It may be early in the season, but it is already clear who the top female skiers on the World Cup tour are. Kristina Smigun picked up another win in the women's 15K mass start race. Smigun made her move about halfway through the race, and gradually built her lead to 15 seconds.
Ukrainian sensation Valentina Shevchenko took second and German Claudia Kuenzel was third. Beckie Scott of Canada was 12th in her first World Cup race of the season, about a minute back. Beckie skied with the leaders until Smigun picked up the pace and broke the pack apart.
Sara Renner narrowly missed World Cup points in 32nd spot.
Julia Tchepalova continues to improve in her comeback from childbirth, finishing 22nd.
Results: World Cup 30/15 km Free Mass Start
Preliminary Results: 1 1  Smigun Kristina  EST  *09:30:00 37:11.7 0.0  Â
2 10  Shevchenko Valentina  UKR  *09:30:00 37:27.1 +15.4  Â
3 6  Kuenzel Claudia  GER  *09:30:00 37:31.7 +20.0  Â
4 2  Paruzzi Gabriella  ITA  *09:30:00 37:34.1 +22.4  Â
5 4  Pedersen Hilde G.  NOR  *09:30:00 37:35.2 +23.5 Â
6 3  Sachenbacher Evi  GER  *09:30:00 37:36.5 +24.8  Â
7 7  Valbusa Sabina  ITA  *09:30:00 37:40.0 +28.3  Â
8 9  Savialova Olga  RUS  *09:30:00 37:56.9 +45.2  Â
9 15  Kuitunen Virpi  FIN  *09:30:00 38:18.3 +1:06.6  Â
10 16  Sidko Alena  RUS  *09:30:00 38:18.6 +1:06.9  Â
11 44  Muerer Stemland Kristin  NOR  *09:30:00 38:19.2 +1:07.5  Â
12 8  Scott Beckie  CAN  *09:30:00 38:20.9 +1:09.2  Â
13 14  Skofterud Vibeke W.  NOR  *09:30:00 38:21.4 +1:09.7   Â
** 31  Storti Aurelie  FRA  *09:30:00 38:22.1 +1:10.4  FF  Â
** 20  Confortola Antonella  ITA  *09:30:00 38:22.3 +1:10.6  FF Â
16 30  Handler Mariana  SWE  *09:30:00 38:22.9 +1:11.2  Â
17 5  Bjoergen Marit  NOR  *09:30:00 38:32.6 +1:20.9  Â
18 26  Malahova Svetlana  KAZ  *09:30:00 38:33.8 +1:22.1  Â
19 35  Vorontsova Ekaterina  RUS  *09:30:00 38:34.4 +1:22.7  Â
20 46  Kurkina Larisa  RUS  *09:30:00 38:37.0 +1:25.3  Â
21 18  Ek Elin  SWE  *09:30:00 38:37.8 +1:26.1   Â
** 21  Tchepalova Julija  RUS  *09:30:00 38:40.7 +1:29.0  FF  Â
** 22  Yokoyama Sumiko  JPN  *09:30:00 38:40.8 +1:29.1  FF Â
** 29  Zjatikova Vera  BLR  *09:30:00 38:41.0 +1:29.3  FF Â
** 45  Artemova Irina  RUS  *09:30:00 38:41.0 +1:29.3  FF Â
26 34  Bourgeois Pin Elodie  FRA  *09:30:00 38:47.4 +1:35.7  Â
27 27  Jatskaja Oxana  KAZ  *09:30:00 38:53.2 +1:41.5  Â
28 37  Bjoernaas Kine Beate  NOR  *09:30:00 38:54.8 +1:43.1  Â
29 25  Zjatikova Natalja  BLR  *09:30:00 38:55.5 +1:43.8  Â
30 39  Starostina Daria  KAZ  *09:30:00 38:59.7 +1:48.0  Â
31 28  Boehler Stefanie  GER  *09:30:00 39:04.2 +1:52.5  Â
32 19  Renner Sara  CAN  *09:30:00 39:04.9 +1:53.2  Â
33 12  Vaelimaa Kirsi  FIN  *09:30:00 39:06.8 +1:55.1  Â
34 38  Fessel Nicole  GER  *09:30:00 39:12.0 +2:00.3  Â
35 13  Bauer Viola  GER  *09:30:00 39:20.1 +2:08.4  Â
36 48  Peyrot Lara  ITA  *09:30:00 39:20.5 +2:08.8   Â
** 40  Soneta Chizuru  JPN  *09:30:00 39:21.0 +2:09.3  FF  Â
** 49  Paluselli Cristina  ITA  *09:30:00 39:21.1 +2:09.4  FF Â
39 43  Kolomina Elena  KAZ  *09:30:00 39:23.7 +2:12.0  Â
40 17  Vasilieva Lillia  RUS  *09:30:00 39:47.5 +2:35.8  Â
41 33  Balatkova Helena  CZE  *09:30:00 40:00.0 +2:48.3  Â
42 24  Follis Arianna  ITA  *09:30:00 40:03.8 +2:52.1  Â
43 51  Santer Stephanie  ITA  *09:30:00 40:09.9 +2:58.2  Â
44 42  Hahina Evgenia  RUS  *09:30:00 40:58.0 +3:46.3  Â
45 32  Domeij Sofia  SWE  *09:30:00 41:33.1 +4:21.4  Â
46 41  Ishida Masako  JPN  *09:30:00 41:48.1 +4:36.4  Â
47 47  Moriggl Barbara  ITA  *09:30:00 41:53.8 +4:42.1 Â