Shenzen World Cup results

François Auclair and Muriel Sarkany win the ninth stage of the World Cup Difficulty 2003, but overall victory goes to Alexandre Chabot and Sarkany
Strange things happen in China. Last weekend the two World Cup leaders failed to qualify for the next round and, for the first time, watched the Final from the tribune. Alexandre Chabot and rival Ramón Julián Puigblanque had to “make do” with 12th and 9th place respectively, whilst François Auclair claimed his first ever victory in the World Cup series. Tomas Mrazek reappeared on the scene to place a splendid second, whilst outsider Keita Mogaki from Japan placed third.

But, not wishing to belittle the final results in any way, it now seems as if the game was over even before the athletes’ departure for Shenzen. Yes because, as Frenchman Jacky Godoffe wrote “with the subtle game of stages not considered for the final results” and a comparison of results if two athletes are joint-equal, Alexandre Chabot had already mathematically won the World Cup 2003 prior to departure. For those who enjoy this science, the hypothetical sums go as follows: Ramonette wins in both China and Scotland and, eliminating the three worst results, scores a total of 660 points. Chabot decides not to participate in the last two legs and he too scores 660. According to the rules laid down by the ICC, their results are compared head-to-head. Chabot: 5, Puigblanque 3. Victory, for the third year running, to Alexandre. Chapeau!

The conquest of the first place in the Women’s Cup was less subtle: Muriel Sarkany dominated with her nth victory and crowned a truly incredible year, ahead of revelation Angela Eiter and Sandrine Levet (2nd and 3rd at Shenzen). This is the third World Cup title in a row for the Belgian, too, but with a significant difference: in July she also won the World Championship in Chamonix.

We’ll need a bit of time to reflect on this season, which finishes in ten days time in Edinburgh. But one thing is certain: the overall victories were created above all during the first half of the season, and the new arrivals, finally, made a name for themselves during the second half. It’s obviously far too early to talk about the next season, but we find it hard not to predict: the World Cup Difficulty in 2004 will be more gripping than it has been for a long, long time…


1. Auclair François FRA
2. Mrázek Tomás CZE
3. Mogaki Keita JPN
4. Preußler Timo GER
5. Usobiaga Patxi ESP
6. Vinokur Vadim USA
7. Bindhammer Andreas GER
8. Son Sang-Won KOR
9. Pouvreau Gérome FRA
Puigblanque Ramón Julián ESP
11. Chabot Alexandre FRA
Millet Sylvain FRA
13. Ten sijthoff Casper NED
14. Ovtchinnikov Evgueni RUS
15. Cao Rong-Wu CHN
16. Tan Sze Ping SIN
17. Marin garcia Eduard ESP
18. Bindhammer Christian GER
19. Crespi Flavio ITA
20. Liu Chang-Zhong CHN

1. Sarkany Muriel BEL
2. Eiter Angela AUT
3. Levet Sandrine FRA
4. Knorr Damaris GER
5. Bacher Barbara AUT
6. Eyer Alexandra SUI
7. Minoret Chloé FRA
8. Go Mi-Sun KOR
9. Raffetseder Gerda AUT
10. Nilsson Ingela SWE
11. Lavarda Jenny ITA
12. Ciavaldini Caroline FRA
13. Kysilkova Tereza CZE
14. Huang Li-Ping CHN
15. Liu Hiu-Ying HKG
16. Podgorbounskikh Zosia RUS
17. Zeilemaker Monica NED
18. Saulevich Olesya RUS
19. Hnizdilova Sona CZE
20. Flores Elaina Kristine Ap PHI

Alexandre Chabot, overall winner in 2003

World Cup Difficulty
9th stage Shenzen, China


21 - 23 November 2003

Muriel Sarkany, overall winner in 2003

World Cup Difficulty 2003
I.Imst
II.Yekaterinburg
III. Lecco
IV. Aviles
V. Aprica
VI. Prague
VII. Valence
VII. Kranj



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