-Flu bug sidelines Canada’s Renner, Scandinavian countries dominate-
Val di Fiemme, Italy-Canada’s Beckie Scott sprinted back into familiar territory, finishing ninth at a World Cup cross-country ski stop in Val di Fiemme, Italy on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old Scott, who was one of 43 of the world’s top cross-country ski women to line up in the starting area, qualified tied for eighth in the 1.2-kilometre sprint, with a time of 3 minutes :03.85 seconds. Scott moved into the round of 16 women who competed head-to-head in four separate heats, with the top-two in each heat advancing towards the final. The Vermillion, Alta. native’s quest for her first World Cup podium finish of the season came to a halt in a tight quarterfinal heat. Scott's heat was the fastest of the four quarterfinals, and she came in third.
“It was an average day for us, and Beckie was satisfied with her result,” said Dave Wood, head coach of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team. “The sprints are a game of inches and it could have gone either way. We’re back on track and will continue working hard to improve.”
World champion Marit Bjoergen edged Sweden's Anna Dahlberg and Germany's Manuela Henkel by about a second in the final to win the 1.5km Sprint race.
Sara Renner, of Canmore, Alta., the only other Canadian on the World Cup cross-country ski circuit, has been battling the flu since arriving in Italy, and was unable to compete on Tuesday. Renner and Scott will travel to Ramsau, Austria on Wednesday to get ready for the final World Cup event before returning to Canada for the holidays, December 20-21, 2003.
Race result (1.5km)
1. Marit Bjoergen (NOR)
2. Anna Dahlberg (SWE)
3. Manuela Henkel (GER)
4. Kirsi Vaelimaa (FIN)
5. Hilde Pedersen (NOR)
6. Marit Roaldseth (NOR)
7. Vibeke Skofterud (NOR)
8. Elin Ek (SWE)
World Cup standings
1. Valentina Schevchenko (UKR) 400 pts
2. Kristina Smigun (EST) 396
3. Gabriella Paruzzi (ITA) 371
4. Marit Bjoergen (NOR) 299
5. Claudia Kuenzel (GER) 246
6. Hilde Pedersen (NOR) 242
7. Olga Savialova (RUS) 239
8. Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) 237
9. Vibeke Skofterud (NOR) 216
10. Alena Sidko (RUS) 187
