From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
American Patrick “Paddy” Caldwell chasing Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov during the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Thursday at U23 World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. Bolshunov went on to win and Caldwell placed ninth for a career best. (Photo: FlyingPointRoad.com)
FIS Nordic U23 World Championships (Midway, Utah): 10/15 k freestyle
Paddy Caldwell, of the Stratton Mountain School and U.S. Ski Team D-team, raced to the first top 10 of his career at a U23 World Championship on Thursday, placing ninth in the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.
Caldwell started 44th (of 53) and crossed the finish in sixth before being bumped down three places to ninth. Upon being passed by the eventual winner, Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov, who started 30 seconds behind him in bib 45, Caldwell worked to keep pace with the Russian and ended up 1:03.6 minutes off his winning time. The silver medalist in Tuesday’s classic sprint, Bolshunov took the victory in 32:55.7 minutes, and Russia swept the men’s podium for the second-straight day at U23/Junior World Championships with Alexey Chervotkin in second (+21.8) and Denis Spitsov in third (+28.2).
Also for the U.S., Adam Martin (Northern Michigan University) placed 22nd (+2:22.4), Jack Hegman (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) was 24th (+2:25.2), and Cal Deline (Dartmouth Ski Team) 37th (+3:48.6).
Evan Palmer-Charrette (NTDC Thunder Bay) led Canadian men in 34th (+3:20.2), Alexis Dumas (CNEPH) was 38th (+3:52.9), Julien Lamoureux (CNEPH) 43rd (+4:16.7), and Scott James Hill (Team Hardwood) 49th (+6:15.2).
In the women’s 10 k freestyle Thursday morning, Sweden’s Anna Dyvik won her second-straight race of the championships, finishing in 26:14.0 minutes. Norway took second through fourth with Tiril Udnes Weng in second (+16.8), Lovise Heimdal in third (+23.0), and Lotta Udnes Weng (Weng’s twin sister) just 0.1 seconds off the podium in fourth (+23.1).
Dahria Beatty (AWCA/Canadian U25 Team) was the top Canadian in 16th (+1:25.8), and Petra Hyncicova (a University of Colorado-Boulder Ski Team member who’s skiing for her native Czech Republic) followed in 17th (+1:26.3).
Canada’s Frédérique Vezina (CNEPH) placed 25th (+1:58.8) for a career best at her second U23 Worlds, Katherine Stewart-Jones (NTDC Thunder Bay/NST U25 Team) was 27th (+2:07.8), and Jenn Jackson (Lappe Nordic/Team Hardwood) 37th (+3:31.8).
Kelsey Phinney (SVSEF) led the Americans in 30th (+2:24.6), Jesse Knori (University of Colorado-Boulder) was 32nd (+2:36.4), Alayna Sonnesyn (University of Vermont) 33rd (+2:51.4), and Nichole Bathe (University of Alaska Fairbanks) 39th (+4:19.8).
Australia’s Casey Wright (University of Alaska Anchorage Ski Team) followed in 40th (+4:22.0).
FIS Nordic Combined Junior World Championships: 4 x 5 k team event
[UPDATED] In the lone nordic-combined team event of Junior World Championships, Austria took the win in 46:17.3 with Samuel Mraz, Marc Luis Rainer, Florian Dagn, and Mika Vermeulen. The team ranked fourth after the jumping portion and started 23 seconds behind Japan in first, but captured the 9.7-second victory over France (Lilian Vaxelaire, Laurent Muhlethaler, Theo Rochat,Mael Tyrode), the third-ranked team after the jump.
The Czech Republic started the relay in fifth and reached the podium in third (+15.3), with Ondrej Payout, David Zemek, Jan Vytrval, and Lukas Danek.
The U.S. (Elijah Vargas, Grant Andrews, Ben Loomis, Stephen Schumann) finished seventh (+2:10.8) out of nine teams after starting sixth. Last year, the U.S. squad placed sixth at 2016 Junior Worlds in Rasnov, Romania, and in 2015 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, they were seventh.
Japan slipped from first at the start of the relay to eighth at the finish (+2:46.4).
Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) leads the American train around the bridge corner into the finish straight in the A-final of Saturday’s NorAm classic sprint at Sovereign Lake in British Columbia. She went on to finish fourth behind Julia Kern (second from r), Liz Guiney (back left) and Kaitlynn Miller (l), respectively. (Photo: Peggy Hung)
Welcome to The Rundown, your quick primer of need-to-know information about the day’s racing. We’ll be updating this digest as the day goes on with additional results, photos and quotes. The Rundown is NOT a race report; stay tuned for complete race reports later today with interviews from the day’s top racers.
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Canadian NorAm/U.S. SuperTour at Sovereign Lake: Classic sprint
[UPDATE] U.S. skiers filled the open category podiums on the first fully North American NorAm event in recent years on Saturday at Sovereign Lake near Vernon, B.C. With NorAm points, SuperTour points and FIS points on the line there was a great turnout of the top skiers.
In the open women’s 1.2-kilometer classic sprint, Julia Kern of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) won in 3:17.04 after qualifying fifth. Liz Guiney of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project (CGRP) finished second, 0.67 seconds back, and her CGRP teammate Kaitlynn Miller rounded out the podium in third (+0.91). Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (Alberta World Cup Academy) was the top Canadian in fourth (+1.49) and the lone Canadian in the final. Jennie Bender (Bridger Ski Foundation) placed fifth (+3.8) and Heather Mooney was sixth (+19.84).
On the same 1.2 k course, Reese Hanneman (Alaska Pacific University) made up for his 15th qualifying time to take the men’s final win in 2:38.08. Cole Morgan of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) took second in the final (+0.87) after winning the qualifier, and Ben Saxton (SMST2) was third (+1.92). Matt Gelso (SVSEF) finished fifth (+3.88), after precipitating a semifinal crash that took three Canadians (Angus Foster, Simon Lapointe and Evan Palmer-Charrette) out of contention, but didn’t result in a protest. The lone Canadian man in the final, Antoine Briand (Pierre-Harvey Training Centre) placed sixth (+11.98).
Susan Dunklee being hoisted up by her US Biathlon support team at the IBU World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia, after tying her career-best result in a pursuit. Dunklee placed fifth on Saturday for a season best as well. (Photo: USBA/NordicFocus)
Another day at the front of the pack, and another day of (nearly) perfect shooting for Susan Dunklee, who raced from 11th to fifth for her first flower ceremony (top six) of the season at the IBU World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia.
Dunklee (US Biathlon) cleaned the first three of four stages in Saturday’s 10-kilometer pursuit to move into second with one standing stage remaining. In that final shooting stage, she had her first miss of the day, yet still left the range in second, 22 seconds behind Germany’s Laura Dahlmeier in first. Dunklee finished out the race with the 21st-ranked course time on the last loop (her first-loop time was the fastest in the 56-woman field) and placed fifth, 24.1 seconds behind Dahlmeier — who won her second-straight race in Pokljuka. Dahlmeier finished first in 30:43.1 despite two prone misses on the second stage, which put her as far back as fifth (0+2+0+0). Finland’s Kaisa Mäkäräinen finished second, 16.8 seconds back, with two penalties as well (0+0+1+1), and Eva Puskarcikova of the Czech Republic reached the podium in third (+18.7) with a single miss followed by three clean stages (1+0+0+0). One spot ahead of Dunklee, reigning World Cup champion Marie Dorin Habert of France clawed her way up to fourth (+18.8) after starting 17th, with one penalty (0+0+1+0).
For Dahlmeier, it was her 10th World Cup victory and fifth in a pursuit.
“My motto is ‘Scheiß da nix, dann feid da nix’,” Dahlmeier told Germany’s ZDF, which vaguely translates to “Don’t worry be happy,” or “Just do it.”
“That was worth gold today. I was a bit surprised about my two misses in prone. Apparently I already had an aberration in the first stage, then I clicked [adjusted the sights] and was a bit surprised that the two misses still happened,” she added. “… Then came the standing shooting, and there I tried to keep calm again. The race is only over once you cross the finish line, and that became true again today. I am happy that the race flipped again like this.”
Canada’s Julia Ransom cleaned three consecutive stages before missing two on the last standing. She finished 34th for the second day in a row, 2:33.5 behind Dahlmeier. Rosanna Crawford placed 49th with three penalties (2+1+0+0) and Clare Egan of the U.S. was 56th with six misses (2+0+1+3). Canada’s Megan Tandy, with seven penalties (1+1+3+2) did not finish.
In the men’s 12.5 k pursuit, the first man out of the start, Martin Fourcade of France, held his lead to the finish, hitting all 20 targets and winning in 30:27.4. Norway’s Emil Hegle Svendsen rose from fourth at the start to second at the finish (+6.0) with clean shooting as well, and Russia’s Anton Shipulin placed third for the second-straight day (+6.2), with one penalty in the last stage (0+0+0+1).
Friday’s sprint runner-up, Johannes Thingnes Bø of Norway, ended up fourth (+48) with two misses on the last stage (0+0+0+2), Germany’s Simon Schempp placed fifth (+59.8) after starting sixth, and had one miss (0+0+1+0), and Michael Rösch of Belarus cleaned for sixth place (+1:21.0) after starting 16th.
Lowell Bailey (US Biathlon) finished 18th (+2:01.6) for the second day in a row, with one prone penalty in the first stage (1+0+0+0).
Biathlon Canada’s Christian Gow picked off two places for a new career best in 31st (+2:41.7) with a single prone penalty (0+1+0+0).
Tim Burke placed 42nd (+4:09.8) for the U.S. (after starting 53rd) with five standing penalties (0+0+2+3), Canada’s Scott Gow finished 48th (+4:39) with five misses as well (2+1+0+2), and the third Canadian in the race, Brendan Green was 57th (+5:36.4) with five penalties (+5:36.4).
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (c) won her first World Cup race of the season on Saturday in the 15 k freestyle individual start in Davos, Switzerland. Joining her on the podium: Norway’s Heidi Weng (l) in second and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski (r) in third.
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg is back on top of the podium after a 7.9-second win in Saturday’s 15-kilometer freestyle in Davos, Switzerland, over — you guessed it — her teammate Heidi Weng.
Østberg started 38th (out of 59) and led at every split to take the win in 37:44.4, her first this season and her first in a 15 k. Weng started a minute ahead of her in bib 36 and ended up second, while Finland’s Krista Parmakoski notched third (+16.7) for her third podium of the season, ninth in her career and second skate podium.
The next fastest woman, American Jessie Diggins finished 37.6 seconds off the podium in fourth (+54.3), ahead of Russia’s Yulia Tchekaleva in fifth (+1:00.5) and Switzerland’s Nathalie von Siebenthal in sixth (+1:05.6). Ragnhild Haga of Norway was seventh (+1:10.8), Finland’s Riitta-Liisa Roponen eighth (+1:21.4), Italy’s Ilaria Debertolis ninth (+1:32.2), and Sweden’s Anna Haag 10th (+1:35.5).
The U.S. had two in the points with Liz Stephen in 28th (+2:17.5). Kikkan Randall was 2.3 seconds outside the top 30 in 33rd (+2:30.2), and Caitlin Patterson placed 44th (+3:21.6). Rosie Brennan did not start.
Emily Nishikawa led Canada in 34th (+2:33.5) for her best result this season, Dahria Beatty was 42nd (+3:15.2), and Cendrine Browne 54th (+4:07).
Weng remains the Overall World Cup leader by 70 points over Østberg, Parmakoski ranks third, and Norway’s Marit Bjørgen, who is not competing this weekend in Davos, is currently fourth.
[UPDATE] In the men’s race earlier on Saturday, Martin Johnsrud Sundby racked up another victory in Davos’s 30 k freestyle, beating his fellow Norwegian Anders Gløersen by 13.7 seconds with a winning time of 1:07:31.6 hours. Gløersen took second for his first podium in a year (he was third in the Davos 30 k last December) and Finland’s Matti Heikkinen reached the podium for his second-straight race in third (+25.7).
Canada’s Alex Harvey placed 12th (+1:29.4) and his teammate Graeme Killick notched 21st (+2:24.2) for his second-best World Cup result (after placing 19th in a skiathlon last March at the Ski Tour Canada).
Devon Kershaw was the next top North American in 43rd (+3:52.9), six seconds ahead of the lone American in the race, Noah Hoffman in 44th (+3:58.9). Canada’s Andy Shields placed 64th (+6:33.9).
Norway’s Marit Bjørgen racing to first in the women’s 10 k freestyle on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. It was her first FIS race since March of 2015. (All photos: Aleks Tangen)
BEITOSTØLEN, Norway — Saturday’s 10-kilometer freestyle individual start was, from the start, all about Marit Bjørgen. Her previous race was 603 days earlier on March 27, 2015in Harstad, Norway, but that didn’t seem to affect Norway’s six-time Olympic gold medalist one bit.
“I’ll admit that I have had my doubts,” she told Dagbladet about returning to competition. “And I’ve been tired, but I made it through it and I’ve appreciated the good times.”
Norway’s Marit Bjørgen with her baby, Marius, and fans in Beitostølen, Norway, following Bjørgen’s first race since having a child in December 2015. Saturday marked Bjørgen’s first race back since March 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
The 36-year-old Bjørgen led Saturday’s International Ski Federation (FIS) race at every split mark and crossed the finish line in 24:40.3 minutes.
Fellow Norwegian national-team member Heidi Weng followed in second, 11.7 seconds behind. After placing second to teammate Ingvild Flugstad Østberg in Friday’s 10 k classic, Weng told VG that Bjørgen, who sat out the race with a cold, was “probably sitting at home and laughing at how slow it went went. She will race fast and I think will see Marit Bjørgen as good as she has been in the past. She’s done great during the summer and fall training.”
After her second-straight second-place finish, Weng told Dagbladet that she opened fast on Saturday, but her muscles tired as the race progressed.
“It’s irritating, but I really had no chance toward the end, and it’s not that bad, really, because I don’t think I’ve ever had a better season opener. I’m a little surprised by that really,” she said.
When asked by FasterSkier if she thought she could match her performances in Sunday’s skate sprint, Weng said, “I didn’t make it through from the prologue last year so I’m hoping that I can do better than that, but we’ll see.”
The race for third place proved to be the most exciting with Østberg crossing the finish line 28.2 seconds behind Bjørgen and just 1.7 seconds in front of Norway’s Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, who finished fourth. Norway swept the top eight as Kari Øyre Slind followed 2.9 seconds later in fifth and her sister Silje Øyre Slind was sixth, another 17.5 seconds behind.
Østberg told FasterSkier that she will not be competing in Sunday’s sprint. “If the World Cup weekend had been two weeks away then maybe, but after doing two tough races in two days and since sprints takes a lot of energy rest is probably the best,” she said.
Nonetheless, a first and third place finish in Beitostølen is Østberg’s best start to a season yet.
“It is without a doubt my best season opener, and I’m super happy,” she told both FasterSkier and Oppland Arbeiderblad, a regional newspaper from her hometown of Gjøvik.
Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (Norway) racing to fourth in the women’s 10 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Jacobsen narrowly missed the podium after crossing the finish line 1.7 seconds slower than Østberg.
“I feel like I’m not quite there yet,” Jacobsen told FasterSkier after. “I still have some work to do in order to be in top shape, but I still ski relatively fast and I feel like I have a very good base condition so I think it can be a good year.”
Asked what it was like to have Bjørgen back, Jacobsen replied, “She wins as expected. I skied with her on my second lap and I definitely think she can ski faster. This race wasn’t Marit in her top shape.”
When asked about Bjørgen’s ability to perform as well as she did on Saturday, considering she hasn’t raced since 2015, Jacobsen smiled and waited a moment before she answered, “That’s something only Marit can do.”
Eighteen-year-old Norwegian Mathilde Myhrvold finished 27th (+3:49.7) of 48 finishers on Saturday. In 2014, she competed in the track and field World Junior Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and last season she won the Norwegian Cup. Saturday stood as her first race this season.
“Slightly after finishing the first lap I started feeling a little tired and then I skied a little slower, but I improved toward the finish and I’m happy about that,” Myhrvold said. “I may have started a little too fast and maybe that’s why I was tired.”
She figured a few races would help her return to top shape, and for the rest of the season, she’s focused on improving her conditioning for FIS Junior World Championships trials.
One spot ahead of her on the results sheet, American Cambria McDermott, who is living and training in Norway, finished 26th (+3:33.6). Canada’s Isabella Howden and Madison Fraser, both of Team Hardwood, placed 45th (+6:19.6) and 47th (+6:59), respectively.
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Marit Bjørgen racing to first in the women’s 10 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. It was her first FIS race since March of 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (black headband) and Marit Bjørgen (white headband) being interviewed after Saturday’s 10 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. It was Bjørgen’s first FIS race since March 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg being interviewed after Saturday’s 10 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Norway’s Marit Bjørgen with fans and media after Saturday’s 10 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. It was her first FIS race since March 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Another ‘W’ for Tønseth
Norway’s Didrik Tønseth repeated his podium-topping performance from Friday’s 15 k classic and won Saturday’s 15 k freestyle in 33:20.9. But the biggest surprise of the men’s race was second-place finisher Simen Hegstad Krüger, who crossed the finish line in a time that was only six seconds slower than Tønseth.
Norway’s Didrik Tønseth racing to his second-straight win of the weekend in the 15 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway.
“I had nothing more to give, but this podium finish is incredibly satisfying,” the 23-year-old Krüger, who won the 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships last season, told NRK after Saturday’s race.
“I’m hoping for a spot on the team for the World Cup in Lillehammer, but it might be too late for that,”
Norwegian men’s coach Tor-Arne Hetland seemed open to placing Krüger on the team for Lillehammer in two weeks.
“We’ll be choosing the team on Monday and I think the mini tour will suit him well, so he may receive a positive message in the coming week,” he told NRK.
Tønseth had the advantage of starting five bibs after Krüger and told NRK that he felt like he was in good shape and that he was ready to start the season. The 2017 World Championships in Lahti, Finland, are his main focus.
Norway swept the top five after a close fight for third, which Simen Andreas Sveen took, 32.6 seconds behind Tønseth. Anders Nøstedahl Gløersen was another 1.9 seconds back in fourth (+34.5), Mathias Rundgreen placed fifth (+36.9) and Andrew Musgrave of Great Britain finished sixth (+37.0).
Norway’s 25-year-old Mathias Rundgreen (130) leads 33-year-old Chris Jespersen (107), also of Norway, in the men’s 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. Rundgreen placed fifth and Jespersen finished eighth on Saturday.
“I feel good about the race, but I felt a little limply in the beginning,” Musgrave told FasterSkier after. “Though I was able to close some of the gap toward the end, but not enough.”
Like most World Cup skiers, Musgrave’s goal for the season is World Championship and he’ll be in both Kuusamo, Finland, and Lillehammer over the next two weekends to compete in the World Cup.
One place behind Musgrave was Norwegian Sjur Røthe in seventh (+37.2), who told FasterSkier that he felt “heavy during the start.” In a post-race interview with NRK, Røthe said he’s focused on the World Championships 50 k. He planned to skip Sunday’s sprint to recharge for the World Cup.
Petter Northug (Norway) approaching the finish of Saturday’s 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Petter Northug finished Friday’s race like it was a workout, and during the start of Saturday’s race, it appeared that he was on the path to a podium, but such was not the case. Northug led the race at the 1.2 and 2.1 k marks, but for the rest of the race, he was unable to maintain the same speed as the other top finishers and ended up 15th (+1:02.6). However, Northug didn’t seem to be affected by his fading speed, telling Dagbladet, “I am where I want to be. I’ve had two good workouts now and I’m confident that the job is done. I am excited for the important races that are approaching.”
But he did offer some explanation for what happened.
“I opened too hard and during the second lap I felt like it would be too much to maintain the tempo,” Northug told NRK.
Out of 123 male finishers, Jack Carlyle (NDC Thunder Bay) led several Canadian juniors in 90th (+3:48.4). His NDC teammate Scott James Hill finished 101st (+4:25.6), Joey Foster (Pierre-Harvey Training Centre) was 103rd (+4:31), and Team Hardwood skiers Ryan Jackson was 106th (+4:50.4) and Kieran Jones was 115th (+6:11.5).
Noah Hoffman of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail and the U.S. Ski Team (USST) racing to first place in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at the U.S. SuperTour Finals on Monday in Craftsbury, Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)
Technique takes practice. Race tactics take practice. What about podiums?
U.S. Ski Team (USST) member Noah Hoffman — currently competing for his club team, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), at the U.S. SuperTour Finals in Craftsbury, Vt. — views the process of winning a race, equally important to the win itself.
“Honestly, it’s nice to get to win a race every once in awhile,” Hoffman, the winner of the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start race on Monday in Craftsbury, said in a post-race phone interview. “I mean, it’s been a long time since I’ve won a ski race outright and I think there’s something to be said for learning how to win.”
The last time the 26-year-old Colorado native won a race was two years ago at 2014 SuperTour Finals in Anchorage, Alaska. There, he won the opening 15 k freestyle as well.
Now, with another victory under his belt, Hoffman is all for practicing how to win as an individual as well as a group.
“It’s not a secret that we’re lagging behind on U.S. men’s distance [racing],” he said. “We have a long way to go as a group … but I have a lot of faith in the athletes that are skiing right now and I think we can all work together to try to improve.”
The top six in the men’s 15 k freestyle at SuperTour Finals on Monday in Craftsbury, Vt., with (from left to right) fifth-place finisher Eric Packer (APU), runner-up Scott Patterson (APU), winner Noah Hoffman (SSCV/USST), Paddy Caldwell (SMS/USST) in third, David Norris (APU) in fourth, and Tad Elliott (SSCV) in sixth. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)
Following the end of the World Cup season two weeks ago at the Ski Tour Canada (STC), Hoffman sees value for both himself and the USST by racing this last set of races on the U.S. circuit.
“I think my teammates and I all prioritize these races,” Hoffman said. “We’re not just doing this for the domestic scene. I think there’s a lot of value for us as well.”
The term “us” can be applied to both the USST members, as well as athletes watching or racing experienced skiers like Hoffman at SuperTour Finals.
“It’s really fun for me to be here with the Vail club,” Hoffman said. “We [SSCV] have a couple of juniors here, plus we’re part of the Rocky Mountain crew, and there’s a junior from Aspen where I grew up and there’s some Steamboat kids. So being a part of this crew and being on a team with these athletes is really fun for all of us here.”
Hoffman Holds Off Patterson’s ‘Fight for the Win’
Finishing just six-tenths of a second behind Hoffman’s winning time of 31:14.3, was Scott Patterson, skiing for Alaska Pacific University (APU), in second place.
“It’s kind of fun getting back to the domestic racing and actually being able to fight for the win instead of getting blown out of the race,” Patterson, who made his World Cup debut this season, said on the phone. “Obviously I would have like it a little more if I had found 0.6 seconds, but I’m happy with [the race].”
As the last A-seeded male in bib 20, Patterson led both the first and third laps of the four x 3.75 k course skiing with APU teammates Tyler Kornfield and Eric Packer.
“Packer started 30 seconds in front of me and I caught him,” Patterson explained. “And then Tyler left the start line right as Packer and I were passing through. So we had a good group … always nice to have a couple people to ski with.”
While the APU trio made their way through the final lap, Patterson pinpointed another cause for his seconds lost on Hoffman.
“I got a split that I was 12 seconds up on the last uphill, so I probably held back a little bit in the finish,” Patterson said.
Scott Patterson (APU) racing to second place in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at SuperTour Finals on Monday in Craftsbury, Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)
Still, coming off of the STC and two stages of World Cup racing, Patterson was happy to be back in the fight for the top spot.
“I’m sure we’ll have fun in the 50 k with racing in the front instead of having other people control it and trying to hang on,” Patterson said of the men’s 50 k classic mass start, part of U.S. Distance Nationals, on Saturday. “These races are fun because they kind of bring everyone together at the end of the season.”
Hoffman who started in bib 15, said despite his hot off the start pace, he managed to hold on for the win with the help of Northern Michigan University skier Adam Martin.
“I was pretty aggressive on the first lap, which I intended to do,” Hoffman said. “But I definitely paid for that at the end of the race. I was lucky I had some help, I caught Adam Martin after a lap … He showed me the pace all the way from there to the finish, the last 3 k or so. That was very helpful for me, having not paced it well. I needed that little boost of somebody to follow.”
While both Hoffman and Patterson found the help of other racers on course, Paddy Caldwell, skied the course solo for third place overall.
“I was flying solo for the day, but that was all right,” Caldwell said on the phone.
Caldwell, who skis for Dartmouth College and is also a member of the Stratton Mountain School and the USST development (“D”) team, was the top U23 athlete, finishing 11.4 seconds behind Hoffman
Paddy Caldwell, racing for the Stratton Mountain School, on his way to third place in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at SuperTour Finals on Monday in Craftsbury, Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)
“I’m definitely really excited with the result and it was fun to be so close to a teammate, who I for sure look up to as distance skier and overall guy,” Caldwell said, referring to Hoffman. “And same with Patterson. Those two have really been nailing the distance skiing this year so I’m for psyched to be close and I think, within striking range today.”
With the broad conglomerate of athletes and clubs showing up to the final week of SuperTour racing in the U.S., Caldwell is feeding off the energy of others, while also pushing a competitive energy of his own.
“It’s just awesome to have the whole ski community here,” Caldwell said. “All the World Cup guys — whoever is healthy — it’s great to have everyone here. And I think the World Cup skiers bring some of that energy here which is always fun to see. It’s definitely a relaxed setting, but it’s fun because the competition is definitely high.”
Racing continues Tuesday with the men’s and women’s 1.5 k classic sprints.
Finland’s Matti Heikkinen (49) leads France’s Robin Duvillard (25) during the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. Heikkinen went on to win and Duvillard placed fifth. (Photo: Salomon/NordicFocus)
CANMORE, Alberta — From the roots of patience and perception sprouts performance.
At least, such is the case for Finland’s Matti Heikkinen, who locked away his third World Cup win on Friday in the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada.
“I think it’s five years ago when I’ve been winning race,” Heikkinen, whose last World Cup win was in 2011, told FasterSkier. “A little bit too long time, but it’s a sport you need to be stronger than anybody else if you want to win.”
Five years is a long time to chase after the top of the podium, but for Heikkinen, 32-years of age, it’s only a fraction of his lifelong career and passion: skiing.
“More than 20 years [in] the sport, and that makes me ready,” he said of his victory at the post-race press conference.
Along with persistence, Heikkinen, coming off a third-place finish in Wednesday’s 30 k skiathlon (Stage 6), remained perceptive of his opportunity to pull off the win.
Finland’s Matti Heikkinen racing to the win during the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Salomon/NordicFocus)
“I [would] be very tired,” Heikkinen told FasterSkier regarding his expectations coming into 15 k. “But I saw yesterday, when we were making some training, I saw [on] other athletes’s faces that everybody will be tired.”
After starting 49th, the Finn was skiing in 10th at the 2.7 k mark, trailing the race leader at the time, Marcus Hellner of Sweden by 9.3 seconds. At 7.7 k, Heikkinen had moved into fourth, just six-tenths of a second behind the Swede.
Heading into his third lap, Heikkinen punched the pace. With 2.3 k to go, he surpassed Hellner, who dropped to third, by 12.3 seconds, as well as Russia’s Evgeniy Belov, who had previously led at that point.
“I know that I can be stronger than anybody else in the uphills,” Heikkinen said of how he made up ground on his competitors.
Heikkinen held his lead from then on, finishing with a time of 35:16.3, with 13.6 seconds to spare on Belov’s previous time to beat.
“It feels good,” Heikkinen said of his victory, “I will go to the sauna [to celebrate].”
After leading the last third of the race until Heikkinen blew through the checkpoints, Belov took second on the day. It marked his first individual podium of the season, and he finished 48.8 seconds ahead of his Russian teammate and current Tour leader, Sergey Ustiugov, sending a clear message about his performance.
“Sergey is not the only strong skier on the team,” 25-year-old Belov said at a press conference. “[Our] entire group was preparing for this specific moment, this specific week.”
Ustiugov placed 12th on Friday, 1:02.4 behind Heikkinen, but remains 32.3 seconds ahead of Norway’s Petter Northug in the Tour standings with one stage to go.
Marcus Hellner of Sweden racing to third in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta.
Hellner also achieved his first individual podium of the season, placing third, just 0.3 seconds out of second place.
“I’m a bit surprised because it’s been a tough season for me,” Hellner told FasterSkier. “It was one of my goals to come back and be in this kind of result, but I don’t know if I believed it all the time.”
The 30-year-old Swede has fought a few illnesses and injuries this season, none of which held him back from fortifying his presence on the circuit in time for the finale of the Ski Tour Canada (STC).
“How it felt today in the morning when I woke up I didn’t believe that I could be this high in the results,” Hellner said. “But that’s how sport and cross country is, you never know. That’s the beauty of it also. Sometimes it just turns around and you’re surprised by yourself.”
As the athletes head into the final stage of the Tour, Ustuigov continues to lead, while Northug sits in second (after finishing eighth on Friday, 47.4 seconds behind Heikkinen). Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby, who placed sixth (+37.5) on Friday, is 39.6 seconds back in third. Canada’s Alex Harvey is 2:10.3 minutes back in fourth and Norway’s Finn Hågen Krogh (seventh on Friday) is 3:29 behind in fifth overall.
‘Best Race of My Life’ for Harvey in Canmore; Four Canadians in Top 30
Canada’s Alex Harvey leads Erik Brandsdal of Norway while Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth (l) calls out to him during the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta.
At altitude, some racers have to hold on. Harvey is no longer one of them.
“I think it’s one of the best races of my life here [in Canmore],” Harvey said afterward. “I’ve struggled a lot in my life with altitude, on this specific course. It doesn’t suit my style of skiing, but I’m amazed by the day today.”
The 31st starter, Harvey initially finished second behind Belov, in bib 24, until Heikkenen bumped both down to second and third, then Hellner knocked Harvey out of the top three.
Still, Harvey, a 27-year-old Quebec native, considered his fourth-place finish (+21.7) a breakthrough moment dating back to his early years on the Canmore Nordic Centre’s trails.
“When I was a junior I was struggling to be top three in Canada just on this course,” Harvey explained. “And I’d be top three at World Juniors. Canmore has been really hard on me in the past … I never thought I would be strong internationally on a course like this. Now today I’m fourth, so anything is possible.
“Today, to me, that’s what it shows,” he added. “That anything is possible.”
When it comes to their home course, the Canadian men know how to crank. Counting Harvey’s fourth-place finish, four athletes from Canada landed well within the top 30, ending the season on a high note before the final stage of the STC.
“We skipped Lahti [World Cups in Finland] and we’ve trained here at altitude to prepare for Canmore because we knew these four races are kind of the crux [of the Tour],” Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth explained. “I’m really happy that the guys did a good job in their prep camp here and it’s paying off.”
Canada’s Ivan Babikov skiing ahead of Norway’s Petter Northug during the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. Northug placed eighth and Babikov finished 10th on the day. (Photo: Salomon/NordicFocus)
For the second-straight race, Ivan Babikov placed 10th (+1:00.2) on Friday, after notching a season-best 10th in the skiathlon.
“Alex has been solid the whole season, pushing our team,” Babikov, 35, said of his teammate Harvey. “He’s still young and I think he has some of his best races of his career ahead of him.”
In regards to his own top 10, Babikov, a Canmore local, credited his family, friends and fans teeming the trail sides.
“For all of us, here at home we got to deliver for our people and community here,” he said.
Babikov moved up two spots to 15th overall in the Tour, 7:43.5 out of first and 18.7 seconds from 14th.
Devon Kershaw was the third Canadian in the top 20 on Friday in 20th (+1:30.0), putting him in 17th (+8:27.9) overall.
“I felt really really good for 12 k and then the last 3 k I think I died,” Kershaw said. “The soft snow got me and I really struggle to the line which is too bad because I think I was putting together a really good race until that time.”
Kershaw, who also has a home in Canmore, attributed much of his success to the home crowd.
“It’s just so fun to race at home,” Kershaw said. “It’s my mom’s birthday is tomorrow and she’s here and of course, friends and family … I’ve been pretty nervous this week because I haven’t had that many great races in Canmore before. So today was an exception to that and I’m pretty happy.”
Graeme Killick rounded out Canada’s top 30 finishers in 29th (+1:48.4).
“I’m super pumped on that,” Killick said. “I didn’t know what to expect … It’s just a brutal course; every lap adds up. You start as easy as you can and then just try to maintain.”
For the Americans, U.S. ski team member Noah Hoffman led the team, finishing in 23rd (+1:34.1).
“I’m just happy to be skiing clean and little closer to what I feel like is a representative effort,” Hoffman said. “I’m really impressed with the Canadians. I mean they’re going to have three in the top [20] again, which is really cool.”
Though Harvey and Hoffman did overlap each other on course, Hoffman was by himself for most of the 3 x 5 k course.
“Alex came by me but he was too much to stick on,” Hoffman said. “At the very end I got bib 55 from Russia, which was nice kind of down the last hill. But other than that, I was on my own, which was fine. It’s a course where rides are less important because it’s so hard and not a lot of drafting to be had.”
Noah Hoffman (U.S. Ski Team) racing to 23rd in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Madshus/NordicFocus)
U.S. Ski Team coach Matt Whitcomb found Hoffman’s result on Friday a good sign for the final STC stage, the 15 k classic pursuit.
“It’s hard to put together a more difficult course,” Whitcomb said. “And yet Hoff still put together a good race, placing [23rd]. He was dancing right around the edge of top 30 through the first couple laps and I think was able to ratchet it up and really finished strong today. So I think that bodes well for tomorrow.”
Also for the U.S., Erik Bjornsen finished 34th (+2:08.1) on Friday, tired, but tenacious to tag back onto a group in Saturday’s pursuit.
“I’m starting to feel a little tired,” Bjornsen said afterward. “Hopefully I can get a good night of sleep and recovery. Fifteen k classics are usually the best events for me … should be some good opportunities to fight with some fast guys.”
Tad Elliott (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) finished in 41st for the U.S., and Canadians Kevin Sandau (Alberta World Cup Academy) and Russell Kennedy (Canmore Nordic) followed in 43rd and 45th, respectively. American Scott Patterson finished 47th, while Canada’s Lenny Valjas (Canadian World Cup Team) and Michael Somppi (Thunder Bay National Development Centre) came in 49th and 50th, respectively.
Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMS/USST) racing to 21st in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)
(Note: This article has been updated to include comments from Jasper Good, a U.S. Nordic Combined skier, and Annika Taylor, a California native who races for Great Britain.)
Twelfth, 13th, 15th. Those were the top results three Americans posted in Thursday’s competitions — between nordic combined and cross-country — at U23/Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Romania.
Jasper Good (U.S. Nordic Combined) racing to 11th in the normal hill/10 k individual competition at 2016 Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Courtesy photo)
Jasper Good, a 19-year-old nordic-combined skier from Steamboat Springs, Colo., raced to 12th in the normal hill/5-kilometer Gundersen, finishing 1:13.3 behind winner Thomas Portyk of the Czech Republic, after starting 1:20 back. Portyk improved from second in the jump to win by 5.1 seconds in 11:01.5 minutes. Germany’s Terence Weber placed second and Estonia’s Kristjan Ilves, the jump leader, finished third (+5.4).
Good jumped to 14th then raced the seventh-fastest 5 k to climb to 12th. On Tuesday at junior worlds, he recorded his career best in his fourth World Championships: 11th in the normal hill/10 k.
“I wanted to put myself in the fight for a top 10 finish and I did that both days so to some degree I am happy with that,” Good wrote in an email on Sunday after the competitions. “Although I really wanted to break the top 10 I am happy as I was able to put two consistent competitions together. Both days were what I would call an accurate portrayal of my average level. I am happy that my average had me finishing in the top 15 on both days but a little disappointed I wasn’t able to have a slightly above average day to get me into the top 10.”
“With all of the challenges we were faced with this week between lack of snow, wind on the jump hill, and an excessive amount of schedule changes I am happy I was still able to move past it and perform when it mattered,” he continued.
Americans (from left to right) Ben Loomis, Stephen Schumann, coach Martin Bayer, Jared Shumate, and Jasper Good after an individual competition at 2016 Nordic Combined Junior World Championships. Not pictured: Koby Vargas. (Photo: Jasper Good)
In the normal hill/4 x 5 k team event on Friday, Good and fellow Americans Jared Shumate, Stephen Schumann and Ben Loomis placed sixth, about 5 1/2 minutes behind the Austrian winners. According to Good, that was his team-best result at junior worlds.
“I think the fact that our team event rank has been improving every year I have been on the team is a huge testament to the potential coming up in US Nordic Combined!” Good wrote.
He planned to finish the season with two more weekends of Continental Cup competitions.
In Thursday’s individual nordic-combined competition, three Americans followed Good with Koby Vargas in 32nd, Schumann in 38th and Shumate in 44th.
Friday also marked the last day of individual cross-country racing as well, Katharine Ogden of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) and U.S. Ski Team (USST) finished 13th in the junior women’s 10 k freestyle individual start, two days after placing 13th in the 5 k classic. On Thursday, Ogden finished 1:11.4 behind Ebba Andersson of Sweden, the winner in 23:29.8.
Andersson won the 10 k skate (originally scheduled as a skiathlon, but changed before the championships because of low snow) by 29 seconds, ahead of Germany’s Katharina Hennig in second and 32.2 seconds ahead of Norway’s Tiril Udnes Weng in third. The fifth starter, Andersson consistently clocked the fastest splits in the four-lap race. Ogden started sixth and posted times that ranked within the top 15 for most of the race.
“The conditions were fast and icy with a little corn snow built up in some places,” Ogden explained in an email.
The course had frozen overnight, giving it a much different feel than the slow slush athletes had previously raced in this week.
“I struggle a little in faster conditions like that which is why I was focusing on really skiing bigger and getting more power as opposed to my usual fast tempo skiing,” the 18-year-old Vermont native continued. “I had high expectations going into this race and I was initially a little disappointed with how it went result wise. However, I am really psyched that I fought it out and raced as hard as I could in conditions that did not favor my strengths.”
“Katharine Ogden had an awesome day and was consistent in her race today as well as in the results,” USST Development Coach and trip leader Bryan Fishtold USSA. “She did a great job holding on to her place throughout the race.”
Also making the top 30 in the junior women’s race, Vivian Hett of Northern Michigan University (NMU) placed 30th (+2:06.3) for her career best in two world championships.
“My goal coming into the competition was to better my results from last year,” Hett, 19, wrote in an email. “I felt like last year didn’t do a great showing of the skier I would like to be and I feel as if I have improved that this year.”
In Rasnov, she achieved her first top 30 after placing 36th in the classic sprint at 2015 junior worlds in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
“My main focus today was to pace the race correctly,” Hett explained. “Being from sea level, I like to consider Romania at altitude even though it’s not very high up. We’re at about 3500ft at the race venue and I knew that if I went out too hard, I could possibly burn up. With that being said, it was my goal to ski the first lap smoothly and go from there.”
At the race’s halfway point, her split time ranked 23rd. By 7.5 k, Hett’s time was 25th fastest and she ended up 30th.
“The second half of the race was tough but I kept getting splits that I was in the mid 20s and that kept me firing,” she wrote. “I’m very happy with my results. It’s the best I’ve done at Junior Worlds and it makes all the summer and fall training worth it!”
Also representing the U.S. in the junior women’s race, two other NMU skiers Nicole Schneider and Sarah Bezdicek placed 40th and 46th, respectively.
Canada’s Hannah Mehain finished 54th, Natalie Hynes was 56th and Sadie White 59th.
In the 4 x 2.5 k freestyle relay on Friday, the U.S. junior women raced to eighth, 1:07.3 behind the Swedish winners, and Canada, with two athletes out sick, was unable to field a full team and did not finish.
Julia Kern (SMS/USST) started first for the U.S., putting the team in 12th at the first exchange, 15.3 seconds behind Russia in first.
“Julia had an awesome leg until she tangled with an Italian girl and fell,” Ogden explained in an email on Friday. “She gained back a bit of time but still tagged off in 12th place.”
Ogden raced the fifth-fastest second leg to improve to seventh, 16.4 seconds behind Sweden in first by the second exchange.
“I made up most of the places that I got by utilizing a quick V1 up some of the steeper pitches,” Ogden wrote.
Hett lost one position on the third leg and tagged off in eighth, 45 seconds behind Sweden, and Bezdicek kept the team in eighth through the finish, crossing the line 30 seconds after Italy in seventh.
“Our team was happy with our result,” Ogden explained. “It would have been awesome to have seen what would have happened if Julia hadn’t fallen but then again that’s totally just a part of the game and it happens.”
Sweden won the final race of the championships, with Emma Ribom, Elina Rönnlund, Andersson, and Jenny Solin, in 22:30.7. Norway was just 0.6 seconds away from gold in second place, and Russia finished third, 10.2 seconds behind.
Mehain skied the first leg for Canada, tagging Hynes in ninth, 10.6 seconds behind the leaders. Hynes then came through the second exchange in 12th before the team had to pull out of the race without two more athletes.
In the junior men’s 15 k freestyle on Thursday, Ian Torchia, another NMU Wildcat, raced to 15th for his best result of the week. In two Junior World Championships, it was his second-best individual result after placing 11th in the 20 k skiathlon last year in Almaty.
Ian Torchia (10) racing the first leg of the junior men’s 4 x 5 k relay at Junior World Championships on Friday in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)
“Coming into the week I had high goals and after the disappointment of 43rd in the [10 k] classic race I threw that race in the toilet and refocused for the skate,” Torchia wrote in an email.
“My strategy was to try and start out hard but I was missing a little pop today so I was lucky to get a ride off the eventual 6th place Russian Ivan Krillov,” he added. “I stayed on him thanks to my fast boards waxed by Justin Beckwith and the hard working tech crew. After he peeled off for his finish I gave it all I had in the last lap and held onto 15th.”
Torchia finished 1:24.2 behind the winner, Ivan Yakimushkin of Russia, who completed the six-lap race in 31:19.1. Yakimushkin won by 12.2 seconds over Norway’s Mattis Stenshagen in second place, and Russia’s Denis Spitsov was 29.2 seconds back in third.
“I was happy with my performance today as the icy fast power course with short steep climbs did not play to my strengths,” Torchia wrote. “I was originally disappointed with all the changes from a skiathlon to a 20k mass start to a 15k individual start but as a team we all adjusted and dealt with the ‘interesting’ conditions for all the races this week.”
According to Fish, “Ian Torchia did an excellent job in pacing his race and moving up,” he told USSA. “He kept charging hard throughout the race and eventually was able to move all the way up to 15th place, in a very competitive field.”
Joey Foster led Canada in 33rd, 2:22.5 behind the winner, for his best result in his debut junior worlds. Also for Canada, Philippe Boucher placed 39th, Ryan Jackson was 57th and Antoine Blais 61st.
Racing for the U.S., Cully Brown placed 41st, Zak Ketterson was 60th and Leo Hipp 74th.
Norway trounced the junior men’s 4 x 5 k relay on Friday by 47.7 seconds, winning in 43:07.5 with Stenshagen, Vebjørn Hegdal, Jan Thomas Jenssen, and Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.
Russia took silver and France earned bronze, 1:18.2 behind Norway.
Ian Torchia (c) in bib 10 racing the opening “scramble” leg for the U.S. junior men in Friday’s 4 x 5 k relay at Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Russia. The U.S. placed 11th. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)
The U.S. placed 11th (+3:21.5) with Torchia, Brown, Henry Harmeyer, and Ketterson. Canada finished 15th (+4:29.1) with Boucher, Foster, Blais, and Jackson.
“Scrambling for the relay tomorrow on such a narrow course is going to be hectic,” Torchia predicted on Thursday, adding he was “looking forward to mixing it up with the best.”
He tagged the U.S. in ninth after skiing the first leg, 12 seconds behind Norway in first. Brown held that position but slipped 57.4 seconds behind the leaders (Russia) by the second exchange. Harmeyer lost two places by the final exchange, tagging in 11th and 2:21.8 out of first, and Ketterson remained in 11th through the finish.
Canada opened with Boucher racing to 17th by the first exchange (+1:04.6), then Foster held that position and tagged Blais 2:04.5 out of first. Blais raced the 11th-fastest third leg to bring his team to 15th by the final exchange (+3:10.7) and Jackson kept them in 15th, about 30 seconds away from either 14th or 16th.
In the U23 men’s 15 k freestyle, Paddy Caldwell led the U.S. in 21st and Adam Martin placed 29th for the second-consecutive top 30’s for both Americans.
Caldwell, of the Dartmouth and Stratton ski teams, as well as the USST D-team, finished 1:34.2 behind the winner for his best result of the week.
Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger won it in 31:13.3, while France took second and third with Clement Parisse (+13.3) and Alexandre Pouye (+32.8), respectively.
“Today’s race was my main focus for the week,” Caldwell, 22, wrote in an email. “I had awesome skis out there — big thanks to all the wax techs for getting amazing skis. I did not feel as good as I had hoped out there today, my legs felt heavy and I couldn’t keep the distance pace that I usually aim for. With that the wheels started to come off the last few laps and I fell back quite a bit. I wanted to be up in that top five/ top ten spot but didn’t have it today.”
Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMS/USST) racing to 21st in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)
After posting the sixth-fastest split at 2.5 k, Caldwell’s time stood up as the 12th fastest at 7.5 k, and by 12.5 k, he was down to 20th.
“He went out strong in the beginning and lost a little bit of time in the end, but he still showed a lot of promise in a very deep U23 field,” Fish told USSA.
Caldwell’s career best at a U23 or junior world championship was 10th in the 20 k skiathlon two years ago in Val di Fiemme, Italy. That was at junior worlds; last year at U23’s in Almaty, he placed 15th in the 15 k freestyle and 20th in the 30 k skiathlon.
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Caldwell wrote that he’s “Not entirely sure what the rest of the season holds! But I am looking forward to spring series and whatever races I have between now and then!”
On Friday, Matt Liebsch announced that he had earned the final men’s spot for the U.S. at the Ski Tour Canada (STC) — the season-ending World Cups from March 1-12. U.S. Ski Team Head Coach Chris Grover previously explained in an email that either Liebsch or an outstanding performer at U23’s would earn that final spot.
American Adam Martin (second from left in bib 18) of Northern Michigan University racing to 29th in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)
For Martin, who declined the U.S. team’s offer to compete at STC (instead choosing to focus on NCAA Championships in two weeks), he left U23 World Championships “quite satisfied,” as he considered classic skiing to be his strength.
“I started more aggressively than Tuesday,” Martin wrote on Thursday. “Fortunately, an Italian who was on his first lap caught me on my second lap, and I skied with him until the finish. This helped me dig deeper I think.”
He finished 2:01.6 behind the winner and one-tenth of a second out of 28th.
“Leaving the championships I’m optimistic,” Martin, 21, wrote. “I would really like to qualify again next year and race [at U23 World Championships] in Soldier Hollow.”
In his first world championships, Canada’s Jack Carlyle cracked the top 40 in 32nd (+2:10.4). Also for Canada, Alexis Dumas placed 38th, Scott James Hill was 42nd and Angus Foster finished 72nd.
Akeo Maifeld-Carucci of the Bridger Ski Foundation placed 39th for the U.S. and Kyle Bratrud (CXC) was 43rd.
American Heather Mooney racing to 42nd in the women’s 10 k freestyle at the U23 World Championships on Thursday in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
In the U23 women’s 10 k freestyle, Germany’s Victoria Carl claimed gold by in 23:14.1, 18.9 seconds ahead of Slovenia’s silver medalist Lea Einfalt and 27.1 seconds ahead of Russia’s Anastasia Sedova in third.
A California native and dual citizen of Great Britain, Annika Taylor (Sugar Bowl Academy Elite Team) achieved her first top 30 in two U23 World Championships, placing 30th, 2:06.8 behind the winner.
Taylor, 22, has spent most of the season racing World Cups for Great Britain. She led the British team in Rasnov, with Sarah Hale finishing 40th in Thursday’s 10 k skate. Earlier in the week, Taylor finished 34th in the 10 k classic and 36th in the freestyle sprint.
“I was really looking for a top-20 result at these championships, so I was left wanting more at the end of the week,” Taylor wrote in an email. “At the [World Cup] races in Falun, my body felt really good, most likely indicating a bit of a peak in performance, which then left me tired in the training week leading up to Romania. Although I didn’t achieve my results-based goal for the championships, I still had a few personal ‘wins’ of the week, including racing my 24th race of the 15-16 ski season, marking 4.5 months on the ski-traveling road, and seeing friends from the EISA carnival circuit!
“After 4 years at UNH focusing only on distance racing, this year has been a ‘relearning how to sprint’ year, and I’m excited to get to race a few sprints at the Tour of Canada!” she continued. “I’m also planning on racing Supertour Finals in Craftsbury (as long as my body keeps going after racing 8 races at the T of C).”
Canada’s Frédérique Vézina finished 35th (+2:35.6) for her best result of the week. Americans Felicia Gesior and Kelsey Phinney placed 38th and 39th, respectively, and Heather Mooney was 42nd and Kristen Bourne 44th for the U.S.
Canada occupied 45th through 47th, with Kendra Murray, Alannah Maclean and Sophie Carrier-Laforte, respectively.
“Overall, Romania was a positive and unique experience,” Taylor wrote. “I had so many laughs with my British teammates, shared plenty of hugs with Heather and Kelsey, played with stray dogs, visited Dracula’s castle, and even got a slight face-tan!”
On Saturday, most of the athletes planned to leave Romania. Ogden is headed to Ottawa, Canada, to compete in the eight-stage STC.
“Romania was an awesome experience and I think that I will definitely remember the stunning views of the Transylvanian alps,” Ogden reflected. “And I’ll probably remember all the crazy schedule changes and the heroic effort of the organizing committee to pull off this even with barely any snow.”
Simen Krueger won the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2016 U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Canada’s Antoine Blais (41) and Philippe Boucher (30) racing in a group with Norway’s Thomas Jan Jenssen (19), Italy’s Mikael Abram (8) and France’s Jules Lapierre during the men’s 15 k freestyle at Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Canada’s Jack Carlyle racing to 32nd in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Romania’s Florini Pripici leads Canada’s Angus Foster during the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. Foster placed 72nd. (Photo: FIS)
American Paddy Caldwell leads Switzerland’s Jason Rueesch during the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. Caldwell finished 21st. (Photo: FIS)
Bird’s eye view of the race course with Adam Martin, of the U.S., in bib 18. He placed 29th in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Kyle Bratrud (USA) racing to 43rd in the men’s 15 k at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Kyle Bratrud of the U.S. leads a French athlete during the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
Italy’s Sebastiano Pellegrin leads American Kyle Bratrud into the finish of the men’s 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)
The women’s leaders in the 15 k classic mass start on Day 3 of Eastern Canadian Championships on Feb. 7 in Cantley, Quebec, with Dahria Beatty (l), Cendrine Browne (c), and Jenn Jackson (r) at the front of the pack. Beatty went on to win by 7.7 seconds over Browne, in the NorAm leader’s bib. (Photo: W. James MacLean)
Though patterns develop and race favorites exist, winning is never a given. At least according to Cendrine Browne, the NorAm leader and overall champion of the women’s 10-kilometer freestyle at Eastern Canadian Championships last Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Nakkertok Nordic Ski Centre, Cantley, QC
“I don’t think you can get used to winning. Winning is great but every day is different,” Browne, a member of Canada’s U23 Development Team and the Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre (CNEPH), wrote in an email.
“I chose to ski on white bases today at everybody’s surprise, but they were really fast,” Browne explained after winning in 27:10.8 minutes.
“I didn’t pace myself, I just went hard all the time and it worked pretty well,” she added. “I felt good mentally and physically, and that helped a lot.”
Finishing 9.1 seconds behind Browne was her biggest NorAm distance rival, fellow U23 Development Team member, Dahria Beatty, of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA).
Beatty and Browne also both recently returned from World Cup races in Europe, where they teamed up with Emily Nishikawa and Maya MacIsaac-Jones in the first World Cup relay for all four women.
Rounding our Saturday’s top three for the women was Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt, of the U23+ Development Team and Rocky Mountain Racers (RMR), who finished 21.8 seconds off Browne’s winning time.
“I was getting really good splits in the first 5k (being told I was leading) and I was having a lot of fun on course,” Bouffard-Nesbitt wrote in an email. “I faded in the second half of the race, but that can be a consequence of going hard at the start, so I have no regrets.”
Also of RMR, MacIsaac-Jones, who won Friday’s freestyle sprint on the first day of Easterns, was pleased with her fourth-place finish, 43.8 seconds behind Browne.
“My race today was really good — I was 4th, which is my best distance NorAm result this year!” MacIsaac-Jones wrote in an email.
Somppi Dethrones Sandau in 15 k Skate
Also on Saturday, Michael Somppi, of the Thunder Bay National Development Centre (NDC),claimed a decisive win in the men’s 15 k freestyle. Somppi completed the course in a time of 34:45.1, besting second-place finisher Kevin Sandau (AWCA) by 25.3 seconds.
“I’m super happy I was able to get back to feeling like myself in a skate race. I was really pumped to get back onto the top step at the NorAm,” Somppi wrote in an email.
The winner of every NorAm distance race he has competed in this season (with four victories total; he skipped the M.S.A. NorAm), Sandau regarded his next few weeks of race efforts as most important.
“Western’s has always been part of the plan leading up to the Tour,” Sandau wrote in an email, referring to the second set of championships, Feb. 19-21 in Prince George, British Columbia.
“Even with a [Ski Tour Canada] spot locked up now unofficially, I’ll be using it as some final hard efforts before flying out East,” he added.
The Ski Tour Canada, doubling as World Cup Finals, starts March 1 in Gatineau, Quebec, and extends through March 12 with the last four races in Canmore, Alberta.
Noting he was “pumped” to be on the podium on Saturday, Russell Kennedy, of the Canmore Nordic Ski Club, finished third, 31.2 seconds behind Somppi.
“I nailed my pacing. That was huge it really helped me as I made up a lot of time at the end,” Kennedy wrote in an email.
Kennedy also pointed to external sources of motivation during his race, including the man who started just ahead of him, Brian McKeever, of the Canadian Para-Nordic Ski Team.
“It also was good to have Brian there. He was super motivating,” Kennedy wrote.
McKeever, visually impaired, raced to fifth overall, 1:01.9 out of first and 19.6 seconds behind Knute Johnsgaard (AWCA/U23+ Development Team) in fourth.
Though Saturday left her chasing downBrowne,Beatty positioned herself as the woman to beat by the Nakkertok course’s final climb on Sunday in the women’s 15 k classic mass start.
“My plan going into today was to stay in contact until the final climb and leave everything on that final climb,” Beatty wrote in an email on Sunday.
Despite losing contact at one point during her third lap of the 5 k loop, Beatty managed to stick to her plan. Amidst Sunday’s snowfall, the Whitehorse native left everything on the last uphill and came away with the win in 46:54.4.
“I was able to regain contact with Cendrine and my skis were gliding especially well so I was able to carry good speed into the final climb and get a gap before the downhill into the finish,” Beatty wrote.
Browne finished 7.7 seconds later in second place.
“A second place is great but I could have won…My skis were so slow!” Browne wrote in an email.
Finding herself at the back of the lead pack during the downhills, Browne put her focus into Sunday’s course climbs.
“I told myself that if I wanted to win, I would have to give everything I had in the uphills because I couldn’t count on my skis in the downhills,” Browne wrote. “So in the second last uphill, I tried to break away from the pack. It worked. I had a 10-meter gap before the second last downhill.”
However, by the bottom of the hill, Beatty caught back up to Browne.
“As I was going down, Dahria passed me like I was still,” Browne added. “I tried to catch up in the last up hill and fell. So I didn’t catch her. I finished 2nd. I was disappointed. I hate giving excuses but I think I could have won.”
Finishing just 2.0 seconds behind Browne, and 9.7 seconds behind Beatty, was NDC Thunder Bay’s Katherine Stewart-Jones in third place.
“There was a big lead pack for a lot of the race. It was easy to stay relaxed because I had very fast skis,” Stewart-Jones wrote in an email. “I think the race came down to the last couple of hills of the course, whoever had energy left in the tank.”
She pulled some energy from fans on from the trailside.
“It was amazing to see the support from my home club,” Stewart-Jones, who grew up training with Nakkertok, wrote. “There were so many people out there cheering me on!”
After a large crash in the first lap, Bouffard-Nesbitt lost contact with the front group and raced to a 10th overall (+2:01.0).
“I’ve hardly classic skied this winter due to my stress fracture, and I’ve really been struggling in classic races,” Bouffard-Nesbitt wrote in an email.
“As a whole I’m happy with the weekend. I’m going to try to not be too hard on myself for this last classic race,” she added.
Shields Takes All in 20 k Mass Start
The men’s leaders during the 20 k classic mass start on Feb. 7 at Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec, with Andy Shields (r) leading, Brian McKeever (l), Sandau (yellow bib), with Sandau’s AWCA teammate Knute Johnsgaard behind him, and Scott Hill (6) of NDC Thunder Bay right there in the lead pack. (Photo: W. James MacLean)
En route to his third-career NorAm win, Andy Shields (NDC Thunder Bay), came away victorious in the men’s 20 k classic mass start on Sunday.
Shields completed the four-lap race in 52:53.6, besting second place finisher Jesse Cockney (CNEPH/NST) by 12.1 seconds.
“The herringbone sections were coved in deep sugary snow but I felt comfortable on them,” Shields wrote in an email.
With 2 k to go, Shields gapped the field during a herringbone hill and skied comfortably away to first place.
“It never felt like the pace was unmanageable so a ‘thank-you’ to the body for being in good shape today,” Shields wrote.
Cockney confirmed that Shields’ skiing on Sunday was left unrivaled by any other skier on course.
“Andy definitely won with stronger legs today. He was skiing the steep climbs really well and had lots left for the final lap,” Cockney wrote in an email.
After starting in bib 31, Cockney was happy to have maneuvered his way up to the front of the pack.
“I’m quite happy to have moved up from bib 31 to near the front. The distance races here have also been better feelings pushing hard than the rest of the year,” he wrote.
Finishing just 1.3 seconds off of Cockney was Johnsgaard in third, 13.4 seconds behind Shields.
“Kevin and I were leading a lot on the first lap, but there was a bit of fresh snow in the tracks and it was hard to drop the group,” Johnsgaard wrote in an email.
“We’d get a gap on some climbs and then it would come back together on the downhills. The course was basically double pole and then herringbone up steep climbs in ankle deep corn snow,” he added.
According to Johnsgaard, the herringbone sections played to Shields’ strength, but not his own.
“Not exactly my idea of a nice classic course,” Johnsgaard wrote. “Andy had some super herring bone on the last major climb and broke away a bit.”
Sandau, who had been skiing in the front pack with Shields, Johnsgaard and Cockney, crashed, which he wrote cost him “a podium spot.”
Despite his fall and fifth-place finish, 20.4 seconds off of first place, Sandau was satisfied with how he felt during the races.
“The past couple weeks had a really good chunk of volume and I was happy how I felt in both distance days and had some good fight,” Sandau wrote.
Ahead of Sandau in fourth, McKeever was half a second off the podium and 14 seconds behind Shields.
— Gerry Furseth and Alex Kochon contributed reporting
(From left to right) Kevin Sandau, Andy Shields, Brian McKeever, Michael Somppi, and Jess Cockney after the men’s 20 k mass start on Sunday, Feb. 7. Shields won by 12 seconds over Cockney, Knute Johnsgaard (not shown) placed third, McKeever was fourth, Sandau (the NorAm leader) fifth and Somppi eighth on the last day of Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec. (Photo: W. James MacLean)
Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) (r) leads University of Colorado’s Mads Strøm during the last lap of the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. Gregg went on to win it by 5.5 seconds over training partner and friend Matt Liebsch (not shown).
Mads Strøm (University of Colorado-Boulder) leads Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) at one point of the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. The two switched leads throughout the race; Gregg won and Strøm finished fourth.
Canadian Kevin Sandau (r) racing to a fifth-place finish in the SuperTour 15 k skate on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. Here he’s seen leading fellow Alberta World Cup Academy teammate and sixth-place finisher, Knute Johnsgaard an Tad Elliott of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail.
Lustgarten (SVSEF) captures seventh, 37.7 seconds back from race leader Gregg, during the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont.
One final time up the coach’s climb for Rogan Brown (SVSEF) during the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. Brown went on to place eighth overall, 52.2 seconds back from race leader Gregg.
In reverse start order, Matt Gelso (SVSEF) (r), leads Eric Packer (APU) (center), and Nick Hendrickson (University of Utah) during lap two of the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. Gelso went on to finish ninth overall, 53.5 seconds back from the race winner Gregg.
Lex Treinen (APU) chases a group during his second lap in the men’s SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont. Treinen went on to place 10th overall, 1.04.1 back from race winner Gregg.
WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. — An athlete is often only as good as his or her training partner. Such was the case for the Hanneman brothers as seen in Friday’s SuperTour sprint and again on Saturday during the men’s SuperTour 15-kilometer freestyle individual start at the Rendezvous Ski Trails.
This time, however, the one-two podium pair belonged to good friends and Twin Cities training partners, Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) and Matt Liebsch (Gear West/Salomon).
“Matt and I train a lot together back in the Twin Cities,” said Gregg, the 15 k winner by 5.5 seconds in 35:25.1. “We do a lot of intervals and time trials together.”
While the two share no blood relation, they do share a breadth of respect for each other.
“[I’m] super impressed with Matt because he also has a full-time job and three kids,” said 31-year-old Gregg.
“Maybe that’s something Caitlin and I need to start on,” he added. Gregg’s wife, Caitlin, was named to the U.S. Ski Team this year after taking bronze at 2015 World Championships in the 10 k freestyle.
Matt Liebsch (Gear West/Salomon) races to second during the SuperTour 15 k freestyle on Saturday in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Liebsch, 32, was equally excited for his buddy’s overall win.
“I’m hoping he can get SuperTour Leader so he can get [race] start rights over in Europe [and] go see his wife,” Liebsch said.
The overall U.S. male and female leaders at the end of two SuperTour weekends will earn a trip to Europe after U.S. nationals in January to start World Cups in Period 2. Gregg put himself in that position two years ago leading up to the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
For Gregg and Liebsch, their close training over the years translated into a close finish in Saturday’s distance race, despite starting more than 9 minutes apart. Liebsch started 16th; Gregg went out 53rd.
Gregg skied much of his race with the man who started 15 seconds ahead of him, Mads Strøm of the University of Colorado-Boulder. Strøm went on to place fourth, 14 seconds behind Gregg and 0.7 seconds back from Scott Patterson (Alaska Pacific University) in third.
“[My start was] definitely a lot faster than I’ve gone out in the past,” Gregg said. “In the past, I’ve probably been 15 seconds down to the leaders at the top of the coach’s climb. This year I was right even with [the leaders].”
Gregg believed his uncharacteristic charge out of the start gate was the right call.
“It was nice, because I’d make a big pull, then I’d get tired, then Mads would pull, then he’d get tired, and we sort of switched off leading a little bit,” he said.
While Strøm and Gregg jostled throughout the race, Patterson spent much of his race solo.
“The only time I really had a group was when people were behind me,” Patterson said.
“Oscar Friedman [of Dartmouth] skied with me for two laps,” he added. “It’s nice to have someone on your heels, but not quite as good as trading off the lead.”
Friedman went on to place 13th. During the race, Patterson heard he was in contention.
Scott Patterson of APU leads Dartmouth’s Oscar Friedman during the men’s 15 k skate SuperTour race in West Yellowstone, Mont.
“I was getting some splits early on that I was leading Matt Liebsch,” he said. “I was a little bit disappointed they got me in the end.”
This being the first time Patterson has ever raced in West Yellowstone, the 23-year-old Alaska native called it a solid start to his season.
“Last fall I had a fairly significant injury and that’s what kept me away from these races,” Patterson said. “But I knew a I had a good summer training and a good fall [this year] and I was definitely going in looking for a spot on the podium.”
Rounding out the men’s top five after Strøm in fourth (+14.0) was Canada’s Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) in fifth (+20.2). Sandau’s teammate Knute Johnsgaard was sixth (+34.5), and Sun Valley took the next three places with Ben Lustgarten in seventh (+37.7), Rogan Brown in eighth (+52.5) and Matt Gelso in ninth (+53.5). Lex Treinen (APU) was 10th (+1:04.1)
While Patterson plans to race next weekend’s SuperTour races in Sun Valley, Idaho, Liebsch and Gregg said they were undecided.
“I’m supposed to be working next weekend, so I don’t know we’ll see,” said Liebsch, who manages Gear West nordic sales and service. “I’m probably going to go home and train and go to nationals and do the distance races and just see how things go there.”
Gregg, on the other hand, will either plan to race the SuperTour weekend or take advantage of the altitude training in Sun Valley instead.
Regardless of what happens next weekend, Gregg and Liebsch were grateful for being able to train together and contribute to each other’s success.
“Brian drags me out of bed a lot of mornings to do intervals,” Liebsch said. “We’re literally the same speed in most workouts so, it’s cool to be right around him [in races].”
Martin Johnsrud Sundby (148) leads fellow Norwegian national-team member Petter Northug during the 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. Sundby went on to win by 47 seconds and Northug was a minute back in fourth. (Photo: Eirik Lund Røer/SKIsport)
Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby, who was disqualified for skating in Friday’s classic FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway, returned to the course with a vengeance Saturday. He ended up winning the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle by 47.4 seconds over runner-up Hans Christer Holund (Lyn Ski), also from Norway.
And Sundby wasn’t even sure he’d race. He made up his mind just minutes before his scheduled start — which was last in a field of 148 men.
Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby after winning the 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway, a day after he was disqualified in the 15 k classic season-opener.
“It was a good race for me, and I had fantastic skis,” the 31-year-old defending overall World Cup champion told NRK after racing in heavy snowfall. “That was a huge advantage in these challenging conditions. It was hard to get the timing just right with a lot of snow in the tracks that tended to make the skis go different directions than I wanted. But all that considered, I feel like I skied technically solid and was on the ball in the sections where it mattered.”
Sundby took the lead for good at 5.4 k after ranking fourth at 1.6 k behind France’s frontrunner at the time, Martin Fourcade, a multiple-time world champion biathlete. At 2 k, Sundby was up to second, just 1 second behind Fourcade.
“My body felt good, and it felt good to win,” Sundby added. “I took that jury decision sort of personal yesterday and it bothered me quite a bit. But I got a reality check later last night with all that happened in Paris.”
Fourcade went on to place 12th, finishing 1:38.5 off of Sundby’s winning time of 36:12.1.
“I had a good start, but I [couldn’t respond] later in the race,” Fourcade told NRK, according to a translation. “I was not in my best form … but I am confident for the start of the season even if I am not happy today. I’ll try to do better in the Kuusamo World Cup…”
Robin Duvillard of France approaches TV cameras with the message “Pray for Paris” at the finish of Saturday’s 15 k skate FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway.
A day after terrorist attacks in Paris killed at least 127 civilians, France ended up with three in the top 12 nearly 2,000 kilometers away in Beitostølen. National-team member Robin Duvillard led the way in third, 1.7 seconds behind Holund in second.
Duvillard started 140th and briefly took the lead from Great Britain’s Andrew Musgrave, who trains with the Norwegian team Røa IL and ended up sixth (+1:02.7). In the finish pen, Duvillard approached TV cameras urging viewers to “Pray for Paris.”
Less than a minute later, Holund, 26, bumped him out of the leader’s spot until Sundby finished and secured the win.
“It’s always fun to race fast at Beitostølen, but I will have to step it up a notch for the mini tour in Finland,” Sundby said of the World Cup opener in two weeks. “I’m excited.”
Holund was satisfied with his race and his second podium finish in as many days. He placed third on Friday.
“It was really fun to be on the podium today after skiing fast enough to be on the podium, not because someone faster than me was disqualified,” Holund said, referring to Sundby, who initially was thought to have won Friday’s 15 k classic.
Holund wasn’t concerned about the 47-second gap to Sundby.
“Martin is in a league of his own. I have never been even close to him in skate or classic,” he said. “For me, it was great to feel that my body felt good and that I am able to ski fast again.”
“Martin is in a league of his own. I have never been even close to him in skate or classic.” — Hans Christer Holund, 26, of Norway’s Lyn Ski club, after finishing second to Norway’s leading man, Martin Johnsrud Sundby
During a recent altitude camp with the Norwegian team in Val Senales, Italy, Holund was evacuated off the glacier during a workout. He recalled feeling weak at the start of the workout, and that feeling got worse. Suddenly, he was gasping for air and struggling to stay conscious. He was airlifted to the hospital and underwent a battery of tests. Ultimately, doctors could not determine the cause.
“I have to take their word for it, but I’m still curious given that it happened so suddenly and during an easy workout rather than while doing intervals,” Holund told the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.
Just off the podium in fourth, Northug raced for the first time this season after skipping Friday’s 15 k classic. He said he curious to see how his fitness would stack up, but coming off the altitude camp, he wasn’t expecting to be at peak performance this weekend.
“My body felt a bit slow after so long at altitude, and this was also my first hard effort after coming back down,” Northug said. “So it was a little too early for me, but the plan is to race fast in Kuusamo, so this was just a good hard effort..”
After the sprint race at Beitostølen on Sunday, Northug and the rest of the top Norwegians will continue their training regimens for the next two weeks, aiming to be primed for the World Cup opener in Finland Nov. 27-29.
“The courses in Kuusamo are tough and I know the mini tour there usually suits me well,” Northug said.
Canada’s Ivan Babikov (29) leads a train of skiers on the second lap of Wednesday’s 15 k freestyle up Mördarbacken: the longest, steepest hill of the 2015 World Championships course. Babikov placed 20th after a considerably faster second lap.
FasterSkier’s coverage of the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden, is brought to you by the generous support of L.L. Bean, now featuring a complete line of Kikkan Randall training wear.
FALUN, Sweden — It only took a kilometer or so for Ivan Babikov to realize that he needed to go much, much faster. Two years ago at World Championships, the Canadian World Cup Team member placed fourth in the 15-kilometer freestyle individual start. In Falun on Wednesday, he was practically in last place for the first few thousand meters of the same race.
“The gaps right away were shocking,” Babikov recalled after the 15 k freestyle at 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. “I couldn’t believe it, like, ‘What the hell? I’m not skiing that slow. What’s going on?’ ”
That moment gave him the kick he needed to get going, but yet throughout the first of two 7.5 k laps, he struggled to find a consistent pace.
Fortunately for him, that was the worst of it.
Ivan Babikov (Canadian World Cup Team) on his first of two laps in the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. He went on to place 20th. Two years ago, Babikov was fourth in the 15 k freestyle at 2013 World Championships.
“The worst was the first two splits, after that I couldn’t hear too much at the end of the course [in the stadium],” he said. “Then, second lap, I felt like i was picking it up.”
Babikov, 34, went from ranking 70th of 86 men at 1.5 k to 45th at the halfway point. After starting 29th, he sped up considerably on his second lap, clocking the eventual 23rd- and 21st-fastest times at 11.4 k and 12.8 k, respectively.
He finished 20th, 1:45.4 minutes behind Sweden’s Johan Olsson, who won the race by 17.8 seconds on home soil in 35:01.6. Considering it was a ways off from his fourth place at the last World Championships, Babikov had mixed feelings about his result.
“My pacing was really weird — I don’t know how to feel about it,” Babikov said, noting that his second lap ended up being 24 seconds faster than his first.
“I don’t know how that’s possible,” he added. “I kind of had in my head that the second lap will be really important so maybe that made me go too slow in the first lap, but it didn’t feel like it. … I kind of turned it around and had an amazing second lap. It’s hard to wrap my head around what happened, today was so weird.”
While he explained that skis made a “huge difference” in the slushy snow on the 5-degree Celsius overcast afternoon, with sprinkles of rain toward the end of the race, he added that his team’s skis were on par with most other nations’. At the same time, a few teams had “rockets” despite the variable conditions, he observed.
Graeme Killick (AWCA/Canadian National Development B-team) racing to 32nd in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start, his first race of 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
“I would say 70 percent of the course was just mush,” Babikov said. “Some of the steep uphills were ankle-deep slush.”
Throughout the race, he was unable to take full advantage of his strength in climbing. Most of the course was one-skate (V2), with the exception of the long, grinding uphill known as Mördarbacken. Babikov said only a minute or two of the 7.5 k loop, the steepest part of it, required offset (V1).
“I felt good on Mördarbacken, so climbing was not problem,” he said. “When I went to the second lap, I realized I still have a lot of energy so I started pushing all out…
“Top 20 sounds nice, but when you think about my fourth place, which came really surprisingly two years ago, it’s not even close,” he added. “Considering everything, I would probably be OK [with today’s result].”
By everything, Babikov meant the nasty cold, “some kind of viral thing,” he came down with a month ago in Rybinsk, Russia. After that World Cup, he flew home to Canada and spent the better part of the next week there down and out. When he returned to Östersund, Sweden, for the last World Cup before World Championships, Babikov placed 49th in the 15 k freestyle.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” he said of Wednesday’s race, his season-long focus. “I had some good skating in the skiathlon a few days ago and that kind of gave me a piece of my mind. Every day is different so I tried to give 100 percent.
Jess Cockney (AWCA/Canadian National Development B-team) racing to 57th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. It was his first distance race in nearly three months. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
“Going into the relay, I think it’s a good sign,” he added of Friday’s 4 x 10 k team event. “I’m more positive about [today’s] race than bummed out.”
The second-fastest Canadian on Wednesday, Graeme Killick placed 32nd in his World Championships debut, 2:26.7 back from Olsson. The result stood as a career best at the World Cup level (excluding Olympics) after placing 39th in a World Cup 15 k classic last season in Toblach, Italy.
At the 2014 Olympics, Killick went on to place 28th in the 50 k freestyle mass start. Also in Sochi, Russia, he finished 44th in the 30 k skiathlon and 65th in the 15 k classic.
Recently, the 25-year-old Canadian National Development B-Team skier hadn’t raced since Rybinsk on Jan. 23 and 25, where he was 43rd in the 15 k freestyle and 40th in the skiathlon. Sick for the beginning of World Championships, he didn’t arrive in Falun until Sunday (Killick, Devon Kershaw, Emily Nishikawa, and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt stayed back in Östersund to recover from their illnesses for the first few days of worlds).
On Wednesday, Killick said he had been feeling well for the last three days.
“Skate really isn’t my strength so I think I didn’t quite blow up like I normally would on a course like this, so I think it was OK,” he said of his 15 k. “Good lead-up into the 50 [k classic mass start on Sunday] and just good to get a hard effort in after missing the [skiathlon].”
Jess Cockney after his final race of 2015 World Championships, the 15 k freestyle, in which he placed 57th in Falun, Sweden.
His teammate on the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) and national-development team, Jess Cockney raced his first distance event since Dec. 7, when he was 67th in the World Cup 15 k classic pursuit in Lillehammer, Norway.
With fellow Canadians Alex Harvey preparing for other races (the relay and 50 k) and Kershaw also saving his energy for the final races of World Championships, Cockney asked his coaches if he could enter the 15 k skate and considered it a bonus.
“I just wanted to see if I could be consistent and have some of the hard training show itself in a result today,” Cockney said after placing 57th (+4:14.5). “I don’t think it really did, but it’s still good to be skiing distance races again. … I’ve just gotta work on fitness.”
Reflecting on his first World Championships, where he raced the classic sprint (49th), team sprint (13th) and 15 k skate, the 25-year-old Cockney said he’s learned a lot.
“I think I’m still not totally there mentally for the big races,” he said. “I kind of psyche myself out still a bit. I did at the Olympics last year and I did last week for the sprints so [I need to] just work on a little bit of mental training because we do enough stuff physically that my brain’s gotta be there, too.”
Noah Hoffman (U.S. Ski Team) racing to 34th in the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.
FasterSkier’s coverage of the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden, is brought to you by the generous support of L.L. Bean, now featuring a complete line of Kikkan Randall training wear.
FALUN, Sweden — It’s not easy following a double-medal act. A day after two U.S. women, Jessie Diggins and Caitlin Gregg, racked up silver and bronze in the 10-kilometer freestyle at 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, their male teammates finished outside the top 30 in the men’s 15 k individual start.
Not that they were trying to compete with Diggins and Gregg, but after all the hype surrounding the U.S. women’s achievements, it was difficult for some of the American men to get excited about their results on Wednesday.
“I had trouble getting going a little bit,” U.S. Ski Team (USST) member Noah Hoffman, who led the U.S. men in the 15 k in 34th, said after his race. He finished 2:35.6 behind Sweden’s Johan Olsson, who won by 17.8 seconds in 35:01.6.
“[I skied] kind of just very even-keeled and neutral, but certainly nothing special, so not quite what I was looking for,” Hoffman added.
The seventh starter out of 86, he posted split times throughout the two-lap race that ultimately ranked in the top 40. While they indicated consistent skiing, they weren’t as fast as he wanted, and he said he lost time all over the course.
“It’s been a little discouraging,” he said of his World Championships thus far, which included one other race: the 30 k skiathlon, in which he placed 44th last Saturday. This season, he’s only completed three races after a broken leg in the 2014/2015 World Cup opener derailed his World Championships prep.
“It was not the year I planned on and [I’m just trying] to build on every race,” Hoffman said. “The season’s not over and I’ll think about moving on from the end of the season once the season comes to a close.”
In a blog post Wednesday evening, Hoffman reflected more on his race.
“I executed today more or less how I wanted to. I skied relaxed with high energy,” he wrote. “The race was a step in the right direction from Saturday’s skiathlon, and there’s nothing for me to do but keep preparing as well as I can and hope my form comes around.”
Erik Bjornsen (U.S. Ski Team) at the top of Mördarbacken on his first of two laps, en route to 47th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.
After Hoffman, Erik Bjornsen placed 47th for the U.S., 3:19.5 after Olsson, Kyle Bratrud was 52nd (+3:58.7), and Kris Freeman finished 59th (+4:25.9).
Bjornsen and Bratrud explained they came into the 15 k generally aiming for a top 40. Bjornsen finished 22.9 seconds back from that goal.
“Some spots were good. It felt like the body was firing. The results weren’t great,” the 23-year-old Bjornsen said.
He started 64th, one minute behind Bratrud in bib 62, and 30 seconds ahead of Norway’s Petter Northug. At one point, Northug nearly caught him, and Bjornsen was prepared to take advantage of a boost by trying to stay with him.
“All of a sudden, I could tell he wasn’t behind me anymore, and I looked back on one downhill and he was way back there,” Bjornsen said. “It would’ve been one thing if it was someone like [Switzerland’s Dario] Cologna, but with Northug, I figured he went for it and then wasn’t feeling it and started walking or something.
“I saw some fast guys behind me. I was hoping to at least ski with somebody out there, but it didn’t happen,” he added. “I felt like I was hammering a few hills and felt all right, but I lost some time somewhere.”
At 1.5 k, Bjornsen heard he was 17 seconds down to the race leader at the time.
“I was like, ‘Woah, that was quick,’ ” he recalled.
Despite pushing harder, he still didn’t feel like he was having a great race.
“There were parts today when I felt really good and obviously I felt great about the pursuit,” Bjornsen said, referring to his 28th-place finish in the World Championships 30 k skiathlon. “I think that I did a good job peaking for this championship. I love head-to-head racing so hopefully I’ll get a chance to do that on the relay [on Friday].”
American Kyle Bratrud (Northern Michigan University) racing to 52nd in the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.
A Northern Michigan University senior in his first World Championships, Bratrud was pleased with how he fared in his signature race on Wednesday.
Early last month, Bratrud, 21, punched his ticket to U23 World Championships, and ultimately the Falun World Championships as well, with a 50-second win in the 15 k freestyle at U.S. nationals.
On Wednesday, he was looking to improve on his 84th place from 10 days earlier in the 15 k freestyle at his first-ever World Cup in Östersund, Sweden. He knocked off 32 places and didn’t crash, so he considered it a success.
“It was really soft, but I think that probably benefited me being a small guy,” Bratrud said of the slushy conditions on a 40-degree, damp-and-overcast afternoon. “I felt like I kept my tempo up pretty much the whole race. I died a little bit at the end, but it was a lot better paced than it was in Östersund so that was good. It was a good way for me to end my time in Europe.”
He ended up beating Northug, who placed 62nd.
“He’s been one of my idols since I’ve grown up,” Bratrud said. “I wouldn’t say I’m better than him, but to beat him is pretty cool.”
Now done with his first-and-only race of World Championships, Bratrud planned to head back to Marquette, Mich., to “catch up on the month and a half of homework” before heading to NCAA Skiing Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., in mid-March.
“We have a really strong team so I want to go back and put together a solid effort at NCAAs,” he said.
American Kris Freeman on his way to 59th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
After placing 59th, Freeman called his race “horrible.”
He started eighth, right after Hoffman, and his 1.5 k time ended up ranking 33rd. By 7.5 k, he slipped to 42nd and then 55th by the 12.8 k checkpoint.
“I don’t understand — I felt pretty good this morning and I felt good on the first lap, and then it was just lights out and I couldn’t ski anymore,” Freeman said. “In this kind of snow, once you get a little tired you start to sink and if you’re feeling good you stay on top and float, and I was sinking. I’m really confused and disappointed.”
While he wasn’t sure whether he’d race Friday’s 4 x 10 relay, which the U.S. Ski Team won’t divulge until the start list has been posted Thursday evening, Freeman expected to race Sunday’s 50 k.
“Right now I feel like it’s a really long way and I’ve got to figure something out,” Freeman said. “I just want to feel the way I’ve been feeling this year and the first two races [of World Championships] I just haven’t felt like that at all.”
Noah Hoffman placed 38th in Sunday’s 15 k freestyle in Östersund, Sweden. It was his first World Cup finish since March 2014. He is pictured here racing in the 2014 SuperTour Finals at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo: Rob Whitney)
Noah Hoffman entered Sunday’s 15 k freestyle individual start in Östersund, Sweden with uncertainty, but exited with a clear objective of improvement. The race was the 25-year-old’s first World Cup finish since March of 2014 and marked Hoffman’s first competition after a November crash in Kuusamo, Finland that resulted in a broken fibula.
Hoffman finished his day in 38th, 1:54.2 behind the weekend’s sprint and distance winner, Finn Hågen Krogh of Norway. He was the top North American finisher of the day.
According to Hoffman, the race was a good start to a season that many thought was over for the U.S. skier.
“Obviously 38th is not where I want to end up, even for top results this year after everything that’s happened,” Hoffman said in a phone interview. “It’s a great place to build from and I think I will build going forward, given how the training structure, training load, the altitude, and the injury have played out. I feel like I’m on the upswing and I can build on that.”
Hoffman explained that while he was nervous to be racing again, none of his anxieties revolved around his ankle. The Colorado native said that there was no pain during the competition, and that he didn’t think about his injury while competing in the three lap race.
Hoffman entered Sunday’s race after living at roughly 10,000 feet during his recovery in Colorado. Due to the effects of several months of high altitude training, Hoffman said he needed to focus on having a fast start. While he explained that his actual first kilometers were slower than they felt, he clocked the 33rd fastest time at the 1.8 k mark. From there he slowed, however, ranking in the 50s at 3.5 k.
As Hoffman passed the 5 k mark and lapped through the stadium, Canadian Ivan Babikov began his race and eventually caught the American. The two skied together for the remaining laps of Hoffman’s race.
“[Babikov] was charging on that lap and I got a ride. It was a challenge to stay on him on his first lap,” Hoffman said. “Then he settled a little bit. It was a little easier on the last lap but I didn’t feel quite strong enough to go around him. I got a 10 k ride from him which was nice to show me the pace.”
While Hoffman was pleased with the race, he said it demonstrated his skiing was not at the level it could be.
“I executed my plan, but none of it was that fast. I hope to continue to execute well but to do it at a higher level in the coming weeks,” he said.
U.S. Ski Team Women’s Coach Matt Whitcomb said in a phone interview that he was excited to see Hoffman racing again and that Sunday’s effort was a good start before World Championships in Falun, Sweden, which begin Feb. 18.
“The race turned out to be a stronger result than what was unfolding at Kuusamo that day before he crashed. So, with clear fitness, he just needed a good hard effort under his belt. I think he’s anxious and excited for these races coming up, and hopefully he’s feeling more confident now that he’s got one under his belt. 38th is nothing to be disappointed with,” he said.
Kyle Bratrud finished 84th in the Wold Cup debut in Östersund, Sweden. He is pictured here racing to 19th in his first race of the 2015 U23 World Championships, the 15 k freestyle in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)
Three other Americans competed in Sunday’s 15 k with Erik Bjornsen in 60th, Matt Gelso in 71st, and World Cup newcomer Kyle Bratrud in 84th. Both Bjornsen and Gelso had strong starts to their races and were ranked in the high 40s and low 50s after the first kilometers, but slowed as the race progressed.
Sunday’s World Cup was Bratrud first and it started with high profile company, as the Northern Michigan University skier started ahead of Switzerland’s Dario Cologna and three spots ahead of overall World Cup leader Martin Sundby of Norway. While Bratrud only skied with the famed skiers for a several minutes, he wrote he was excited to catch a small ride.
Near the beginning of his race, Bratrud fell on an ice patch and crashed into a nearby fence. While the 22-year-old only broke the heel plate of his binding, he explained his left quad was was bruised and his hip flexor strained.
“This was definitely my biggest crash of my career, but luckily all that broke was one heel plate,” he wrote in an email. “That being said, the rest of my race was pretty hard to get into both physically and mentally. I was the last person on the course and it took my body a while to respond after the trauma. The Swedish fans were really supportive, though, and I got multiple USA chants. I am pleased to have my first World Cup in the books”
Whitcomb said he hoped the race would be the first race of an extensive World Cup career for Bratrud.
“This was very exciting, because Kyle was starting what could be a very long World Cup career. It’s going to take a few races to get things going, but he showed us in Kazakhstan that he can mix it up with the best, and he showed everyone in Houghton that he can mix it up with the best of the U.S., and I have good confidence that over time he’ll be able to mix it up with the best of the world in the World Cup. But it’s going to take some time,” he said.
With the World Cup weekend in Östersund complete, competitors now travel to Falun, Sweden where they will compete in the 2015 World Championbshps starting Feb. 18.
Norway’s Finn Hågen Krogh gives a thumbs up in the leader’s chair during the men’s World Cup 15 k freestyle on Sunday on Ostersund, Sweden. Krogh won by 13.5 seconds for his second-straight win of the weekend. (Photo: FIS Cross Country/Twitter)
Finn Hågen Krogh’s only 24 years old and he’s been on the World Cup circuit since 2011, yet he’s one of those names we’ve been hearing a lot of lately.
Finn Hågen Krogh (c) of Norway after winning his the World Cup classic sprint on Saturday in Ostersund, Sweden, ahead of Canada’s Alex Harvey (l) in second and fellow Norwegian Timo Andre Bakken (r) in third. Krogh went on to win Sunday’s 15 k skate as well. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
This weekend, the Norwegian made headlines twice at the Östersund World Cup, winning both individual races with the classic sprint on Saturday and the 15-kilometer freestyle on Sunday.
But perhaps the bigger news is that Krogh — the Sprint World Cup leader — isn’t really known as a distance guy, and Sunday marked his first World Cup distance win.
“He’s Norway’s strongest skier now,” Sweden’s Calle Halfvarsson said an interview with NRK, according to a translation. “I’ve been waiting for this and am not surprised. He has been good a long time, but now he has really turned [the corner].”
According to Krogh, who won a freestyle sprint in Davos, Switzerland, and made the podium in four individual World Cup races in December, this was all part of his plan. He skipped the Tour de Ski, then placed second in the freestyle team sprint his first weekend back racing in Otepää, Estonia, with teammate Anders Gløerssen.
Krogh then sat out the World Cup in Rybinsk, Russia, and just under a month later, he was back on top in the last World Cups before World Championships begin this week in Falun, Sweden.
“The plan has worked well so far,” Krogh told NRK.
“I’m in good shape and had little gunpowder in the end,” he added, referring to his second-straight World Cup win on Sunday.
On a hilly three-lap course in Östersund, Krogh made yet another calculated approach and started conservatively, posting the eventual 17th-ranked time through the 1.8 k checkpoint. However, by 8.3 k, he was where he needed to be, in second, 8.4 seconds behind Norway’s Hans Christer Holund, who led through those timing points.
Holund, 26, thrust himself into the spotlight with some of the fastest splits all day, overtaking Swede Johan Olsson’s time by 18.3 seconds at 8.3 k. Holund started 30th and Krogh went out 49th on a minus-4-degree Celsius afternoon (25 degrees Fahrenheit), and Krogh gradually picked away time at the gutsy Norwegian.
At 5 k, Krogh was up to third, 9.7 seconds behind Holund and France’s Robin Duvillard in bib 45, respectively.
Holund powered through the finish to take the lead by 48.4 seconds over Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic, who had previously topped Sweden’s Martin Johansson. Seconds earlier, Johansson in bib 25 unseated Japan’s Keishin Yoshida in bib 24 before Yoshida had the chance to enjoy the leader’s chair.
Holund remained in the hot spot for some time, as Olsson came up 6.4 seconds short to initially finish second after him. Meanwhile, Krogh took control at 11.8 k, clocking through 3.2 seconds faster than Holund. At the final 13.3 k checkpoint, Krogh had increased his lead to 7.6 seconds over Holund.
He finished 19.7 seconds ahead to bump Holund to second. After starting 61st, Sweden’s Marcus Hellner came through with the second-fastest time, 18.9 seconds after Krogh and 0.8 seconds ahead of Holund. Then it was France’s Maurice Manificat who pushed hard in the last several kilometers for second, coming up 13.5 seconds short of Krogh but finishing second overall.
Hellner ended up third and Holund narrowly missed the podium in fourth.
“I didn’t expect that I could win today,” Krogh told FIS after the race. “I just focused on my race plan and tried to ski fast at the end of the race and it worked. … I felt a little tired from yesterday’s sprint but I was prepared to race both races this weekend so I could show how good my shape is.
“I hope it’s enough now for a start at the World Championships,” he added.
Manificat started 71st and was able to see both Krogh and Martin Johnsrud Sundby, the overall World Cup leader from Norway, at different parts of the race, which he explained helped.
“I knew I was having a great race,” he told FIS after achieving his first non-stage World Cup podium since December 2013.
At 1.8 k, Manificat’s time ranked seventh, and he was up to third, 3.5 seconds behind Krogh by 8.3 k. With just over three kilometers to go, he remained in third, 1.2 seconds behind Holund and 4.4 seconds back from Krogh, and he was up to second, 5 seconds back, by 13.3 k.
“I really like this course. The climbs are very natural and it feels like a real track in the forest,” he said. “The spectators were great along the course. I think I saw a jacuzzi.”
One of the local favorites, Hellner paced himself from the 10th-fastest split at 1.8 k to sixth fastest at 13.3 k. With a strong last kilometer and a half, he secured his first podium of the season.
“It’s always nice to race in Sweden,” he told FIS. “You can feel the energy from the crowd and it’s nice to be on the podium here. It is good for the confidence heading to Falun.”
Hellner added that he plans to race the skiathlon, 15 k freestyle and team relay at World Championships.
“I am not sure I will do any other races as I haven’t been able to race too much this season without getting tired,” the 29 year old said. “So I will focus on those.”
Two Swedes finished in the top five with Olsson in fifth (+26.1). Norway’s Didrik Tønseth and Niklas Dyrhaug finished sixth (+28.5) and seventh (+29.2), respectively, and Duvillard ended up eighth (+29.7) after fading to 17th at 8.3 k. Russia’s Alexander Legkov took ninth (+32.1), and Chris Andre Jespersen was the fifth Norwegian in the top 10 in 10th (+34.9).
Two other Norwegians finished just outside the top 10 with Gløerssen in 11th (+35.2) and Sundby in 12th (+39.3). Switzerland’s Dario Cologna placed 13th (+42.1), and early podium contender Andrey Larkov of Russia was 14th (+43.6). Great Britain’s Andrew Musgrave was 15th (+44.6), 0.3 seconds ahead of Norway’s Petter Northug in 16th.
Halfvarsson finished 21st (+1:00.3), Bauer 22nd (+1:08.1), Norway’s Sjur Røthe 23rd (+1:09.1), Johansson 24th (+1:09.7), and Yoshida 25th (+1:11.2).
Canada’s Emily Nishikawa (AWCA/NST-Dev.) racing to 36th in Sunday’s World Cup 10 k freestyle in Ostersund, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
It had been almost two months since Emily Nishikawa raced on the World Cup, yet the 25-year-old Canadian National Development Team skier picked up essentially where she left off, collecting her second-best result of the season on Sunday in the women’s 10-kilometer freestyle in Östersund, Sweden.
“It was great to get racing on the World Cup again today,” Nishikawa wrote in an email after placing 36th in Sunday’s race. “My goals for today were just to put a good race together, and focus on the process goals. I think I did that really well. I paced it fairly well, although maybe started a bit too conservatively.”
At 1.8 k, Nishikawa’s time ranked 55th of 70 finishers. She sped up to 39th by 6.8 k and 36th by 8.3 k before finishing 2:35.9 behind Swedish winner Charlotte Kalla.
“A Finnish skier caught me at 5km and I held on to her for the rest of the race,” Nishikawa explained. “I made up a lot of time in the 2nd lap, but I think I could have pushed a little harder in the last few km!”
Last Friday, she arrived in Falun, Sweden, where she’ll compete in her second World Championships over the coming weeks. Nishikawa explained she spent about five days there before traveling to Östersund last Tuesday.
“My teammates that raced yesterday are en route to Falun right now, and the rest of us that raced today will drive down tomorrow,” she wrote. “I had a really good ‘training camp’ at home in Canada in January. I got lots of racing in, but also got lots of time at home with good quality training.”
In Canada, Nishikawa won three-straight NorAm distance races between Eastern and Western Canadian Championships. In fact, she won every NorAm distance race while she was home for a total of six victories from early January to early February.
Canada’s Michael Somppi (AWCA/NST-Dev.) on his way to 69th in the men’s World Cup 15 k freestyle on Sunday in Ostersund, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)
On Sunday, she was the lone Canadian female to race the 10 k, while Ivan Babikov (Canadian World Cup Team) and her fellow Alberta World Cup Academy and national-development team member Michael Somppi competed in the men’s 15 k.
Like Nishikawa, Somppi arrived in Falun for a few days of training before driving to Östersund.
“It was good to have the opportunity to race the World Cup in Ostersund this weekend,” Somppi, the men’s NorAm leader, wrote in an email. “Training went well in the lead up to this weekend; feelings have been pretty good.”
He had been shooting for a top 30, which he knew would be difficult given “the size and quality of the field,” but he wanted to “just throw down everything I had and see where I stacked up,” Somppi wrote.
“Unfortunately my nerves got to me a little, making my body a little stiff, in particular my quads, right from the start,” he explained. “It’s not the first time nerves have affected me and I was hoping I would be able to work through it and loosen up as I got into the race but that never really materialized. With the stiffness in my body I wasn’t able to attack the course the way I wanted and ended up skiing the whole race comfortably hard. I wasn’t able to put myself into the hurt locker and you need to be able to do that if you want to a good result on the World Cup.”
Although listed as a scratch for Saturday’s sprint, Somppi explained he had planned all along to just race the distance race.
“The team put me on the start list just in case, but it was always the plan for me to focus on Sunday,” he wrote. “The transition from the NorAm to pre-World Champs World Cup is huge. I wasn’t ready for the speed these guys ski at today. I needed to be way more aggressive. It was a good wake up call for me.”
While Somppi did not make Canada’s selective nine-person World Championships team, he will be racing Scandinavian Cups on the Canadian B-Tour next weekend.
“I will definitely be focusing on bringing aggression and fight to my racing there,” he wrote.
Scott Patterson (APU) racing to a career-best 13th in the 15 k freestyle on Thursday at U23 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)
A career-best 13th sounds great until you realize that you were skiing as high as third at one point in the race, which is how Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University (APU) felt on Thursday after the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle at U23 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Patterson, who turned 23 on Jan. 28, started 50th of nearly 60 men and was tied for third at 1.7 k with Russia’s Andrey Melnichenko, 2.2 seconds behind another Russian, Roman Tarasov, and 1.2 seconds behind France’s Mickael Philipot.
By 6.7 k, Patterson remained in the top 10 with the ninth-fastest time, while Melnichenko had improved to fifth and Tarasov’s time ranked fourth. However, the last of three laps proved particularly challenging for several competitors, as Patterson slipped from ninth to 13th in the last three kilometers. Earlier in the final 5 k lap at 11.7 k, Melnichenko dropped to 12th and Tarasov fell to 17th, while Philipot ranked 22nd.
Patterson ended up 13th, 1.27.8 behind winner Florian Notz of Germany, who improved from 11th early in the race to second at the 11.7 k checkpoint and finally, first at the finish in 35:55.3. Melnichenko finished 14th, Tarasov was 20th, and Philipot 23rd.
“Honestly, I am a little disappointed with the result,” Patterson wrote in an email after his career-best performance at U23 World Championships. He had previously finished 18th in two races at 2014 U23 worlds (the 30 k skiathlon and 15 k classic), and 17th in the 10 k classic at 2010 Junior World Championships.
“For most of the race I was fighting for a top 10,” he explained. “However, I faded as the race progressed while some of my competitors maintained the pace or got stronger. At the finish I had heard I was in 8th so dropping to 13th in the end was a bit of a bummer. Luckily I still have one more race to improve on my finish. Coming into these championships, I had definitely been aiming for a top 10 with hopes even higher than that so I will continue that in the pursuit [skiathlon].”
Kyle Bratrud racing to 19th in his first race of U23 World Championships, the 15 k freestyle in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)
Patterson led three American men in the top 20, with Patrick Caldwell (Dartmouth College/U.S. Ski Team) placing 15th (+1:40.1), and Kyle Bratrud finishing 19th (+1:49.1).
“This was definitely one of my target races,” Patterson explained. “U23s is always an important part of the season and 15k skate races have historically been pretty successful for me, but the 30k pursuit is just as much of a target race.”
While a top result at U23 worlds could draw the attention of the U.S. Ski Team and make a case for being considered for the U.S. Senior World Championships team, which will compete in Falun, Sweden, later this month, Patterson explained he wasn’t thinking about that.
“Senior world championships would be awesome, but really I am here to race this week not race for a couple weeks later,” he wrote, adding that OPA Cup Finals in Chamonix, France, will likely be his next focus.
Thursday’s course was tough, with “mostly relentless gradual uphills and working downhills with a few steep kickers and technical descents thrown in to keep it interesting,” he added. “Conditions were also quite interesting today with significantly faster almost icy section in the shade but almost slush in some spots. I think overall I skied it quite well but there were parts that could have gone better. By the third lap, I wasn’t working the transitions as hard as I should have been.”
He paced his race aggressively, but found himself losing positions as the race continued.
“I went out pretty hard with the idea that I was not going to be timid at U23s,” Patterson wrote. “Even in the first lap I could feel that this might cost me, later in the race. Although I hung close, I was gradually fading and transitioned into survival mode for the final few hills. Maybe it would have been better to go out a bit more conservative and ski into it, but I chose the opposite and it kind of worked out.”
Just over three months ago, Patterson suffered a pulmonary embolism after a freak skiing accident with a teammate. He was limited to short walks for about a month, and it seemed the University of Vermont graduate’s first season as a professional skier was over before it had begun.
“While I was injured there were definitely moments where I was questioning whether I would be able to qualify for this trip or even be able to race at nationals,” he reflected.
He went on to win his first race back in December, a 15 k freestyle at home in Anchorage, Alaska, and placed eighth in the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals last month.
“The hardest part has been to keep everything balanced between the perspective of being injured and the perspective of it being a normal season,” he wrote. “On one hand everyone keeps telling me how amazing I am doing for where I was in November, but then there is the other side of me always wanting more and being quite close to where I actually want to be. Sometimes the injury just feels like it’s an excuse holding me back.”
“Everyone keeps telling me how amazing I am doing for where I was in November, but then there is the other side of me always wanting more and being quite close to where I actually want to be.” — Scott Patterson, 13th in 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships
Heading into these championships, Caldwell explained in his email that his goals were to “race hard and stay healthy.” On Thursday, he was specifically aiming for a top 15 and was relieved he lunged at the line to do so.
The 20-year-old Dartmouth ski team member finished 0.1 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s Andrew Young in 16th and edged Russia’s Krill Vichuzhanin in 17th by 0.3 seconds. In 15th, Caldwell was 11.4 seconds back from Melnichenko in 14th.
“I’m really psyched with how things went today. It is a pretty tough course: lots of steep uphills, long gradual grinds and not much rest,” Caldwell wrote, adding that he focused on “staying relaxed on the climbs and really pushing it on the flats and gradual ups.”
In his first race at a U23 World Championships, 15th marked his second-best result at a world championships since placing 10th in the 20 k skiathlon at junior worlds last year.
“Many aspects of the competition are very similar so far,” he explained. “The biggest difference is that the top end for U23s are also competitive on the World Cup. Its pretty cool to be out there with some really successful World Cup skiers. … I think everyone is particularly fired up with the World Championships coming up soon. The upcoming races in Falun haven’t changed my approach to these races but have definitely added to the overall excitement at this event.”
Bratrud placed 19th in his U23 worlds debut, after having competed at the 2013 junior worlds in Liberec, Czech Republic.
“My goal going into today was to be in the top 15 or even top 10 so I am disappointed about that,” Bratrud wrote in an email. “I was in the hunt for the first two laps, but faded and leaked quite a bit of time on the last lap. That being said, it is hard not to be excited about a first top 20 and seeing two teammates in the top 15. This male U23 group is the future of US Skiing and it is a blessing just to be a part of it.”
“This male U23 group is the future of US Skiing and it is a blessing just to be a part of it.” — Kyle Bratrud, 19th in 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships
Bratrud, who turns 22 on Feb. 9, started 44th — right behind Caldwell in bib 43 — and improved from the 25th-ranked time at 1.7 k to 12th at 6.7 k. He slipped to 16th with just over three kilometers remaining and ultimately finished 2.2 seconds within the top 20.
“Anyone who knows me knows I put a lot of pressure on myself, so following a very successful US Nationals [where he won the 15 k freestyle and placed third in the 30 k classic] I certainly have new expectations for myself,” Bratrud said.
“I constantly feel I need to justify my naming,” he added. “But at the end of the day I am on this trip with some of the best skiers in the US and if you are slightly off one day than a lot can happen. I went for it and came up short, but I am happy that I tried and excited for what lies ahead. This is certainly a new level. There are regular World Cup skiers racing with us and it’s fun to see where you compare.”
Scott Patterson leads APU and U.S. U23 World Championships teammate Logan Hanneman during training last Friday in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)
Also for the U.S., Logan Hanneman (University of Alaska Fairbanks) placed 40th, 2:54.1 behind the winner.
Germany’s Notz kicked it into high gear on the last of three laps for his first podium at a U23 or junior worlds, beating Norway’s Simen Hegstad Krueger by 9.5 seconds and French bronze medalist Adrien Backscheider by 26.7 seconds.
Notz started last in bib 58 and paced himself accordingly to beat the times of both Krueger and Backscheider in bibs 56 and 57, respectively. Italy’s Giandomenico Salvadori held on for fourth (+34.7) and Norway’s Magne Haga, brother of women’s World Cup skier Ragnhild Haga, placed fifth (+40.2).
Raphaël Couturier of the Pierre-Harvey Training Centre (CNEPH) and national U23 team placed 41st (+2:56.4) to lead the Canadian men, while teammates Knute Johnsgaard (Whitehorse/Yukon Elite Squad) finished 47th (+3:51.1), Scott James Hill (Thunder Bay NDC) took 48th (+3:54.3), and Colin Ferrie (Black Jack) placed 50th (+4:06.8).
The U23 World Championships wrap up with the women’s and men’s 15/30 k skiathlons on Saturday.
Dario Cologna of Switzerland celebrates his win in Friday’s 10 k freestyle in Rybinsk, Russia (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
Dario Cologna likes Russia and it’s probably starting to get on Russian nerves. Prior to Friday, of his nine World Cup and Olympic individual starts in the country he was victorious in three, denying the national team favorites a chance at victory in front of a home crowd. However, all the victories were in Sochi, with two from the Olympic skiathlon and the 15km classic, and other from a 2013 World Cup skiathlon.
“I like racing in Russia. I have good memories from Sochi last winter. It’s a nice country to come to and compete. The courses are well prepared and the people are great,” Cologna commented to FIS reporters.
The trend continued Friday with another win for Cologna in the Rybinsk World Cup 15 k freestyle interval start, where he skied to a 16.3 second win over Russian Evgeniv Belov with a time of 36.53.4. In third was fellow Russian Sergey Ustiugov, who finished 28.8 seconds back. Alexander Legkov also of Russia placed fourth, 35.8 seconds behind Cologna.
While Friday’s race denied them the top spot, the course in Rybinsk has been very kind to its countrymen in the past. Russian athletes have won four of the seven distance races held at home in Rybinsk in the World Cup. Ilia Chernousov, Artem Zhmurko, Maxim Vylegzhanin and Legkov each have one win here.
Sergey Ustiugov of Russia leads Dario Cologna of Switzerland in Friday’s 15 k freestyle in Rybinsk, Russia. Ustiugov finished third while Cologna won. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
Friday’s three loop, 5km course featured several significant climbs with little opportunity to recover. The highest point on the course was a 22% grade at the 8.9 k timing mark. Couple the hills with the cold weather and freshly fallen snow and the course became that much more difficult.
Once all the top seeded skiers started, it was apparent the race was going to come down to four athletes – Cologna and Russian teammates Ustiugov, Belov, and Legkov. The latter of the four started near the front of the pack and set a blistering pace that the remaining three barely bested over the first kilometers.
As a higher seeded athlete, Cologna had the advantage of being the last skier to start. In front of him were Ustiugov and Belov. While Ustiugov was the fastest skier through all the early course time checks, Cologna clocked even better times as he chased the Russian.
At the 6.9 k split, Ustiugov began to feel the the consequences of his fast start. With the largest climb yet to come, Ustiugov slowed. Cologna eventually caught him, and the two worked to chip away at the distance between them and Belov.
Men’s 15 k podium, from l-r Evgeniy Belov of Russia, second, Dario Cologna of Switzerland, first, and Sergey Ustiugov of Russia, third
Belov started his race more conservatively but increased his speed through the later parts of the course. His finish time of 37:09.7 was the fastest as he crossed the line, but there were still two skiers left on course. Given the splits, it seemed as if Cologna was all but guaranteed a podium. The only question was which spot would it be.
“I caught Sergey and I knew that if I just stayed close to him we would have a fast finish. I know he is a great sprinter,” Cologna said in a post-race interview with FIS.
The question was answered as the Swiss skier crossed the line. Cologna beat Belov’s time by 16.3 seconds, crossing the line in 36.53.4 to take his first 15 km skate World Cup win ever despite being Olympic champion in the event in Vancouver 2010.
Although Belov was denied the win, he was excited to earn his third individual World Cup podium.
“I am happy with my result today. It was great to win in Russia. I feel very strong after the Tour de Ski and I like racing in the minus temperatures. I know there courses very well so this is a great result,” he said to FIS.
With his third place podium – his first World Cup distance podium – Ustiugov said he was happy but still focused on the rest of the weekend’s races.
“This is a great finish for me. It was very difficult and when Dario caught me I knew that if I could push very hard there was a chance for a podium. This is my first podium in a distance competition on the World Cup. I have only been in the sprint before. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s sprint competition,” he said to FIS.
Focus now switches to Saturday’s race, a 1.3 k freestyle sprint.
Northern Michigan University senior Kyle Bratrud leads Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) about 5 k into the first of two laps in the men’s 15 k freestyle, the first race of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Bratrud went on to win by 50 seconds for his first national title, and first top 2o at senior nationals, and Gregg finished 14th.
When Kyle Bratrud woke up Sunday morning, he thought, great — a couple inches of fresh snow, temperatures hovering around the single digits — perfect.
The 21-year-old Northern Michigan University (NMU) senior was actually serious when he talked about reveling in the conditions after the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start, which kicked off a blustery and snowy first day of U.S. Cross Country Championships.
“As a smaller guy, the slower the better for me,” Bratrud said.
And the longer the race, like twice around a new 7.5 k loop at the Michigan Tech Trails, the better, he added. “I’m a pretty endurance-based guy,” he said.
Three weeks ago, Bratrud placed third in a 15 k classic mass start and fourth in a classic sprint, both Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) races held on the same courses in Houghton. NMU is 100 miles southeast in Marquette, Mich.
Sunday marked his first time skating Michigan Tech’s new 7.5 k course, at least in a race, yet he already knew it well. And when he burst out of the start in bib 35 of 197 men, he quickly found he was the race leader through every point he received splits.
“I never actually got a number [for time ahead], but just to get the first split, to hear that I was the race leader, it felt like a Central race,” he recalled. “I get leader splits a decent amount there so to get it here was something else. I definitely wasn’t expecting that.”
With just five other A-seeded skiers behind him, Bratrud realized he was beating top contenders like Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) and Matt Gelso, of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Gold Team, who started before him.
By the end of the first lap, he had a 27-second lead over Freeman in second. One of Bratrud’s friends and summer training partners at Alaska Pacific University (APU) in Anchorage, Logan Hanneman of ranked third through 7.5 k, another 4.2 seconds after Freeman.
Bratrud said he never knew exactly how much he was leading by, but he did know that if he kept it up, he was on his way to his first national title and his best national finish by 23 places.
With U23 World Championships on his mind in his last year of eligibility (Bratrud turns 22 on Feb. 9th), the Minnesota native held his own and won the 15 k in 42:01.6, exactly 50 seconds ahead of Freeman, who started three minutes ahead of him.
“I was just excited the whole way; I’ve never been in the top 20 at U.S. nationals so that was a little bit an improvement,” he said with a laugh.
Last year at the U.S. championships in Midway, Utah, Bratrud posted a best result of 24th in the classic sprint. He was 29th in the 15 k classic and 48th in the 30 k freestyle mass start. Two seasons ago, he made it to the 2013 Junior World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.
“Last year [nationals] was at altitude and I don’t ski very well at altitude, so I didn’t feel like my results there were very indicative of where I should be,” he said. “I’ve had some good results at NCAA’s [Championships] and I knew at least a top 10 was possible, that was my goal, so to win was something else.”
His goal had been to peak at nationals, less than 1,000 feet above sea level in Houghton. With a win, he put himself in a prime spot to be nominated to the U23 World Championships team, which will be announced after the final national race next Saturday.
“To make U23s, you’ve got to race well at nationals,” he said. “I’ve been skating well all year so the 15 k was kind of my goal and I’m really excited for the 30 k as well, but it’s sweet to start the week with a win.”
Kyle Bratrud (second from r) with his mom, sister, dad and brother after he won the 15 k freestyle on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
His family was also there to watch him do so, including his mom, dad, sister and brother. Bratrud said he was happy to ski well in front of them, as well as several Midwest (and non-Midwest) friends and parents.
“Being from Northern Michigan, we ski here almost every weekend … so I knew the course really well and I knew where I could push myself and where I need to take it a bit easy,” he explained, emphasizing he attacked the long, gradual uphills as opposed to the steepest terrain. “It just felt like another Central Region race for me, just a few more people, but it was really good.”
Bratrud led two NMU skiers in the top five with sophomore Fredrik Schwencke in fifth, 1:11.6 back. In his second season at NMU (after coming to the university from Norway with assistant coach Haakon Baanerud last year), Schwencke also knew the Michigan Tech Trails well.
On Dec. 21, he won the CCSA 15 k classic race, edging Bratrud in third by 1.1 seconds.
“We know this course very well, we’ve raced here a lot and we know we have a good team,” Schwencke, 22, said after Sunday’s race while standing near his dad, who was visiting from Oslo, Norway, with his mom and brother.
While he was pleased to race well in front of his family, in Michigan for a week and a half and leaving before Thursday’s 30 k classic mass start, Schwencke thanked NMU head coach Sten Fjeldheim, the 2014 national collegiate coach of the year.
Matt Gelso (SVSEF) led NMU sophomore Fredrik Schwencke for most of the men’s 15 k freestyle individual race at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gelso placed fourth and Schwencke finished 18.8 seconds behind him in fifth.
“I was hoping for great skis and we had really great skis today,” Schwencke said. “I think our team benefits from slow conditions. We’re not that fast of skiers so we do well when it’s slow.
“It’s been two exciting years,” he added. “Today was a really good day. I feel much better in classic so it was kind of a surprise doing that well in skate so I’m really excited for the next couple races.”
Also for NMU, Adam Martin placed 13th and Ian Torchia was the top junior in 16th.
Fjeldheim called the men’s team’s performance “solid” and a direct result of an entire season of training. He was also proud that they’re all full-time students who trained 85 to 92 hours a month from September through November.
“Our guys have been super positive and they have been a really fun group to coach,” he said. “They have been working together really, really well. Not just our top four guys, but our whole men’s team; we have seven guys. We have some young enthusiasm in the team .. and right now, it is just good energy and solid training, you know, there is no secret.
As for Bratrud, Fjeldheim referred to him as a straight-A student with a “hell of a motor.”
“He has really made a huge commitment to this sport,” he explained. “We work a lot on balancing the athletes’ life between academics and athletics and I think that is what has really helped him. He has kept a really good perspective and I know and Kyle knows now that developing to be a good skier takes anywhere from five to ten years.”
Now that Bratrud has almost four years of collegiate-skiing experience, Fjeldheim said in another six, he could be “one of the best skiers we have had in a long time. He has just a really, really solid attitude.”
Freeman Second, Caldwell Captures Third
Kris Freeman (Freebird) racing to second in the men’s 15 k freestyle on the first day of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Freeman in second was surprised to see Bratrud at the top of the results list, but said that’s what nationals is all about.
“He wasn’t really on my radar, but I guess that’s what nationals is for — for people to come out of the woodwork,” the 34-year-old,16-time national champion said.
After a slower start than he would’ve liked, the four-time Olympian rallied to post the fastest splits through 23 starters.
“I was surprised I was behind in the splits early and I just fought as hard as I could,” Freeman said. “[In] the initial couple kilometers, I was twenty seconds down which was not normal and I didn’t go out easy, either, so I’m not sure what was going on there.”
He tried to latch onto Scott Patterson (APU), who started 15 seconds ahead of him, and closed on him in the first kilometer, but Patterson began to pull away on the initial long climb back up.
“I was getting pretty discouraged until we got to the top of the course and both he and [Sun Valley’s] Miles [Havlick, who started 30 seconds ahead of Freeman] came into view,” he added.
The three skied together and Freeman clawed back the time on Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth College/Stratton Mountain School T2/U.S. Ski Team) and Gelso, who started behind him.
“I guess it was OK,” Freeman said of his result. “I was second to Kyle, who had a hell of a day so, what can you do?”
Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMST2/U.S. Ski Team) racing to third in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., for his first-ever podium (and top 15) at senior nationals.
The eventual third-place finisher, Caldwell was fifth fastest at the halfway point, 0.7 seconds behind Gelso in fourth, 1.1 behind Hanneman, and 5.3 back from Freeman — whom he started 30 seconds after.
“I was hearing five to twenty [seconds] behind Kris most of the time,” Caldwell recalled. “I saw him only once in the beginning of the race and then I was just hearing that I was some distance behind, but that’s all I heard.”
The 20 year old ended up third overall for his first senior-nationals podium, 2.7 seconds behind Freeman and one-tenth of a second ahead of Gelso in fourth. Last year at nationals in Utah, he was 16th in the 15 k classic for his previous best.
“That was awesome,” Caldwell said of Sunday’s race, after pulling his neck warmer over his eyes for a moment to defrost his eyelids. “It was definitely an intense race: real cold, snowy, a lot of people out there, which is really fun, but … tough. But it’s awesome doing a 7.5 k loop. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that, that was pretty fun.”
At his last race at the Eastern Cup in Middlebury, Vt., Caldwell won the 15 k freestyle mass start by a minute and 17 seconds. He explained that he used that event — which was of the same distance and skate format on a similarly hilly course — as a tuneup for nationals.
“I wanted to go as hard as I could that race … because I knew today was going to be a day with a lot of solo skiing, which it was” he said. “I skied by myself about the entire time [today] so I really wanted to test that out a couple weekends ago.”
Gelso started 1:45 behind Caldwell and nearly matched his time, but fell 0.1 seconds short.
“I am slightly disappointed in that. I was hoping to be a little higher,” Gelso said of fourth place.
After starting 15 seconds behind Schwencke, he caught up to the Norwegian within the first two kilometers and the two stayed together for much of the race. Schwencke called sticking with Gelso his “main task.”
“It was kind of nice … he caught up with me, I just tried to hang on,” he said. “He gapped me a bit at the very end, but … I benefited from that.”
Gelso topped Schwencke by 18.8 seconds at the finish. He spent the holidays at his home in Truckee, Calif., training at some 6,000 meters above sea level.
“Coming from altitude, I just wanted to go out hard because I would have the benefit of being able to recover quick,” Gelso reflected. “So go out hard and keep it rolling.”
At points throughout the race, he heard he was in second or third. At 7.5 k, his time ranked fourth, 0.4 seconds behind Hanneman.
“I knew it was super tight,” he said.
Rogan Brown of the University of Vermont placed sixth, 1:19.4 behind Bratrud, David Norris (APU) was seventh (+1:26.2), Matt Liebsch (XC United/Gear West) eighth (+1:27.3), Lex Treinen (APU) ninth (+1:45.6), and Patterson 10th (+1:49.7).
Hanneman ended up 11th (+1:53.9), and Havlick was 12th (+2:02.5).
One of APU’s World Cup skiers, Reese Hanneman was listed to start but did not race. According to APU Head Coach Erik Flora, he had been planning to race three out of four events at nationals.
“Going through Period 1 [on the World Cup] is a good stress and a good experience, and coming here, we are looking at the sprint races and the 30 k,” Flora said. “We thought focusing on the three out of the four was going to be a good way and that was going to give him an extra day of prep as well.”
During the women’s 10 k on Sunday afternoon, the sprint race was rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday because of forecast sub-zero temperatures and high winds. Flora said if they’d known about the switch beforehand, Reese Hanneman might have done the 15 k with an extra day of rest before the sprint.
Former U.S. Ski Team member Tad Elliott, of the Ski & Snowboard Club Vail Elite Team, was also missing from Sunday’s race as he recovered from “some sort of flu/cold” in Durango, Colo., he explained in an email.
“Then [I] coughed so hard I injured my back!” Elliott wrote. “I am on the mend and hope to show up later in the week to race. I am still in Colorado getting mom’s love and soup and broth!”
Devon Kershaw (r) chases down biathlete Scott Perras during Monday’s Frozen Thunder 10.8 k freestyle interval start at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Kershaw went on to win, and Perras placed third. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)
A 1.8-kilometer loop can get crowded with 101 racers, especially when each competitor is racing anywhere from four to six laps.
Such was the case at Monday’s Frozen Thunder freestyle-individual start in Camore, Alberta. Jumping at the chance for on-snow training and racing in October, groups including the U.S. Ski Team and Canadian national cross-country and biathlon teams converged on the Canmore Nordic Centre.
In the men’s 10.8 k race, the good ol’ boys of North American nordic skiing came out on top.
Devon Kershaw of the Canadian World Cup Team skied his way to a win in the freestyle-interval start in Canmore, Alberta, with a time of 23:00.4.
Canadian Para-Nordic Team veteran Brian McKeever placed eighth in Frozen Thunder’s 10.8 k freestyle interval start on Oct. 27 in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)
Not far behind was U.S. veteran skier Kris Freeman (+5.1) of Team Freebird. After three laps, Freeman was roughly 13 seconds behind Kershaw but gradually erased the deficit as the finish inched closer.
Freeman’s final surge was not enough to overcome Kershaw, who clocked the fastest time in each of the first three laps.
Kershaw said that the crowded 1.8 k loop did little to distract him from his race. Comparing the conditions of the loop made of saved-snow to several past World Cups, Kershaw said that the busy Frozen Thunder track was nothing he hadn’t seen before.
“You just move around people that are slower than you and it’s actually pretty easy to not focus on that aspect of it. A busy track doesn’t bother me when I’m racing,” Kershaw wrote after his win.
Freeman agreed, writing that in the modern era of nordic skiing, short loops have become more abundant – even in the winter season. He said that while he was careful when overtaking his competitors, everyone he met on the course gave enough space for a fellow skier to pass.
Kershaw said that since its conception, Frozen Thunder has continued to get bigger and better. This year was no different.
“The Frozen Thunder races are getting more and more popular as the years go on,” he wrote. “The volunteers here in the Bow Valley that make events like this happen are just so incredible. When you’ve got athletes from the U.S. coming up, and training centres and clubs from across the country coming to compete and train here – it shows just how fantastic a success and how well received the whole Frozen Thunder project is.”
Third place was claimed by Biathlon Canada’s Scott Perras, who finished 30.8 seconds behind Kershaw.
For Perras, the race was an opportunity to ski with the Canada’s cross-country team. He said that Canadian biathletes and and cross-country skiers rarely interact due to the diverse schedules of each team.
“It was great to get to ski parts of a race with Kershaw,” he wrote. “I’ve never actually been in a cross country race when he was around. October really is the only time of year cross country and biathlon get to have some fun chasing each other.”
Perras and teammate Brendan Green wore one of each other’s skis so that they could compare their results without worrying about variation in ski speed. He was able inch past Green who finished 1.3 seconds behind. Perras said the laps he spent skiing with Kershaw made the all the difference.
Perras also noted that the top three men in Monday’s race were some of the oldest in the field of 64.
“As an ‘old guy’ this brings a smile to my face,” the 31 year old said. Kershaw is also 31 and Freeman is 34.
Further down the results sheet was Simi Hamilton of the U.S. Ski Team (USST). While the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) T2 skier finished 40th and roughly three minutes and 20 seconds behind Kershaw, his result is misleading. Hamilton recently suffered “a mild shoulder tweak” and skied the entire race with one pole.
Biathlete Rosanna Crawford racing to the win in Monday’s 7.2 k freestyle women’s race at Frozen Thunder in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)
In the women’s 7.2 k race, Rosanna Crawford (Biathlon Canada) bested a strong women’s field to take the win. After four laps around the Frozen Thunder track, she finished with a time of 17:39.2.
Despite soft conditions, Crawford explained she felt strong throughout the race and enjoyed starting near the back of the pack.
“Starting near the end meant there was a lot of girls I could chase down. I love having someone just within sight that I can try to chase down and pass!” she wrote in an email.
Crawford, who just completed a two-week block of treadmill rollerski intensity, explained that the race helped her begin the transition from dryland training to on-snow racing.
Coming in second for the women was USST member Liz Stephen (+3.6), who traditionally excels on hilly courses with long climbs. Monday’s race had no such climbs and was relatively flat.
Taking the final spot on the podium was Canadian biathlete Zina Kocher (+11.7). Kocher said that while she also favors hill-intensive courses, the Frozen Thunder distance race left her feeling technically and physically strong going into the final weeks of fall training.
Now that Frozen Thunder racing has concluded, the North American teams will part ways before they begin their final training blocks of the fall. The Canadian Biathlon Team will host a time-trail on the 1.8 k ski loop Friday, as part of their continued training camp.
Heidi Widmer (AWCA/Canadian NST) racing to ninth in the women’s freestyle distance race at Frozen Thunder on Oct. 27 in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)
Scott Hill (NDC Thunder Bay/NST) in the leader’s bib racing to his second-straight individual junior title at Canadian Nationals on Tuesday in the 15 k freestyle in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)
CORNER BROOK, Newfoundland — Five days after Canadian Ski Nationals started at Blow Me Down Trails, the third races of the week took place Tuesday with the 10- and 15-kilometre freestyle interval starts.
Upon checking out the course profiles before arriving in Newfoundland, the image of Tuesday’s race course was strikingly simple. It went up. It went down. With the exception of a short, flat section around the stadium and a quick up-and-down loop at the end, the course was pretty much one big uphill followed by a descent back to the stadium. Men raced four 3.75 k loops and women three 3.3 k laps, going not quite as high on the hill as the men.
With regards to conditions, the one thing that’s been consistent this week with weather is the ridiculously strong winds, and Tuesday was no exception to this trend. Blowing snow challenged racers with some solid headwinds at points on the course in temperatures around -9 degrees Celsius.
But even with the headwinds it was a quick race. World Cup veteran Ivan Babikov led the charge, winning the senior men’s 15 k in at just over 35 minutes, typical of the top times one might see on a tough World Cup 15 k course.
When the snow cleared (more of a figure of speech: it’s still blowing snow outside), here’s who stood with Babikov at the top of the podium:
Senior Women: Heidi Widmer
Heidi Widmer (front) racing to a victory in the open women’s 10 k freestyle on Tuesday at Canadian Nationals in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)
Last fall, Widmer, of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) and Canadian Senior Development Team (NST) dealt with the effects of a concussion following a rollerski crash. She stayed focused through the setbacks and managed to put down some solid results throughout the ski season, qualifying for the U23 World Championships and first Olympics in her final year as a U23.
1. Did you have a particular focus going into today’s event?
“To be present in the moment. Just like Pooh Bear in the ‘Tao of Pooh’. Great read.”
2. Before you knew your result were you happy with today’s race?
“I had a great time, had good skis and pushed my limits. So I would be happy with my efforts either way. It is even better when that aligns with a win!”
3. Imagine that it is your birthday and you get to choose whatever meal you want. What’s the main course and what’s for dessert?
“It depends where I’m celebrating — whatever the locals are doing and what is in season! Hopefully it’s Mexican style. For dessert, chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and strawberry filling. Vanilla ice cream on the side.”
Ivan Babikov (Canadian World Cup Team) racing to a victory in his first race at 2014 Canadian Nationals, two days after his last World Cup race, in Tuesday’s 15 k freestyle in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)
A World Cup veteran, Babikov, 33, is fresh off the World Cup Finals in Falun, Sweden, after finishing up there in 23rd in the 15 k freestyle pursuit on Sunday. A consistent performer at international races, he really adds to the level of competition here in Newfoundland.
1. Did you have a particular focus going into today’s event?
“Tried to stay awake today with the jet lag from my return from Europe. I worked to keep the speed up through the four laps. I hadn’t skied the course beforehand so I just focused on checking things out the first lap and then pacing based on that.”
2. Before you knew your result were you happy with today’s race?
“A win is a win, and racing back in Canada is always fun. It’d be nice to have some more World Cups over here.”
Imagine that it is your birthday and you get to choose whatever meal you want. What’s the main course and what’s for dessert?
“My wife makes really good Russian fried potatoes — kinda like french fries but healthy — and fried chicken. Something chocolatey for desert, like chocolate cake.”
Anne-Marie Comeau, 17, racing to a junior women’s victory in the open 10 k freestyle at Canadian Nationals on Tuesday in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)
Hailing from the Pierre-Harvey National Training Centre (CNEPH) and National Junior Team (NST), Comeau, 17, is part of a strong contingent of junior women from Quebec who are making a mark on the Canadian ski scene. With European racing experience already under her belt and two years as a junior, next season, she’ll be one to watch at Junior World Championships.
1. Did you have a particular focus going into today’s event?
“Going into the race I was just thinking about going as hard as I could.”
2. Before you knew your result were you happy with today’s race?
“Yes! I felt good during the race and had fun.”
3. Imagine that it is your birthday and you get to choose whatever meal you want. What’s the main course and what’s for dessert?
“Chicken shish kabobs for dinner and maple syrup pudding for dessert.”
Hill is already on a winning streak this week, making it 2-for-2 in the first couple races. In an effort to showcase some of the other top skiers in the junior men’s category, this reporter interviewed Tuesday’s runner-up Evan Palmer Charrette.
Evan Palmer-Charrette (NDC Thunder Bay/NST), the second junior in the open men’s 15 k freestyle on Tuesday at Canadian Nationals in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)
Charrette, of Thunder Bay in northern Ontario, trains with the National Development Centre in his hometown and is also part of the National Junior Team. A well-known junior on the NorAm circuit, he’s working towards his goal of racing internationally and one day making the World Cup team.
1. Did you have a particular focus going into today’s event?
“Big focus today was pacing and really getting long glides, especially on the uphills in the offset.”
2. Before you knew your result were you happy with today’s race?
“Absolutely. Pacing was great and the body came together today. I’ve been having some trouble with compartment syndrome in my shins, and with illness last week; these didn’t effect me today.”
3. Imagine that it is your birthday and you get to choose whatever meal you want. What’s the main course and what’s for dessert?
“Pad Thai for the main course and a chocolate milkshake for desert.”
About the Author: A Canadian cross-country ski racer with the Alberta World Cup Academy, Zeke spends most of his time in Canmore, Alberta, but calls Cantley, Quebec, his home. He thinks that you can learn a lot about a person from their goals — his is to ski really fast on the Winter Olympic race course in 2018. Unfortunately he is not competing at 2014 Canadian Nationals on account of an injury. Check out his blog: zekewilliams1.blogspot.ca.
Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) after winning Saturday’s 10 k freestyle individual start at the opening NorAm at Sovereign Lake, B.C. Two Team Ninja skiers, Amanda Ammar (third from l) and Zoe Roy (r) placed second and third, respectively. Brittany Webster (second from l) placed fourth, and Emily Nishikawa (l) was fifth.
VERNON, B.C. — Another cold one at Sovereign Lake kept the organizers and athletes scrambling in temperatures around -20 degrees Celsius, but the end result was an exciting day of racing at the first NorAm of the season.
In the men’s 15-kilometre freestyle individual start on Saturday, American Brian Gregg (Madshus/Team Gregg) rose to the top in 41:03.3 minutes, edging out compatriot and friend Matt Liebsch (XC United/Team StrongHeart) by 3.3 seconds, and Canadian Senior Development Team (NST) member Graham Nishikawa in third (+4.5).
Matt Liebsch (XC United/Team StrongHeart) racing to second in the Sovereign Lake NorAm 15 k freestyle on Saturday. He finished 3.3 seconds behind winner and friend Brian Gregg (Madshus/Team Gregg) and Graham Nishikawa (CNST) was the top Canadian in third.
Coming off a SuperTour podium in West Yellowstone, Mont., last weekend, Gregg said he was very happy with his pacing plan that allowed him to move up from third his last time around the 5 k loop.
“I tried to stay really controlled, and focussed on making each lap maybe a little bit faster,” Gregg said. “Each lap got a lot harder. It was a good strategy.”
Gregg did a solo time trial on the same course two weeks earlier, and said that experience translated to success on Saturday. After the race, he and Liebsch planned to fly back to Montana to race the second SuperTour distance race of the season — a 15 k classic — in Bozeman on Sunday.
Liebsch was pleased with his result, racking it up as another step towards his season goals.
“There is a 30 k skate [at U.S. nationals] that I want to ski very well and prove that I should be on the Olympic squad and start that 50 k skate in Sochi,” he said.
Nishikawa was satisfied with his day, explaining: “The name of the game today was just staying warm and getting through it alive.”
Asked about his expectations for the weekend, Nishikawa said, “I am just here to race and get into top race shape.” After training with the Canadian Para-Nordic Team throughout the offseason as a potential guide for the Paralympics, his target is on both the Olympics and Paralympics in Sochi, Russia.
Top three Canadian men in the Sovereign Lake NorAm 15 k freestyle individual start on Saturday: AWCA teammates Graham Nishikawa (c), who was third overall, Patrick Stewart-Jones (l) in fourth, and Kevin Sandau in fifth.
Patrick Stewart-Jones of the Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) took fourth to lead the U23’s, ahead of Kevin Sandau (AWCA/NST) in fifth.
Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) led the way for the women, winning the 10 k in 33:14.7.
“Today was a great start to the season,” she wrote in an email. “Even though the weather wasn’t the warmest, it was such a beautiful day on the trails.”
A couple of Ninjas infiltrated the podium, led by Team Ninja’s founding member Amanda Ammar in second (+26.3). One of Ammar’s teammates and training partners in Canmore, Alberta, Zoe Roy place third another 13.2 seconds back. Racing in their ninja suits, Ammar and Roy snuck ahead of perennial favorites Brittany Webster (Highlands) in fourth and Emily Nishikawa (AWCA/NST) in fifth.
“[Usually] I struggle with skating,” Ammar said. “I think that is one of my best skate results in a NorAm.”
Roy was pleased with third, describing her result as “a step in the right direction.”
The unusually cold weather created challenges for race organizers. The jury announced on Friday that the start would be delayed to 11 a.m. PST. When the volunteer crew finished setting up the stadium and course at 9 a.m., the temperature was still -22 Celsius. The jury then decided to cancel the races for younger groups and start the open categories at noon, which resulted in a race at -18 C.
The younger racers’ distance races were rescheduled for Sunday, between the open sprint qualifiers and heats. Sunday’s start was delayed to 10 a.m.
Many of the racers were not fazed by the cold, but others were visibly affected. What do skiers like the Nishikawas and Graeme Killick have in common, besides a certain resemblance to popsicles at the finish line? All were born in cold communities (i.e. the Yukon, northern Alberta), but have lived in more termperate areas for a number of years.
Kevin Sandau (AWCA/NST) after finishing fifth overall in the 15 k freestyle at the Sovereign Lake NorAm, which started in temperatures around 18 C on Saturday afternoon.
![American Patrick "Paddy" Caldwell chasing Russia's Alexander Bolshunov during the men's 15 k freestyle individual start on Thursday at U23 World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. Bolshunov went on to win and Caldwell placed ninth for a career best. (Photo: FlyingPointRoad.com)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2017/02/SMF4221.jpg")
![AWCA's Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt leads the American train around the bridge corner into the finish straight in the A final (Photo: Peggy Hung)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/12/P1290890.jpg")
![Susan Dunklee being hoisted up by her US Biathlon support team at the IBU World Cup in Pokljuka, Slovenia, after tying her career-best result in a pursuit. Dunklee placed fifth on Saturday for a season best as well. (Photo: USBA/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/12/Dunklee10122016cm145.jpg")
![Norway's Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (c) won her first World Cup race of the season on Saturday in the 15 k freestyle individual start in Davos, Switzerland. Joining her on the podium: Norway's Heidi Weng (l) in second and Finland's Krista Parmakoski (r) in third.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/12/IMGP9869.jpg")
![Marit Bjørgen racing to first in the women's 10 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. It was her first FIS race since March of 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0140-1.jpg")
![Norway's Marit Bjørgen with her baby, Marius, and fans in Beitostølen, Norway, following Bjørgen's first race since having a child in December 2015. Saturday marked Bjørgen's first race back since March 2015. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0191-1.jpg")
![Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (Norway) racing to fourth in the women's 10 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0135-1.jpg")
![Norway's Didrik Tønseth racing to his second-straight win of the weekend in the 15 k freestyle FIS race on Saturday in Beitostølen, Norway. (All photos: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0189.jpg")
![Norway's 25-year-old Mathias Rundgreen (130) leads Chris Jespersen (107), a 33-year-old Norwegian World Cup regular, in the men's 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0155.jpg")
![Petter Northug (Norway) approaching the finish of Saturday's 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0193.jpg")
![Jack Carlyle (NDC Thunder Bay) racing to 90th to lead the Canadian men in the 15 k freestyle FIS race in Nov. 19 in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/11/DSC_0123.jpg")
![Noah Hoffman of the U.S. Ski Team and Ski and Snowboard Club Vail racing to a first place finish in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race at the U.S. SuperTour finals and U.S. Long Distance National Championships on Monday in Craftsbury Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/DSC_7666copyW-e1458605997911.jpg")
![Left to right: Eric Packer of Alaska Pacific University (APU), Scott Pattersone (APU), Noah Hoffman of the U.S. Ski Team (USST) and Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV), Paddy Caldwell of Stratton Mountain School/USST, David Norris (APU) and Tad Elliot (SSCV) after the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race at the U.S. SuperTour finals and U.S. Long Distance National Championships on Monday in Craftsbury Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/DSC_8743copyW-e1458606200291.jpg")
![Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University racing to a second place finish overall in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race at the U.S. SuperTour finals and U.S. Long Distance National Championships on Monday in Craftsbury Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/DSC_7772copyW-e1458606453279.jpg")
![Stratton Mountain School /USST racer Paddy Caldwell racing to a third place finish overall in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race at the U.S. SuperTour finals and U.S. Long Distance National Championships on Monday in Craftsbury Vt. (Photo: John Lazenby/Lazenbyphoto.com)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/DSC_7871copyW-e1458606720975.jpg")
![Finland's Matti Heikkinen (l) and France's Robin Duvillard during the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race on Friday in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Group160311mf110-e1457755040111.jpg")
![Finland's Matti Heikkinen, race winner of the men's 15 k freestyle individual start race on Friday in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Heikkinen160311mf131-e1457755202855.jpg")
![Marcus Hellner of Sweden racing to third in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Mens-photos-stage-7-canmore-15-1.jpg")
![Canada's Alex Harvey leads Erik Brandsdal of Norway while Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth (l) calls out to him during the men's 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Mens-photos-stage-7-canmore-17.jpg")
![Canada's Ivan Babikov skiing ahead of Norway's Petter Northug during the men's 15 k freestyle individual start on Friday at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. Northug placed eighth and Babikov finished 10th on the day. (Photo: Salomon/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Group160311mf146.jpg")
![Noah Hoffman (U.S. Ski Team) racing to 23rd in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start at Stage 7 of the Ski Tour Canada in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Madshus/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/03/Hoffman160311mf166.jpg")
![Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMS/USST) racing to 21st in the men's 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/IMG_8602.jpg")
![Jasper Good (U.S. Nordic Combined) racing to 11th in the normal hill/10 k individual competition at 2016 Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Courtesy photo)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/FB_IMG_1456400600246.jpg")
![Americans (from left to right) Ben Loomis, Stephen Schumann, coach Martin Bayer, Jared Shumate, and Jasper Good after an individual competition at 2016 Nordic Combined Junior World Championships. Not pictured: Koby Vargas. (Photo: Jasper Good)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/IMG_4205.jpeg")
![Ian Torchia (10) racing the first leg of the junior men's 4 x 5 k relay at Junior World Championships on Friday in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/IMG_8850.jpg")
![Ian Torchia (c) in bib 10 racing the opening "scramble" leg for the U.S. junior men in Friday's 4 x 5 k relay at Junior World Championships in Rasnov, Russia. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/hfGyh.jpeg")
![Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMS/USST) racing to 21st in the men's 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/IMG_8633.jpg")
![American Adam Martin (18) of Northern Michigan University racing to 29th in the men's 15 k freestyle at U23 World Championships in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: Logan Hanneman)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/IMG_8680.jpg")
![American Heather Mooney racing to 42nd in the women’s 10 k freestyle at the U23 World Championships on Thursday in Rasnov, Romania. (Photo: FIS)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/Heather-Mooney.jpg")
![The women's leaders in Sunday's 15 k classic mass start at Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec, with Dahria Beatty, Cendrine Browne, and Jenn Jackson. (Photo: W. James MacLean)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/24520617969_4385cdc268_k.jpg")
![The men's leaders during the 20 k classic mass start on Feb. 7 at Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec. (Photo: W. James MacLean)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/24261422633_72fab20865_k.jpg")
![(From left to right) Kevin Sandau, Andy Shields, Brian McKeever, Michael Somppi, and Jess Cockney after the men's 20 k mass start on Sunday, Feb. 7. Shields won by 12 seconds over Cockney, Knute Johnsgaard (not shown) placed third, McKeever was fourth, Sandau (the NorAm leader) fifth and Somppi eighth on the last day of Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec. (Photo: W. James MacLean)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/02/24794884331_115c84b3d9_k.jpg")
![Matt Liebsch (Gear West/Salomon) races to second place during the 15k men's SuperTour distance race on Saturday in West Yellowstone.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_1476.jpg")
![Scott Patterson of APU leads Dartmouth's Oscar Friedman during the men's 15k skate SuperTour race in West Yellowstone.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/IMG_1340.jpg")
![Martin Johnsrud Sundby (148) leads fellow Norwegian national-team member Petter Northug during the 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway. Sundby went on to win by 47 seconds and Northug was a minute back in fourth. (Photo: Eirik Lund Røer/SKIsport)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/Beitostolen15_lor_ELR-1058.jpg")
![Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby after winning the 15 k freestyle FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway, a day after he was disqualified in the 15 k classic season-opener.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/Capture-d’écran-2015-11-14-à-15.07.59-620x388.png")
![Robin Duvillard of France approaches TV cameras with the message "Pray for Paris" at the finish of Saturday's 15 k skate FIS race in Beitostølen, Norway.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/11/Capture-d’écran-2015-11-14-à-14.52.44.png")
![Canada's Ivan Babikov (front) leads a train of skiers on the second lap of Wednesday's 15 k freestyle up Mördarbacken: the longest, steepest hill of the 2015 World Championships course. Babikov placed 20th after a considerably faster second lap.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Babikov-2nd-lap.jpg")
![Ivan Babikov (Canadian World Cup Team) racing to 20th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. Babikov placed fourth in the event two years ago at World Championships.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Babikov-lap-1.jpg")
![Graeme Killick (AWCA/Canadian National Development B-team) racing to 32nd in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start, his first race of 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Killick250215mf027.jpg")
![Jess Cockney (AWCA/Canadian National Development B-team) racing to 57th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. It was his first distance race in nearly three months. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Cockney250215mf066.jpg")
![Jess Cockney after his final race of 2015 World Championships, the 15 k freestyle, in which he placed 57th in Falun, Sweden.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Cockney-finish.jpg")
![Noah Hoffman (U.S. Ski Team) racing to 34th in the men's 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Hoffman-2.jpg")
![Erik Bjornsen (U.S. Ski Team) at the top of Mördarbacken on his first of two laps, en route to 47th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Erik-Bjornsen-1st-lap.jpg")
![American Kyle Bratrud (Northern Michigan University) racing to 52nd in the men's 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Bratrud-1st-lap.jpg")
![American Kris Freeman on his way to 59th in the 15 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Freeman25022015cm34.jpg")
![Noah Hoffman (SSCV/Team HomeGrown/USST) racing to a 10.9-second win in Saturday's 15 k freestyle at SuperTour Finals at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska. (Photo: Rob Whitney)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/noname-10.jpeg")
![Kyle Bratrud racing to 19th in his first race of U23 World Championships, the 15 k freestyle in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/IMG_4112.jpg")
![Norway's Finn Hågen Krogh in the leader's chair during the men's World Cup 15 k freestyle on Sunday on Ostersund, Sweden. Krogh won by 13.5 seconds for his second-straight win of the weekend. (Photo: FIS Cross Country/Instagram)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/B944SuyCEAAnPEY.jpg")
![Finn Hågen Krogh (c) of Norway after winning his the World Cup classic sprint on Saturday in Ostersund, Sweden, ahead of Canada's Alex Harvey (l) in second and fellow Norwegian Timo Andre Bakken (r) in third. Krogh went on to win Sunday's 15 k skate as well. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Group140215mf148.jpg")
![Canada's Emily Nishikawa (AWCA/NST-Dev.) racing to 36th in Sunday's World Cup 10 k freestyle in Ostersund, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Nishikawa150215mf036.jpg")
![Canada's Michael Somppi (AWCA/NST-Dev.) on his way to 69th in the men's World Cup 15 k freestyle on Sunday in Ostersund, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/Somppi150215mf161.jpg")
![Scott Patterson (APU) racing to a career-best 13th in the 15 k freestyle on Thursday at U23 World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/IMG_4164.jpg")
![Scott Patterson leads APU and U.S. U23 World Championships teammate Logan Hanneman during training last Friday in Almaty, Kazakhstan. (Photo: Bryan Fish/USSA)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/02/IMG_3769.jpg")
![Dario Cologna of Switzerland celebrates his win in Friday's 10 k freestyle in Rybinsk, Russia (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/unnamed6.jpg")
![Sergey Ustiugov of Russia leads Dario Cologna of Switzerland in Friday's 15 k freestyle in Rybinsk, Russia. Ustiugov finished third while Cologna won. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/unnamed-22.jpg")
![Men's 15 k podium, from l-r Evgeniy Belov of Russia, second, Dario Cologna of Switzerland, first, and Sergey Ustiugov of Russia, third](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/unnamed-62.jpg")
![NMU’s Kyle Bratrud leads Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) around 5 k in the first of two laps in the men’s 15 k freestyle, the first race of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8506.jpg")
![Kyle Bratrud (second from r) with his mom, sister, dad and brother after he won the 15 k freestyle on Sunday at U.S. nationals.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8583.jpg")
![Matt Gelso (SVSEF) led NMU sophomore Fredrik Schwencke for most of the men's 15 k freestyle individual race at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gelso placed fourth and Schwencke finished 18.8 seconds behind him in fifth.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8503.jpg")
![Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) racing to second in the men's 15 k freestyle on the first day of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8481.jpg")
![Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMST2/U.S. Ski Team) racing to third in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., for his first-ever podium (and top 15) at senior nationals.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8487.jpg")
![Scott Perras (l) with Devon Kershaw on his heels in Monday's Frozen Thunder distance race at the Canmore Nordic Centre. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/10/3C2C7411.jpg")
![Canadian Para-Nordic Team veteran Brian McKeever placed eighth in Frozen Thunder's 10.8 k freestyle interval start on Oct. 27 in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/10/3C2C7397.jpg")
![Rosanna Crawford racing to the win in Monday's distance race at Frozen Thunder in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/10/3C2C7518.jpg")
![Heidi Widmer racing to ninth in the women's freestyle distance race at Frozen Thunder on Oct. 27 in Canmore, Alberta. (Photo: Noel Rogers/Bow Valley Photography)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/10/3C2C7506-2.jpg")
![Scott Hill (NDC Thunder Bay/NST) racing to his second-straight individual junior title at Canadian Nationals on Tuesday in the 15 k freestyle in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/Scott.jpg")
![Heidi Widmer (front) racing to a victory in the open women's 10 k freestyle on Tuesday at Canadian Nationals in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/Heidi.jpg")
![Ivan Babikov (Canadian World Cup Team) racing to a victory in his first race at 2014 Canadian Nationals, two days after his last World Cup race, in the in Tuesday's 15 k freestyle in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. (Photo: Emilie Stewart-Jones)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/Ivan.jpg")
![Anne-Marie Comeau, 17, racing to a junior women's victory in the open 10 k freestyle at Canadian Nationals on Tuesday in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/Anne-Marie.jpg")
![Evan Palmer-Charrette (NDC Thunder Bay/NST), the second junior in the open men's 15 k freestyle on Tuesday at Canadian Nationals in Corner Brook, Newfoundland.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/03/Evan.jpg")
![Heidi Widmer (AWCA/NST) after winning Saturday's 10 k freestyle individual start at the opening NorAm at Sovereign Lake, B.C. Two Team Ninja skiers, Amanda Ammar (l) and Zoe Roy (r) placed second and third, respectively.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Womens_podium_P1000654.jpg")
![Matt Liebsch (XC United/Team StrongHeart) racing to second in the Sovereign Lake NorAm 15 k freestyle on Saturday. He finished 3.3 seconds behind winner and friend Brian Gregg (Madshus/Team Gregg) and Graham Nishikawa was the top Canadian in third.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Liebsch_early_P1000417.jpg")
![Top three Canadian men in the Sovereign Lake NorAm 15 k freestyle individual start on Saturday: Graham Nishikawa (c) was third overall, Patrick Stewart-Jones (l) placed fourth, and Kevin Sandau was fifth.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Top3_Cdn_Men_P1000630.jpg")
![Kevin Sandau (AWCA/NST) after finishing 15 k freestyle at the Sovereign Lake NorAm, which started in temperatures around 18 C on Saturday afternoon.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/Sandau_done_P1000504.jpg")