Nejc Kuhar has started the new season excellently

This weekend, the world championships in competitive ski mountaineering began. At the World Cup race in ski mountaineering in Pelvoux, France (January 8-9, 2011), our leading representative Nejc Kuhar achieved an excellent twelfth place, which is his best ranking in the World Cup.



On Saturday, January 8, there was a knockout sprint race. 55 competitors participated. Nejc had an excellent 10th qualifying time. He was eliminated in the quarterfinals and took 21st place overall, which meant a 21-second bonus for Sunday's classic individual race with multiple ascents and descents, including more technically demanding sections. The sprints surprised everyone, as even the best in the World Cup did not reach the highest results in this new discipline. For example, Spaniard Kilian Jurnet Burgada placed 13th, Italian Manfred Reichegger 12th.

On Sunday, January 9, Nejc competed excellently again and took 11th place, which is not only Nejc's but also the best Slovenian result in classic races in competitive ski mountaineering in the World Cup!

Overall, the two races for the first World Cup competition in 2011 elevated him to 12th place.

The winner was Spaniard Kilian Jurnet Burgada, second place went to Frenchman Wiliam Bon Mardion, and third to Swiss Martin Anthmatten.



About the Saturday sprints, Nejc wrote: "The sprints on Saturday unfolded unexpectedly. At the top were surprising names, and some favorites were eliminated very early. I was very satisfied with the tenth qualifying time, but I already suspected that the knockout battles would be very tough. I finished the sprints after being eliminated in the quarterfinals in 21st place, which meant a 21-second deduction for Sunday's individual race, which was supposed to be a pursuit, but the organizers decided to conduct a mass start, then determine the winner based on a pre-known key of sprint second deductions."



"After Saturday's sunny and warm day, snow woke us up on Sunday morning. After the unsuccessful sprints, this time Kilian Jornet Burgada did not allow surprises and won with sufficient advantage that even the sprint deductions did not spoil Spain's triumph, which was complemented by Mireja Miro Varela in the women's competition. The fight for the remaining places was fierce, and the final results were greatly shuffled by the sprint deductions. I showed a really excellent performance and arrived at the finish as eleventh," Nejc was happy about the success in Sunday's classic trial.



After the first race of this year's World Cup, Nejc summed up his feelings:

"The first World Cup race started the way I wanted. I won 12th place, which is my best ranking in the World Cup. In addition, in the individual race, I achieved those desired feelings that give me hope for the desired top ten, which is now within reach. The first stop of the World Cup also showed that the younger generation of competitors is slowly coming to the forefront. The older ones, who have shaped the world top in recent years, no longer follow the pace of the young."



Results



Men (all 46 ranked)

1. Kilian Jornet Burgada, Spain, 1 h:19 min:12 s

2. Wiliam Bon Mardion, France, 1:20:09

3. Martin Anthamatten, Switzerland, 1:20:26

12. Nejc Kuhar, Slovenia, 1:23:32



Women

1. Mireja Miro Varela, Spain, 1:15:28

2. Laetitia Roux, France, 1:17:36

3. Nathalie Etzensperger, Switzerland, 1:25:24