Ben Sim and Ben Derrick have fallen short in their last chance to qualify for selection to the Torino 2006 Games, forced out of the World Cup Pursuit in Oberstdorf before being lapped by the leading competitors.

With the 30km race held on a 2.5km loop it was always going to be a challenge for the pair to avoid being overtaken, and made to quit as per the FIS rules.

They weren't the first to pull out, but they were never up in the top 80% of the field, so a chance to qualify was never really under threat.

Ben Sim put everything into staying with the pack as long as possible, but unfortunately his form was not good enough after only a week of good training following his illness at the start of January.

In the women's 15km Pursuit, Clare-Louise Brumley finished 36th out of a very small field of 38 skiers. Brumley had already qualified for the Pursuit in Torino.

(story courtesy of the XC files)