Several entrants did not make the start line at the Winter Games women's 10km cross-country ski race yesterday, with some sick and others losing track of the time.
Among those scratched because of colds were New Zealanders Katie Calder (28) and Andrea Fancy (28).
Calder said regaining her health was her first priority, as she had already qualified for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
She was disappointed at not being able to show New Zealand fans what she could do.
She had wanted to race in a bid to keep her ranking in the Australia-New Zealand Continental Cup, which she is leading, because the winner received a supported start place on the world cup circuit.
But she did not want to make herself more ill before the marathon at the Australian Hoppet next weekend.
"I am not sure what I will do. I would have loved to have got out on my skis and enjoy the trails. But I have only been on skis twice this week and I am still waiting for my antibiotics to kick in," Calder said.
Several international athletes were not in their skis when their numbers were called for the interval starts.
Some were obviously stressed, but 2006 Olympic gold medallist Sara Renner (33), of Canada, remained calm, despite arriving with 15 seconds to spare, and stormed through the field to win in 28min 11.30sec.
Brittany Webster (22), of Canada, was second and Chisa Obayashi (25), of Japan, third.
Samantha Bondarenko (24), of Oamaru, and Samantha Williamson (19), of Wanaka, flew the flag for New Zealand.
Bondarenko skied despite having three stress fractures in her right foot and having completed the 42km Merino Muster on Saturday.
She was 10th in 39min 0.48sec.
Williamson rallied from a crash to finish 11th in 43min 17.09sec.
