2005 February

Source: Langrenn.com

Canada's Sara Renner Reels in Bronze Medal at Nordic World Ski Championships -Canadian Nordic squad enjoys strongest day ever at World Champs – Oberstdorf, GER-It took eight years of hard work, countless hours of training, and the patience of a lion waiting to pounce on its prey, but Canada’s Sara Renner finally had her breakthrough performance on Tuesday, winning a bronze medal in the sprint event at the Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany....

First sprint top-15 for an American OBERSTDORF, Germany (Feb. 22) – Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) battled his way into finals of the men's 1.2K classic technique sprint Tuesday at the World Nordic Ski Championships. He eventually finished 12th with Vassili Rotchev of Russia taking the gold medal. In a stunning development, reigning sprint world champion and World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen of Norway failed to make the final 16 skiers in the women's 900-meter sprint....

Following up on his world-beating qualifying time, Russia's Vassili Rotchev finally found his way to the top step of the podium when he won the men's A-final at the Oberstdorf World Championships earlier today. Rotchev put forth an amazing effort to hold off the incredibly strong Tor Arne Hetland of Norway, who won the silver medal at 0.2 seconds behind Rotchev. Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset Racing In The Pursuit In Oberstdorf. Photo by Stian Hogland It was...

Sara Renner has long lived in the shadow of her Canadian teammate and Olympic Gold Medalist, Beckie Scott. This was true right up through the qualification round of the World Championship individual classic sprint, where Beckie qualified for the head-to-head elimination heats with a strong 5th place effort and Renner managed “only” 12th, still within qualification range. But when it came down to business in her quarterfinal heat, Beckie Scott could not match the pace...

Here is a link to the Estonian “ETV” site, which has several video clips of the World Championships including today's men's and women's sprint finals. Note: you must have a fast connection speed and some kind of media player in order to view these clips.

Vassili Rotchev of Russia posted the fastest qualifying time in the preliminary round of the World Championship classic sprint in Oberstdorf, Germany. Bjoern Lind was second, leading fellow Swedish qualifiers Mats Larsson and Thobias Fredriksson, the former World Champion in the freestyle technique. Norway managed to put all four of their starters into the top 16, with recent World Cup sprint winner Eldar Roenning replacing Jens Arne Svartedal who was reportedly sick. The exciting news...

The 1.2km individual classic sprint at the Oberstdorf Worlds has begun with the preliminary qualification round. Incredibly, the pre-race favorite Marit Bjoergen, who has won every world cup sprint this season save one, failed to qualify and ended up 17th. Bjoergen's teammates Ella Gjoemle and Guro Stroem Solli managed to advance to the quarterfinal heats, so it appears unlikely that there were any major waxing problems for the Norwegian team. Beckie Scott Starting The SuperTour...

14 North Americans are entered to race in Tuesday’s classic individual sprint. Marit Bjorgen and Jens Arne Svartedal pre-race favorites. Watch the race live here on Fasterskier.com http://www.fis-ski.com , click on Nordic World Championship and go to sprint qualification. North Americans entered for the sprint event: Team Canada Women: Chandra Crawford, Milaine Theriault, Sara Renner and Beckie Scott Men: Gordon Jewett, George Grey, Drew Goldsack and Devon Kershaw Team USA Women: Kikkan Randall, Rebecca Dussault...

The U.S. foursome did not receive a final placing when it was pulled off the course after being lapped during the third 5K leg, the first skating leg. OBERSTDORF, Italy (Feb. 21) – World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen pulled away on an uphill 700 meters from the finish Monday and lifted Norway to its first gold medal of the World Nordic Ski Championships in the women's 4x5K mixed relay. Russia was silver medalist nation, 7.6...

Kristin Stoermer Steira When Steira tagged off to Norwegian anchor Marit Bjoergen, it was up to Bjoergen to live up to her boast that she would win the relay if Russia and Norway started the final leg together. Bjoergen had her work cut out for her, skiing against the newly crowned pursuit World Champion and former Olympic sprint winner: Julija Tchepalova. With 700 meters to go, Bjoergen put the hammer down. On the last big...