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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.

Tag: cendrine browne

  • Saying Goodbye to Some Big Names in Cross-Country: an International Retirement Roundup

    Saying Goodbye to Some Big Names in Cross-Country: an International Retirement Roundup

    Each year at the conclusion of the race season, there are always a few athletes who hang up their skis and step away from professional racing. The end of the four year Olympic cycle inevitably means a higher concentration of such announcements. Whether it was a fourth or a first appearance at the Games, or a near miss, the Olympics are always a target and their completion provides a good moment to move on. While the retirement announcements will likely continue into the spring, here is a roundup and recognition of the international athletes who have shared the news that they will be ending their ski careers. 

    A scene from the cross country venue in Zhangjiakou, China, host to the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Four athletes from the Swiss team have announced that they will be moving on, chief among them – the king of the 15 k, Dario Cologna. At the age of 36, Cologna released his decision before the 2021/22 season even began, saying, “the decision came within the last months and after the Olympics, it will be the perfect timing for me. I have achieved everything I ever dreamed of in the sport.”

    Switzerland’s Dario Cologna lunges to the line at the 2018 Holmenkollen 50-kilometer freestyle race in Olslo, Norway. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Cologna had his World Cup debut in 2006 and his first Olympic start came in 2010 in the 15 k skate event, where he finished first. This victory crowned him as the first Swiss cross-country skier to earn an Olympic gold medal. He went on to win three additional golds, in the 2014 Sochi Games he won both the skiathlon and the the 15 k classic, and in 2018 in PyeongChang added a gold in the 15 k skate. All told, Colgona had eighteen Olympic starts at four different games.

    In between Olympic years, he was equally successful. He won the Overall World Cup globe four times, first in the  2007/08 season, again in 2010/11 and 2011/12 and a few years later in 2014/15. In the 2007/08 season he also earned his first Tour de Ski victory, in spite of the fact that he never took a stage win that year. He won the grueling event three more times, in 2010/11, 2011/12 and again in 2017/18. 

    Dario Cologna (SUI) with his trophy after winning the Tour de Ski in 2011 (Photo: Fiemme2013)

    After his final outing in the legendary Holmenkollen 50 k, Cologna wrote on Instagram, “I look back on a beautiful and successful career. 15 years ago I never dared to dream that one day I would be a four-time Olympic champion, World Champion, multiple Tour de Ski- and overall World Cup winner. In addition, I was privileged to travel to places I would never have seen and met great people, who became good friends.” 

    Dario Cologna (SUI) after a 6th place finish in Val Mustair during the 2021 Tour de Ski. Photo: Nordic Focus

    Cologna’s teammate, Jovian Hediger, also announced his retirement prior to the start of this season. Hediger was known as a sprint specialist and has 107 World Cup starts to his name, having made his debut in 2009. His first and only podium appearance came in 2021 during the team sprint event in Ulricehamn, Sweden, where he and Roman Furger finished second. Hediger represented Switzerland at three Olympic games, beginning with Sochi in 2014 and ending most recently in Beijing (2022). 

    Jovian Hediger (SUI) gets a boost from some happy teammates at the finish line in Ulricehamn Sweden. (Photo: Nordic Focus)

    Ueli Schnider of Switzerland is also stepping away from elite competition. Schnider has 62 World Cup starts and made two Olympic appearances, both in 2018 in PyeongChang where he finished 37th in the classic sprint and 41st in the 50 k classic mass start. 

    On the women’s side, Laurien Van Der Graaff of Switzerland is moving on. Van Der Graaff has long been a staple in women’s sprinting, beginning in 2011 with her first World Cup podium in Duesseldorf, Germany. In doing so, Van Der Graaff became the second Swiss female athlete ever to reach the podium and over the years she continued to pave the way for young Swiss female athletes. Her first victory came in 2017 in a skate sprint Tour de Ski stage race on home ground in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. 

    The women’s sprint podium in Rybinsk Russia, 2015 (from l-r): Natalia Matveeva (RUS) second, Jennie Öberg (SWE) first, and Laurien Van Der Graaff (SUI) third.

    Van Der Graaff partnered up many times with Nadine Fähndrich in team sprint events, resulting in four World Cup podium finishes. At the World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany (2021), Van Der Graaff and Fähndrich teammed up again, earning a silver medal when they finished just hundreths of a second behind team Sweden. 

    Van Der Graaff shared with FIS, “for some time I was convinced that I would not continue skiing until Beijing 2022, but I made it and I am very proud of what I have achieved. However, now my time has come and I am excited for everything that is coming my way in this new chapter.”

    The Swiss program celebrates the retirement of Laurien Van Der Graaff at the finish of the 4 x 5 k mixed relay in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    While some athletes knew from the outset of the season that this would be their last, others only recently came to the decision. Such was the case for Swedish star, Charlotte Kalla, who just announced her intentions within the last month. The 34-year said, “the curiosity about life outside of elite sports weighs heavier than what a continued investment would entail.”

    Kalla burst onto the World Cup scene at the age of eighteen. She earned her first victory in the next season, taking a stage win in Nove Mesto (2007) in the 10 k skate pursuit. In her first individual World Championships appearances, coming in Sapporo, Japan in 2007, Kalla finished 7th and 5th. To give you a sense of her consistency from then on, of the 34 World Championship events Kalla completed spanning 2007-2021, she finished in the top ten in 30 of those appearances with the exceptions being three 11th place finishes and one 18th. 

    Charlotte Kalla of Sweden on her way to Olympic gold in Vancouver 2010 (Photo: FS archives)

    Kalla represented Sweden at four different Olympic Games, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, and Beijing 2022. She came away from these events with five individual podiums, including two gold medals and three team medals including her jaw-dropping relay performance in the relay in 2014 when she made up a 25 second deficit to bring the Swedish women their first Olympic relay gold since 1960. 

    Since then, the Swedish women’s team has come to dominate the World Cup circuit and Kalla has taken on a mentorship role within the team. “It’s an inspiring team to be a part of and many girls who have the right mindset to do their very best every day,” said Kalla in 2020. On March 22, 2022, Kalla announced on Instagram that the Swedish national competitions would be her last as an elite athlete. She wrote, “here I took my first [steps] as a seven-year old and it feels nice to end my career here.” 

    Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Marit Bjoergen (NOR) and Heidi Weng (NOR) claim the podium in the women’s Olympic skiathlon, Sochi 2014.  (Photo: Fischer / Nordic Focus.)

    Elisa Brocard of Italy is ending her ski-racing career at the age of 37. Brocard had her first World Cup start in 2006 and went on to contest 162 World Cup events. She represented Italy in three Olympic Games, beginning in Vancouver 2010, through PyeongChang in 2018. Her best season came in 2018 when she finished in the top-30 distance World Cup rankings and 38th overall. 

    Nadine Herrmann of Germany is leaving elite competition as well. She is the younger sister of Denise Herrmann who raced the cross-country World Cup circuit until she transitioned to biathlon in 2017 where she went on to win gold in the individual event at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Nadine Herrmann finished in the top-thirty in her maiden World Cup appearance in 2018 in the Dresden city sprints. She went on to earn a number of top-thirty finishes, including a personal best individual finish of 18th in Dresden in 2020. At the age of 26, Herrmann has decided to move on, she wrote “My active sporting career is coming to an end. The last 14 years of performance sports have shaped me into the person who today can say in the best of my conscience, I gave it my all.” 

    Adrien Backsheider of France has also announced his retirement. Backsheider began racing on the World Cup circuit in 2013. He earned six World Championships starts and helped propel team France to a bronze medal in the men’s 4 x 10 relay in Falun in 2015 and again in Seefeld in 2019. Backsheider also has four Olympic starts, as he represented France in Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, and Beijing 2022. He was a member of the bronze medal relay team in PyeongChang when the French again earned a podium spot in the 4 x 10 relay. Backsheider’s personal best individual World Cup finish came in Östersund, Sweden in 2020 when he finished 7th in the 15 k skate stage race during the Tour de Scandinavia. 

    The men’s 4 x 10 k relay at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden, Norway with gold, Sweden with silver, and France with bronze . (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)

    Cendrine Browne of Canada is saying goodbye to professional ski racing as well, having concluded her career with a national title in the 45 k skate in Whistler, Canada. Browne made her World Cup debut in 2012 and went on to start 76 World Cup races. She made the Canadian Olympic team in 2018 and 2022 and also posted thirteen World Championships starts. Browne finished 16th in the 30 k skate mass start in Beijing, a personal best individual finish for her. In a statement to Nordiq Canada after the 45 k race, Browne said, “thank you to everyone in the ski community who has believed in me and cheered for me over the last ten years.” 

    Cendrine Browne reached a new personal best with her 16th place finish in the 30 k skate mass start in Beijing 2022 (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The notable retirement of the extremely successful, Therese Johaug of Norway has not been missed but will be receiving its own feature from FasterSkier in the coming weeks. Additionally, US Ski Team members Katharine Ogden, Hannah Halvorsen, and Caitlin Patterson have all shared news of their retirement, in addition to top SuperTour athletes Ian Torchia and Adam Martin. (Read Torchia’s retirement story here.)

    Stay tuned for more in-depth reporting on those athletes from FasterSkier.

  • Canadian Nationals/US SuperTour Finals: Ritchie and Kern Top 45 k Podium in Equal-Distance Event

    Canadian Nationals/US SuperTour Finals: Ritchie and Kern Top 45 k Podium in Equal-Distance Event

    The top three long-distance women in Whistler, after the final stage of the Canadian Nationals / US SuperTour Finals event series. Julia Kern took the win for SMS T2 ahead of Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) and Sophia Laukli (U of Utah). (Photo: Doug Stephen / VR 45 Photography)

    We’ve arrived at the final act, the culmination of a week of racing in Canada and a season of international racing before that. Piloting a gender-equal distance, both men and women raced a 45 k mass start skate on Sunday, completing six laps of a 7.5 k loop at the Whistler Olympic Park. Continuing a pattern of challenging weather conditions, the day started with temperatures around 37° F with rain, making for soft and wet skiing. 

    Open Men

    The open men went first, with a field of 99 starters heading off the line at 8:30 local time. With 107 on the start list, some notable names among the athletes who did not start include Gus Schumacher (Alaska Winter Stars), Tyler Kornfield (APU) and Xavier McKeever (Foothills Nordic), who took his first national title in the sprint race earlier this week. 

    Relying on live-timing to provide a picture as the race unfolded, it appeared that the first three laps saw steady skiing with a big pack together at the front. Between 22.5 – 30 k that group splintered with ten athletes breaking +31 seconds or more clear of the rest of the field. Among those ten, the Canadians were represented by Russell Kennedy (Canmore Nordic), Rémi Drolet (Team Black Jack), Philippe Boucher (CNEPH), Antoine Cyr (CNEPH), Graham Ritchie (Thunder Bay Nordic) and Olivier Léveillé (CNEPH). Up front for the Americans was Luke Jager (University of Utah), Scott Patterson (APU), Adam Martin (CRGP) and Finn O’Connell (BSF Pro). 

    Beginning the final lap, that group of ten lost a member as Léveillé (CNEPH) dropped off the pace, drifting into no-man’s land, still a minute clear of chaser Johnny Hagenbuch (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation). At the next split, Boucher (CNEPH) too had dropped, leaving eight men at the front, all within 5.5 seconds. With just a few kilometers to go, the fight was on. 

    Creating a gap in the final stages, Graham Ritchie (Thunder Bay Nordic) claimed the victory and earned his first national title. Ritchie finished in a time of 1:40:32.5. 

    “I’m not sure how this happened,” said Ritchie to Nordiq Canada, “I haven’t raced this long of a race in a couple of years, so I had no game plan going into it. I just said I’m going to stick with the lead pack as long as I can.” This strategy worked in his favor. 

    “I was able to stick with the lead pack and being in the top three with one kilometer left,” continued Ritchie, “I knew I had a little jam left to go for it in the last few hundred meters. I had a good day and really fast skis. The techs killed the boards so I’m super stoked.”

    Concluding a strong week of racing, Jager (University of Utah) topped the American podium, coming in +6.8 seconds behind Ritchie. Speaking to the conditions, Jager said, “it was good, the news that they were salting last night was music to my ears because it would have been so different if they hadn’t. It was really firm and fast and even where it was getting mushy it was pretty firm underneath so it was fast out there.”

    The men’s SuperTour podium for the final day of racing in Whistler: Luke Jager (Univ. of Utah) came out on top ahead of Scott Patterson (APU) and Adam Martin (CGRP). (Photo: Nordiq Canada / Nathaniel Mah)

    Displaying consistency, Jager has been on the Super Tour podium in every event this past week. He was the first American in the 10 k interval skate, the third American in the 15 k interval classic, the first American in the classic sprint, and he and his teammate Noel Keeffe finished first overall in Friday’s team sprint event. Asked about how the tactics played out within the group, Jager said, “it was kind of going back and forth, I mean Russ [Kennedy] was pushing a little bit and so was Scott but there wasn’t quite enough work from the bottom of the stadium to the top to get rid of everyone, so it would string out and then come back together on the downhills a little bit which was playing to my advantage for sure.”

    Coming down to a sprint finish, Ritchie made an early move to gain the advantage. “I didn’t even know who was in the group anymore,” said Jager, “I was kind of in the front going into the last climb and [Ritchie] came ripping by me and he was really strong so even if I had the foresight of that coming I don’t know if I would have been able to hold him off because he was so strong coming into that hill.”

    The 45 k skate Canadian National Championship podium: Graham Ritchie took the title, ahead of Antoine Cyr, Russell Kennedy, Rémi Drolet, and Philippe Boucher. (Photo: Joerne Rohde / Nordiq Canada)

    Cyr (CNEPH) finished third overall and was the second Canadian (+7.8). Completing the Canadian podium, Kennedy (Canmore Nordic) finished fourth overall (+8.1). 

    Patterson (APU) was the second American finisher, coming in fifth overall (+9.6), while Martin (CRGP) was the third American and sixth overall (+12.6). 

    Open Women

    Following the conclusion of the men’s race, the open women got underway at 10:30 local time. At the crack of the gun, fifty-six racers set off to complete their six laps. Although there were 72 athletes registered, sixteen did not start, including Rosie Brennan (APU), Katherine Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok Nordique), Novie McCabe (University of Utah) and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (Foundeurs-Laurentides).

    This is the first time the women raced 45 k at a national championship event, a new event stemming from the push for equal distance racing. When asked about this distance after the race, Julia Kern (SMS T2) told Nordiq Canada, “I think it’s a really interesting format. For me personally I like the shorter distance but recently I’ve had really good experiences with 30 k and today was a great day so, I think whatever makes ski racing exciting for both men and women should be what pushes the sport forward.”

    Regarding whether this should become a permanent feature, or be introduced to the World Cup, Kern said, “potentially, or just shortening the men’s race so that everything is short and exciting because there are marathon circuits out there as well.”

    With the race under way, the first 7.5 k saw the pack at the front was a slightly strung-out group of twelve. Just a few kilometers later, that number was cut in half as six athletes pulled twenty seconds clear. Of that group, Cendrine Browne (Foundeurs-Laurentides) was the lone Canadian, skiing with Sophia Laukli (University of Utah), Kern (SMS T2), Rosie Frankowski (APU), Caitlin Patterson (CGRP), and Sydney Palmer-Leger (University of Utah). 

    In her final race as a professional skier, Cendrine Browne (Foundeurs-Laurentides) collects the Canadian National title in the final long-distance event in Whistler. (Photo: Nordiq Canada / Nathaniel Mah)

    For the next four laps, those first six women skied together, alternating leads and staying within ~5 seconds at each split. As they set out for the final lap, Browne (Foundeurs-Laurentides) dropped slightly, +10 seconds behind the pack. “I just wanted to be in the lead pack today and I was until the last lap, I bonked. It was tough conditions today, but it was a really fun way to go out,” said Browne. 

    From there, the splinters in the group became larger cracks as Kern (SMS T2) applied pressure at the front. Next to drop was Palmer-Leger (UU) who was +6 seconds back at the first split on the final lap. A few moments later, Kern had made a full break. 

    “My tactic was just hang on, conserve energy for as long as possible,” shared Kern, “I didn’t really want to suffer for 45 k and it was fun to ski in a pack and work together. So for me it was just being patient and seeing how I was feeling and evaluating my plan from there. What I ended up doing was skiing with the pack, alternating leads and in the last lap I was feeling good so I decided to send it. 7.5 k to suffer isn’t too hard.”

    At the final time split before the finish, Kern was 27.5 seconds ahead of runner-up Patterson (CGRP). Reaching the finish line, she had widened this lead to 34 seconds, finishing in a time of 1:58:55.6. This victory was Kern’s fourth of the week, having topped every race save for the 5 k individual skate where she finished second behind teammate Jessie Diggins (SMS T2). Commenting on the conditions Kern said, “the first few laps held up pretty well and the last few laps got really deep and slushy, you just had to make sure you didn’t catch a tip or fall and look for the less skied in areas. But it made it exciting, good spring skiing, classic slush conditions.”

    Patterson (CGRP) finished second overall, +34 seconds back. Behind her came Laukli (UU), completing the American podium and finishing third overall (+1:00.9). 

    The top five SuperTour women on the final day of racing in Whistler: Julia Kern (SMS T2) continued her win-streak, with Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) in second, Sophia Laukli (U. of Utah) third, Sydney Palmer-Leger (U. of Utah) fourth, and Rosie Frankowski (APU) fifth. (Photo: Nordiq Canada / Nathaniel Mah)

    Browne (Foundeurs-Laurentides), for whom this race was her final as a professional athlete, held sixth position overall, and was the first Canadian (+2:41.5). “It feels really good to end my career this way. I love distance racing and it is a great way to go out as National Champ,” said Browne to Nordiq Canada. “Thank you to everyone in the ski community who has believed in me and cheered for me over the last 10 years.”

    Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse Ski Club) was the next Canadian in twelfth overall, +9:39.8 behind Kern. Completing the Canadian podium, Laura Leclair (Club Chelsea Nordiq) came in sixteenth overall (+12:08.8). 

    This race concludes the 2022 Canadian Ski Championships and US SuperTour Finals as the athletes now get to enjoy a break after a long season. 

    Complete Results

     

  • Martin and Kern Stride to the Top on Day Two in Whistler

    Martin and Kern Stride to the Top on Day Two in Whistler

    Carrying the momentum from the first day of racing into a second distance event, athletes lined up once more at the Whistler Olympic Park for a 10 / 15-kilometer interval start classic. Over 130 men and 90 women participated in the open categories, representing clubs across Canada and the United States. 

    Adding a springtime layer of complexity to remind us that we are officially past the equinox, temperatures in Whistler hovered above freezing while a mix of precipitation fell off and on throughout the day. Webcams of the venue showed the spectacular mountain backdrop hidden amongst dense clouds and conifers still laden with the week’s snow.

    It’s a humidity-temperature combo that makes classic waxing tricky. Consequently, many athlete chose to use “hairies”, which are known as “rub skis” in Canada, essentially foregoing kick wax and opting instead for a sandpapered kick zone. For those with strong striding technique, this achieves grip without as significant a risk of icing issues, as klisters can be known create in such conditions. 

    Top Canadian U20 racer Xavier McKeever (Foothills Nordic), who was 13th overall today, explained how this changes the game for those who haven’t had the experience: “You have to be a bit more careful with your kicks and a bit more gentle, because they can slip out really easily. That was the biggest focus for me [today], just to try and ski technically well.”

    Craftsbury’s Adam Martin takes the 15 k classic win in Whistler. (Photo: Doug Stephen / VR 45 Photography)

    Following 10 k sitting and standing events contested by Nordiq Canada’s Para Nordic athletes, the open men’s category headed out for the three 5 k loops. In a close race for the top podium spot, Craftsbury’s Adam Martin took the win with a time of 40:29.3. Martin was chased by today’s Canadian National Champion, Antoine Cyr (Skinouk) who hunted his times from 19 bibs behind.  

    Though Cyr led through the first 10 k, a strong closing lap from Martin moved the American to the lead in the splits, with Cyr skiing the third fastest final lap to take second (+1.3). Canmore’s Russell Kennedy was third overall (+13.1) for the second spot on the Canadian podium, while fellow Canmore athlete Sam Hendry, who now trains with the University of Utah, was third for Canada in fifth overall (+48.0). Both Cyr and Kennedy had also raced onto the podium in yesterday’s 10 k free. 

    “I felt really good today,” Martin wrote to FasterSkier after the race. “Particularly in the second half, I started to figure out how to best race this course and these conditions, and I found a good place mentally to push. I’m really happy with the outcome – that was a dream to win.”

    The men’s 15 k classic podium in Whistler: Adam Martin (CGRP) took the win ahead of Antoine Cyr (Skinouk), and Russell Kennedy (Canmore Nordic). (Photo: Joern Rohde / Nordiq Canada)

    A successful season of SuperTour racing has Martin ranked at the top of the rankings, and earned him starts in post-Olympic World Cup events. After taking third at the American Birkie, Martin headed to Norway to race the 50 k classic at Holmenkollen, where he finished 26th. The following weekend, he skied to 44th in the 15 k free in Falun, Sweden. A week later, Martin is back with his Craftsbury team and standing atop the US SuperTour podium. 

    “It’s nice to return from the World Cup and still feel in good shape. After two 50 k’s, and travel, and a season that I’m really happy with, everything is a bonus at this point. I think it’s great that we are able to combine with Canada for these races. There are a lot of guys at a similar level, so it makes for some tight, fun racing.”

    A 23-year-old Quebec native, Cyr’s best results have been in classic this season, namely an 11th place finish in the opening World Cup 15 k classic in Ruka, Finland, and racing with Graham Ritchie to put the Canadian team in fifth during the Olympic classic team sprint in Zhangjiakou. After the team sprint, he was praised by both his teammate and coach Erik Bråten, along with armchair quarterback Devon Kershaw, for his classic technique.

    “Classic is always good for me and is a race I love,” Cyr said of today’s 15 k in a post-race interview with Nordiq Canada. “It was tough conditions this morning, and a good skier normally comes out on top in hard conditions. I was able to ski well, focus on the race, and came second overall, which is a little bittersweet because it was a really tight battle in the end. But it was really fun, the track is amazing. It’s an Olympic standard track, so it’s just really good.”

    Antoine Cyr races for the Canadian National Title in the 15 k classic in Whistler. (Photo: Nordiq Canada / Nathaniel Mah)

    In his second lap, Cyr had caught yesterday’s winner, Rémi Drolet (Team Black Jack), whom Cyr credited in supporting his strong result today.

    “When I saw was closing the gap on him on the first lap, I decided to go a little harder than I planned to catch up with him. [I then tried] to relax behind him for a lap or half of a lap.. In the end, I was missing a little bit on the last lap. I think that that helped for sure, skiing with someone strong like Rémi.”

    Finally, Cyr spoke to the importance of an international field featuring all age groups coming together this week, particularly on the heels of a two-year hiatus due to pandemic restrictions.

    “It is so good for the young kids — us older guys, we’ve been racing on the World Cup, but like the juvenile and junior, they almost have no races in Canada. To have a big event like this is just amazing and we’ve been looking at the younger guys’ results for an hour yesterday, seeing who’s in good form, and who’s coming up, and you are the next guys to be like taking over. So for them, it is awesome, and for us too, racing with the US is always — it should always be like this.”

    Joining Martin for the SuperTour podium, BSF Pro Team athlete Finn O’Connell was 7th overall (+1:06.4) and second American, with University of Utah’s Luke Jager half a second behind in 8th overall (+1:06.9).

    Julia Kern strides for the win in tricky conditions during the 10 k classic in Whistler. (Photo: Doug Stephen / VR 45 Photography)

    In the women’s 10 k, SMS T2’s Julia Kern skied a strong second lap to take the win in her second consecutive day on the podium, stopping the clock at 29:54.3. Her club and national teammate, Jessie Diggins, took the second step finishing +18.3 back, while University of Utah’s Sophia Laukli skied to third (+1:03.2).

    Looking at tough conditions, Kern explained she raced by trial and error today, exploring which techniques were most efficient on different sections.

    “I kind of had an open mindset going in today,” she told Nordiq Canada after the race. “I knew that the tracks might be a little bit punchy or washed out in sections, and so I was double pulling wide or double polling narrow or just like power striding on the flats if it was getting too punchy out there. So just trying it all.”

    She continued that she was looking to “have fun, send it from the start, and see if I could hold that pace the whole time,” which she ultimately proved able to do. It’s the time of year where the hay is in the barn training-wise, and athletes have had a long season, leaving them in varying states heading into the last hurrah. On whether she was looking to just have fun at these races, or whether it was a serious quest for the podium, Kern said “both”.

    “I think the end of the season is always really fun. It’s so cool to have this many athletes here. And I’ve been feeling really good the last few weeks and so enjoying racing when it does feel good and when I’m able to push really hard. We’re all really tired at the end of the season, but also, when the body’s in form you might as well take advantage of it and send it on the course.” 

    The women’s 10 k classic podium on day 2 in Whistler: Julia Kern (SMS T2) took the win ahead of Jessie Diggins (SMS T2) and Sophia Laukli (Univ. of Utah). (Photo: Joern Rohde / Nordiq Canada)

    Winning back-to-back Canadian National titles, Katherine Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok Nordique) was again on top for the Canucks, finishing sixth overall (+1:17.5). Finishing in the same order as yesterday, Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse Ski Club) was second for Canada in eighth overall (+1:55.0), while Cendrine Browne (Fondeurs-Laurentides) rounded out the podium in ninth overall (+2:14.5). 

    “I went out really hard knowing that that’s what I had to do if I wanted to make the podium,” Stewart-Jones said of her race. “I had a good first lap, and I definitely slowed down a lot on the first part of the second lap. I was just tired and was having a hard time staying in the zone and keeping the rhythm, but I was able to pull it together a bit for the second half of the second lap. So I was really happy with that. And I was happy with how hard I pushed. I just didn’t have it quite in me today, and sometimes that happens.”

    On the importance of focusing on her technique on this type of course with sub-optimal conditions, she continued, “It’s really important, especially on the climbs. The grip isn’t always perfect in these conditions, so you really have to make sure to stay on top of your skis. If you get tired and you start leaning forward, then it makes it even harder to kick… And then on the flatter sections, it was a bit awkward, and you had to expect that. Either you’re striding awkwardly or you’re doing a kick double pool, but your poles are sinking. You have to just really focus on committing to whatever you decide to do and not like trying to switch too much between.”

    Speaking to already standing atop two podiums, Stewart-Jones responded with pride, while also acknowledging that the overall win would be sweeter.

    “Oh, it’s definitely nice to be winning the national championship title… because we’re racing against the Americans, I obviously care about the overall too, so maybe it feels a little less exciting, but for sure, I’m proud of that.”

    Katherine Stewart-Jones (Nakkertok Nordique) takes back-to-back national titles in the women’s 10 k classic in Whistler. (Photo: Doug Stephen / VR 45 Photography)

    In order to get closer to the overall podium, she said he would focus on resting as much as possible and maintaining the head space to perform her best. “It’s been a long season and I haven’t raced this much in a long time. I think everyone’s pretty tired. But also just being able to also be mentally strong [over the next races]. And yeah, you never know what’s gonna happen.”

    Racing continues Wednesday with individual classic sprints, which will be live-streamed by the Black Tusk Nordic Events Society. If you’re looking for additional video updates, follow along on the Nordiq Canada and Black Tusk Instagram pages. 

    Full Results

  • A full-circle moment, Johaug wins the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen, exactly 11 years after her first individual World Championship gold; Brennan leads the US in 7th

    A full-circle moment, Johaug wins the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen, exactly 11 years after her first individual World Championship gold; Brennan leads the US in 7th

    Crowds line the storied tracks at Holmenkollen during the women’s 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.  To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.

     

    Terese Johaug wins her first individual World Championship gold medal in the 30 k mass start skate in Oslo, NOR. (Photo: FS Archives)

    Eleven years ago to the day, racing the 30-kilometer mass start skate, a 22-year-old Therese Johaug won her first individual World Championship gold medal in a breakout performance at Holmenkollen near her home in Oslo, NOR. In doing so, she had broken apart a field of women considered legends of the sport on an equally legendary course known for long grinding climbs that require superior fitness and technique. Johaug won by nearly 45 seconds over one of the greatest cross country skiers of all time, her teammate Marit Bjørgen, and was 1:34 ahead of the Polish champion Justyna Kowalczyk. 

    “It was hard for me. It’s hard to see her go in front, and the gap [grow] bigger and bigger,” said Bjørgen that day. Then at the peak of her career, Bjørgen had gone four-for-four that week with gold medals in each of the previous World Championship races in Oslo, and the upset was a shock to those following along. “But I’m very happy for Therese. She is a young girl, and a girl for the future—and for Norway.”

    Little did cross country ski fans know just how storied the athlete’s career would be.

    Therese Johaug races in front of a home crowd during the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Today, under clear skies that allowed for views of the city skyline and Oslofjord, Norwegian flags flying, and fans returning to the crowded stadium and partying in the woods, she did it again, as one of her final performances after more than a decade as the top female distance skiers of all time. 

    And what’s more, Johaug won today’s 30 k classic in the same dominant fashion that she did eleven years ago, and has done many time since, stopping the clock at 1:19:22.8.

    Though the final results show just 19.4 seconds as her winning margin, this only tells part of the story. By 10 k, Johaug held a margin of over 23 seconds, which she steadily grew over the subsequent laps. At 25 k, she led by nearly a minute and a half.

    Therese Johaug waves Norwegian flags as she skis the final meters of 30 k classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    As she entered the stadium, Johaug was greeted by coaches and techs who handed her a flag for each hand, which she carried through the finish, waving, and stopping to take in the erupting cheers from the crowds. 

    Laughing behind tears as the rest of the field began to trickle across the line, Johaug was hoisted onto shoulders, waving her flags for a loud Norwegian crowd who had supported and applauded her through fifteen years of racing on the World Cup. 

    “It’s a lot of emotion now,” Johaug said at the finish. “I start here in 2011 with my first individual victory, and today is my last race here. It was sun and blue sky, the same as  in 2011, and there were a lot of people around the track cheering for me. I’m so happy now, but also so sad that this is the end of my career.”

    Therese Johaug was emotional at the finish of today’s 30 k classic at Holmenkollen, the venue where she won her first individual World Championship gold in the 30 k skate eleven years prior. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Norway’s legendary Therese Johaug wins the 30 k mass start classic, exactly 11 years after her first individual World Championship gold medal was won on the same tracks. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    While she indicated during the Olympics that she would not compete another four years, it was not until yesterday that she officially announced that this would be her final race at Holmenkollen. 

    “In many ways, it feels as if the [story] ends when on Saturday, March 5, 2022, I stand on the starting line for another 30 k in Holmenkollen. I really do not want the journey to end, but it is a time for everything,” she wrote to NRK. “In light of this, I look forward to a final fight at home with the flag on my chest, and I am grateful for everything the sport has given me.”

    Therese Johaug is showered with champagne after winning the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen following her retirement announcement. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Therese Johaug celebrates her final race race at Holmenkollen, winning the 30 k classic exactly eleven years after taking her first individual World Championship gold on these tracks. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    As Queen’s “We are the Champions” blared through the stadium, Johaug stepped off the podium only to be soaked by champagne sprayed by a flock of teammates wearing shirts spelling her name, with “takk” – thank you – written with a heart at the end of the row. It was a joyous celebration fitting for the moment, and perhaps also a refreshing distraction from the times at large.

    “There are a lot of strong moments, but I am moved when so many people come here and see my last race. I must thank the Norwegian people who stand here today,” Johaug later said to NRK.

    While you can certainly expect a more in-depth look at her storied career on FasterSkier, for now, we’ll echo the crowds in congratulating Therese Johaug, and we look forward to following along for the next chapters.

    Therese Johaug celebrates her final race race at Holmenkollen, winning the 30 k classic exactly eleven years after taking her first individual World Championship gold on these tracks. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) and Jonna Sundling (SWE) lift champion Therese Johaug (NOR) for a podium shot at the finish of the 30 k classic in Oslo. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Behind the celebration, the lineup of women in today’s top-10 was remarkably similar to the Olympic 10 k interval start classic, with a few name swaps, and of course, a few noteworthy athletes missing – namely, Natalia Nepryaeva and Tatiana Sorina of Russia, and Jessie Diggins, who had been fourth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. 

    The volume of the ringing cowbells swelled as Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski skied through the stadium on her own for second place, after pulling away from the first chase pack with 5 k to go and maintaining a healthy 10-15 second gap through the finish. Coming back on form after a few rocky seasons, Pärmäkoski had been third in the 10 k classic in Zhangjiakou, behind her teammate Kerttu Niskanen, who was fourth today (+33.8). 

    Finland’s Krista Pärmäkoski takes second in the 30 k mass start classic at Holmenkollen in Oslo, NOR. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    The women’s 30 k classic podium at Holmenkollen: Therese Johaug (NOR) took the win ahead of Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) and Jonna Sundling (SWE). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Between the Finns, Sweden’s Jonna Sundling reaffirmed her talents across all distances, taking the third spot on the podium (+32.3) just two days after being second in Drammen’s classic sprint. Matching her fifth place result in the Olympic 10 k, Germany’s Katharina Hennig followed Niskanen to the line (+34.7) with Therese Stadlober, who was ninth at the Games, crossing after a gap in sixth (+46.7). 

    Leading the next chase group, and the American team, was Rosie Brennan in seventh (+1:12.3), bringing Norway’s Marte Skaanes and Sweden’s Ebba Andersson to the line just behind her for eighth (+1:13.1) and ninth (+1:13.8), respectively.  

    Rosie Brennan leads Norway’s Marte Skaanes and Sweden’s Ebba Andersson to the line. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “Today was huge for me,” Brennan wrote in a post-race email. “I have struggled here my entire career, and [though] it’s been a few years since I’ve raced here and I have improved a lot in the last few years, I still felt I lacked a lot of confidence and excitement coming here [today]. It’s also been a really stressful week for a variety of reasons, so I showed up today with an immense amount of anxiety that I needed to get a hold of before the race started. 

    “I am really proud of giving myself another chance to put together a good race here and to have managed the stress and anxiety well enough to do so. I wasn’t feeling in a place to shoot for the moon so I tried to start a bit a conservative the first 5 k and then reevaluate. I had a great ride with Ebba and really had an enjoyable time skiing out there today. The last lap, we had the chance to pick off a few from the lead pack and so I started to ramp things up to see what was possible. I felt strong on the last climb and felt I had a good shot at the sprint finish so I went on the last little bump before the [last 100 meters]. It felt great to finish strong and to put together a really solid race today.” 

    Rosie Brennan skis to seventh in the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Following her classic sprint race in Drammen Thursday, Brennan joked post-race that she had lost out on yet-another boot slide. Today, the final sprint was hers. It was perhaps, also worth American fans celebrating that today that she won amongst her chase group, just under two weeks after a brave and gritty performance in the Olympic 30 k skate where she had pulled the chase group for much of the race, wearing herself out to break the wind, only to be dropped in the final 600 meters as Niskanen pulled away for a bronze medal. However, Brennan said she is not connecting any dots between the two.

    “This race was nothing like Zhangjakou, really hard to even compare the two. 30 k’s are always an adventure and I am really happy to have put together two strong ones, in each technique.” 

    Rosie Brennan skis to seventh in the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Commenting on how she is feeling, mentally and physically, with one final race weekend to go, Brennan concluded, “I am really bummed that the [World Cup] Finals were canceled. I haven’t raced a ton this season because of the earlier cancellations and while it has been a very high density block since the Olympics started, I am still feeling strong and wanted to see what I could do. But it will be really fun to end the season with the mixed relay event as that is a new one for us!” 

    Julia Kern was next for the US in 23rd (+3:37.2), followed by Hailey Swirbul in 26th (+3:57.8), and Caitlin Patterson – six days after taking second at the American Birkie – in 30th (+4:11.5). 

    Julia Kern skis to 23rd in the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen in Oslo, NOR. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Hailey Swirbul skis to 26th in the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen in Oslo, NOR. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In a post-race call, head coach Matt Whitcomb shared that Kern’s result was perhaps especially noteworthy as she has been struggling throughout the season with nausea during distance races, making it difficult for her to keep down fluids taken in prior to the race, let alone receive feeds during. Whitcomb also explained that Diggins sat out today’s race as she was feeling lingering fatigue from the long, and successful, season of racing. He affirmed that she is healthy and will be ready to race for the final World Cup weekend in Falun, beginning next Friday. Listen to the full call with Whitcomb below.

    Outside the top-30 for the US, Katharine Ogden was 37th (+5:54.1), followed by Rosie Frankowski, who has consistently landed on SuperTour podiums throughout the season, in 46th (+8:12.2). 

    Katharine Ogden (left) and Caitlin Patterson (right, bib 32) take to the course at the start of the women’s 30 k classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Canada’s Cendrine Browne (bib 43) leads Katharine Ogden (bib 40) during the 30 k mass start classic at Holmenkollen. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Racing for Canada, Katherine Stewart-Jones led the way in 22nd (+3:25.0), with Cendrine Browne also inside the top-30 in 25th (+3:53.7). After a successful World Junior Championship in Lygna, NOR, Jasmine Drolet finished 42nd today (+6:53.2), with Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt closing out the Canadian racers in 48th (+10:19.8). 

    Results

  • Johaug Sneaks Inside Nepryaeva’s Mark for the 10 k Interval Start Classic Win; Brennan Leads U.S in 8th

    Johaug Sneaks Inside Nepryaeva’s Mark for the 10 k Interval Start Classic Win; Brennan Leads U.S in 8th

     

    Hailey Swirbul races through the snow-capped pines of Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.  To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.

    An iconic venue, Lahti’s ski jumps rise out of the pine forest from atop the rolling hills, tucked between the many lakes of the region in southern Finland. After two years of empty trails and stadiums, horns blazed, cowbells rang, and voices cheered during the women’s 10-kilometer individual start classic race as fans lined the hills and filled the stadium, memories of pre-pandemic racing flooded back into mind. 

    What has remained constant through the last two years is the presence of Norway’s Therese Johaug at the top of the results sheet in distance races, particularly classic. Johaug started as the final athlete in the seeded group wearing bib 60, meaning she would have information available to her from the start on how hard she would 

    A little over halfway through the first of two 5 k laps, it looked like Johaug would run away with yet another World Cup distance race. At the 3.7 time check, Johaug was 11.7 seconds up on Natalia Nepyraeva of Russia who had clocked the fastest prior split, with the Finnish Olympic bronze and silver medalists, Krista Pärmäkoski and Kerttu Niskanen, lurking just behind at 16.2 and 17.5 seconds back. And the Finns were racing on home soil with most of the aforementioned fans waving their country’s flag.

    Norway’s Therese Johaug races the 10 k interval start classic in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Sure enough, the margin of Johaug’s lead narrowed. At the lap, she was just under ten seconds ahead of Nepryaeva, who looked to have conserved her energy in the first lap to push the pace in the second. While the Finns became less of a threat to Johaug, the Norwegian’s margin over the Russian’s splits whittled down rapidly. 

    And ironically, the Russian’s fast second lap might have been partly Johaug’s own doing. As the Norwegian had headed out on course, Nepryaeva was lapping through the stadium, allowing her to match pace as she chased the high-tempo Norwegian through the woods for the second 5 k, perhaps pressuring Johaug to burn a few of her matches a bit earlier than she’d otherwise planned. 

    Regardless of what was going through each athlete’s mind, Nepryaeva finished her second lap to set the bar at 24:29.6.

    Over the first kilometer of Johaug’s second lap, now racing on her own, the time difference between the two women was slashed in half, from 9.8 to 4.8 seconds, and at 8.7 k, it had essentially remained constant at 5.5 seconds. It would come down to the wire.

    Looking back at the season, it might be easy to focus on the three Olympic gold medals Johaug won in Zhangjiakou, including in the 10 k classic event. But, she had been beaten in the only other 10 k classic she’s raced on the World Cup this year, which also took place in Finland, during the opening weekend of World Cup racing in Ruka. She might be the favorite, but she’s also beatable. 

    Natalia Nepryaeva puts together a strong performance in the 10 k classic in Lahti. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    As Nepryaeva watched the clock eagerly from the leader’s chair, Johaug kicked, glided, and double poled through the final kilometer. Having over ten minutes prior, she had plenty of time to wait, watch, and be watched by the cameras.

    Nepryaeva leaned forward, not taking her eyes off the leaderboard as Johaug made the tight right-hand turn down into the stadium without losing too much momentum, and began to charge as hard as she could toward the line.

    With 15 seconds remaining to stay inside Nepryaeva’s mark, Johaug rounded the corner to the finish. With ten seconds to go, she hit the lanes. Nepryaeva watched the seconds tick by hoping Johaug’s time would change to red, while the Norwegian was just trying to keep it in the green.

    Therese Johaug (NOR) throws her boot to take the win just 1.2 seconds ahead of Russia’s Natalia Nepryaeva. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Therese Johaug (NOR) celebrates her victory in Lahti’s 10 k individual start classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Until the actual finish line was crossed, it felt like the result could go either way. But with a final push from her poles and kick with her boot, Therese Johaug sealed the deal, just 1.2 seconds ahead of Natalia Nepryaeva. Johaug let out a victorious roar, just before cameras showed the Russian roll her eyes in exasperation, as if thinking, “Really? Not again.”

    Cameras panning back to Johaug watched her shift away from her own celebration to comfort a very disappointed Heidi Weng, who had started a minute ahead of Johaug in bib 58, but finished 42 seconds behind her teammate in 19th place (+1:42.4). After promising results in the Tour de Ski, Weng had tested positive for COVID just prior to the Olympics, leaving her watching the event from afar. From Weng’s disappointment at the finish, it looked as though she had been looking for more in her return to racing on the World Cup.

    Therese Johaug (NOR) comforts her disappointed teammate Heidi Weng at the finish of the 10 k individual start classic in Lahti. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Johaug spoke with FIS after the finish, speaking to what it means to win again today as she nears the end of a successful season, including the three gold medals earned in Zhangjiakou this month.

    “It means a lot for me, and I am so happy that I have a second on my side,” Johaug said with a laugh. “After the Olympics, you’re coming home and it’s a little bit hard to motivate again, but when I come to Lahti and go on this beautiful track, I really enjoy it.”

    Johaug was also asked whether she felt the benefits of having trained and raced at altitude surrounding the Games, which were held at roughly 5,500 feet above sea level. 

    “Yeah, I feel that,” Johaug said of the boost. “When you train a lot at altitude and then you go down, you feel like you have more energy in the hills. I think my shape right now is really good, so I’m excited to race at the Holmenkollen next weekend, and in Falun, then the rest of the season.”

    The women’s podium in Lahti: Therese Johaug (NOR) took the win ahead of Natalia Nepryaeva (RUS) and Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Rounding out the women’s podium, Finland’s Pärmäkoski held her margin to 16.7 seconds at the finish for third place, followed after a gap by her teammate Niskanen in fourth (37.7). Sweden’s sprint champion Jonna Sundling was just behind in fifth (+40.7).

    Leading the way for the American team, Rosie Brennan posted consistent splits to hover in sixth place through the first lap. Maintaining even tempo and effort, Brennan remained in this position until the last checkpoint, which showed a hard-charging Ebba Andersson of Sweden trade positions to bump Brennan back to 7th.

    Rosie Brennan leads the American team during a 10 k individual start classic in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Also posting a split Brennan was not quite able to match in the final kilometer, the American lost nearly eight seconds to Germany’s Katharina Hennig between the final time check at 8.7 k and the finish, leaving Brennan in eighth place overall (+1:02.8) at the finish.

    “I am really happy with today.,” Brennan wrote in a post-race email. “I have always struggled post-championships, not so much in my body, but in my mind. It’s really difficult to live on the road and be sharp and push so hard all the time. It often feels like there is never a chance to let down the way someone who goes home every week might experience. I am always trying to figure this out and work towards finding ways to let down and then pull the fight back up for the weekend. It’s all part of the game and it’s a good challenge to try to figure everything out.

    “Anyway, today, I felt much more like myself and was able to ski the way I wanted to. Lahti has been a tough venue for me in the past and today I really felt strong in my classic skiing and had some ability to push hard. I was definitely frustrated after yesterday and am really happy I was able to let it go and find myself out there today. We have had really great weather this weekend and a big crowd so that was a huge bonus. It was a joy to not be skiing in an arctic tornado!”

    Rosie Brennan crosses the line for 8th place in Lahti’s 10 k interval start classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Jessie Diggins skis to 20th place in the 10 k classic in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Following a podium near-miss in yesterday’s sprint, Jessie Diggins was next for the U.S., just behind Heidi Weng in 20th (+1:43.4). Julia Kern and Hailey Swirbul also raced into the top-30 for the second day in a row, finishing 28th (+2:03.2) and 29th (+2:10.5), respectively.

    Just off Swirbul’s split, Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones led her team in 30th place (+2:10.7), with her teammate Dahria Beatty just outside the top-30 in 33rd (+2:19.4). Cendrine Browne raced to 36th (+2:24.5), while Laura Leclair was the final Canadian woman in 58th (+4:29.7). 

    Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones leads her team in 30th during the 10 k individual start classic in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Finishing 30 seconds outside the top-30, Katharine Ogden returned to the World Cup in 43rd (+2:40.8).

    Following the races, US Ski Team head coach Matt Whitcomb provided insights into both the women’s and men’s races in Lahti, as well as sharing the news that Östersund, SWE may become the host to the initially cancelled World Cup Finals that had been scheduled for Tyumen, Russia. Whitcomb also speaks to the “Olympic hangover” that can make hard for athletes to perform at their best the weekend following the Games, and gave a shoutout to the athletes racing at World Juniors in nearby Lygna.

    World Cup racing continues on Thursday, March 3rd with a classic sprint in Drammen, Norway, just prior to the storied 30/50 k mass start classic races at the Holmenkollen in Oslo.

    Results 

     

  • Sundling Leads a Swedish Podium Sweep in Freestyle Sprint, with Diggins in Fourth and Kern Eighth

    Sundling Leads a Swedish Podium Sweep in Freestyle Sprint, with Diggins in Fourth and Kern Eighth

    This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and the A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.  To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.

    Snapping back after a week away from racing, the World Cup resumed in wintery Lahti, Finland with a 1.6 kilometer freestyle sprint. The American women made their presence immediately known, landing three of five athletes in the top-five in qualification, with four in the top-30. 

    Rosie Brennan skis to fifth in qualification in Lahti. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    On the heels of a bronze medal in the event, Jessie Diggins was second in qualification, +6.71 behind the time of 3:17.37 posted by Sweden’s Olympic champion Jonna Sundling. Julia Kern was next for the U.S. in fourth (+7.59) behind Russia’s Natalia Nepryaeva, with Rosie Brennan just behind in fifth (+8.61). Hailey Swirbul also raced into the heats, skiing to 26th in qualification (+16.56). 

    Jessie Diggins posts the second fastest time in qualification during the freestyle sprint in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Leading the Canada team Cendrine Browne raced to 29th in qualification (+17.37), advancing to the heats. 

    Racing in heat five, Diggins moved to the front of the pack inside the first minute of racing, with Kern on her tails heading up the first climb, with Julia sliding back to third in the following descent. Nevertheless, the Americans maintained control of the heat heading up the climb and around the course’s hairpin turn, where cheers could be heard from the sidelines, urging “Alright, Jessie! Alright, Julia! Hard over the top! Hard over the top! Come on, push, push, push!”

    Rounding the final bend to the finish, the Americans were side by side at the front, with Sweden’s Anna Divyk looking for an opportunity to sneak through from their draft. Kern was on the inside of the bend, stepping powerfully to maintain her momentum as the threesome headed into the final 100 meter sprint. Still right alongside her teammate, Kern led the boot throw to win the heat, with Diggins +0.1 back, and the Swede on their tails to cross the line +0.39 seconds back in third. As the fifth heat proved to be the fastest of the quarterfinal, Czech athlete Katerina Janatova also advanced as a lucky loser after finishing in fourth, just over a second behind Divyk.  

    Julia Kern and Jessie Diggins take to the course during the quarterfinals of Lahti’s freestyle sprint. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In the first semifinal, it was Sundling and Dahlqvist at the front, with teammate Emma Ribom and Nepryaeva jockeying for the third and fourth positions through the first half. The Swedes rounded the hairpin in first through third, but Nepryaeva, Nadine Fähndrich (SUI), and Janatova remained close on their heels. Coming into the finish lanes, it was Sundling in front, with Ribom nipping Dahlqvist at the line by 0.11 seconds. Nepryaeva crossed fourth, 0.6 back from Dahlqvist, leaving the two awaiting the outcome of the next semi to determine their fate heading into the final round.  

    The Americans raced in the second semi, along with an additional two Swedes, Divyk and Johanna Hagström, plus Slovenia’s Anamarija Lampic and a German, Coletta Rydzek.  

    Julia Kern tucks into Jessie Diggins draft during the freestyle sprint heats in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Heading up the climb to the hairpin, it was Diggins at the front, with Hagström on her tails and Lampic maintaining contact. The group had thinned, leaving the remaining three women trailing behind on the descent with a gap between each.

    In the adrenaline-filled final meters, it looked like Hagström would hold the advantage to the line, but a high tempo Diggins and accelerating Lampic were closing fast. Throwing their boots three abreast, the women crossed the line dead-even for a three-way photo finish.

    A slow motion replay of the slide showed that it was Lampic who crossed first, with Diggins .03 seconds behind, and Hagström in third, separated by an additional 0.01 second. With Lampic’s time clocked roughly 0.7 seconds slower than Nepryaeva’s in the first semi, only the top two women advanced, leaving Hagström just off the mark. 

    Kern crossed fourth in the heat (+1.94) to end her day in eighth overall. 

    “Today was a lot of fun,” Kern said in a U.S. Ski & Snowboard press release. “The conditions were great, the stadium and course were filled with lively spectators and I was really excited to get back to racing the World Cup! I felt like I had a lot of great energy today, skied well, and enjoyed the awesome atmosphere while racing side-by-side with Jessie in the heats! I was stoked to put down maybe my best World Cup qualifier and see that my body is ready to fire after the Olympics.

    “I have only raced two races in the last two months,” Kern continued, “so I have been excited for Period 4 World Cups with lots of racing opportunities. I am someone who loves to race. I had a blast skiing with Jessie in the heats today, we train together all year long, working hard and pushing each other, and also rooming together, so it is fun to ski well together and take charge of the heats. ”

    Julia Kern races to eighth place in Lahti’s freestyle sprint. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Sundling looked to leave nothing to chance in the final, gapping the field before the halfway point, with Lampic and Ribom leading the chase group a few seconds back. 

    Descending from the hairpin, the Swedes were in first through third, with Sundling still well off the front. Diggins had moved up onto Dahlqvist’s tails in fourth, which she held heading around the final bend into the stadium and into the lanes. 

    Jonna Sundling (SWE) cruises through the final to win the 1.6 kilometer freestyle sprint in Lahti. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    While Sundling cruised cross the line for the win in 3:12.86, it was Ribom and Dalqvist fighting for the second and third spots to determine the order of a Swedish podium sweep. It was Ribom in second at the line (+3.28), fending off Dahlqvist in third (+3.67), interrupting her streak of World Cup wins this season.

    Diggins held her ground close behind the Swedes in fourth (+3.93), with Lampic closing fast for fifth (+4.01). Nepryaeva closed out the women’s final in the sixth spot (+4.69).

    Jessie Diggins throws her boot for fourth in the final round of Lahti’s freestyle sprint. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Following the race, Diggins said she was happy to be feeling like herself again following the brief post-Olympic break. It was just six days ago that Diggins fought through food poisoning induced fatigue, cramping, and delirium to earn a silver medal in the 30 k skate.

    “I was incredibly tired after the Olympics,” Diggins said in a post-race audio clip, embedded below. “That 30 k took more out of me than maybe any race in my entire life. So I was just feeling lucky to be out there and racing and able to feel like my body is back.”

    In addition to providing insights into how things shook our for her, Diggins commented on the experience of watching newer members of the team earn their first World Cup starts, specifically Lauren Jortberg, Bill Harmeyer, and Logan Diekmann.

    “Happy to be part of that rite of passage. That was really, really fun.”

    Sweden’s Jonna Sundling hugs Emma Ribom (right) after finishing one-two in the freestyle sprint in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I feel amazing right now,” Sundling said of her win in a post-race interview with FIS at the finish. “I think I’m in a good place in my career and it feels really good to ski right now. Today, I just tried to trust my skiing and it went really [well], so I’m happy.”

    When asked about the Swedish podium sweep, Sundling broke into a wide grin. “I’m so happy, and for Emma, it is her first, so it’s really good.”

    A Swedish podium sweep in Lahti, with Jonna Sundling taking the top spot ahead of Emma Ribom and Maja Dahlqvist. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Rosie Brennan races in the fourth quarterfinal heat in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    After sharing the lead with Slovenia’s Lampic through the second half of the fourth quarterfinal, Brennan rounded the final bend into the finish in second position, moving to Lampic’s right with 50 meters to go. While Lampic maintained a lead by several meters, Germany’s Rydzek crept up alongside Brennan, throwing her boot at the line to edge out the American by 0.04 seconds. As the third heat saw times roughly four seconds faster than the fourth, Brennan was unable to advance as a lucky loser and ended her day in 13th. 

    Crossing in sixth in heat one of the quarterfinal, which saw Sundling and Nepryaeva go one-two, Swirbul finished 28th today. Swirbul maintained contact with the lead pack through the hairpin turn, where Sundling and Nepryaeva accelerated off the front to thin the pack.

    Hailey Swirbul races in the first quarterfinal heat in Lahti. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Cendrine Browne (CAN) races in the second heat of the quarterfinals in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Canada’s Browne also ended her day in the quarters after racing in heat two. Browne was +2.19 behind Sweden’s Maja Dahlqvist who comfortably won the heat, with the Canadian in sixth to end her day in 

    Also racing for the U.S., BSF Pro Team’s Lauren Jortberg raced was pulled up from the SuperTour for her first World Cup appearance. Jortberg is ranked 11th overall in the SuperTour standings and is third on the sprint list behind APU’s Rosie Frankowski and Becca Rorabaugh, both of whom opted to race the American Birkie this weekend. 

    Lauren Jortberg (BSF Pro) makes her first World Cup appearance in the 1.6 k freestyle sprint qualifier in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (CAN) races the 1.6 k freestyle sprint qualifier in Lahti, FIN. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Outside the top-30 for Canada, Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt was 33rd today, less than a second away from the heats, with her teammate Dahria Beatty just 0.25 seconds behind her in 34th. Laura Leclair was the final Canadian racer in the women’s field, finishing 54th in qualification (+25.41). 

    Women’s racing continues tomorrow in Lahti with a 10 k individual start classic. 

    Results:

    Qualification | Final  

  • (Press Release) Canadian Women’s Relay Team Skis to Ninth in Beijing

    (Press Release) Canadian Women’s Relay Team Skis to Ninth in Beijing

    Canucks celebrate best Olympic relay result since 2002

     

    BEIJING, Chn—The Canadian women’s relay squad skied to its best result Olympic result in two decades, finishing ninth on Saturday at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Ski Centre.

    Skiing on a mission for eighth spot, the women’s team of Katherine Stewart-Jones, Dahria Beatty, Cendrine Browne and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt mixed together their best relay result on the sport’s ultimate stage since the 2002 Games, skiing into the top-10 in the 4 x 5 kilometre race with a combined time of 57:20.9.

    Katharine Stewart-Jones skis the opening leg of the women’s 4 x 5 k relay. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I love relay days. There is no race more fun than a relay. The 5 k’s are brutal. They are really rough. We all went out together and gave it absolutely everything,” said Stewart-Jones. “I had a good time cheering the girls on when I was done, and I think we can be really proud of our effort.”

    The women’s relay consists of each athlete skiing one five-kilometre leg. The first two athletes ski classic-ski format followed by the final two members of the team taking on the skate-skiing legs.

    Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) was first out of the gate for the Canucks , skiing a steady 5km before passing off to Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse) in 10th spot.  Beatty, a two-time Olympian, continued her solid run in Beijing where she has rattled off a trio of career-best races, by grabbing two spots on the field before completing her five-kilometre charge around the challenging Nordic trails.

    “I just tried to empty the tank out there and give it all I had. I had China to catch at the beginning and saw Japan in the distance and tried to reel them in,” said Beatty. “There was a new pack well out in front of me that was a big group. I did a solo time trial out there and gave it all I had. It was a great result for the team.”

    Cendrine Browne races the 4 x 5 k relay during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Cendrine Browne (Prévost, Que.) – the only other two-time Olympian on Canada’s Nordic Ski Team in China – skied a steady third leg to hang onto the eighth spot before tagging Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt for the anchor portion of the race.

    “Katherine got us in good position and Dahria skied really well. When she tagged me, my job was to keep the gap. I was able to do that,” said Browne. “We were aiming for top-eight. Olivia skied really strong. I’m so proud of our entire team.”

    Dahria Beatty races the third leg of the 4 x 5 k relay during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Bouffard-Nesbitt gutted out a solid skate-ski leg where she continued to hold eighth spot until the final kilometre of the race.  The Morin Heights, Que. resident battled the last Italian skier through to the finishing stretch but was edged out at the line.

    “It was such a privilege to be racing with this team. I was so impressed with my teammates. They did everything they could and I so badly wanted that eighth-place for the team,” said Bouffard-Nesbitt. “It was tough at the end. I could feel Italy on me. I tried to use whatever tactics I had left to play with in last 400 metres.

    “She was a little too strong for me in last 50 metres, but I think ninth by four-tenths shows eighth was a realistic goal and all of the girls did exactly what we needed to do.”

    Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt (CAN) collapses as she’s greeted by her team at the finish of the 4 x 5 k relay. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Canada’s women’s Olympic relay team of Beckie Scott, Milaine Theriault, Sara Renner and Amanda Fortier were eighth in 2002. The Canadian women also posted ninth at last year’s World Championships, which was also the best result at the premier event in a non-Olympic year in two decades.

    Athletes representing the Russian Olympic Committee won the women’s relay with a time oof 53:41.0. Germany was second at 53:59.2, while Sweden skied to the bronze medal with a time of 54:01.7.

    ***

    Complete Results: https://bit.ly/3GPLqU1

    For complete details on Team Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, please visit  https://olympic.ca/games/beijing-2022/

  • (Press Release) Dahria Beatty Beaming in 18th with Career Best Olympic Result

    (Press Release) Dahria Beatty Beaming in 18th with Career Best Olympic Result

    Canada’s Dahria Beatty was beaming after cracking the top-20 for the first time in her two trips to the Olympic Winter Games, finishing the women’s individual start 10-kilometre classic cross-country skiing event in 18th spot.

    Feeding off career-best Olympic performances in her first two starts, the 27-year-old put down a memorable performance, skiing twice around the demanding five-kilometre loop in a time of 30:00.2.

    “I definitely feel like I am in the best shape of my season now, so I knew there was potential for a strong race today,” said Beatty, who placed 28th in the skiathlon and 25th in the sprint races earlier this week.

    “I’ve been feeling good in the other two events and think that I’ve been building through each one. I had a strong result in this race at our Trials in Canmore and I feel like I’m in a lot better shape now. It was a happy surprise to be in the top-20.”

    The cagey veteran of the National Ski Team skied smart and aggressively while finding her groove while powering her way through the heavy winds and steadily working her way up the epic climbs at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country Ski Centre.

    “I was able to get into my own rhythm. I felt I was too conservative in the skiathlon (earlier in the week) on the climbs – especially in the classic part of the race. I had a better idea of how that would go today.

    “I really tried to push my limits on the climbs and trust that I’d be able to recover enough on the downhills to go into the next one.”

    Dahria Beatty (CAN) skiing to a personal best Olympic result of 18th in the 10 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The Whitehorse resident was hanging tough with the sport’s elite, progressively gaining time on the field as the race went on.

    Norway’s Therese Johaug clocked the golden time at 28:06.3, edging out Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen by .4 seconds. Niskanen celebrated the silver medal at 28:06.7. Her teammate, Krista Parmakoski, finished 31.5 seconds off the leading mark to claim the bronze medal at 28:37.8.

    Beatty has only finished in the top-20 on the World Cup four times throughout her career. Three of those performances – two 15ths and a 16th place – have come in sprint races. Steadily making progress with her distance skiing, Beatty’s best World Cup distance race came last season when she was 15th in a 30-kilometre pursuit in Engadin, Switzerland.

    “If you go back to my teenage years, I was more of a distance skier, but I’ve had a lot more success sprinting internationally,” said Beatty. “It is definitely easier to break into sprinting if you are able to get that qualifying speed, but the last few years, I’ve been able to have good training seasons and that overall fitness has been caught back up with the tactical power I’ve had for sprinting.

    “I’ve never given up saying I’m an all-around skier so I’m happy that I am finally showing that again after all of these years.”

    Katharine Stewart-Jones (CAN) races the 10 k individual start classic during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Three other talented Canadian women also hit the start line on Thursday for the individual start race. Katherine Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) battled to 36th place with a time off 31:08.6. Cendrine Browne (Prévost, Que.) skied into 48th spot with a time of 31:47.9. Olivia Bouffard Nesbitt (Morin Heights, Que.) completed the 10-kilometre test in a time of 33:01.1 for 61st place.

    Additional Canadian Athlete Quotes

    Olivia Bouffard Nesbitt

    “I tried super hard, and I was able to make myself hurt. Some of those uphill’s were painful in the best way. That is how absolutely what you want in this race is to finish having hurt yourself a little bit. I’m pumped. I’m super grateful to be here and to have an Olympic bib on.”

    Cendrine Browne

    “Sadly, it was tougher today. I always have more difficulty with the 10 km classical event and the second part of the race today was a bit more difficult. I was on my own on the track for a while. I gave everything I had today even if it’s not the result I was looking for. It can only be better next time. I am looking forward to the relay event with the girls. I believe we are all in a good shape right now and the best is yet to come for us.”

    Katherine Stewart-Jones

    “Definitely pretty disappointed with my race. After the skiathlon I know that I’m in really good shape so I thought I could get a really good result today. I just fell short of that. I gave everything I had but it just wasn’t the feeling I wanted. I know I’m in shape and that’s nto the problem. I have other races to look forward to so I am excited for that.”

    Three Canadian men – Olivier Léveillé (Sherbrooke, Que.), Antoine Cyr (Gatineau, Que.) and Rémi Drolet (Rossland, B.C.) – will compete in Friday’s 15-kilometre individual start classic-ski race.

    *****

    Complete Results: https://bit.ly/3BdoBbG

    For complete details on Team Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, please visit  https://olympic.ca/games/beijing-2022/

  • (Press Release) Cendrine Browne Battles to 20th in Epic Olympic Skiathlon

    (Press Release) Cendrine Browne Battles to 20th in Epic Olympic Skiathlon

    Three Canadian women ski into elite group of 30 on grueling race day in Beijing

    By Chris Dornan on behalf of Nordiq Canada

    Katharine Stewart-Jones (bib 23) skis to 23rd in the women’s 15k skiathlon, which opened the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    BEIJING, Chn — Cendrine Browne and her teammates set the tone for the Canada’s cross-country skiers at the 2022 Winter Games after putting down her best-ever Olympic performance, skiing to 20th place in the women’s 15-kilometre skiathlon race on Saturday in Beijing, China.

    Competing in her second Olympic Games, the 28-year-old from Prévost, Que. clocked a time of 47:58.1 after a gutsy effort that challenged the top women’s cross-country skiers who were faced with long punishing climbs and blustery winds on a frigid afternoon at the Zhangjiakou National Cross-Country skiing Centre.

    “That is a career-best result today! I’m really, really happy and proud of how I raced,” said Browne. “I worked very hard on my classic the last year and I think that really helped me today. It was definitely a tough race with tough conditions so I’m glad I was able to ski relaxed and be conservative with my energy. It was really fun being in the same pack as Katherine! I’m so proud of our team. This shows that we are in great shape!”

    Canada’s Browne, Katherine Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) and Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse) worked together in the chase pack for much of the race. Browne and Stewart-Jones exchanged positions as the top Canuck in each of the four laps. Skiing strong, the Canadian trio conserved their energy for a strong finish in the top-30.

    Dahria Beatty races the 15k skiathlon in Zhangjiakou, the opening event of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Skiing in and out of the top-20 on the wide-open course, Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) finished 23rd at 48:17.3 in her Olympic debut.

    “This is my first Olympic Games, so it was a really great experience. There was a lot of wind today, so it was important to stay in the tracks and conserve energy,” said Stewart-Jones. “It was a long 15 kms given how tough a course this is. I was happy with the way I felt out there despite it being so long since I had raced, and I didn’t really know what to expect. This will do a lot for my confidence for the rest of these Games.”

    Beatty also had a boost of confidence with her career best Olympic result, skiing steady in the middle of the pack en route to a 28th place finish at 48:52.0.

    “You had to be pretty strategic on the downhills today. With the wind, my goal was to be as small as possible on the downhills and then give everything I had on the climbs. I’m super happy with how it went for me. Being in the top-30 in a distance race is always something I’m happy with,” said Beatty.

    Olivia Bouffard Nesbitt (Morin Heights, Que.) scrapped her way to 44th in a time of 50:11.7.

    “It was super challenging conditions for everyone. It was windy, cold, the snow was slow, and this is a heck of a course,” said Bouffard Nesbitt. “It is one of the hardest courses if not the hardest. It was just epic today – my first Olympic race – getting blasted by the wind right off the start. You really could just feel the size of the event right away.”

    Battling for the first Nordic skiing medal of the Games, the field of 63 women set an electric pace from the start gun and held it throughout the challenging 15-kilometre test which combined 7.5 kilometres of classic cross-country skiing followed by 7.5 additional kilometres in the free technique. Athletes change equipment in a pit stop area between the two legs with the clock still running.

    Cendrine Browne (right) hugs teammate Katharine Stewart-Jones (left) after the pair finished 20th and 23rd, respectively, in the 15k Olympic skiathlon. (Photo: Nat Herz/FasterSkier-ADN)

    Norway’s Therese Johaug controlled the pack in both disciplines. A force from start-to-finish, Johaug led a group of approximately 15 athletes who strung out the field on the second hill in the first lap. Charging out onto the second half of the course after leading the pack into the exchange area, the Norwegian skied with a handful of athletes until surging with less than three kilometres to go en route to winning the gold medal with a time of 44:13.7.

    Natalia Nepryaeva, who is an athlete representing the Russian Olympic Committee, was the next best finisher 30.2 seconds off the golden pace. Nepryaeva claimed the silver with a time of 44:43.9, topping Austria’s Teresa Stadlober who grabbed the bronze medal at 44:44.2.

    The Canadian men will hit the Olympic start line for a 30-kilometre skiathlon race on Sunday.

    *****

    Complete Results: https://bit.ly/3B0mbxc

    For complete details on Team Canada at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, please visit  https://olympic.ca/games/beijing-2022/

  • Canadian Journey to Beijing

    Canadian Journey to Beijing

    Katherine Stewart-Jones sprinting over the saddle at Sovereign Lake during the Beijing Prep Camp. (Photo: Peggy Hung)

    Canada was successful in delivering the team to Beijing and getting them on snow in Zhangjiakou. The decision to go above and beyond in isolating athletes before a carefully planned drive to a charter flight worked, although other countries also succeeded with a more laid-back approach.

    What can fans expect from the Canadian team in Beijing? It all comes down to qualifying and performing.

    Qualifying

    Canada had an Olympic quota of four women and three men, with a pretty high probability of gaining another woman and man in reallocation. The size of the quota depends on World Cup/World Championship performance and domestic FIS races; the top countries earned the maximum team size of 8 per gender. As Canada cancelled all races last season and only took a small team to Europe for a six week visit, the only path to a larger team would have been more athletes getting top 30 results in Europe last season.

    Three men (Tony Cyr, Olivier Léveillé, Graham Ritchie) and one woman (Katherine Stewart-Jones) met the world cup results standard for Olympic qualification during period 1. The Trials in Canmore (January 6th to 11th) would then select three women, and possibly one woman and one man who would have first dibs after reallocation.

    Dahria Beatty, an Olympic veteran from Pyeongchang, was one of the skiers who now had to qualify through a rigid qualification document at Canmore trials.

    “Yes, it was definitely different last time. I was qualified for the [2018] Games a season in advance, essentially,” Beatty explained at the Prep Camp at Sovereign Lake.

    At the Canmore sprint, Beatty qualified third and finished the heats in 4th, which meant Laura Leclair earned her first Olympic berth and Cendrine Browne her second.

    For Beatty, selection came down to Saturday’s 10km individual classic. If she won, or placed second to Stewart-Jones, she got the spot. The latter happened, with Beatty 0.5 seconds behind and 20 seconds clear of third.

    “Honestly, I don’t think I’ve had to qualify for a team specifically like that since U23 World Champs so it’s been a long time definitely.”

    Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt was ranked 5th after trials, waiting on the reallocation process. Her journey has been longer than most, with injuries, training setbacks, car accidents, and bad luck. In 2014, she recovered from a back injury just in time to compete at Olympic trials. She won the qualifier on her first race day of the season. While lining up for the A-final heat with selection on the line, she was told that the jury had disqualified her for micro-skating during the quarter-final earlier. This year, the pieces came together.

    “​​It’s hard to find words. It’s something that I believed in, like my whole life, I believed that it was possible. But then throughout the setbacks, the doubt kind of built up. And, increased and I thought it wouldn’t happen, maybe and that I just had to grow up and face that reality. But there was still like, a little voice inside me that thought it was possible. And just to have– persisted, and trusted that with patience like things would line up for me. It means so much, it means so much for me but also for the people who helped me get here because it feels like I know that they would support me no matter what but it just feels like doing them justice as well. Like putting all the time into this project that is me trying to get to the Olympics was worth it.”

    Jasmine Drolet was next, with only the faint hope of moving up through a positive COVID test for an athlete above. Jasmine does have the consolation of earning a start at U20 World Championships.

    Russell Kennedy finished 27th in the Ruka 15km classic in November, enough to help Canada’s World Cup quota for next season. Kennedy would have needed to ski 15 seconds faster to take the 20th place from Federico Pellegrino and earn the 4th Olympic spot. The next day he moved up to 21st in the pursuit with the 24th fastest time of day, again just outside the criteria.

    The reallocation spot would be decided in the 15km individual start classic on January 8th. Whoever finished highest, after excluding the three already qualified men, would be on tenterhooks until the 17th and then be officially announced on the 19th.

     

    Rémi Drolet in a practice skiathlon at the Beijing Prep Camp at Sovereign Lake, Jan 23, 2022. (Photo: Peggy Hung)

    Cyr won, surprising no one, with Rémi Drolet edging out Kennedy by 10.8 seconds to take second. Every skier in the top ten had either a WC top 30 or a Canada Cup podium this season. Every one of those skiers could believe that their best effort would end in selection.

    Rémi is a second year senior who chose to take a gap year from Harvard to focus on getting faster on the World Cup and qualifying for Beijing. He didn’t get selected for Period 1, but did get some good results in early season Continental Cup races in Finland and Sweden.

    “For me, it was important to try really hard to make it this time around, because I think it’ll be an important stepping stone in my career,” he told FasterSkier during the prep camp. “To be able to, I guess, be a leader in the team, with so many strong guys coming up.”

    Rémi is getting good results for his age, but also looking over his shoulder at juniors like Tom Stephen and Xav McKeever, who are already collecting senior wins at Canada Cup races. These three teamed up with Léveillé to collect a relay silver at U20 Worlds two years ago.

    Kennedy is now 30. His ‘day job’ is with Canada’s Para National team, one of two guides for Brian McKeever. After PyeongChang, his goal was not just to qualify, but deliver at Beijing, and that dream ended with an invitation to train as a spare.

    “Well, I mean, for me, it’s been a rough two weeks. I spent three years working for this year. I was focused on the Olympics, and not really as much qualifying I guess.”

    Asked about sharing a bubble for two weeks with the four men who are living his dream, Kennedy didn’t shy away from truth.

    “And yeah, it’s been hard. But I’ve been trying to put on a good face around them. Because it’s sweet [for them]. They’ve done it, they’re going to the Olympics, it’s a huge goal and a huge achievement. But for me, it’s definitely hard. I’m really fast right now, which just makes it harder. But that’s part of sport.”

    Performing

    For some people, just reaching the Olympics is the pinnacle of their dreams. And it is a major achievement, even more so now with smaller quotas. In 2006, Canada had five women who earned Torino quota spots, in addition to the ten nations spots, allowing Canada to select 15 women. 

    What distinguishes the athletes who deliver results from those who participate?

    “Some people believe, and some people want to believe, but [it’s] the ones that really believe.” Dave Wood explained to FasterSkier in July of 2021.

    Going back to 2006, three Canadian women came home with medals: Chandra Crawford, Beckie Scott, and Sara Renner. Each of these women had individual World Cup podiums in the final two months of preparation and came into Torino with confidence. 

    The current team of nine Canadians has only two members with Olympic experience: Beatty and Browne. It will be much harder for this team to dream of podiums.

    Stewart-Jones, Cyr, Léveillé, and Ritchie can find confidence from their period 1 results. Drolet can find confidence in beating Léveillé and Kennedy at trials as both have World Cup top 30’s this season.

    The others? They will have to find confidence inside themselves.

    Expecting

    One of the common expectations of sports fans is that Olympians should produce their best performance of the season on the biggest stage. Athletes work their whole lives to get to an Olympics and it seems obvious that they should be peaking at precisely the right moment.

    “The results came from those that started their Olympics in May or April.” – Dave Wood, talking about Vancouver 2010.

    Wood was referring to athletes who qualified for the Olympics during the previous season, allowing them to build the entire training year around performing during a two week period. Athletes who have not qualified in advance have to focus their season plan on earning selection.

    Kennedy was one athlete who missed that balance.

    “Because sometimes I feel with sport, you have to choose if you want to go or if you want to do well. It’s the one thing that I’ve been struggling with. And also, it’s hard because like the people making the decisions don’t really have any repercussions for their choices. So the repercussions fall on athletes, and unfortunately, this year fell on me. Yeah. It sucks, but it’s part of it. I knew what I signed up for.”

    Once selected, each athlete can then reset their priorities. Four Canadians hit that point in December, three more on January 8th, and the last two on January 17th. With the first race on February 5th, which feels like the 4th after crossing the international date line, the one big thing athletes can do is not catch COVID-19.

    Back in 2010, Canada had four men performing on the world cup and when it came time to pick four men for the 50km on the final day, there were five names. Ivan Babikov, George Gray, and Alex Harvey had placed 5th, 8th, and 9th in the skiathlon and were obvious choices. The final place had to go to either Brian McKeever, who had qualified first at trials in Canmore, or Devon Kershaw, whose best individual result was a 16th. Unusually for Canada, there was outside pressure on this selection, as McKeever would have been the first person to compete at the Olympics and Paralympics in the same season.

    “The way the other four boys had been skiing, there was no decision, there was no discussion,” Wood explained. “Brian didn’t beat Kershaw and Alex and Ivan and George [at trials], he beat the others.”

    The coaches chose Kershaw, which paid off with a 5th place finish, 1.6 seconds from gold. In 2022, there will be no difficult decisions for the men, but there are five women and four starts per individual race.

    FasterSkier asked Beatty what races she was looking forward to.

    “Well, if I get a start in the team sprint, I love team sprints, I love team events. So I’m definitely hoping to be doing that race, I’m looking forward to that. I’m also really looking forward to the individual sprint and the 10k individual.”

    This may not be the Norwegian or Swedish level of choice, with eight skiers and four starts, but expect Canada to hold some time trials during the Olympics to inform the coaches’ choice.

    Beatty and Browne were in PyeongChang, and will have experience to share with the neophytes.

    “​​The races themselves, even though they will be the most stressful part, are also going to be the most fun because that’s what we dream of,” Bouffard-Nesbitt speculated three days before getting on the plane.

    “I’ve never been to an Olympic Games, and especially a COVID games. So I don’t know what the rest of the time will be like.”

    The Canadian women having (distanced) fun. Click the image to see the Instagram reel.

    Early evidence is athletes will be killing time in their rooms and finding virtual fun with your teammates.

    Dreaming

    FasterSkier asked a number of the athletes a simple question: when you first dreamed of the Olympics, what sport were you dreaming of?

    “I have to say, probably hockey with that one. For sure. I didn’t know I was gonna end up as a cross country skier.” — Ritchie

    “Cross country skiing. Yeah, it’s always been that.” — Stewart-Jones

    “I definitely think it was probably cross country skiing. That’s always been the sport I’ve been strongest at, even as a kid. I did a bunch of different sports. I always loved watching figure skating at the Olympics, but I knew that I was never going to pursue that long term, definitely was not flexible enough.” — Beatty

    “I don’t know. I guess when I first really thought about the Olympics was back when I was playing hockey. But at that time, it wasn’t really, it was kind of just like, whoa, it’d be cool to go to the Olympics. But I didn’t really think of what sport I might make it in. It’s only really four years ago, I started thinking, this is what I need to work towards, to make the Olympics in Beijing.” – Rémi Drolet

    “That is such a good question. Because around the time when I became really inspired by the Olympics was the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and I think Simon Whitfield winning the triathlon was the really big moment at that Olympics. And at the time, in my youth, I was just obsessed with soccer, but also skiing, so I dreamt of either/or soccer or skiing.” — Bouffard-Nesbitt

    “Oh, man, I didn’t really have a sport I was dreaming of, exactly. But I thought maybe skiing because I was on skis at two years old. More downhill racing.” – Kennedy

    “I was the dreaming to go to the Olympics as a cross country skier. It didn’t happen as a cross country skier but as a technician.” — Simon Boisvert

    “Ah, to be honest, I’ve always been into cross country skiing with my dad and my sister, my older sister ahead of me, but always been into cross country skiing, and I thought that maybe mountain biking, but a few years ago, I knew I was not. I wasn’t going as an athlete, but I’m pretty pumped to go for my first time as a wax technician.” — Félix-Antoine Vezina

  • Eight Canucks Ready to Head to Europe for Period 1 of World Cup Cross-Country Ski Racing Action (MEDIA RELEASE)

    Eight Canucks Ready to Head to Europe for Period 1 of World Cup Cross-Country Ski Racing Action (MEDIA RELEASE)

    CANMORE, Alta.—Eight Canadians are readying themselves to head to Europe in the coming weeks to open the highly-anticipated Olympic and Paralympic season while bringing the maple leaf to the World Cup cross-country skiing start line.

    Nordiq Canada will send a dynamic group of four women and four men who are determined to climb up the international rankings in the first three weeks of World Cup action before returning to Canada for the holiday break followed by the 2022 Olympic and Junior/U23 World Championship Ski Trials set for the Canmore Nordic Centre, January 6-11.

    Olympians Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse) and Cendrine Browne (Saint-Jérôme, Que.) will be joined by National Teammates Katherine Stewart-Jones (Chelsea, Que.) and Maya MacIsaac-Jones (Athabasca, Alta.) on the women’s start line. The four Canadian women have been making steady progression and regularly posting results in the top-25 over the last year.

    Russell Kennedy (Canmore, Alta.) who competed at the 2018 Olympics before guiding Brian McKeever at the Paralympic Games in PyeongChang will lead a young men’s team loaded with potential. Kennedy will be joined by Graham Ritchie (Parry Sound, Ont.) and Antoine Cyr (Gatineau, Que.) who were both seventh in the team sprint at the 2020 World Ski Championships. Olivier Léveillé (Sherbrooke, Que.), who was just the third Canadian ever to win an individual cross-country ski medal at the Junior World Championships last year when he finished third in the 10-kilometre skate-ski race, will take his first strides into the senior ranks.

    Selection announcement and synopsis can be found here.

    Katherine Stewart-Jones during the 10 k skate in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “This is a determined group of athletes who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada and compete on the elite stage of our sport through their impressive results over the last year,” said Joel Jaques, high-performance manager, Nordiq Canada.

    “This group has represented Canada at all levels of the sport internationally, and are now anxious to demonstrate their potential during this important season which will serve as the ultimate benchmark in their continued development. I have full confidence they will be fully prepared to achieve our team and their personal goals.”

     

    The majority of the Canadian Team will depart, November 18, to compete in the following races prior to the holiday break:

    November 26-28 – World Cup, Ruka, Finland

    November 26-28 – Norway Cup, Gålå, Norway (Graham Ritchie, Dahria Beatty, Maya MacIsaac-Jones)

    December 3-5 – World Cup, Lillehammer, Norway

    December 11-12 – World Cup, Davos, Switzerland

    December 18-19 – World Cup, Dresden, Germany

     

    Nordiq Canada will hold a media availability with Canadian Team athletes participating in the Frozen Thunder Training Camp at the Canmore Nordic Centre, November 2, in advance of their departure to Europe.

    Nordiq Canada is the governing body of para-nordic and cross-country skiing in Canada, which is the nation’s optimal sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually. Its 60,000 members include athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all ages and abilities. With the support of its valued corporate partners – Haywood Securities Inc., AltaGas, Swix and Lanctôt Sports– along with the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Canadian Paralympic Committee, Own the Podium and B2Ten, Nordiq Canada develops Olympic, Paralympic and world champions. For more information on Nordiq Canada, please visit us at https://nordiqcanada.ca.

    Remi Drolet and Russell Kennedy racing for Canada in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • Johaug Runs Away With Gold in the 30-kilometer Classic; Maubet Bjornsen 15th in Final Professional Race

    Johaug Runs Away With Gold in the 30-kilometer Classic; Maubet Bjornsen 15th in Final Professional Race

    A clear day after Friday’s snowstorm greeted the start of the women’s 30 k classic in Oberstdorf. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This World Championship coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.

    A blanket of fresh snow lay on the ground while the frozen rocky peaks of the Bavarian Alps peaked through the clouds. Finally, Oberstdorf, Germany looked like a wintery venue. 

    With temperatures that might feel brisk relative to the tropical heatwave earlier in the week, the women’s field took to the tracks for their final event of the 2021 World Championships: a 30-kilometer mass start classic. 

    The women’s 30 k closes out racing for the women at the 2021 World Champs. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    To set the stage for today’s race, one should first look back to the 2019 World Championships, which featured a 30 k freestyle, and the 30 k classic at last year’s Holmenkollen in Oslo, the last World Cup race to take place before the season was truncated due to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

    Let’s glance at the World Champs in Seefeld, Austria, where Norway’s Therese Johaug led the field through the first 5 k, then pulled away. She gapped the field by more than 30 seconds, holding her ground on her own at the front for the remainder of the race. Her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Østberg led the chasers to take second place, followed by, what was at the time a new name, Sweden’s 19-year-old Frida Karlsson, earning a bronze medal in her inaugural World Championships. 

    Johaug’s performance at the Holmenkollen looked to be an attempt to repeat this style of victory. She was off the front at the 20 k mark, but had not taken the opportunity to switch her skis. Working together on fresh boards were Karlsson and teammate Ebba Andersson, who steadily closed the gap to Johaug. With less than 2 k to go, Karlsson could be seen from the same camera angle, gaining ground with every kick and glide.

    Inside the last kilometer, Karlsson overtook Johaug on a long climb. Despite the Norwegian’s best efforts, she could not match the speed of the Swede’s skis on the downhill and Karlsson broke away to win by just under 2 seconds. 

    So what would it be today? 

    Therese Johaug on course during the World Championshp 30 k classic in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Johaug’s pace from the start seemed impossible to sustain for the full duration of the event. While other women looked steady and controlled, Johaug was simply charging, her rapid breathing matched by her tempo. 

    By 10 k, Johaug had a lead of over 53 seconds to the first chase group, led by her teammate Heidi Weng, Andersson of Sweden, and Katharina Hennig of Germany. At the halfway mark, this lead ballooned to over 1:32. Even if impeded by subpar skis, it looked to be an insurmountable margin. Spoiler alert: it was. This left a race for silver and gold in her wake. 

    Ebba Andersson, Heidi Weng, Frida Karlsson, and Therese Stadlober – the main chasers – play for second and third place as Johaug skis off the front. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    A pack of five women seemed to be pulling ahead of the larger chase group that had been together from the start. At 15k it was: Andersson, Karlsson, Weng, Hennig, and Therese Stadlober of Austria. 

    After a 15 second gap, Krista Pärmäkoski skied alone in an effort to gap up, leaving behind a second chase group that included Sadie Maubet Bjornsen in 8th, in what she announced would be the final race of her professional career. 

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (USA) alongside Yana Kirpichenko (RSF), (l-r) in the 30 k classic. The race closes out Maubet Bjornsen’s international race career. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    At 18k Johaug smoothly switched into new boards, while the first chase pack worked their way toward the stadium in the background. Johaug’s gap was approaching two minutes. 

    A solo affair for the win: Therese Johuag of Norway during the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Inside the final 10k, a few women led by Pärmäkoski, had gapped up to the first chase group. After a crash took out the three women at the front — Andersson, Karlsson, and Weng — Stadlober snuck around the right side, increasing her tempo to kick and glide away from the women now 16 seconds behind her in pursuit. 

    Striding and poling in sync, Karlsson, Andersson, and Weng looked determined to regain contact with the Austrian. As they departed the stadium in the sun with 6k to go, the threesome had achieved this goal. They strided away up tracks that looked to be eroding in the sun, heading into the woods where the course looked much different. As more crashes had already happened behind them on sugary sweeping downhills, the task ahead looked to be as much about staying upright as skiing fast. 

    Heidi Weng (NOR) leads Therese Stadlober (AUT) and Frida Karlsson (SWE) during the mass start 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Talking to a trailside coach on a climb with 2k to go, Johaug seemed to be basking in the confidence of her victory. Attacking through the final kilometer of the course nonetheless, Johaug alternated between a spicy double pole and throwing her arms up in celebration as she made her way down the finishing lanes to stop the clock in 1:24:56.3.

    Therese Johaug is a singular distance champ. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Earning her 14th championship medal, ten of which are gold, Johaug has overtaken Norwegian ski legend Marit Bjørgen for the most World Championship medals. The first in her collection was a bronze in the 30k classic in Sapporo, Japan in 2007. Johaug struck out in 2009, but came into the 2011 World Championships on her home turf in Oslo ready to go, taking gold in the 30 k skate and relay, and bronze in the skiathlon. 

    Johaug is also the second woman to have won 30 k events in both freestyle and classic at the World Championship, following in the footsteps of Elena Välbe of Russia who retired after the Nagano Olympics in 1998. Johaug also joins Välbe and Bjørgen as the only women to have won successive 30 k events at a World Championships. 

    Therese Johaug takes a fourth gold medal in the 30 k mass start classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “It’s amazing, actually,” said of her string of four gold medal performances in Oberstdorf in a post-race interview with FIS. “I work so hard for it, training so much to reach my goals. To come here to Oberstdorf and fight for four gold medals, I have no words. I know so many girls train really hard to reach their goals, and I know that I have a lot of pressure on me when I come here. I was a favorite to win the distance, but you have to do it, and it takes a lot of focus to reach your goals.”

    The FIS interviewer called it the “era of Therese Johaug”, to which the Norwegian gave an emotional response, her voice breaking tearfully with her final statement. 

    “I never have been in such good shape. I am so happy. I’m 33 years and I know I’m getting older and older and I know that this time ends soon, so I am just so happy.”

    Sun, glory, and another championship distance win. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In the closing kilometers of the race for silver and bronze, Weng, Andersson, and Karlsson began to drop Stadlober. Finding a new gear as she surged up the last steep climb, Weng rounded the hairpin turn in the lead and dropped into a tuck. 

    With just a sugary right hand curve out of the downhill to navigate before the final straightaway, Weng was shooting her shot. However, Karlsson’s skis and double pole were superior as they headed down the lanes, gaining her centimeters on Weng with each strike. 

    In the end, the small gap Weng had created from her move was enough. By a margin of 0.6 seconds, Weng took silver (+2:34.2), leaving Karlsson with her second bronze medal in the event (+2:34.8). 

    Frida Karlsson, and Heidi Weng (NOR), (l-r) dual for silver and bronze. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Heidi Weng (NOR) edges out Frida Karlsson (SWE) for a silver medal in the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Andersson held on for fourth (+2:36.3), followed by Stadlober in fifth (+2:59.4). 

    After the finish, Karlsson was seen rolling up the sleeve of her race suit and holding her forearm, which she proceeded to show the Swedish support staff. After icing and splinting the injury, she was reportedly taken away by medical staff and did not participate in the podium ceremony. In an interview with the Swedish news outlet Expressen, a team doctor explained that the injury occured in the crash with Andersson and Weng and that she is being taken to the hospital for x-rays. FasterSkier will share additional information as it becomes available. 

    Frida Karlsson was carted away for x-rays after a bronze medal performance in the 30 k classic. (Photo: Expressen.se)
    Only gold and silver represented at the podium ceremony after the 30 k classic. Therese Johaug (NOR) took the win ahead of Heidi Weng (NOR), with Frida Karlsson (SWE) earning bronze before being taken away for x-rays of her arm injury. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Turning our focus to North America, Maubet Bjornsen skied her way to 15th. After falling off the pace with the second chase group as it broke apart, Maubet Bjornsen held her ground well inside the top-20 over the final two laps. Finishing in a tight finish with Johanna Matintalo of Finland and Emma Ribom of Sweden, who took 13th and 14th respectively, Maubet Bjornsen crossed the line 4:42.4 behind Johaug. 

    In a close finish, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen takes 15th in the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I had many kilometers of celebrating and it was just the hardest 30 k I have ever done,” said Maubet Bjornsen after her race. “So you know, nothing like going out on that to remind you how hard this sport is.”

    Providing insight into her day, Maubet Bjornsen reflected positively on the first half of her racing, adding that her equipment could not quite match her effort after the ski change.

    “I felt totally incredible for the first three laps and then I switched onto some skis that were not quite good enough to stay with the pack I was skiing with. Then it was just like fighting to get to the finish. But I feel really stoked about my first 15 k and that is a good memory, just feeling like one of the strongest girls climbing that monster hill. That is a fun memory to go out with.”

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen ends her professional career at the World Championship 30 k classic in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Closing out her initial thoughts on her final race, Maubet Bjornsen added, “I definitely feel really grateful for my whole career and this last week was definitely really special and the relay was certainly the highlight of the week. It is good to finish on a really hard note too, pushing through 30 kilometers and yeah, I am thankful for my whole career.”

    Also inside the top-30 were Hailey Swirbul in 26th (+6:55.6) and Sophia Laukli in 28th (+8:00.7). The final American starter, Katharine Ogden, took 37th (+11:30.7). 

    “I think it went pretty well for me,” said Swirbul after her race. “I am happy with my day. I had a pretty fast start and I got to ski with my Sadie for a brief moment there in her last race as a professional, so that was really special.”

    Hailey Swirbul of the U.S., cresting a hill during the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “In the 30 k there are so many deaths, and so many revivals that you just have to keep going,” Swirbul continued. “And I went through a couple of those and was very relieved to see the finish line. I am proud out team today and some good fighting.”

    For Laukli, today was a first — her debut in the 30 k event. She explained after the race that was not sure how to pace, and felt she had good energy throughout, never on the cusp of a bonk despite skiing alone with no one to draft behind for much of the distance.

    “This is the type of race you want to ski with other people,” Laukli said regarding what she learned. “And also, you should switch skis — which I forgot to do. Definitely a learning experience and there’s a lot I can improve on, but I am overall happy with how it went.”

    Sophia Laukli crosses the line 28th in the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Sophia Laukli and Hailey Swirbul share a supportive hug after 30 kilometers of classic ski racing. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones led the way for our neighbors to the North (or East, if you’re Alaskan), finishing 23rd (+6:05.7). Stewart-Jones went out at a fast pace, sitting at the back of Maubet Bjornsen’s chase group in 17th at the 10 k mark, fading into 21st by 20k, holding her ground in this range for the remainder of the day.

    Katherine Stewart-Jones (CAN) chases Tatiana Sorina (RUS) during the mass start 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

     

    Sofie Krehl (GER), and Katherine Stewart-Jones (CAN), (l-r) finish strong. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Cendrine Browne was next for Canada, finishing 27th (+7:57.6). Outside the top-30, Dahria Beatty took 34th (+10:01.0).

    Canada’s Cendrine Browne racing to 27th in the 30 k classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan did not start today, reportedly conserving energy for the final World Cup stop in Engadin, Switzerland beginning March 13th. The weekend will include a 10 k classic and 30 k skate.

    Final Results

    Katharine Ogden on her 30 k classic journey. (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • It’s a Tempo-Fest – Johaug Captures 10 k Skate at Worlds; Diggins Fourth

    It’s a Tempo-Fest – Johaug Captures 10 k Skate at Worlds; Diggins Fourth

    Therese Johaug (NOR) dominating the 10 k skate competition. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This World Championship coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.

    The high pressure continued at the 2021 World Championships on Tuesday in more ways than one. Oberstdorf, Germany’s temps hovered around 50 degrees Fahrenheit for the start of the women’s 10-kilometer individual freestyle, and a rarefied number of skiers poised to step on the podium. The pressure cooker that is the individual start, with skiers setting off at 30-second intervals was on display from the first earnest pole plants out of the start.

    Coined the “Tempo-Fest” by some who see a Therese Johaug sweep of the distance events as a foregone conclusion – this appeared to be true considering the early splits. The former two-time winner of the 10 k, (2013 in skate, and 2019 classic), the Norwegian’s medal case was already being prepared at the 1.5 k split. She cranked through 3.0 seconds faster than Sweden’s Frida Karlsson and 6.3 seconds ahead of the third-fastest split from the U.S. skier Rosie Brennan. Sweden’s Ebba Andersson notched the fourth-fastest split (+6.8), and American Jessie Diggins, the only skier to best Johaug in this discipline since 2016, was fifth through the split (+7.1).

    Sweden’s Karlsson locking in for second overall. (Photo: NordicFocus)

     

    Ebba Andersson of Sweden in her quest for a medal during the 10 k skate. (Photo: NordicFocus)

     

    Jessie Diggins during her fourth-place run in the 10 k skate at the 2021 World Championships. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The justification of noting such early splits with a full 8.5 k of racing to go is this: any time back to Johaug is historically time lost – never to be gained back. That was the case on Tuesday when Johaug had 8.6 seconds over the second-fastest skier, Karlsson, at 5 k – the race midpoint – and 19.8 seconds and 21.3 seconds over Andersson and Diggins, respectively.

    Norway’ Johaug on her way to her second win in these 2021 World Championships. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    With the open mind thinking that anything can happen but with the caveat that Johaug is a one-of-a-kind skier – this race appeared to be signed, sealed, and delivered to Johaug by 6.8 k, when she led by 18.1 seconds over Karlsson in second.

    Johaug won amidst a crowd-less and sunbaked stadium in 23:09.8 to capture her 12th World Championship medal and her second in Oberstdorf after she won the 15 k skiathlon on Saturday. Adding to the accolades, Johaug becomes the first woman to win the 10 k at successive World Champs since Katerina Neumannová of the Czech Republic in 2005 and 2007.

    Johaug made it two 10 k crowns in a row: she won the 10 k classic at the 2019 World to add to her win on Tuesday. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I think I had the day of my season this year,” Johaug told FIS. “I felt incredibly strong and fresh and really have to give thanks to my amazing team of waxers. They are out day and night to test and find the best option for the race. This victory is really dedicated to all of my team and I am really happy to repeat my title”.

    For the 21-year-old Karlsson, she captured silver finishing +54.2 seconds back. In 2019, Karlsson also placed second to Johaug in the World Championship 10 k classic. Her teammate Andersson was third (+1:06.9) on Tuesday. Johaug’s win by nearly a minute is peerless when examining the margin of victory in World Championship or Olympics 10 ks back to 2000. (Information listed below compiled by Erik Nilsson.)

    2019 Seefeld WC , Johaug +12

    2018 PyeongChang Olympics , Haga +20

    2017 Lahti WC, Bjørgen +41

    2015 Falun WC , Kalla +41 (Norway missed skis)

    2014 Sochi Olympics , Kowalczyk +18

    2013 Val di Fiemme WC, Johaug +10

    2011 Oslo WC, Bjørgen +4

    2010 Vancouver Olympics, Kalla +6

    2009 Liberec WC, Saarinen +4

    2007 Sapporo WC, Neumanova +26

    2006 Turin Olympics, Smigun, +21

    2005 Oberstdorf WC , Neumanova +1

    2003 Val di Fiemme WC , Skari, +21

    2002 Salt Lake Olympics, Skari, +4

    2001 Lahti WC, Skari, +12

     

    The 10 k skate podium: Frida Karlsson (SWE) second, Therese Johaug (NOR) first, and and Ebba Andersson (SWE) third (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Diggins, who raced in a scissor-modified race suit to create shorts and short sleeves, placed fourth (+1:04.0) in what was tight racing. She and Andersson remained in close virtual contact when considering splits – with the Swede slightly ahead after the 5 k mark. Of the leaders in the final standings, Diggins was the earliest starter in bib 32. Johaug began in bib 40, Karlsson in bib 46, Andersson in bib 34, and Russia’s Tatiana Sorina (racing under the banner RSF due to a CAS ruling) who finished fifth (+1:13.8), in bib 44. Charlotte Kalla, the storied champion from Sweden was sixth (+1:09.4).

    Jessie Diggins (USA) crouched for the descent, followed by Anamarija Lampic (SLO). (Photo: Nordic Focus)

    “It’s no secret that I really struggle, these are not my temperatures, I’m more of a Minnesota winter athlete,” Diggins said after the race to the U.S. Ski team when asked about high temperatures. “But for me, I was really proud of our heat mitigation strategies. I’ve been working really hard on trying to acclimate to the heat, I was hydrating like crazy, cut the legs cut the arms off the suit, spritzed my suit with cold water, packed a bunch of snow into my sports bra before the start, and had coaches throwing water on me multiple times and I still got hot. But all that said, that is all I can control. I went out there and, you know, my goal for today was to just be the person who gives, the most. I’ve been visualizing this course for weeks. I practiced in my mind how I wanted to ski it. I went out there and I just skied so hard, and I’m so proud of that because that’s the only thing you can control.”

    Diggins crossing the finish for fourth overall. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The U.S., which has never medaled at a championship in the women’s 4 x 5 k relay, should be positioned for a solid day on Thursday when that competition goes down. “Just excited for that relay,” said Diggins when asked if she had anything to add.

    Unequivocally the skis and the form were solid across the board for the U.S. Beyond Diggins’ near-podium, all four U.S. skiers finished in the top-25. Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, who remained off the WorldCup until recently, raced to 11th (+1:47.8).

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen racing to 11th on the World Championship 10 k skate. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    In only her sixth international race this season, Maubet Bjornsen paced to 11th on Tuesday. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I do feel like I skied with like just no fear out there, and whenever that happens, I’m proud of it,” said Maubet Bjornsen to the USST. “A number is what it is at the end of the day, but I am, I’m really stoked about the fearless energy I went with on those insane hills with. I think you can hear me breathing from literally a kilometer away.

    “A number is hardly a measure of today’s effort. I am more of a power skier. So the mountains like that can sometimes break me to pieces and I feel like I just went after them, pretending they were flat and they beat me up no doubt but I feel like I give him a run for their money.”

    Rosie Brennan during Tuesday’s 10 k skate. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Rosie Brennan, who barnstormed the World Cup during Period I and charged at the Tour de Ski, finished in 17th (+2:03.3).

    “It was tough, I feel pretty crushed, to be honest,” said Brennan to the USST. “I started really well and things were going fine and then I don’t know, slowly just the wheels came off and I didn’t have the body or the brain that I had hoped for. And so it was kind of like a brutal battle to the end.”

    Brennan had the fifth-fastest split (+13.2) at 2.5 k, and the seventh fastest at 7k (+33.1). By 7.9 k she lost more time to the leaders, coming through in 12th (+1:38.0).

    Asked if perhaps she had started too fast, Brennan said, “I mean it’s hard to say, of course, it looks that way on the splits but I also believe that I’m capable of skiing 10 k at that level. And I think I’ve shown that this season so I think, on a good day I could have held it. And I felt I had to try. So I did plan to go out, you know, relatively hard. And maybe it was just like a little much for the heat or just the body that I have right now but solid five K so hopefully I can turn it around for the 5 k in the relay.”

    Sophia Laukli of the U.S. placed 25th in the 10 k skate. (Photo NordicFocus)

    Also for the U.S., Sophia Laukli (20), skied to 23rd (+2:23.0).

    “I definitely thought it was gonna be slushier than it was,” Laukli said to the USST post-race. “But in the past few days skiing here in the shady areas have been super different than like what’s in the sun. But today was pretty consistent so that was a nice surprise I guess.”

    In her first World Championships, Laukli now has two top-30 results – she placed 25th in Saturday’s skiathlon. This is her first season racing World Cups with a top result of 33rd on the Lahti, Finland skiathlon in late January.

    Cendrine Browne was the top Canada finisher in 27th. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Canada’s Cendrine Browne, who began in bib 3, notched 27th (+2:32.5) for Canada’s best result.

    “I am happy with today’s race. I was aiming for top-20 and was so close – just 12 seconds off,” said Browne to Nordiq Canada. “I just died on the second lap so I know that in a better day top-20 is definitely something I can achieve.”

    According to Nordiq Canada, this is Browne’s seventh top-30 at the World Cup level. “I just died on the second lap so I know that in a better day top-20 is definitely something I can achieve. Overall, I couldn’t ask for a better season. Being this consistent in every race is a dream come true, and I’m proud of how I’m performing even though I had a concussion in September and contacted COVID in November.”

    Dahria Beatty was 44th (+3:16.2), and Laura LeClair 57th (+4:52.1)

    Results

  • Svahn Takes the Victory in a Tight Sprint Finish in Falun; Diggins 7th (Updated)

    Svahn Takes the Victory in a Tight Sprint Finish in Falun; Diggins 7th (Updated)

    Jessie Diggins (yellow bib) strides amidst a pack of contenders during the 10 k mass start classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. 

    In case you missed it, yesterday’s 10-kilometer skate in Falun, Sweden was a standout day for the Americans, highlighted by a gutsy victory by Jessie Diggins. How deep into the well Diggins explored was evident in her writhing and occasionally dry heaving body at the finish as she regained enough oxygen and composure to stagger to the leader chair. She upset the prolific Norwegian distance champion Therese Johaug, whose 66 World Cup distance victories both garner immense respect and some frustrated “She won again…” comments from non-Norwegian followers. 

    But the story does not end there. Rosie Brennan skied to 8th and Sadie Maubet Bjornsen landed in 10th in her first World Cup race of the season. Three in the top 10 in a full field hungry to to prove their mettle before World Championship selections are solidified. Not a bad day in the office. 

    On the front lines, Jessie Diggins (left) and Rosie Brennan (right) take to the course during the 10 k mass start classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In today’s 10 k mass start classic, the excitement builds a little differently. Versus a drawn out rise in excitement as the splits of the seeded group fly by the various checkpoints, today was head-to-head, with all eyes on what Johaug’s rebuttal would be and how the American’s (and Swedes and Russians and the remaining Norwegians, for that matter) would respond. 

    Mass start and classic technique, in which Johaug excels. Conversely, Diggins’ has struggled to achieve the same results in classic as skate, though she has displayed marked progress this season. 

    Jessie Diggins watches her finish time hold up against distance champion Therese Johaug in the 10 k skate in Falun, SWE. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In a pre-race interview, FIS phrased the question to Diggins as this. “What are you in for today?” 

    “Oh boy! [It’s] a very different race!” she laughed. “I’m very excited to give it my all. All you can give on race day is your own effort. I’m looking forward to crossing that finish line knowing I gave it everything I had. For me, if I can do that, then it was a good day.”

    Awaiting the gun to send them off, the athletes quietly slid back and forth in the squeaky frozen tracks, keeping nerves at bay and blood flowing in the single digit Fahrenheit temps. Skiers familiar with an outing in such conditions understand the sounds that go along with these conditions. The cacophonous start sounded like a lightsaber battle.

    Germany’s Katharina Hennig (center) chases Therese Johaug (NOR) with Ebba Andersson (SWE) in pursuit. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    It was clear early that Johaug and her teammate Heidi Weng wanted to push the pace. They attempted to pull away from the group in the opening kilometers creating a small gap. But in the first downhill back toward the stadium, Diggins gave them something to worry about. Her skis like rockets, she overtook them in the descent, slingshotting around the curve and into the lead as they lapped through the stadium. 

    In fact, no one could break away. Not even the breakaway specialist Johaug. At the 5 k mark, the top-10 skiers were separated by less than two seconds, with Diggins sitting fifth, smack in the middle. 

    Left to right, Heidi Weng (NOR), Jessie Diggins, and Frida Karlsson (SWE) stride toward the finish of the 10 k classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    After a sprint bonus point opportunity at 5.8 k, which was narrowly snagged by Johaug over Sweden’s Ebba Andersson, the pace began to accelerate. At roughly the 6.5-kilometer mark, Johaug began her surge, creating a new gap of a couple seconds by the subsequent top of the climb. But the slinky phenomenon repeated itself, as Andersson, Linn Svahn, Katharina Hennig, and Weng closed the gap on the descent to the stadium. Diggins fought hard to maintain contact, tucked in behind Sweden’s Frida Karlsson just behind the leaders with a train of chasers close on their tails.  

    With 1 k of downhill and fast terrain to go, this pack was still tight, Svahn and Hennig pushing from the front. An ill-timed crash on a downhill curve took Anderson, who had been in 4th, out of contention, but one could not look away as five remaining women flew toward the finish. 

    Hammering the uphills, Johaug crested the final sustained climb in the lead, tucking as she pushed into the final sweeping downhill. Svahn stayed tight in the corner, hugging the v-board and capitalizing on her fast skis to sneak by Johaug on the inside. The Swede held herself less than a ski-length ahead of Johaug over the final rollers and into the finish lanes. At that point, it was all over; Johaug was no match for the sprint star’s closing speed. 

    Linn Svahn (SWE), Katharina Hennig (GER), Therese Johaug (NOR), (l-r) closing down on the finish line on Saturday. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Linn Svahn (SWE), Yulia Stupak (RUS), Katharina Hennig (GER), Therese Johaug (NOR), (l-r) poling in for a tight finish. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Poles whipping in double pole fury, Svahn held her ground at the front to stop the clock at 25:57.1. Meanwhile, Russia’s Yulia Stupak sprinted past Johaug in the final meters to take second (+0.4), while Hennig forced the final podium position to be decided by photo. It was determined that Johaug held onto third (+0.9). 

    The women’s 10 k mass start classic podium: Yulia Stupak (RUS) second, Linn Svahn (SWE) first, and Therese Johaug (NOR) third (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I was really looking forward to competing because I’ve been home since the Tour de Ski and I felt pretty strong the last week,” Svahn told FIS after the race. “I just tried to keep my focus on the course and do everything right. When they couldn’t get a gap on the last uphill, the hardest uphill, I thought, ‘Well, now it’s my turn to try to do my best to the finish line.’

    “I felt strong and had really amazing skis,” Svahn continued. “It was a victory for the whole team, especially the waxers, because my skis were unbelievable.”

    In a gutsy finish, Sweden’s Linn Svahn takes the win in the Falun 10-kilometer mass start classic. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Yana Kirpechenko (RUS) finished at the back of the tight lead group in 5th (1.9), with Norway’s Helene Fosseholm bringing in the chase pack in 6th (+7.7), Diggins 7th (+8.3), and Weng 8th (+8.8).  

    “Today was awesome,” wrote Diggins in an email. “We had really competitive skis, and I actually have been loving how cold it is because when it’s cold like this I feel like I can just keep pushing and pushing my body! This course had a lot of power striding, and I was just focused so hard on keeping my technique as together as I could with a flooding body. I was sending it as hard as I could the entire race, and I’m very proud of that effort. And fun to be so close to the front in a classic race!”

    Jessie Diggins, filling the lungs after placing 7th on Saturday. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen was next up for the Americans, finishing in a pack of chasers in 15th (+35.7). 

    “Another exciting day of racing in Falun here,” Maubet Bjornsen emailed. It is the first time in a while that I have started a ways back in a mass start, and boy, it is a different type of racing! Huge respect for all those who put together amazing races from that position! I kind of felt like I was burning matches more than I would have loved just trying to weave my way through.

    “I was once again feeling encouraged by these first races. With five weeks away from hard intensity as I have worked through a back injury, my huge achievement was making it to the finish line. Classic has been particularly tough for it, so today was a real wild card. But I had some really encouraging feelings, and I look forward to working towards more exciting feelings in the weeks to come.”
    Back on the World Cup, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen puts together solid back to back distance results with a 15th place finish in the 10 k classic mass start in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Maubet Bjornsen took her first long-term absence from international skiing recently. During the pandemic, she has remained mostly in Anchorage, Alaska working and training.
    “After spending 11 months away from [World Cup] racing, this weekend has been particularly fun to just kind of re-remember how this works. I haven’t yet raced without spectators, and I will say it is a different feeling. It almost feels like a super serious summer time trial. You hear your coaches cheering more than ever, which is kind of fun in a new way! It kind of takes racing back to the core, which is special.”

    Outside the top-30, Rosie Brennan took 33rd (+1:15.6), followed by Katharine Ogden in 42nd (+1:49.1), Sophia Laukli 50th (+2:37.1), Caitlin Patterson in 51st (+2:41.2), and Alayna Sonnesyn in 56th (+3:33.2). 

    Post-Race Comments from U.S. Head Coach Matt Whitcomb.

    Rosie Brennan finishes 33rd in the 10k mass start classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    Face covered at the finish, Katharine Ogden skied to 42nd in the 10 k mass start classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Leading the Canadian women with her second individual top-30 in two World Cup stops was Katharine Stewart-Jones in 17th (+36.2), her career best individual result at this level. Despite a string of wins and podiums last season, both domestically and in Opa Cup events, and a top-30 finish in the 2020 Scandinavian World Cup Ski Tour, a seemingly break-through season, Stewart-Jones was not named to the Canadian national team for 2020/2021. Another top-20 result will automatically qualify her to make the team next season. 

    “It was a super fun race,” Stewart-Jones wrote after the race. “The pace went out hot but I knew it was the type of course where gaps are hard to make but also hard to close so my goal was to get myself into a good position in the first lap and hold on. The techs did an awesome job with my skis which helped me relax both on the downhills and climbs.

    “Overall I’m just extremely happy to be back racing and also very excited about how the team has been performing so far. Cendrine [Browne’s] result yesterday was really inspiring and I am confident that this is just the beginning for our team.”
    Stride and glide: Canada’s Katharine Stewart-Jones (bib 35) and Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (bib 24) work their way toward the finish of the 10 k mass start classic in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Cendrine Browne rounded out the Canadian finishers in 38th (+1:45.1). The race saw 60 finishers. 

    Women’s 10 k Classic Mass Start Final Results

     

  • Canadian Update: Shane Pearsall Resigns, Dave Dyer Retires, Athletes Protest Selections, Welcome to May

    Canadian Update: Shane Pearsall Resigns, Dave Dyer Retires, Athletes Protest Selections, Welcome to May

    The final climb of Nationals course at Sovereign Lake on April 2nd. The women would have finished in -6C air, -10C snow, about an hour before this photo was taken.
    This is the finish we all dreamed of. The final climb of the Nationals course at Sovereign Lake on April 2nd. The women would have finished the 30km in -6C air, -10C snow, about an hour before this photo was taken.

    The ski world has been rattled by COVID19 and Canada is no different. One thing hasn’t changed, the new year starts on May 1st and brings changes.

    Nordiq Canada’s CEO Shane Pearsall resigned effective May 22nd. In the press release below, Nordiq Canada (NC) describes ‘mixed emotions’ about Pearsall’s decision to focus on family time in the pandemic era.

    Stéphane Barrette, NC’s Directeur du développement des athlètes et entraineurs, will be acting CEO. Barrette’s work on a partnership with XC Ski Nation to produce a series of videos and his effort to start a new club, Ski de fond Montréal, are two visible projects from a person better known to coaches and clubs than to athletes and fans.

    Dave Dyer, who directed cross-country events for many years and shared the work with Jeff Ellis this past season, officially retired March 31st. Dyer was CCC Race Director for all of Ellis’ racing career and had several title changes during his 18 years in the role before ending as Events Director. Ellis is now in sole charge of event planning, which, Ellis said, will be a bit different this year.

    “This current crisis is a real opportunity to examine what it takes to put on an event.  Where can we reduce the financial risks for all while providing well run, efficient competitions?” — Ellis

    As is almost traditional in Canada, there are protests over the National Team Selection. The High Performance Committee (Joel Jaques for NC, Erik Bråten as head coach, two athlete reps, and 14 coaches from across the country) decided to use the original selection criteria despite the loss of the end of the season. This criteria was focussed on developing a team for 2026 and the HPC interpretation is summarized here.

    One of the results was that Katherine Stewart-Jones was dropped from the team. Stewart-Jones is the current COC leader after either winning or being top Canadian in six NorAm events in December, finished 29th overall in the Scando Tour from Sweden to Norway, earned a first and second at an OPA Cup in Italy, and was looking dialed-in for the World Cup Final in her new home of Canmore when FasterSkier saw her training in March. She was born in 1995, and that matters.

    “Discretion was available to athletes born in 1996 and after,” Pearsall told FasterSkier on May 2nd, and summarized the thinking behind it as “we’ve got an eye on 2026.” (Pearsall’s own retirement didn’t come up in the talk about what is new for the coming season, it would be announced six days later.)

    An athlete born in 1995 or earlier needed to score two WC top 20’s, or one WC top 12, or finish the season with 22 or more WC points. In the shortened season, only Dahria Beatty met this criteria with 23 points over five WC weekends. Cendrine Browne and Maya MacIsaac-Jones also earned WC points this season, but not enough to rejoin the National team.

    The social media storm on selection was inflamed when NC deleted the original posts to make a correction, which also deleted many highly emotional comments.

    Multiple athletes have protested the selections; FasterSkier will have more when the hearings are complete and athletes are free to talk. Maybe the Norwegian system of full coaches’ discretion, no protest process, would cause less controversy? Or maybe not, if you ask Martin Johnsrud Sundby fans. Either way, we can be sure that lots of people are passionate about the sport.

    Press Release: Shane Pearsall Resigns as CEO of Nordiq Canada

     

  • Johaug Crushes Stage 6 for Ski Tour Overall Win; Diggins Leads U.S. in Sixth (Updated)

    Johaug Crushes Stage 6 for Ski Tour Overall Win; Diggins Leads U.S. in Sixth (Updated)

    Therese Johaug, untouchable during Stage 6 of the Ski Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    We’ll start with the weather: think all over the place. A moving target for meteorologist with moisture spitting from the skies, and air masses swirling this way and that making the trees sway like a mamba line along the course. A wax tech’s nightmare scenario? Yes. It certainly trended in that direction.  

    By all measures, this was Therese Johaug’s, Norway’s latest version of a cross-country skiing record-breaker, stage and tour. Of six stages total, she won five outright, with the lone exception, Saturday’s Stage 5 classic sprint in Trondheim.

    Stage 6 featured a 15 k classic pursuit. Call it a pursuit, however, on the race’s sharp end, this was a runaway. Although the field was, in theory, pursuing Johaug, she simply put more time into her challengers on Sunday. She began 2:33 ahead of Norwegians Heidi Weng in second, while Ingvild Flugstad Østberg set off another second back. 

    Johaug expanded her lead at the finish, by over a minute, to Weng and Østberg. Johaug won the pursuit in 41:13.8. Weng placed second (+3:40.8) with a slight gap over Østberg, who toed the line 0.7 seconds further back. Sweden’s Ebba Andersson, the day’s fourth starter at 4:48, lost time to0, finishing 5:54.3 back to end the Ski Tour in fourth overall. 

    “I felt really good today and the waxers had done a really good job the whole Ski Tour and today as well I have the perfect skis,” Johaug told FIS after the race. “When the skis are good and the shape is good I can just go out there and enjoy all the people that come here and cheering us.”

    As far as time of day, Johaug took that prize as well. However, Norway’s Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen placed fifth overall and had the second-fastest race time, 44.8 seconds off Johaug’s winning mark. Krista Pärmäkoski of Finland notched the third-fastest time of day (+1:04.4). 

    Jessie Diggins of the U.S. was the top placed North American in sixth (+8:40.1). (She skied the 17th fastest time of day.) 

    “Today, like yesterday, was a crazy day in terms of weather and waxing. It kept snowing on and off, the sun coming out and then the wind picking up as more snow came down! I was pretty much skiing an individual start race as I was alone the entire time, but I was really proud of my pacing and efforts as I held my placing without anyone to work with. There was a really tricky time in the middle of the race when the skis weren’t kicking very well (for much of the field, I think) but I was able to refocus and reset and keep pushing as hard as I could.

    “As for the overall tour, I’m really happy with my efforts and how I hit my goals for every race. One of my big goals was to see each day as an entirely separate opportunity and to not put pressure on myself for the overall tour, since there are so many factors that I can’t control that play into that placing. But by hitting my own process goals for each race and staying consistent I was able to have a tour that I’m proud of.

    “I’m really proud of our tech team and coaches for their tireless efforts day in and day out through this tour. It’s been exhausting but they’re the hardest working guys out there!”

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen ended her tour in 10th (+9:43.8). With the big time gaps, the second wave of skiers (the mass start) began with Pärmäkoski in bib 13, starting at 8:08 back. Maubet Bjornsen (bib 12), began 16 seconds ahead and was the initial target of the wave starters. Maubet Bjornsen held off a charging Pärmäkoski for over 5 k. 

    “Wow, I made it!! That was one heck of a tough tour! Things were looking mighty rough to begin with, but I knew I had to just keep fighting and believing!,” Maubet Bjornsen emailed. 

    “But among some challenging times, there were some glimmering hopes in there. Tours are my favorite types of racing, because you have to be so resilient and such a fighter. Day after day, you have to put your fatigue and emotions aside, and just stay so positive. 

    “The tummy troubles at the beginning of the tour were particularly tough! It was scary to start a tour so depleted, but I was thankful we had our nutritionist, Susie Parker Simmons around to help me stay on my feet! From there it was just a matter or fighting for every second from there on.

    “Today was a totally wild scene! Conditions were constantly changing, and it was hard to find the perfect skis! I knew the name of the game was to just keep fighting, because everyone would be struggling at some point out there. I managed to find something to work, and went through some highs and lows out there in the 15k which brought me to 10th overall in the tour! I’m super happy and satisfied with that, given the little fatigue hole I had to crawl out of this past month. Thank you to our team for helping make a tricky classic day at the finish of the tour possible to fight with the others. 

    “I’m looking forward to taking a rest now, and finding the energy to finish the end of the season strong, for the third tour of the season. 

    “Thanks to the Ski Tour 2020 for bringing some different types of racing. While it wasn’t always the best type of races for my strengths, it was so refreshing to visit some new locations with some different types of events! These are some of my favorite memories this season! 

    “And of course, hugest thanks to the staff. We couldn’t race day after day like this without them!!! They are the heroes.”

    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (bib 12) racing to 10th overall in the Ski Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Rosie Brennan, starting in bib 10, 7:27 behind the first starter Johaug, placed 12th (+9:53.3).

    “Today was a very challenging day,” Brennan wrote in an email. “Due to the massive time gaps in the overall, the wave started at bib 13 so I had a big pack starting not too far behind. The conditions were very challenging with snow, sun, rain and everything in between and some very icy tracks. I did my best to stay in front of the wave but just didn’t have the skis or the energy to make it happen today. I am very disappointed in myself. After having a great tour, it was hard to end on this note, but I am doing my best to look at all the positives from the tour as a whole and make a nice little work list to improve on the things that were so tough today.”

    Rosie Brennan (stars and stripes) during Stage 6 of the Ski Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Also for the U.S., Julia Kern placed 30th (+14:51.4), Caitlin Patterson 36th (+16:38.4), Katharine Ogden 42nd (+20:26.6), Rosie Frankowski 43rd (+20:36.7), Sophie Caldwell 44th (+21:41.2), and Alayna Sonnesyn 48th (+24:34.6). 

    Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones placed in the points for the tour overall, by finishing 29th in the pursuit (+14:46.3). Cendrine Browne was 33rd (+15:47.5), and Emily Nishikawa 35th (+16:08.4). 

    Katherine Stewart-Jones during Stage 5 of the Ski Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    This stage concludes the Ski Tour. Racing continues in Lahti, Finland next Saturday. 

    Results | Overall Standings | Winner of the Day

    The women’s Stage 6 and overall Ski Tour 2020 podium: Heidi Weng (NOR) in second, Therese Johaug (NOR) first, and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) third, (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • Falla Steps up For the Trondheim Win; Five U.S. Skiers in the Heats

    Falla Steps up For the Trondheim Win; Five U.S. Skiers in the Heats

    The day began in Trondheim with a centimeter of snow, which then transitioned to big blue skies for the thousands of fans attending the fifth stage of the Ski Tour 2020, a 1.5 k classic sprint. The Norwegians can throw a cross-country race party. The scene, despite the different setting, was reminiscent of the festive cowbell and camp-out sideshow of Holmenkollen’s Frognerseteren. It’s not quite the Yankee stadium of cross-country skiing, but a sign that in the hot-beds of the sport, fans arrive in droves. 

    The sprint course was more traditional, meaning this was no simple VO2 max test of an effort — that went down on Stage 3, in  Åre, Sweden as athletes ascended an uber steep alpine ski hill to close out that event. Trondheim’s classic sprint was bolstered by two punchy climbs on a three-terrace course, long and fast glide outs, and two speedy corners which swung skiers through a 180-degree direction change to keep it spicy.   

    Sweden’s Jonna Sundling laid down the fastest qualifying time in 3:22.75, shadowed by her teammate, Linn Svahn, 0.24 seconds back. Maybe, not surprisingly, Therese Johaug was the third-fastest qualifier, 0.83 seconds back. Johaug won her first career sprint on Stage 3 of the Ski Tour. 

    Jonna Sundling of Sweden in bib 1, during her quarterfinal of the Stage 5 classic sprint in Trondheim, Norway. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The U.S. packed five skiers into the heats. Sadie Maubet Bjornsen qualified in 10th (+6.20). Rosie Brennan in 11th (+6.34), Sophie Caldwell 15th (+7.32), Jessie Diggins 20th (+8.58), and Julia Kern 24th (+9.54). Yet the story on the U.S. women’s side ended earlier than their highwater mark norm, which is most often, representation in the six skier final. In no uncertain terms, this is the golden age of U.S. women’s cross-country skiing. A stars and stripes void marked the semis and final. No U.S. skiers advance beyond the quarterfinals. 

    In the third quarterfinal, Kern and Brennan lost contact with Sundling and Tiril Udnes Weng who came in 1-2, respectively. Kern was fourth in the heat (+3.7), Brennan fifth (+7.71). 

    Maubet Bjornsen and Diggins fell off the pace as well in the fourth heat, placing fourth and fifth respectively. Both were over four seconds off Norway’s Anna Svendsen’s pace of 3:19.34 who won that quarterfinal. 

    22.02.2020, Trondheim, Norway (NOR):<br /> Sadie Maubet Bjornsen (USA) - FIS world cup cross-country, individual sprint, Trondheim (NOR). www.nordicfocus.com. © Thibaut/NordicFocus. Every downloaded picture is fee-liable.
    Sadie Maubet Bjornsen during the Stage 5 classic sprint in Trondheim, Norway. (Photo: NordicFocus)
    “It was an extremely tricky weather day with a combo of rain/snow/sun, and everything in between,” Maubet Bjornsen emailed.
    “I was excited to put together a solid qualifier, but felt like a few adjustments would allow things to be even better for the heats. My body felt sharp and powerful, so I knew the key for me was to be quick out of the start, and do my favorite thing… ski from the front. I was quick out of the start, but struggled to hold the speed up the first climb. Since climbing is generally my strength, it’s unclear whether it was skis, body, or both that held me back. But, that’s how ski racing is. You can’t overthink anything too much, you just keep believing, and chasing away!
    “It is the tour of crazies for me, so I’m going to let it go, and look on to “the chase” tomorrow. With the tour ending with a 15k classic, I am sitting just outside top 10 overall, and really hoping to climb my way within that tomorrow. Let’s see if I can channel all amounts of frustration towards some constructive racing in the final day!”

    The last U.S. athlete eliminated was Caldwell. She placed third in the fifth quarterfinal, 1.53 seconds back on Norway’s Heidi Weng in first. Caldwell placed 14th in the final standings, Maubet Bjornsen 16th, Kern 20th, Brennan 21st, and Diggins 23rd. 

    Sophie Caldwell (bib 15) during her quarterfinal in Trondheim: Stage 5 of the Is Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Post-race interview with U.S. World Cup Coach Matt Whitcomb

    Wintry weather moved in during the men’s quarterfinals. The blue-bird scene morphed quickly into an intermittent snowglobe. With the swift winds swirling around the stadium, the snow squalls eventually moved on as the semifinals progressed. 

    The 12 skier field in the two women’s semis consisted of six Norwegians, four Swedes, and two Swiss skiers in Laurien van der Graff in the first semi, and Nadine Fähndrich in semi two.  Fähndrich kept Swiss hopes alive by advancing to the finals after winning her semi. 

    The first semifinal featured Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla and Sweden’s Sundling. These two athletes were the skiers to watch. For Falla, by her own high standards, this has been an offseason, as the young Swedish sprint team has pushed her aside for precious top-of-the-podium real estate. Falla won the opening World Cup sprint in Ruka, Finland, otherwise, it’s been a first-place void for the former Crystal Globe sprint winner.

    In bib 12, Maiken Caspersen Falla strides it during her quarterfinal in Trondheim. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    In Falla’s semi, she and Sudling took first and second, respectively, with Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen and Linn Svahn of Sweden in close contact, only a few tenths of a second back. In the final, Falla was locked in. Although at moments Sundling was side by side with Falla, the Norwegian dictated the decisive move off the front. Over the second climb, at roughly 2:25 into the race, Falla powered over the hill and into the glide out transition with only Sundling able to match two meters back. 

    Falla took the win in 3:15.55 with Sundling in second (+0.48). Fähndrich was third (+2.88), Anna Dyvik of Sweden fourth (+3.71), Svendsen fifth (+5.26), and Heidi Weng sixth (+6.64). 

    “This feels always like the [World Championships] so crowded and so many people screaming my name at the start and after the finish,” Falla told FIS after the race. “It’s an amazing atmosphere and I’m so happy to be here. There has been some hard distance races for me now. The 30 k and also 10 k was really hard so I’m really happy that I stayed in the tour, didn’t go home and got this opportunity to win here and race in this amazing atmosphere.”

    This was Falla’s 21st individual sprint win. She sits second overall in total World Cup sprint wins. Marit Bjørgen of Norway still reigns with 40 World Cup sprint victories. For Fähndrich, this was her second career individual podium. Prior to her third place on Saturday, the Swiss skier posted up a second place in Cogne, Italy’s 2019 10 k classic for her first World Cup podium.

    Hands up: Nadine Fähndrich earns a third place for the Swiss in Trondheim. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Katharine Ogden in 37th was the top-U.S. skier outside the top-30. Alayna Sonnesyn placed 42nd, Caitlin Patterson 48th, and Rosie Frankowski 51st.

    For Canada, Emily Nishikawa finished in 34th, Katherine Stewart-Jones 35th (+14.19), Cendrine Browne 40th, 

    The Ski Tour overall looks certain for Johaug who placed ninth in Saturday’s sprint. She leads with a total time of 2:19:28. Weng remains in second (+2:33), and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg third (+2:34). Østberg finished 22nd in Stage 5.  This Norwegian trio is the likely overall podium, as Sweden’s Ebba Andersson is fourth at 4:48 back. Racing concludes for the Ski Tour on Sunday with Stage 6, a 15 k classic pursuit for the women.  

    Norway’s Therese Johaug (yellow bib) the Ski Tour’s overall leader was the third overall qualifier. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Qualification | Results | Overall Ski Tour Standings 

    The women’s Stage 5 podium: Jonna Sundling (SWE) in second, Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR) first, and Nadine Faehndrich (SUI) third, (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • Mother Nature Forces a Re-Route; Johaug Fights For the Win (updated with Diggins audio interview)

    Mother Nature Forces a Re-Route; Johaug Fights For the Win (updated with Diggins audio interview)

    Nature has a lovely way of being, well, natural. In other words; marginally unpredictable, sometimes downright uncomfortable, and finicky. Prior to the Ski Tour 2020’s Stage 4 weather forecast and on-the-ground big-wind gust reality, the stage had been scheduled to pulse 38-kilometers from Storlein, Sweden to Meråker, Norway in a point to point event. Cool, right? An international border crossing during a race, with a single sanctioned coaching/feed zone for athletes around the 25 k mark. A think-out-of-the-box format with a nod to the old-school days of Norwegian countryside racing. 

    Nature interfered. Or at least the predicted inclement weather scheduled to pummel the rolling mountains featured in the point to point race was enough to scare off race organizers. 

    An updated map and course profile for Stage 4 of the Ski Tour 2020.

    The stage was rerouted the stage. Stage 4’s freestyle mass start streamed from the start/finish area in Meråker, to the original coaching feed zone at approximately 15 k, where athletes skied a several k loop, and then routed onto the main course back to the Meråker ski stadium. In total, the new route was 34 k, with approximately 30 k consisting of an out-and-back. Organizers maintained a single feedzone policy. (Thus, you’ll see several athletets with hydration belts. Most notably, the Norwegians.) 

    Prior to her breakaway on Stage 4, Norway’s Therese Johaug began to stretch the cord to the pack. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Although mother-nature dictated the course reroute, Norway’s Therese Johaug dictated the intro and closing chapters of Stage 4.

    This was no surprise, as she has dominated World Cup distance events with a few second-place efforts here and there, to prove maybe she is human after all. Analyzing her results, it’s clear she is a record-setter. And another record of sorts fell today as Johaug won in  1:26:32.8 hours. It was Johaug’s eighth individual distance World Cup victory in a row. A streak that outdoes her run of seven consecutive wins, which the Norwegian has strung together on two occasions — once between January- March of 2016, and again between March-December 2019.  

    20.02.2020, Storlien-Meraker, Norway (NOR):<br /> Therese Johaug (NOR) - FIS world cup cross-country, mass women, Storlien-Meraker (NOR). www.nordicfocus.com. © Thibaut/NordicFocus. Every downloaded picture is fee-liable.
    Johaug on her 34 k journey. It’s early, the pack is still in contact. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The day was not a singular Johaug show. Her teammate Ingvild Flugstad Østberg kept the racing on the front-end honest for the overall win. 

    Earlier in the race, it did appear like a Johaug runaway. At 14 k, she had gapped the second place Østberg by 28.0 seconds. Chasing in a line through the time check along with Østberg were Norway’s Heidi Weng, and Sweden’s Ebba Andersson. American Jessie Diggins led a group, 1:24 back, including Austria’s Teresa Stadlober, and Krista Pärmäkoski. 

    Another 30 seconds back, an organized chase pack including Charlotte Kalla, Rosie Brennan, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen churned along.

    Jessie Diggins (left), Teresa Stadlober (center),  and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (right), on the Stage 4 course. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Through 20 k, those gaps remained relatively firm. However, out on course, the winds were evident with swaying treetops. A solo effort can take its toll with no draft to exploit. No matter how you look at it, either Johaug slowed or Østberg sped up, the time between the two skiers diminished between 20 k and 30 k. At the 31 time check, Johaug’s lead had shrunk to 7.9 seconds over Østberg, who had snapped away from a hard to shake Weng early in the race. Weng paced through the 31 k mark in third (+51.0), Andersson in fourth (+1:37.3), and Diggins in fifth (+3:01.2). 

    Have no doubt, despite Joahug’s singular dominance, this was a hunted Johaug. Her effort in the closing Ks never waned, as Østberg proved a worthy foil. As much as Østberg wanted to will the 30-40 meter span to Johaug away, Joahug was able to keep four seconds between herself and the fearless Østberg at the finish. Weng came through solo in third overall (+1:21.6), with Andersson in fourth (+2:00.5). 

    Norway’s Heidi Weng placed third on the Stage 4 34 k skate mass start race. Note the nifty hydration belt (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Jacobsen pipped the next chase group, taking fifth (+3:06.5), with Tiril Udnes Weng of Norway in sixth (+3:10.3), and Diggins in seventh (+3:13.9).

    Jessie Diggins during Stage 4 of the Ski Tour 2020. She placed seventh overall. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Post-race interview with Jessie Diggins 

    Also for the U.S, Brennan ended her day in 10th (+3:41.9).

    “It’s been an adventurous couple days here in the ski tour,” emailed Brennan. “A lot new things, a lot of surprises, and a lot of last minute changes. Our point to point race was changed due to high winds but we still managed to to an out and back in the same trail starting and finishing in Meråker. It was really windy still making it challenging to ski alone out there. Knowing that I did all I could to stay in my group. There were a few kilometers that I was dangling and unsure if I could hang, but I was fortunately able to find another gear climbing and work my way back up to my group. , unfortunately,y missed the first break on the way back but was able to pick off some people all the way to the finish. I am really happy with the race as 30km has been a struggle for me in the past. I am still feeling strong in the tour and am going to do all I can to hold on to a top 10 in the closing stages.”

    Rosie Brennan, pack skiing to 10th overall on Stage 4. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Maubet Bjornen clocked in one place after Brennan in 11th (+3:44.8).

    “It was a thrilling day of ski racing today, with lots of course changes, weather delays, a long2-hour bus trip to the start, and a total ‘unknown’ in front of us with this long race,” wrote Maubet Bjornsen.
    “I have finally felt my body feeling better, and I just kept my mind excited to take on whatever was coming.
    “It was windy as heck, which made the course super tough, but still beautiful. I didn’t look around a ton, because I was so focused, but in the few chances we went down a hill, and I got a glimpse, I just felt so lucky to be part of this fun experience. It is so different than any race I have ever done, and the total ‘unknown’ put the cherry on top.
    “I’m so excited to find my strength again, and put together a race that is more representative of where I am at. 11th in a long distance skate race is huge for me!”
    Maubet Bjornsen: Stage 4, Ski Tour 2020. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Also for the U.S., Julia Kern placed 19th (+6:04.5), Rosie Frankowski 29th (+6:12.2), Caitlin Patterson 41st (+8:20.3), Katharine Ogden 42nd (+8:49.8), Alayna Sonnesyn 48th (+10:23.3), Sophie Caldwell 56th (+12:27.3). Hailey Swirbul did not start. 

    For Canada, Cendrine Browne scored in the points in 25th overall (+6:07.9). Katherine Stewart-Jones skied to 31st (+6:16.1), and Emly Nishikawa 39th (+7:52.9). 

    In the Ski Tour overall, Johaug looks unstoppable – she has won all four stages thus far. Her elapsed time, which factors in a 60-second time bonus for her sprint stage win on Tuesday, and three 15 second intermediate time bonuses on the course Thursday, is 2:16.33. Østberg sits in second (+2:06), Weng third (+2:39). Diggins was the best-positioned American in sixth (+6:02). 

    Racers have a rest day Friday, with racing starting up in Trondheim for Stage 5’s 1.5 k classic sprint.

    Results | Overall Ski Tour Standings

    The women’s Stage 4 podium: Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) second, Therese Johaug (NOR) first, and Heidi Weng (NOR) third, (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)
  • Johaug Pounces in Closing K to Win in Falun; Diggins 14th

    Johaug Pounces in Closing K to Win in Falun; Diggins 14th

    Early race agitators: Norway’s Therese Johaug and Heidi Weng. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    As always, it was a reset: a new day at the start of a World Cup race. On Sunday, the ribbon of snow in Falun, Sweden offered an opportunity for a sixty-six women field to race head to head in a 10 k mass start freestyle race.

    With a course that some noted was softened in difficulty by eliminating the infamous Moderbakken climb — which has become a feared incline on the World Cup circuit — the racing was expected to be a close contact affair. The women raced four laps of a roughly 2.5 k circuit featuring punchy hills and terrain requiring athletes to work with little opportunity to recover. 

    Coming into the race, Norway’s Therese Johaug had been synonymous with the words distance race and victory. She has been unstoppable. She has won 11 of the last 13 individual distance events on the World Cup. According to FIS, in a string of 24 distance races, Johaug has placed first or second in 23 of them: the only outlier a 4th place in the 10 k mass start classic in Val di Fiemme, Italy during the fifth stage of the 2019-2020 Tour de Ski.

    Again, it has been a year in which Johaug has been dominant in the win column, but not necessarily in her margin of victory. In year’s past, seeing Johaug way off the front, a minute plus ahead of the field was not uncommon. This season, the gaps have been more humane. 

    From the start on Sunday, Johaug was out front and the skier to match. Through the first lap, it was Johaug, Heidi Weng of Norway, Ebba Andersson of Sweden, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen of Norway, and Sweden’s reassimilating Frida Karlsson who had been off the World Cup this season since the opening weekend in Ruka, Finland for failing to meet team body-metric requirements, who looked poised to keep pace. 

    Therese Johaug (NOR), Heidi Weng (NOR), Ebba Andersson (SWE), (l-r) breaking apart the race. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Early on, Weng took pulls and Andersson contributed to a pace that would snap any imaginable cord to those wishing to gap up. At 3.6 k Johaug, Weng, and Andersson pushed discernibly ahead, as Jacobsen and Karlsson fell off to a bit more than six seconds back. Jessie Diggins, starting in bib 5 for the U.S., came through the 3.6 k check in eighth, at 17.2 seconds behind, as the Norwegians and Swedes kept the tempo hot.

    Frida Karlsson back on the World Cup for Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Although a mass start, the race at the sharp end whittled away at the masses. Three off the front was for real. Morderbakken or not, there would be no catching them: the three leaders had 18.8 seconds on Karlsson in fourth and 19.4 seconds on Jacobsen in fifth by 6.7 k. 

    Weng hung on until the closing 1.5 k when she too began to wither as Johaug began to write the conclusion to this 10 k script. The overall World Cup distance leader, Johaug, won in 25:04.1. And as she crossed the line, arms raised to the sky, Johaug displayed a stoke often reserved for bigger championship stages. Andersson, who missed the first part of the season with an injury, placed second (+6.5). For Andersson, her second place matched her season best result during the fourth stage of the Tour de Ski, a 10 k mass start classic. Weng hung on for third (+23.8). 

    Johaug stoke: the 10 k mass start win in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    After Sunday’s race, Johaug has a commanding lead in the distance standings with 1011 points. Weng sits in second with 665 points. 

    “It was tough conditions and of course with a mass start in Skating it’s not my favorite but I think the tracks were so slow and it was better than I had expected it,” Johaug told FIS after the race.

    Diggins was the top American in 14th, 57 seconds back. At moments Diggins appeared poised to link up with Jacobsen and Karlsson in the early stages, but oftentimes she found herself working alone. In the windy conditions, the effort became too taxing. 

    “It wasn’t my best day out there but I was proud how I just kept fighting even as a large pack was moving in to catch me up, I did everything I could in the moment,” Diggins said after the race. 

    She comes off a training camp at mid-altitude in Seefeld, Austria and a mystery kink in her neck that appeared the morning of Saturday’s classic sprint in Falun. (In the audio posted below, Diggins discussed how she has been handling the pressure of expectations after realizing the dream of an Olympic gold medal.)

    Diggins driving during the 10 k mass start skate in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

     

    Post-race interview with Jessie Diggins 

    U.S. skiers Sadie Maubet Bjornsen placed 21st (+1:28.2), and Rosie Brennan 23rd (+1:31.1).

    “I had a challenging day today,” Brennan emailed. “Nothing went particularly wrong but I just wasn’t moving as fast as I thought I should be. It was very tough conditions with no natural snow and warm temperatures and falling rain. It was a short 2.5km loop that didn’t provide much rest but also not too many climbs. While this type of race has never been my forte, I did expect a little bit more of myself. I will take the week to hopefully find a little more speed and be ready for the Ski Tour 2020.”

    Also for the U.S., Hailey Swribul placed 35th (+1:56.2), Sophie Caldwell 38th (+2:11.3), Alayna Sonnesyn 49th (+2:38.8), and Julia Kern 57th (+3:20.1). 

    Post-race interview with World Cup Coach Matt Whitcomb  

    Canada’s Cendrine Browne scored in the points with a season best 29th place (+1:40.1). Katherine Stewart-Jones skied to 37th (+1:59.9), Dahria Beatty 40th (+2:14.1), and Emily Nishikawa 46th (+2:35.5). 

    Canada’s Cendrine Browne racing into the points in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Racing continues next Saturday with a skate sprint in Åre, Sweden — the start of the Ski Tour 2020.  

    – Harald Zimmer contributed 

    Results | World Cup distance standings

     

    The 10 k mass start podium from Falun: Ebba Andersson (SWE) second, Therese Johaug (NOR) first, and Heidi Weng (NOR) third, (l-r). (Photo: NordicFocus)

     

     

     

  • Sweden’s Svahn Takes the Win on Home Soil; Caldwell 7th in Seven Person Final

    Sweden’s Svahn Takes the Win on Home Soil; Caldwell 7th in Seven Person Final

    The women’s podium in Falun, Sweden. Linn Svahn (SWE) took the win ahead of Natalia Nepryaeva (RUS) and Jonna Sundling (SWE). (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Not the backdrop one might expect from Scandiavia in mid-winter, rather, green grass, bare ski jumps, and a ribbon of snow were found in Falun, Sweden. However, what was lacking in snow was made up for by a densely packed crowd of cheering fans, erupting as athletes flew by in the women’s classic sprint.

    An occurrence that might meet our expectations is that the Swedish women showed up on home turf. Johanna Hagström won the qualifier in 3:15.96, followed by Anna Dyvik. Sweden also took 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 10th. Yes, seven of the top ten qualifiers were from Sweden. Only Sophie Caldwell, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth of Norway, and Anamarija Lampic of Slovenia in 3rd, 6th, and 7th, respectively, were the outliers from other nations. 

    Sophie Caldwell chases Anna Svendsen (NOR) and Jonna Sundling (SWE) during the quarterfinal of the classic sprint in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Five of the seven continued on to the semifinals, along with four Norwegians who weren’t going to back down easily. To round out the remaining three nations, Sophie Caldwell advanced to the semis as a lucky loser after a photo finish with Sweden’s Jonna Sundling in the first heat, which was won by Russia’s Natalia Nepraeva. Lampic moved on by taking second in the next heat. 

    Fast racing in the semi-final of the 2020 classic sprint in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    The intensity ramped up in the stacked first heat of the semi: Nepryaeva, Lampic, Hagström, Jonna Sundling (SWE), Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR), and — perhaps unexpected in a sprint semi — Therese Johaug. Nepryaeva led the charge with Sundling and Hagström. The pack took the troublesome corner fast, but the women kept their composure, with Nepraeva shooting out of the turn with high speed. She held the lead all the way into the stadium as a group of Lampic, Sundling, and Falla duked it out for the remaining spots in the final. 

    In the final sprint, Lampic and Sundling created a gap to Falla, surging to a photo finish. Lampic took second, Sundling third, and Falla crossed a second behind in fourth. As the pace was hot, all four women moved on. 

    Sophie Caldwell matches Sweden’s Jonna Sundling stride for stride up the climb in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    For Caldwell, the next round was spicy. With a misstep on a punchy climb, Sweden’s Anna Divyk dropped to her knee, catching Caldwell’s arm and pole with hers and robbing some of the American’s momentum. Climbing halfway, Caldwell was trapped on the inside of a left turn. Skis were stepped on, racers were slipping, but she made it through. Calm and collected, she dropped into a tuck and glided into third as they headed for the final climb. 

    Attacking the double pole sprint down the straightaway, Caldwell challenged Norway’s Astrid Jacobsen for the second guaranteed spot in the final. Caldwell threw her boot early, with Jacobsen’s foot matching hers at the line for a photo finish. After review, the two could not be differentiated. It was declared a perfect tie, down to the hundredth. Though their times were too slow for a lucky loser, both women advanced, making it a final of seven women. 

    Captured. A perfect tie between Sophie Caldwell and Astrid Jacobsen during the semifinal of the classic sprint in Falun. (Photo: Screenshot FIS-ski.com)

    Six women across, with the second lucky loser, Falla, in the second row behind Svahn. And off they went.

    The two Swedes, Svahn and Sundling, led the charge into the first climb, Lampic occupying the outside lane. Around the sweeping turn they went unscathed, Sundling continued to push the pace up the next climb, with Lampic losing grip alongside her. The lead group was four deep in the final climb and into the downhill towards the stadium. 

    Three across, Svahn, Sundling, and Nepryaeva powered down the final stretch as the crowds leaned in with bated breath. In the final meters, Svahn crept just ahead of the other two, throwing her boot for the win in 3:23.54. At her heel, the boots of Sundling and Nepryaeva slid across in a photo finish. It was deemed that the Russian was 0.02 seconds ahead of the Swede, taking the second spot on the podium. Both women were within a tenth of a second of Svahn.

    “It’s fantastic. I wanted to win so, so much today,” gushed an out of breath Svahn during her interview with FIS. “I pushed so hard on the final, and managed to win. Before the start, I saw Maiken behind me and I thought, ‘What is happening?’ So it was special, but so nice to compete in my hometown and to win. And to get Jonna on the podium as well, we are a strong team.”

    A unique statistic, Svahn is the second woman to win three individual World Cup sprints before her 21st birthday, which she celebrates in September. 

    Lampic took the fourth spot in the final (+0.93), followed by Falla in fifth (+3.70). Jacobsen and Caldwell had fallen off the pace by the halfway mark. They finished sixth (+7.00)  and seventh (+8.46), respectively. 

    After the race, Caldwell discussed her three week training block in Seefeld, Austria, interrupted by the races in Oberstdorf, Germany, where she finished fourth. She also spoke to the tangle with Divyk and how she stayed relaxed in order to ski the downhill well in order to reconnect with the group. She also discussed the evolution of her career and the effect of her plans to head back to Vermont after the FIS Ski Tour, missing the city sprints in Drammen, Norway to focus on the sprints in Quebec and Minneapolis.

    Post-race interview with Sophie Caldwell.

    Three victories before her 21st birthday, Linn Svahn strikes again in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Three other Americans headed into the heats with Caldwell. Sadie Maubet Bjornsen qualified in 11th. Racing in the 4th heat, Maubet Bjornsen tucked into the middle of the group. As they reached the swooping icy found along the downhill halfway, the women began pumping the brakes to stay upright, and Maubet Bjornsen was nearly slingshot off course into the banner lining the outer edge of the turn. She regained her composure and made it through the remaining turns with more speed. However, she was not able to catch the leaders and finished 4th in the heat, 17th overall.

    “I always struggle a bit in these conditions, so I didn’t have a star performance, but felt proud that I fought back even after coming dangerously close to falling on the fast, crazy corner,” Maubet Bjornsen emailed after the race. “At one point I feel like I skied the side of the fence, so I sure hope Bode Miller was watching me try to reinact his famous move!

    “Despite a 17th place classic sprint, I am still believing in my body’s ability to feel sharper and shaper going into the Tour de 2020. Sometimes when I have been training at altitude, it takes my muscles a bit to get firing on high speed. The Swedes sure managed to find that speed today, so I will have to kick it into gear quickly to keep up! I look forward to another wild ride tomorrow for the 10k mass start. My goal is to stay on my feet, and find some of my gears that I know are in there!”

    Jessie Diggins fights through the quarter final of the classic sprint in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Jessie Diggins was the next American qualifier in 25th. She too finished 4th in her heat, ending the day in 20th. In a post-race call, Matt Whitcomb explained that Diggins was fighting a “tweaked neck”, but with the help of Zuzanna Rogers, the team therapist, it is showing improvement.

    Whitcomb provided further insight into Diggins’ day, her likelihood to rebound tomorrow, and how the course and conditions affect the type of athlete that can excel on the tracks of Falun.

    Post-race interview with Matt Whitcomb.

    Hailey Swirbul qualified just behind Diggins in 28th for her third set of World Cup points. She landed in the top-30 on both days in Davos, Switzerland. Swirbul raced in the first heat with Caldwell, where she finished 5th in the heat and 25th for the day. 

    Hailey Swirbul charges the hill for the 28th fastest qualifying time in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    “I am learning so much with every World Cup race this season,” wrote Swirbul in a post-race email. “I thought my skis and support were great today on the tricky course. It was sweet to race in a heat with Sophie and learn from the best in the world up those climbs! I hope to get another opportunity to mix it up in the heats soon.”

    Outside the points, Alayna Sonnesyn qualified in 46th (+23.45), followed by Caitlin Patterson in 47th (+23.50). 

    For Canada, Maya Macisaac-Jones qualified in 23rd and raced in the fifth heat, which was won by Svahn. She was fifth in the heat, ending her day in 24th.

    Canada’s Maya Macisaac-Jones chases Katri Lylynpera (FIN) during the quarterfinal of the classic sprint in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Also bearing the maple leaf, Dahria Beatty qualified in 37th (+17.03), followed by Cendrine Browne in 43rd (+22.96), and Katherine Weaver in 48th (+23.62). 

     

    Qualification | Final Results