LAHTI, Finland (March 10) – Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK) finished seventh Saturday in a 1.2K freestyle World Cup sprint at the Lahti Ski Games while Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) had the top U.S. men's result, finishing 14th in their 1.4K sprint.
World Cup leader Virpi Kuitunen of Finland won the women's sprint with teammate Riitta Liisa Roponen, also on the gold-medal winning sprint team at the recent World Championships in Japan, taking second.
Randall, who was second to Norway's Marit Bjoergen in their quarterfinal heat, didn't qualify for finals from her semis heat. That put her in the B Final (places 7-12), where she had the fastest time.
Norwegian men, led by Jens Arne Svartedal – who won the men's sprint title at Worlds when it was a classic technique event, took the top three places. Newell was 14th with Torin Koos (Leavenworth, WA) 21st.
The Lahti Ski Games continue Sunday with the men's 15K classic race and women's 10K CL.
VIESSMANN CROSS COUNTRY WORLD CUP
Lahti Ski Games
Lahti, FIN – March 10, 2007
Men's 1.4 Freestyle Sprint
(12 made semifinals)
1. Petter Northug, Norway
2. Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway
3. Eldar Roenning, Norway
4. Yuichi Onda, Japan
5. Johan Kjoelstad, Norway
–
14. Andy Newell, Shaftsbury, VT
21. Torin Koos, Leavenworth, WA
—
Women's 1.2K FR Sprint
(12 made semifinals)
1. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland
2. Riitta Liisa Roponen, Finland
3. Anna Dahlberg, Sweden
4. Petra Majdic, Slovenia
5. Arianna Follis, Italy
–
7. Kikkan Randall, Anchorage, AK
44. Laura Valaas, Wenatchee, WA
For complete results:
www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=21569&cal_suchsector=CC
