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Tag: World Cup in Lillehammer Norway

  • Johaug’s Wins Lillehammer Overall; Bjornsen 10th

    Johaug’s Wins Lillehammer Overall; Bjornsen 10th

    The women’s podium after the women’s 10 k classic pursuit in Lillehammer, Norway. Therese Johaug of Norway (center) won, Ebba Anderson from Sweden (left) placed second, and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg of Norway was third. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    Here’s a sentence we might see routinely this season as the World Cup distance races transpire. Norway’s Therese Johaug wins again!

    In Sunday’s 10-kilometer classic pursuit race in Lillehammer, Norway, Johaug set an unmatched pace to win her second race of the weekend and the overall in Lillehammer’s three-race series.

    Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla lead off the race, starting a spartan two and a half seconds ahead of Johaug. Kalla led the first lap, with Johaug tight on her heels.

    On the first major climb, which kicks about 3 k into the 5 k loop, it appeared Johaug was struggling with her kick wax. With slight micro-adjustments when firing the muscles, if there was any kick-wax deficit, it did not slow her down. Kalla and Johaug skied through the first lap mark together. Soon thereafter, Johaug tightened her grip on the win by stretching the time back to a just-hanging-on Kalla. By 7.2 k, Kalla had bled 15.7 seconds to Johaug.

    Johaug continued her unrelenting pace throughout the second lap. Kalla continued to lose time whereas Kalla’s teammate, Ebba Andersson, who began the race 14 seconds back, began to make ground on Kalla.

    Sweden’s Ebba Andersson takes second place over a charging Ingvild Flugstad Østberg from Norway in Sunday’s 10 k classic pursuit in Lillehammer, Norway. (Photo: Screenshot from FIS-Ski.com)

    Andersson was able to close the gap between Kalla and herself between the 7.3 k and 8.3 k mark. By 8.3 k, Andersson had put a 6.4 seconds buffer between herself and Kalla. Behind Kalla, Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg kept the third podium step within her sights. On the last climb before the finish, Østberg caught and passed Kalla and began gaining time on Andersson.

    Johaug won in a time of 29:25.5 minutes. Andersson and Østberg finished neck-and-neck, with the Swede taking second (+16.8), and Østberg third, only 1.1 seconds back. Kalla finished fourth (+23.1).

    Norway’s Therese Johaug on her way to claiming her third World Cup distance win of the season. Here she steamrolls up a hill in the women’s 10 k classic pursuit in Lillehammer, Norway. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    After this weekend of racing, Johaug sits first overall in World Cup standings with 400 points. Andersson is in second, 91 points back, Kalla is positioned third, with 298 points.

    Sadie Bjornsen of the U.S. Ski Team, after a strong start to the season, is eighth overall on the World Cup. On Sunday, Bjornsen was one of three U.S. women in the top-15. Bjornsen started Sunday’s pursuit in 7th and finished in 10th with a time of 31:57.2 minutes.

    Staring 50 seconds back, Bjornsen lost time on course to the leaders. She ultimately finished 2:21.7 minutes behind the winner, Johaug.

    “It was definitely a tough race out there, I had pretty slick skis, so it was just a matter of trying to stay positive and herringbone as much as I could and it was definitely a difficult course to be struggling on,” Bjornsen told FasterSkier in the Lillehammer mixed zone.

    Bjornsen had intended to link up with the skiers beginning ahead of her. But the tough conditions foiled her strategy.

    Sadie Bjornsen during Saturday’s 10 k freestyle in Lillehammer, Norway. Sunday’s race was a 10 k classic pursuit. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    “My plan was to try to catch Krista Pärmäkoski and Ragnhild Haga in front of me and try to ski with them and I kind of yo-yo’d with Haga the entire time, so that was definitely really hard,” Bjornsen said. “I was kind of in No Man’s Land, not skiing with anyone, and when Stina Nilsson went by I was not able to stay with her pace. It was going uphill and I was having to herringbone, so it was kind of sad to not catch on to that chain. But I tried to just keep fighting the whole way.”

    U.S. Ski Team World Cup Coach Matt Whitcomb confirmed Bjornsen was thin on kick. “I mentioned I thought our team did better than most today with regards to wax and skis. Whitcomb said. “I do think Sadie was a little bit lean on kick, and think she was on form. She was ready to climb up today and I just don’t think we gave her what she needed to to make it happen.”

    Rosie Brennan (APU) and Jessie Diggins (USST) began Sunday’s race in 13th and 14th respectively, 1:25 minutes behind Kalla. The U.S. pair was able to ski together for the majority of the race in a pack with Norway’s Heidi Weng, and Russia’s Yulia Belorukova.

    By the finish, Diggins was able to gain one place to end up 13th (+2:42.4). Brennan lost three places in the finishing stretch to take 15th (+2:46.0).

    “I struggled to compose myself on that last climb, and don’t have much of a sprint finish, so lost a place or two there,” Brennan told FasterSkier after the race,

    Brennan has started her season off strong with a career-best 11th place in Saturday’s 10k classic individual start, she finished 11th.

    “It was a good race, not a great race, but yeah I’m happy that I had a good group to skate with and I was able to hang in there”, Brennan told FasterSkier. “[I was] able to ski comfortably in a group and feel comfortable with some pretty strong girls and it was super nice to be able to ski with Jessie [Diggins] for a lot of it. “When it’s someone you train with more often it’s a little bit more comfortable, and her strength is on the downhill and that’s my weakness, so it’s nice to be able to follow someone.”

    Whitcomb noted Brennan’s marked improvement and return to form after her struggles with an illness last season.

    “It’s really fun to watch from the side of the trail, an athlete that has had to deal with, and sort of had to harness so much patience,” Whitcomb reflected. “She spent so much of last season, the better half of the second part ill, and so she’s really had to settle down, recover and then get herself back in shape. These things happen over the course of months, and she had that patience, and she put in the work after she recovered and now she’s being rewarded for it, and it’s really fun to sit back and just watch an athlete be so stoked with how they’re feeling out there.”

    Caitlin Patterson during Saturday’s 10 k freestyle in Lillehammer, Norway. Sunday’s race was a 10 k classic pursuit. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) started in 31st, 2:37 minutes behind Kalla and finished 35th, five and a half minutes behind Johaug. Throughout the race, she hovered between 27th and 32nd place, but she crashed on a downhill during her second lap and lost places.

    “I was crushing it on the downhills until then and I consider myself pretty good at cornering, but I just momentarily caught a glimpse of a two girl in front of me, got too excited, lost focus, and stepped in some slush that I wasn’t expecting or something,” Patterson told FasterSkier after the race.

    Racing continues on the World Cup next weekend with events in Beitostolen, Norway.

    Women’s Results

  • Sunday Rundown: From Lillehammer to West Yellowstone to Pokljuka (Updated 2x)

    Sunday Rundown: From Lillehammer to West Yellowstone to Pokljuka (Updated 2x)

    Snow dump — during the 2018 15 k classic pursuit in Lillehammer, Norway. Emil Iversen (bib 3) holds off the charging pack to take third. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)

    FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Lillehammer Norway: 10 k/ 15 k Classic Pursuit

    On Sunday, the third and final day of racing in Lillehammer, Norway concluded with a 10-kilometer classic pursuit for the women.

    A win is a win, and Norway’s Therese Johaug, took the day and her second victory in as many days when she crossed the line first in 29:35.5 minutes. Sweden’s  Ebba Andersson finished second (+16.8), Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Østberg third (+17.9).

    The day’s first starter, Charlotte Kalla, trailed off to finish in fourth (+23.1). Kalla began with a small gap of 2.5 seconds on Johaug. The third starter, Andersson, began 14.5 seconds back.

    Sadie Bjornsen of the U.S. Ski Team (USST) ended her day in 10th (+2:21.7), while teammate Jessie Diggins was 13th (+2:42.4). Rosie Brennan (APU) in a strong comeback to the World Cup placed 15th (+2:46.0).

    Caitlin Patterson (CGRP), who earned a 30th place on Saturday, fell back slightly, ending up 34th (+5:13.1). Kailtlynn Miller (CGRP) finished in 50th (+7:43.9).

    Kelsey Phinney did not start.

    Fifty-six women started Sunday’s race.

    Women’s Results

    The men’s 15 k classic pursuit featured an off-the-front dual between the day’s first two starters, Sjur Røthe and Didrik Tønseth. The two Norwegians started only 1.8 seconds apart. By 5 k, they had gapped third place starter, Norway’s Emil Iversen by 35.2 seconds. (Iversen had been 11.5 seconds back at the start.)

    The Røthe-Tønseth engine continued to pull away from the field to gain over a minute by the finish. Tønseth won in a time of 44:13.8, Røthe crossed the line 1.8 seconds back.

    Iversen placed third (+1:03.3), a whisker ahead of a charging pack with over thirty skiers. Sweden’s Calle Halfvarsson was fourth (+1:04.4).

    Canada’s Alex Harvey was the best placed North American in 16th (+1:08.7). Also for Canada, Russell Kennedy (Team R.A.D.) was 61st (+4:32.4), and Andy Shields 71st (+6:06.7)

    Erik Bjornsen of the U.S. Ski Team (USST) placed 32nd (+1:26.1). However, Bjornsen skied the third fastest time of day. 

    Also for the U.S., David Norris (APU) skied to 52nd (+3:21.9), Kevin Bolger (USST) 59th (+4:20.8), Adam Martin (CGRP) 62nd (+4:35.7), Scott Patterson (USST) 63rd (+4:39.0), Simi Hamilton 66th (+4:44.1).

    Seventy-eight athletes finished the men’s race.

    Men’s Results

     

    ***

    SuperTour, West Yellowstone, Mont.: 15 k / 10k Freestyle

    Back on the high plateau’s of West Yellowstone, the SuperTour held day two of it’s Montana stop. The men raced a 15-kilometer freestyle — 3 times around a 5  k loop.

    Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s (CGRP) Ben Lustgarten took the win in a squeaker over Kyle Bratrud who skis for SMS T2. Lustgarten won in time of 36:42.2 minutes, Bratrud stopped the clock 3.5 seconds back. It was Lustgarten’s second podium in as many days; on Saturday he placed second in the skate sprint.

    Akeo Maifeld-Caruuci (CGRP) placed third, beating out University of New Mexico skier Ricardo Izquierdo-Bernier by 0.4 seconds. Izquierdo-Bernier was third in Saturday’s sprint.

    The women’s SuperTour 10 k skate also featured a dual-podium skier from the weekend. Alaska Pacific University’s (APU) Rosie Frankowski won in 27:33.9 minutes. Frankowski placed second in the women’s skate sprint on Saturday. University of Utah skier Guro Jordheim took second (+46.2). APU’s Becca Rorabaugh was third, finishing 1:19.5 minutes back.

    Domestic racing continues next weekend with the Sovereign Lake NorAm-SuperTour.

    Results

    ***

    IBU World Cup Pokljka, Slovenia: 2 x 6 k + 2 x 7.5 k Mixed Relay + Single Mixed Relay

    In Pokljka, Slovenia, men and women completed a 2 x 6 k + 2 x 7.5 k mixed relay. Placing first was Team France with Anais Bescond, Justine Braisaz, Martin Fourcade, and Simon Desthieux who completed the course in a total time of 1:10:02.8 with a team shooting score of (0+5). In the first leg, Bescond had two penalties (0+2 0+0). Following Bescond, was Braisaz with one miss (0+1 0+0). Fourcade raced the third lap, shooting 100 percent.  Desthieux closed out for France in first after two misses (0+0 0+2).

    Sunday’s second place went to Switzerland’s team of Elisa Gasparin, Lena Haecki, Benjamin Weger, and Jeremy Finello. The team finished 38.7 seconds back from France with a total team shooting score of (0+9). Gasparin raced the first leg, missing a total of three shots (0+1 0+2).  Gasparin handed off to Haecki who also missed three shots (0+0 0+3). Weger, who skied the third leg, shot clean and Finello, who raced the last leg, had three misses (0+1 0+2).

    The third team to finish on Sunday was Italy’s Lisa Vittozzi, Dorothea Wierer, Dominik Windisch, and Lukas Hofer. Italy finished 52.1 seconds behind France with a team total shooting score of (1+8). Vittozzi shot clean, while Wierer, who raced the second leg, missed two shots (0+2 0+0).  In the third leg, Windisch skied six penalties (1+3 0+2), while Hofer closed out the fourth leg with one miss (0+0 0+1).

    Team Canada finished in 10th (+2:33.2), with Rosanna Crawford racing the first lap and missing one (0+1 0+0). Megan Tandy tied Crawford’s score racing the second lap. In the third lap was Nathan Smith who cleaned, while Scott Gow also shot 100 percent in lap four.

    The US Biathlon team of Susan Dunklee, Clare Egan, Leif Nordgren, and Sean Doherty finished in 15th (+4:19.8). Dunklee led the team off with two misses (0+1 0+1) while Egan followed in leg two with three misses (0+3 0+0). Nordgren took leg three with one miss, while Doherty skied three penalties (0+2 0+1) to close out the fourth leg. 

    Results

    In the single mixed relay – teams consist of a single male and female athlete – Norway’s Thekla Brun-Lie and Lars Helge Birkeland won in a total time of 38:26.7 minutes. Norway used only four spare rounds on its way to the win.

    Austria’s Lisa Theresa Hauser and Eder Simon placed second, using five spare rounds, finishing 8.5 seconds back. Ukraine’s Anastaslya Merkushyna and Artem Tyshchenko were third (+20.7), using only a single spare round.

    Canada’s Megan Bankes and Christian Gow placed sixth (+37.8) after using 10 spare rounds. The U.S. duo, Joanne Reid and Max Durtschi, were eventually lapped and were not given an official time. Prior to being pulled, Reid has used two spare rounds while shooting. Durtschi struggled with his second shooting bout, using three spares and ultimately skiing three penalty laps.

    Results