This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com.
Any time a Cross Country World Cup is contested on Norwegian snow, the story is likely to be about the racing prowess of the many additional Norwegian skiers who are granted start positions (a courtesy that FIS provides to host nations). Today’s World Cup 10 k Freestyle race was no exception, with the list of finishers in Lillehammer being led by a crowd of Norwegian stars and soon-to-be stars. With only one World Cup start on his record, 22 year old Iver Tildheim Andersen earned an unexpected win over his more famous countrymen, Didrik Toenseth (2nd) and Hans Christer Holund (3rd).
Up and coming North American skiers also took advantage of this moment to shine, as Zak Ketterson posted a World Cup career-best 26th place finish, closely followed by Gus Schumacher in 32nd. Other American finishers included Scott Patterson (40th), Hunter Wonders (45th), and Ben Ogden (56th). Canadian finishers included an impressive World Cup performance by Oliver Leveille (36th), followed by Antoine Cyr (46th), and Graham Ritchie (51st).
The additional story in Lillehammer, though, was about who was NOT on the roster of starters: in this case, World Cup leader Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo. Norwegian news reports indicate that Klaebo’s absence from the race was due to illness (a sore throat, with early reports suggesting it is unrelated to Covid). It is unknown whether he will be at the start for tomorrow’s World Cup Sprint. With Klaebo’s absence from today’s racing, his Norwegian teammate, Paal Golberg, takes over the lead in the World Cup Distance standings.
Fresh snow decorated the trees along the Lillehammer course, but the snow that lay on the ground appeared heavy and wet. On a day marked by relatively warm conditions, many racers were feeling their way into the race rather than charging blindly ahead. Early splits were widely spread as skiers attempted to sort out the conditions and determine where best to glide and where best to drive. One of the early standouts was England’s Andrew Musgrave. Skiing barehanded on this relatively warm Norwegian day, Musgrave was one of the few who pushed the pace early.
Ketterson’s 26th place represents a season’s-best finish, and an indicator that his training and his preparation are bringing him into form at just the right time. “I think just having another year of professional training under my belt has made a really big difference,” he commented. “Last year was my first season with Team Birkie and I was able to make a pretty big jump. This summer and fall has just been a continuation of the momentum we picked up last year and it’s been pretty cool to see it working out so far.”
While Ketterson’s career-best World Cup finish was last spring in Falun when he was 15th in the 15 k skate, today’s result bodes well for the remainder of Ketterson’s World Cup season. “I think it is a great sign of things to come,” he said. “It’s easy to forget that it’s still only the beginning of December and it is a very long season!
For surprise winner, Andersen, the day was one that must’ve felt like a dream. “It was pretty amazing,” he said. “I didn’t actually expect to win this race.”
