The Russian women appear to be regaining a level of dominance not seen since 2002, prior to the doping suspensions of Larissa Lazutina and Olga Danilova.
In today's 10km freestyle race in Reit Im Winkl, Germany, Evgenia Medvedeva-Abruzova tied with teammate Olga Savialova for a joint-win, while Julija Tchepalova finished a very close third to make it a World Cup podium sweep for the Russians. The Russians placed a total of six atletes in the top ten.
Overall World Cup leader Marit Bjorgen of Norway had to settle for fourth, exactly 10 seconds behind the winner. Estonian Kristina Smigun finished fifth, 4.3 seconds behind Bjorgen.
It was a rough day for the North American teams. Canadians posted the better finishes, with Sara Renner in 52nd, just ahead of Milaine Theriault in 54th. Rebecca Dussault of the U.S. Ski Team finished 65th in a field of 71. Other North Americans in the race included Tara Whitten (68th) and Kikkan Randall (71st.)
Results — Reit Im Winkl World Cup, Women's 10km Freestyle:
1 1207165 MEDVEDEVA-ABRUZOVA Evgenia 1976 RUS 25:36.0 0.00
1 1088922 SAVIALOVA Olga 1972 RUS 25:36.0 0.00
3 1092996 TCHEPALOVA Julija 1976 RUS 25:37.8 0.94
4 1303777 BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR 25:46.0 5.21
5 1094063 SMIGUN Kristina 1977 EST 25:50.3 7.45
6 1129371 BARANOVA- MASOLKINA Natalia 1975 RUS 25:51.3 7.97
7 1255374 LASSILA Riitta Liisa 1978 FIN 26:06.1 15.68
8 3485039 KURKINA Larisa 1973 RUS 26:10.7 18.07
9 1260903 PEDERSEN Hilde G. 1964 NOR 26:14.5 20.05
10 1240436 BURUKHINA Elena 1977 RUS 26:15.0 20.31
11 1182042 MALAHOVA-SHISHKINA Svetlana 1977 KAZ 26:27.3 26.72
12 3425003 STEIRA STOERMER Kristin 1981 NOR 26:29.7 27.97
13 3485032 KOROSTELEVA Natalia 1981 RUS 26:30.3 28.28
14 1166037 KUITUNEN Virpi 1976 FIN 26:30.9 28.59
15 1005017 VALBUSA Sabina 1972 ITA 26:34.3 30.36
16 1305426 SKOFTERUD Vibeke W 1980 NOR 26:35.6 31.04
17 1027327 LEONARDI CORTESI Natascia 1971 SUI 26:42.7 34.74
18 1002786 PARUZZI Gabriella 1969 ITA 26:44.0 35.42
19 1181848 JATSKAJA Oxana 1978 KAZ 26:48.8 37.92
20 1256732 SACHENBACHER Evi 1980 GER 26:49.8 38.44
21 1092123 RESCHWAMM SCHULZE Anke 1972 GER 26:54.2 40.73
22 3435001 KOWALCZYK Justyna 1983 POL 26:54.6 40.94
23 1099204 PHILIPPOT Karine 1974 FRA 26:58.0 42.71
24 1138877 FOLLIS Arianna 1977 ITA 27:01.2 44.38
25 3485193 ARTEMOVA Irina 1984 RUS 27:05.1 46.41
26 1319976 KOLOMINA Elena 1981 KAZ 27:07.1 47.45
27 1303874 BJOERNAAS Kine Beate 1980 NOR 27:07.6 47.71
28 1133445 BAUER Viola 1976 GER 27:09.0 48.44
29 1293107 BOEHLER Stefanie 1981 GER 27:09.9 48.91
30 1062053 YOKOYAMA Sumiko 1974 JPN 27:14.2 51.15
31 1107837 EK Elin 1973 SWE 27:18.9 53.59
32 1355769 MUERER STEMLAND Kristin 1981 NOR 27:22.6 55.52
33 1345293 STORTI Cecile 1983 FRA 27:22.7 55.57
34 1255471 MANNINEN Pirjo 1981 FIN 27:25.3 56.93
35 1191354 ROCHAT Laurence 1979 SUI 27:27.6 58.12
36 1243152 OLSSON Jenny 1979 SWE 27:31.2 60.00
37 1285929 STORTI Aurelie 1980 FRA 27:38.3 63.70
38 1218611 VAELIMAA Kirsi 1978 FIN 27:38.8 63.96
39 1312701 MISCHOL Seraina 1981 SUI 27:40.0 64.58
40 1101920 CONFORTOLA Antonella 1975 ITA 27:41.3 65.26
41 1215022 KOROLIK SHABLOUSKAYA Ludmila 1975 BLR 27:44.5 66.93
42 1238108 SWIDEN Kina 1976 SWE 27:45.2 67.29
43 3295005 CAVALLAR Veronica 1983 ITA 27:48.5 69.01
44 1283407 STROEMSTEDT Anna Karin 1981 SWE 27:49.0 69.27
45 3665001 VASILJONOK Olga 1980 BLR 27:49.7 69.64
46 1296114 KELDER Cristina 1981 ITA 27:53.4 71.56
47 1274871 SONETA Chizuru 1978 JPN 27:54.1 71.93
48 1304165 GJOEMLE Ella 1979 NOR 28:06.0 78.12
49 1250524 GENUIN Magda 1979 ITA 28:07.4 78.85
50 3205007 MAEMPEL Antje 1983 GER 28:08.8 79.58
51 1373617 FESSEL Nicole 1983 GER 28:09.2 79.79
52 1128886 RENNER Sara 1976 CAN 28:13.3 81.93
53 3565000 SOKLIC Mirjam 1983 SLO 28:16.5 83.59
54 1129177 THERIAULT Milaine 1973 CAN 28:21.0 85.94
55 1180587 SANTER Anna 1975 ITA 28:29.9 90.57
56 1320170 STAROSTINA Daria 1982 KAZ 28:30.0 90.62
57 3515038 TRACHSEL Doris 1984 SUI 28:30.7 90.99
58 1296599 SANTER Stephanie 1981 ITA 28:33.1 92.24
59 3565001 BENEDICIC Maja 1982 SLO 28:33.2 92.29
60 1329967 KRELLNER Anja 1981 GER 28:33.7 92.55
61 3305024 OBAYASHI Chisa 1984 JPN 28:34.5 92.97
62 1345099 BOURGEOIS PIN Elodie 1982 FRA 28:38.5 95.05
63 1175834 SMIGUN Katrin 1979 EST 28:40.7 96.20
64 3785000 TERENTJEVA Irina 1984 LTU 28:43.6 97.71
65 3535177 DUSSAULT Rebecca 1980 USA 28:44.7 98.28
66 1247226 ZELLER Katrin 1979 GER 28:49.7 100.89
67 1274580 ISHIDA Masako 1980 JPN 28:51.2 101.67
68 1324923 WHITTEN Tara 1980 CAN 29:00.6 106.56
69 3125005 CHUNLI Jiang 1981 CHN 29:11.5 112.24
70 3125006 HONGYAN Liu 1979 CHN 30:27.0 151.56
71 1365857 RANDALL Kikkan 1982 USA 30:31.7 154.01