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Pirena 2008
19th January - 2nd February

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Another victory makes Tom Andres be the virtual champion of PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance
The German wins another stage and ads four to the last six. The distance in relation to the second, Ozcoidi, is almost three minutes. Scott is still third. Both of them are very close and changes might occur in the second place in the general table. Raigoso did a good race and is fourth and also did Alvaro López Cobo, fifth today, who has advanced five places in the general table last week. Tomorrow the last stage will take place in La Molina and the great final Party in the car park Font Canaleta in the ski resort.
Jesus Raigoso wins a stage, which does not give points
Stage 12. Grandvalira - Grau Roig 31st January 2008. The second stage of PIRENA 2008 GRAND PRIX AFFINITY ADVANCE in Andorra was really peculiar. Mushers as well as skijorers started; although their time was controlled and there was a podium of winners, the results will not give points for the general table. The lack of snow made shorten the stage to four kilometres and the organisation decided not to include it in the general table. The winner was Jesús Raigoso, who completed the trail in a little more than eight minutes, second was the Scottish Graeme Scott and third Tom Andres, who maintains the leadership and every day is closer to the final victory in PIRENA. The champion on the previous day, Álvaro López Cobo, was fourth.
Three Spaniards on the Podium in the nocturnal stage in Andorra
Álvaro López Cobo, first, Jesús Raigoso, second, and Iker Ozcoidi, third 11th stage. Grandvalira - El Tarter. Nocturnal stage 30th January 2008 A great surprise at the results of the stage in Grandvalira El Tarter: three Spaniards were on the podium. They were Alvaro López Cobo, Jesús Raigoso and Iker Ozcoidi. The fourth classified in the general table and second in Pirena 2006, Gregor Von Gumppenberg did not start as he was afraid that the trail was too dangerous for his dogs. Theoretically it seemed that there was ice on trail and the organisation made the teams start with only six dogs. At the finish line mushers stated that this measure was not necessary as the trail was in good condition to run with long teams. Iker Ozcoidi commented he would have rather run with 8 or 10 dogs.
Tom Andres wins again and increases the difference in relation to the second in more than three minutes and a half
Stage 10. Port Ainé - L'Obaga - Port Ainé. 29th January 2008. Tom Andres achieved the goal in Granpallars Port Ainé He has won three of the four stages that have taken place in this ski resort in Lleida. He won on Saturday and on Sunday, he was fourth in the nocturnal yesterday and he won again a 10 Km. long stage today. This stage had a height unevenness of 200 m. and went through the woods in the ski resort.
No changes in the second nocturnal stage of PIRENA 2008
Stage 09 Port Ainé -El Raset - Port Ainé. Nocturnal stage. 28th January 2008. The second nocturnal stage of PIRENA 2008 - GRAND PRIX AFFINITY ADVANCE left no changes in the general table and did not shorten the distance among the main candidates to achieve the final triumph. The four first teams arrived in an interval of 10 seconds. Von Gumppenberg won the stage, Ozcoidi was second, Scott third and the leader Tom Andres was fourth. Two minutes separate Iker Ozcoidi from Tom Andres. The 9,5 Km. long stage was not long enough to shorten the distance among the first teams classified and this seems to be the tendency until the end of the race. Maybe the following stage, which will take place again in Granpallars Port Ainé and will consist of an almost 20 Km. long trail, might modify the final podium in La Molina
Tom Andres wins again and grabs the leadership from Iker Ozcoidi, who is second
Stage 08 GranPallars II 27th January 2008. Today the sensations lived with Tom Andres' victory were the same as yesterday. The German had stated that he had 4 fresh dogs to run on the trail today and the result was spectacular. Not only did he win the stage, but he situated as the new leader in PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance. Two minutes separate him from Iker Ozcoidi. Scott is still third in the general table and Von Gumppenberg fourth. Iker Ozcoidi was the only team competing with twelve dogs, as the previous day he had trouble running uphill on a similar trail. So he strengthened the team.
The debutant Tom Andres wins and places himself at less than one second after the leader Iker Ozkoidi
Stage 07 GranPallars - Port Ainé 26th January 2008 The debutant Tom Andres won the first of the four stages to take place in the ski resort Granpallars Port Ainé in Lerida. The German got the best time on a very hard trail that was 15 Km. long with 8 Km. uphill and seven Km. downhill passing by Pic de l'Orri, 2.419 m, the top spot where mushers competing in PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance had to climb up. In this stage Gregor von Gumppenberg was second and Graeme Scott third. The present leader, Iker Ozcoidi was fourth. A large number of public was present at this stage. It was a sunny day and the snow was dough.
PIRENA 2008 - ARRIVES AT ITS SECOND HALF
25th January 2008 - Rest day PIRENA arrives at its ecuador. Five teams are very close to the leadership. The leader is the Spaniard Iker Ozcoidi who will have to be under pressure by two Germans, a Czech and a Scotish. The race have had three different leaders until now. The sanction to Gregor Von Gumppenberg, as he received external help from their handlers, brought about that he lost the leadership and was relegated to the fifth place. Tomorrow the stage will take place in the ski resort Granpallars Port Ainé. It will start at 10 am.
Ozkoidi new leader in PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance
Stage 06 Beret-Bonabé-Beret 24th January 2008. This is third leader in the last three days in PIRENA 2008 ? Grand Prix AFFINITY ADVANCE. The Navarrian Iker Ozcoidi, third place today, is situated at the head followed by the Scottish Graeme Scott 13 seconds after. The reason why was the sanction of 3 minutes received by Gregor Von Gumppenberg, as he was helped externally by his handlers at some spot on the trail in Baqueira Beret. After the sanction, Von Gumppenberg was situated in the eleventh place in the stage and the fifth in the general table, one minute and 34 seconds after Ozcoidi. It must be seen how the Navarrian will react at the pressing of the leadership.
Leadership changes in the first stage PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance in the Aran Valley
Stage 04. Baqueira Beret 23rd January 2008. Changes in the general table of PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance. Awating what may happen tonight in the first nocturnal in the competition, the German musher Gregor Von Gumppenberg, apart from winning the stage, has become the leader. The previous leader Graeme Scott did not have a good day and Ozcoidi was second only 5 seconds after and he is already a strong candidate in the way to the final triumph. Distances among the three first entrants are very narrow. Scott is 10 seconds below and Ozcoidi less than two minutes.
Ozkoidi wins and shortens distance in the general table after the first nocturnal stage in PIRENA 2008-Grand Prix Affinity Advance
Stage 05. Beret-Montgarri. Nocturnal stage 23rd January 2008 The first nocturnal stage in PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance, with torches showing the trail, was perfect for he Navarrian Iker Ozcoidi. He won the stage for the second time as he did yesterday in Candanchú. Thereore he shortened distance in relation to the present leader the German Gregor Von Gumppeberg, who was fifth. 45 seconds separate the three first classified. Scott was sixth as he had serious trouble when his forehead light on his helm broke and lost almost half a minute. He had to run the stage with a light on his sled.
Iker Ozkoidi wins in Candanchú, the third stage of PIRENA 2008 -Grand Prix Affinity Advance
Stage 3 - CANDANCHÚ 22nd January 2008 The 24-years-old Navarrian Iker Ozcoidi won the stage that was celebrated in Candanchú, the second was the Czech Pavel Pfeiffer, who surprised everybody, and the third was the Scottish Graeme Scott, who is still the leader in the general table. Ozcoidi showed great satisfaction with his role. The very strong Navarrian helped his dogs in the uphill ways very much. As it was not happy with the previous stage he added seven new dogs to his team, among them there were his two leader dogs.
On the podium in the second stage of PIRENA 2008 Gumppenberg, Andres and Scott
Stage 02. Aramon Formigal 21st January 2008. Three non-Spanish mushers went up the steps of the podium in the second stage of PIRENA 2008 ? Grand Prix Affinity Advance. The German Gregor Von Gumppenberg, second in the stage on Sunday, won today followed by the German Tom Andres, who did a great stage, and the Scottish Graeme Scott, who is still the leader. In the general classification there are no changes; Scott, the leader, the second is Gregor Von Gumppenberg with only 9 seconds after him and the third, the Navarrian Iker Ozcoidi three minutes after and fifth in the stage.
The Scottish Graeme Scott, first leader at PIRENA 2008 Grand Prix Affinity Advance
Stage 1. La Partacua - Nieve de Aragón.
Sixteen top international teams at PIRENA 2008 - Grand Prix Affinity Advance
Beside the Spanish teams in PIRENA there will be teams coming from Andorra, Germany, Canada, France, Scotland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. The competition will start on January 19th and finish on February 2nd. Among the entrants the participation of the skijorer Jana Porubska from the Czech Republic and winner in the 2005 and 2006 editions in the absolute class. The competition gives points for the World Cup organised by he International Federation of Sleddog Sports and for the European Cup

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Nova Icària

Platja Nova Icària 12th-13th January
Fiesta en Zaragoza


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