FasterSkier

Tag: John Krisitian Dahl

  • Weekend Roundup: Back on Track

    Weekend Roundup: Back on Track

    U.S. teammate Kikkan Randall (l) and Sophie Caldwell celebrate the first U.S. double podium in Saturday's World Cup skate sprint in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
    U.S. teammate Kikkan Randall (l) and Sophie Caldwell celebrate the first U.S. double podium in Saturday’s World Cup skate sprint in Lahti, Finland. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    Were the Olympics just a dream? After a whirlwind couple of weeks on the ground in Sochi, Russia, it certainly feels so for us. However, just because the Olympics are over doesn’t mean the season has ended, and as this past weekend proved, we may have some of the most exciting skiing of the season ahead of us.

    World Cup action kicked off with Saturday’s freestyle sprint in Lahti, Finland, where the women of the U.S. Ski team made history. For the first time two American women sat upon the podium, with Kikkan Randall in first and Sophie Caldwell in third.

    For Randall, the win was redemption for a disappointing two weeks in Sochi where she finished 18th in the freestyle sprint, an event she was favored to win.

    Fellow U.S. Ski Team members Kikkan Randall (l) and Sophie Caldwell after finishing an unprecedented first and third, respectively, in the Lahti World Cup freestyle sprint on Saturday in Finland. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
    Fellow U.S. Ski Team members Kikkan Randall (l) and Sophie Caldwell after finishing an unprecedented first and third, respectively, in the Lahti World Cup freestyle sprint on Saturday in Finland. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    For Caldwell, it was her first World Cup podium. The podium adds to what has been a momentous season for the 23-year-old, who placed sixth in the Olympic sprint. In doing so she achieved the top result for an American woman at an Olympic Games.

    Completing the podium was Slovenian Katja Visnar, who finished second, placing her in the middle of an American sandwich.

    On the men’s side, Canadian Alex Harvey pushed through his post-Olympic 50 k exhaustion to place seventh. American’s Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell also placed in the top 30 in 20th and 28th. Hamilton, who suffering from illness, and Newell, who lost both a pole and a ski in his heat, were unable to advance from the quarterfinals.

    The race was eventually won by Norwegian Paal Golberg. He was followed by Russian Alexey Petukhov and Norwegian teammate Eirik Brandsdal.

    Sunday’s World Cup races were dominated by Norwegians fighting to become the overall World Cup Champions. For the women, Marit Bjørgen skied a smart and controlled race to finish first in the 10 k freestyle by a whopping 26.9 seconds. Behind her was Charlotte Kalla in second and a frustrated Therese Johaug in third. While Johaug still holds the overall World Cup lead, Bjørgen is closing in with every race.

    Randall was the top North American in 21st followed by teammate Liz Stephen in 32nd.

    In the 15 k individual freestyle, overall World Cup leader Martin Sundby of Norway extended his lead by outpacing second place finisher Daniel Richardsson of Sweden by over ten seconds. On the podium for the second day in a row, Petukhov placed third.

    Harvey took 8th place, proving that he’s still on form and hungry for results in the final weeks of the World Cup season. The Canadian said it was the result he was most proud of in the season so far. 

    U.S. Olympian Sean Doherty (c) tops the podium in the first race of the 2014 IBU Youth World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine. Doherty won Friday's 7.5 k sprint ahead of Germany's Marco Gross (l) in second, and Russia's Dmitri Shamaev in third. (Photo: Craig Cormier)
    U.S. Olympian Sean Doherty (c) tops the podium in the first race of the 2014 IBU Youth World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine. Doherty won Friday’s 7.5 k sprint ahead of Germany’s Marco Gross (l) in second, and Russia’s Dmitri Shamaev in third. (Photo: Craig Cormier)

    This weekend also marked the start of the IBU Youth World Championships in Presque Isle, Maine where American Sean Doherty claimed gold in both the 7.5 k sprint and 10 k sprint. This marks the third Youth World gold medal for the 18-year-old, who was fresh off his first Olympic start in the 4 X 7.5 k in Sochi.

    American Maddie Phaneuf placed fourth in the women’s 5 k sprint and finished 24th in the 7.5 k pursuit. Canada’s Danielle Vrielink was the top North American in the pursuit with a 15th place finish.

    The Vasaloppet also took place this weekend in Sweden. John Kristian Dahl waited to the last minute to make his move, chasing down fellow Norwegian Laugaland to win his first Vasaloppet. Laila Kveli of Norway won the women’s race in an impressive of display of double poling strength to become the first women to win the race without kick wax.

    FIS Cross Country World Cup, Lahti, Finland

    Saturday’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint women’s report | men’s report | North American men’s report | newcomers report

    Sunday’s 10 k and 15 k individual freestyle women’s report | men’s report | American report | Canadian report 

    IBU Youth World Championships, Presque Isle, Maine

    Saturday’s 5 k and 7.5 k sprint report

    Sunday’s 7.5 k and 10 k pursuit report

    Vasaloppet, Mora, Sweden Report

  • Dahl, Falla Capture FIS Sprint at Beito, Koos 17th

    BEITOSTØLEN, Norway – “It’s really fun to win here. I won the classic sprint here last year, but you have to handle both techniques. This was a good indication that things are working,” said John Kristian Dahl (NOR) to Norwegian television station NRK after the FIS freestyle sprint.

    Dahl qualified 5th, 2.25 seconds behind Anders Gloersen, before advancing to the finals and defeating the likes of Ola Vigen Hattestad and Oystein Pettersen.  Dahl failed to make the Norwegian Olympic team last year despite winning one World cup sprint and finishing in the top-4 two other times.

    He was followed in the final by Eirik Brandsdal in second and Pettersen in third.  Gloersen took fourth on the 1.4km loop.

    Petter Northug had his second sub-par race in a row. He did not qualify for Saturday’s sprint heats, and considers sitting out the classic race tomorrow to prepare for the World Cup opener in Gällivare (SWE) next week.

    “Petter felt a bit cooked today. You could almost see that he gave up coming into the stadium,” Northug’s personal assistant Eirik Myhr Nossum said to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten.

    Torin Koos (USA) was the top foreigner in the race.  He qualified in 17th, 6.48 seconds behind Gloersen, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals, maintaining his spot and ending the day in 17th.

    Harald Wurm (AUT), Oliver Wunsch (GER), and Andrew Musgrave (GBR) in 20th, 22nd, and 29th respectively were the only other non-Norwegians in the top-30.

    Thomas Northug, younger brother of the famous Petter, won the family battle, easily outshining his elder sibling.  Thomas qualified 10th and advanced to the semis, ultimately placing 11th.

    In the women’s race, Maiken Caspersen Falla won wire-to-wire.  She posted the fastest qualifying time by 1.9 seconds over Vesna Fabjan.  The two were clearly a step above the field today, with Fabjan placing second in the final as well.  The women’s course was somewhat shorter, measuring 1.1km.

    Kari Gjeitnes (NOR) rounded out the podium.  Marthe Kristoffersen was 4th, just ahead of veterans Celine Brun Lie and Astrid Jacobson.

    The 20-year-old Falla, a sprint specialist, is looking to improve upon a solid 2010 season where she finished 20th in the classic sprint at the Vancouver Olympics and cracked the top-14 four times on the World Cup.

    With only 25 women in the race, all starters advanced to the heats.  The entire field was made up of Norwegians and Slovenians.

    Racing in Beitostolen continues tomorrow with a 10/15km classic.

    FIS Freestyle Sprint Results (PDFs):

    Men’s 1.4km Sprint – Heats

    Women’s 1.1km Sprint – Heats

    Men’s 1.4km Sprint – Qualification

    Women’s 1.1km Sprint – Qualification