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he
continued
upsurge
in
numbers in the ladies division in
Ski GP1 is again reflected this
season by an 11-strong entry of
contracted riders representing
nine countries, with numbers
anticipated to swell during the
year.
Heading up the entry is
defending
world
champion
Emma-Nellie Ortendahl, who will start as the odds-on-favourite
and the target to chase for her 10 challengers.
Ortendahl, 18 from Alvangen, was outstanding last season
winning nine out of ten races and matching those statistics in
qualifying with nine pole positions.
Leading the field of ten challengers and looking to try to unsettle
the champion is France’s Estelle Poret, the only other rider last
season to qualify in pole and take a race and Grand Prix win.
Three newcomers join the UIM-ABP tour this season; multiple
Estonian champion Katriin Nilbe from Tartu, four-time Latvian
champion Krista Uzare from Riga and Portuguese champion
Joana Graca from St Estevão.
Starting her second season on the tour and looking for her first
podium is France’s Virginie Morlaes, one of the most consitent
performers in 2016, taking a pair of third place race results, a
string of top five finishes and just missing the podium, finishing
fourth overall three times and finishing the year in fifth spot.
Arguably the busiest lady at events and the ‘elder stateswoman’
11-STRONG ENTRY
IN SKI LADIES GP1
t
26
n° 1April | 2017