In the first race of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) World Cup season, Rosanna Crawford and Nathan Smith reached the podium, placing second in the single mixed relay in Östersund, Sweden. Three seasons after the event was introduced, Crawford and Smith made history for Canada on Sunday. It was Canada’s first relay podium, and it was also Crawford’s first time in the top three at the World Cup.
“It feels amazing,” Crawford said. “I feel so lucky to share the podium with my teammate who I’ve trained with for so long.”
On the same day, Canada’s four-person mixed relay — Julia Ransom, Zina Kocher, Scott Gow, and Brendan Green — finished ninth for Biathlon Canada’s best result in the event in four years. The U.S. placed 10th with Susan Dunklee, Annelies Cook, Leif Nordgren, and Lowell Bailey.
Meanwhile, some 1,000 kilometers north in Kuusamo, Finland, the International Ski Federation (FIS) Cross Country World Cup season kicked off with the Ruka Triple last Friday. In the classic sprint that day, U.S. Ski Team veteran Andy Newell rocketed to fourth, his best World Cup result in three seasons, and his teammate Ida Sargent placed seventh in the women’s sprint.
On Saturday, Canadian Alex Harvey placed second in the 10 k freestyle for his first-ever podium before Christmas. In the women’s 5 k freestyle, Americans Sadie Bjornsen and Jessie Diggins took 14th and 16th, respectively, to put themselves in 11th and 19th overall going into the final pursuit.
The next day, Harvey started sixth and finished seventh in the 15 k classic pursuit, while Bjornsen held her own in 14th in the women’s 10 k pursuit to end the Ruka mini tour.
The first Nordic Combined World Cup of the season in Kuusamo was ultimately canceled after a string of postponements due to wind. They’ll start the season next weekend in Lillehammer, Norway.
Stateside in the U.S., the SuperTour opened in West Yellowstone and FasterSkier was on site to report on individual wins from Jennie Bender, Katharine Ogden, Logan Hanneman, and Brian Gregg.
The IBU World Cup in Östersund continues on Wednesday with the first individual race of the season, the men’s 20 k.
U.S. SuperTour, West Yellowstone, Mont.
Friday’s classic sprint: men’s report | women’s report
Saturday’s 10/15 k freestyle: women’s report | men’s report
FIS Cross Country World Cup, Kuusamo, Finland
Friday’s classic sprint: recap | U.S. men’s report | U.S. women’s report | Canadian report
Saturday’s 5/10 k freestyle: men’s recap | Canadian men’s report | women’s report | U.S. women’s report
Sunday’s 10/15 k classic pursuit: men’s report | U.S. women’s report | international women’s report
IBU World Cup, Östersund, Sweden
Sunday’s single mixed relay: international report | Canadian report
Sunday’s four-person mixed relay: report
FIS Nordic Combined World Cup, Kuusamo, Finland
Competitions canceled due to wind: blog post
- 2015 West Yellowstone SuperTour
- 2015/2016 FIS Cross Country World Cup
- 2015/2016 IBU World Cup
- 2015/2016 US SuperTour
- Alex Harvey
- Annelies Cook
- biathlon canada
- Brendan Green
- Brian Gregg
- Canadian World Cup Team
- IBU World Cup
- Ida Sargent
- Jennie Bender
- Jessie Diggins
- Julia Ransom
- katharine ogden
- Leif Nordgren
- Logan Hanneman
- Lowell Bailey
- Nathan Smith
- Östersund
- Rosanna Crawford
- Sadie Bjornsen
- Scott Gow
- Susan Dunklee
- U.S. Ski Team
- weekend roundup
- Zina Kocher