an athlete as Sergei Shiryaev and to win», – told Florian Kostner.

Sergey promised a strong resistance in response and appreciated Demino Ski Marathon: «Bright Marathon which is organized at the highest level. Everything is well prepared: start, meal points, the ring of course is unique. I thought that it would be more difficult for me, but I felt strength and during the race tried to race faster. But I did not manage to be ahead the Italians. It’s a pity that I was the third on the finish. Next time I will struggle».

But Russian ladies have done their best. They were the first and the third ones. Natalia Zernova got the bronze medal. She managed to race the “golden” distance for 2 hours 46 minutes 13 seconds. The result is 30 seconds better as compared to the result of Ekaterina Rudakova, Byelorussia. The result of Olga Mikhailova, winner of Demino Ski Marathon is 2 hours 43 minutes 11 seconds.

On March 17 very little athletes will start. They open the second day with Baby Marathon. Juniors will race in CT 5 km and CT 10 km, adult athletes will race for CT 25 km race.

A wide entertaining program is ready for the guests of Demino Skiing Center.