CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING: Phil Bellingham, at his third Olympic Games and the senior member of the Australian cross-country team, was the fastest and best placed Aussie in the sprint freestyle qualifying.
He placed 50th with a time of 3:01.57.
“I felt really quite good,” Phil said.
“I had a bit of a tough day on Sunday in the 30km and didn’t feel very good, but I think that effort really kicked me into gear. I felt a lot fresher and my body was really ready to go today so I’m happy with how it ended up.”
All competitors were preparing for the worst race conditions, as the weather at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Skiing Centre had been extremely cold and windy for most of the past week.
However it did make a change for the race day, as the sun came out and the wind was light.
“Because it was warmer today the snow was a lot faster and that made the race a little bit shorter. That works better for me. I’m a bigger guy and I prefer a faster, quicker course with faster snow.”
On the women’s side, Jess Yeaton finished 52nd in a time of 3:32.85 and has more of a focus on upcoming races.
“I felt good [today]. I’m more of a distance skier so I prefer the longer races,” Jess said.
“But I’m actually happy considering that.”
Casey Wright, who finished 63rd, hoped to get much more out of the event.
“It’s not quite what I was hoping to get, but this is my first race out of four in this Olympic campaign so hopefully it’s a nice warm-up for the rest of the races to come,” Casey said.
“If anything I’m just really grateful that it’s warmed up and the wind has died down. During the first week we had some of the most brutal skiing I’ve had for quite a while.”
Seve de Campo, who finished 63rd, agreed and particularly enjoyed the experience.
“The course has quickened up and it’s a great sprint course,” Seve said.
“I also started feeling good, so looking forward to the rest of the races. For me the 15km classic is the main focus.”
Lars Young Vik, who in his debut Olympic event finished 55th, had a different takeaway from the event.
“It was pretty tough,” the 21-year-old said.
“It’s a brutal course and I didn’t feel super fresh.”
Hugo Hinckfuss, a fellow Olympic debutant, finished 61st. Only the top 30 athletes progress to the finals.
This cross-country team has a strong camaraderie, which is encouraging Phil to continue pushing the limits with the next generation of cross-country skiers coming through.
“It’s great to have these young guys around. They keep the motivation up and they’re always super enthusiastic,” Phil said.
“As I might be starting to drop off a little bit, they keep pushing me to try and do my best. And try to keep skiing as fast as I possibly can because if I drop off at all they’re going to kick my butt so it’s good to have them around.
“I’m just super happy and proud to be here. I had a bit of a tough lead-in to the Olympics. I wasn’t really skiing at my best, but now I’m here and skiing quite well today, I’m just super happy and proud to be a part of it once again.”
Jeff Dickinson-Fox
#HaveAGo
Cross-Country Skiing
CAN YOU SKI IN AUSTRALIA?
Yes! There are 10 Ski Resorts in Australia that are easy to access.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Skiing is very affordable to #HaveAGo. You can rent all the equipment you need which is a low-cost way to try snowsports.
WHAT KIT DO I NEED?
All you need to get going is skis, poles, ski boots, a helmet, snow jacket, gloves and pants. All these items can be rented from ski shops to help get you started without having to buy everything for your first time.
