After four second-place finishes in World Cup races, Sabina Valbusa finally climbed to the top of the podium. In the final World Cup race of this season, she led the entire race, and won with an almost 30 seconds margin to 2002 Olympic Champion Julia Tchepalova, RUS and Katerina Neumanova, CZE.
Beckie Scott continued to show great skiing in 7th place, while US Rebecca Dussault scored her first ever World Cup points in 28th place.
The season’s overall World Cup winner Gabrialla Paruzzi ended up in 9th place, which was enough to keep her closest competitor Marit Bjoergen behind on the overall points list. The Italians could therefore celebrate double victories in this World Cup final, the overall season title and the final race of the season – perhaps a good omen at the site of the 2006 Olympic Cross-Country competitions.
Results:
Women 15 km Free Technique
1 Valbusa Sabina ITA 36:56.5 0.0
2 Tchepalova Julija RUS 37:22.5 +26.0
3 Neumannova Katerina CZE 37:25.8 +29.3
4 Pedersen Hilde G. NOR 37:55.4 +58.9
5 Shevchenko Valentina UKR 38:20.7 +1:24.2
6 Confortola Antonella ITA 38:22.8 +1:26.3
7 Scott Beckie CAN 38:23.8 +1:27.3
8 Savialova Olga RUS 38:26.6 +1:30.1
9 Paruzzi Gabriella ITA 38:27.0 +1:30.5
10 Sachenbacher Evi GER 38:35.5 +1:39.0
11 Muerer Stemland Kristin NOR 39:00.2 +2:03.7
12 Reschwamm Schulze Anke GER 39:10.5 +2:14.0
13 Kuitunen Virpi FIN 39:22.0 +2:25.5
14 Vorontsova Ekaterina RUS 39:34.9 +2:38.4
15 Kurkina Larisa RUS 39:38.6 +2:42.1
16 Philippot Karine FRA 39:43.5 +2:47.0
17 Salonen Satu FIN 39:57.5 +3:01.0
18 Saarinen Aino Kaisa FIN 39:59.5 +3:03.0
19 Boehler Stefanie GER 40:12.7 +3:16.2
20 Kuenzel Claudia GER 40:19.5 +3:23.0
21 Smigun Kristina EST 40:25.0 +3:28.5
22 Yokoyama Sumiko JPN 40:25.1 +3:28.6
23 Genuin Magda ITA 40:26.3 +3:29.8
24 Follis Arianna ITA 40:26.7 +3:30.2
25 Janeckova Ivana CZE 40:28.1 +3:31.6
26 Bjoergen Marit NOR 40:36.7 +3:40.2
27 Oedegaard Unni NOR 40:40.0 +3:43.5
28 Dussault Rebecca USA 40:41.2 +3:44.7
29 Santer Anna ITA 40:47.1 +3:50.6
30 Storti Aurelie FRA 40:54.4 +3:57.9
31 Manninen Pirjo FIN 40:55.2 +3:58.7
32 Bjoernaas Kine Beate NOR 41:03.7 +4:07.2
33 Soneta Chizuru JPN 41:05.3 +4:08.8
34 Longa Marianna ITA 41:12.4 +4:15.9
35 Artemova Irina RUS 41:15.5 +4:19.0
36 Viljanmaa Annmari FIN 41:23.2 +4:26.7
37 Moroder Karin ITA 41:28.2 +4:31.7
38 Rajdlova Kamila CZE 41:39.7 +4:43.2
39 Novikova Valentina RUS 41:50.1 +4:53.6
40 Ek Elin SWE 41:57.2 +5:00.7
41 Sarasoja Riikka FIN 41:58.3 +5:01.8
42 Santer Stephanie ITA 42:03.1 +5:06.6
43 Skofterud Vibeke W. NOR 42:04.6 +5:08.1
44 Balatkova Helena CZE 42:32.0 +5:35.5
45 Theriault Milaine CAN 42:39.5 +5:43.0
46 Nojiri Azusa JPN 42:40.1 +5:43.6
47 Benedicic Maja SLO 43:13.0 +6:16.5
48 Rydqvist Maria SWE 43:43.5 +6:47.0
