Nesselwang disabled WC: Cook wins 1st of season

Paralympic gold medalist Steve Cook nabbed his first World Cup win of the season Wednesday, tackling an 18.7-kilometer course in 50 minutes, 19.01 seconds to defeat Norwegian Nils-Erik Ulset by more than a minute.
NESSELWANG, Germany — Paralympic gold medalist Steve Cook nabbed his first World Cup win of the season Wednesday, tackling an 18.7-kilometer course in 50 minutes, 19.01 seconds to defeat Norwegian Nils-Erik Ulset by more than a minute. The victory closed the second stop of the disabled cross-country World Cup for Cook, the 2005 World Cup champion and three-time Paralympian who received an ESPY nod over the summer for Best Male Athlete.
    In the mono-ski race, Chris Klebl returned to action after resting Tuesday to take second in the men’s 15 km. It was the fifth podium this season for Klebl, who has finished in the No. 2 position in every World Cup race he’s entered this year.
    Klebl’s time of 55:57.3 was 36.1 seconds back of winner Irek Zaripov of Russia, who won for the third consecutive race. U.S. teammates Greg Mallory was 11th and Sean Halsted 15th. No American women competed.

DISABLED CROSS COUNTRY WORLD CUP
Nesselwang, Germany — Jan. 24, 2007
Men’s 18.7 km — standing
1. Steve Cook, Salt Lake City, Utah, 50:19.1
2. Nils-Erik Ulset, Norway, 51:28.4
3. Kirill Mikhaylov, Russia, 52:40.5
4. Yannick Bourseaux, France, 53:10.4
5. Michael Kurz, Austria, 53:11.3

Men’s 15 km — sit-ski
1. Irek Zaripov, Russia, 55:21.2
2. Chris Kelbl, Heber City, Utah, 55:57.3
3. Robert Wator, Poland, 56:14.8
4. Enzo Maiello, Italy, 56:39.6
5. Georges Bettega, France, 57:11.1
–
12. Greg Mallory, Portland, Ore., 1:00:48.4
11. Sean Halsted, Gig Harbor, Wash., 1:03:08.6