Ben Sim

Ben Sim (born 30 July 1985 in Cooma, New South Wales) is an Australian cross-country skiers. He is the first Australian cross country skier, who won in a distance competition World Cup points. At the age of 20 he first won the Kangaroo Leaps and Bounds. He is the only cross-country skier in the world that could win an international ski marathon as a junior.

Life and career

Sim, who as a child was an avid runner, began at the age of 10 years with the Nordic skiing sport. In August 2001, he started for the first time in the Continental Cup in Perisher Valley, where he was in third place about 15 km freestyle. At the Junior World Cup 2002 in Schonach he was 71 of 89 starters from a distance of 10 kilometers in the free technique. In the sprint competition he finished in 51st place. His first victory in the Continental Cup celebrated Sim in the summer of 2002 in Perisher Valley at the Australian Championships 10-kilometer freestyle. At the end of the competition series, he finished third overall. And also at the Junior World Championship 2003 in Sollefteå he showed improved greatly, finishing in 24th place in the mass start competition the 30 km free style. About 10 km classic he reached the 49th place in the sprint competition and the 46th place. With several victories and podium finishes in the Continental Cup, Sim qualified in the season 2003/ 04 for his first World Cup start. However, in Nove Mesto, he reached over the classic distance of 15 km with over 10 minutes behind the winner Andrus Veerpalu than just as 71st and last goal. At the Junior World Championship 2004 in Stryn he became the best finish of 35th place 10-kilometer freestyle. In 2005, he convinced the newly created Australia / New Zealand Cup ( Continental Cup) and finished in 2nd place in the overall standings of this competition series. He won, among others, the first time the Kangaroo Leaps and Bounds, an international ski marathon. This was the first victory of Juniors at an international ski marathon world. However, in the World Cup he could continue to use only the last places. Nevertheless, he was nominated for the Nordic World Ski Championships 2005 in Oberstdorf. About 15 km freestyle he fought behind his compatriot Ben Derrick 80th place out of 121 starters. While he did not finish the pursuit competition, it passed in the sprint competition on the 54th. In the team sprint Sim went with Paul Murray at the start. The duo finished in 18th place among 24 nations. At the Junior World Championship 2005 in Rovaniemi, he missed by two hundredths of qualifying for the finals, finishing in 32nd place. In pursuit of competition he was 35

In summer 2006, Sim secured with two wins first victory in Australia / New Zealand Cup. However, in the World Cup competitions in the 2005/06 season and also at the U23 World Cup, he could not convince again and took only places in the rear box. He was not nominated for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. After Sim in summer 2007 again was able to record the overall win in the Australia / New Zealand Cup, he started at the Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo, where he was able to occupy the 14th place in the team sprint with Paul Murray. His best individual result was the 49th place in the sprint competition. In the U23 World Cup, it was enough for 15 km free technique for the 37th Place and in the pursuit competition for 52nd place. These placements will be significantly improved one year later times and won the 30 km free style ( mass start ) in 25th place and about 15 km classic on the 19th Place. In summer 2008, he succeeded the third overall win in the Australia / New Zealand Cup. At the World Cup in Vancouver, Ben Sim assured though with number 33 his best placement in the World Cup, but only 34 athletes took part. The Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Liberec, he began classical with a 51st place over 15 kilometers. The tracking competition over 30 kilometers, it terminates as the 42nd in the team sprint with Mark van der Ploeg he reached the 19th place and with the Australian relay the 14th Place. The 2009/10 season began for Sim with second place in the overall standings of the Australia / New Zealand Cup and his fourth overall victory at the Kangaroo Leaps and Bounds. In November Sim denied some FIS races in Beitostølen in which took part the majority of the world's best. Here, Sim showed greatly improved, reaching about 15 km freestyle 36th. In the race, about 10 km classic he could convince than 42. At the opening competition of the cross-country skiing World Cup 2009/10 then Sim managed an unexpected surprise. About 15 km freestyle he won the 30th place. In order to enable Sim is by Paul Murray, the second Australian athletes of the World Cup points win and the first to have managed in a distance competition.