UWNST goes International- Funf World Championships 2012

Race officials busy doing official kind of things

             While the rest of the Canadian cross-country ski community, along with the national team, was away water-skiing at Nationals, the UW Nordic ski team decided to step things up a notch and take things to the international stage. The day for the FIS Funf World Championships was set, and there were titles to defend.  The start list included athletes such as the prestigious and two-time world champ Tim Rhodes, funf-expertise Coach Colin Rhodes, last years overall world 2nd place champ Justin Faulkner, American funf-er Henry Reich, up-and-coming Ryan McNamara and the dynamic funf duo Katie Madden and Alison Stephenson.  International funf delegate Derek Hartman was brought in to be Official Timer and we were fortunate enough to Martha Sutton as Chief of Competition.
           For those of you who are not familiar with the funf (in which there is really no excuses not to be) it is a 5-sport event consisting of swimming-running-classic skiing-biking-skate skiing, probably in that order.  Race start was scheduled for 11:15 am. in the PAC pool.  Why such a late start you may ask? It is not important, just that the funf is a much higher level of event than most of you may be used, and we will put up with none of this early start business.

Smiling for the camera gets you technique points in a funf

        Athletes Alison, Colin and Tim took to the pool to do approximately 20 laps, an exact number as to how many is done is something maybe only known by the athletes as best.  World Champ Tim was out of the pool the quickest followed by brother and main competition Colin.  Ryan was third out of the pool and Alison was having so much fun that she decided to put in a few extra laps just for good measure. The course for the second stage-the run- was a follows : 'somehow get through campus to Waterloo park, make it to  King and Union, start heading back when you get to Westmount' as officially quoted from Chief timer, Derek Hartman.  Of course there were officials monitoring any part of the course that have seemed uncertain.  Tim, leading the run was joined by Henry, who decided to focus only on his run component after all.  Colin followed shortly thereafter, followed by Katie who was quickly passed by Ryan while making some aesthetic changes in the washrooms in MC.

         After the run component athlete Ryan decided he would give the others a fair chance, and so decided that going home would be the best option.  The only pair in the race also decided that this would conclude their 2012 funf career, for reasons that had nothing to do with lack of motivation.   




       




Colin had some speedy laps classic skiing around ring road and was able to sneak by Tim, although the transition to the bike once again gave Tim the lead and this order that was maintained throughout the rest of the race.  Ladies and gentlemen, we have our Overall Funf World Champion: Tim Rhodes, winner of the third consecutive funf here at UW.
          This concluded the funf season and all athletes will be taking some much needed time off of their super-funf training in preparation for next year's funf training-which starts exactly one year after the date of this year's funf, provided the funf is scheduled on the same day.

Funf champ 2012 wearing some ultra-reflective gear. Even Chrissy came out to support the cause...

In a press release with UWNN all we could get out of Coach Coling was something about '#@!%-ing cramps'...

Quote of the Race: "Well, I stopped in MC to re-do my hair..." ~Katie

That is UWNN live coverage of the funf, over and out.