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FasterSkier begins its coverage of the 2023-2024 FIS World Cup with the first day of competition from Ruka, Finland. A cold day offered consistent conditions for this Classic Sprint. Even so, Norway advanced seven (!) skiers through to the sprint semifinals.
In qualifying at the beginning of the day’s events, 2023 World Cup Sprint and Overall champion, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, qualified an uncharacteristic fourth. It had been announced earlier that Klaebo had suffered a bout of sickness (possibly even Covid) in the week prior to the Ruka World Cup, so his dominance remained in question. Any such questions ultimately proved prophetic as Klaebo suffered one of the few sprint defeats of his extraordinary career. Erik Valnes (NOR) claimed his career-second victory in a classic sprint, followed by Richard Jouve (FRA) in second, and Klaebo in third.
Among Americans, Ben Ogden and JC Schonmaker qualified eighth and ninth, respectively, less than three seconds behind the top qualifier, Marcus Grate (SWE). Ogden would finish the day in 11th, with Schoonmaker finishing 22nd.
Canadian qualifiers included Graham Ritchie (19th) and Antoine Cyr (21st). At the end of the day’s racing, Ritchie would finish 23rd, and Cyr 24th.
No team demonstrated a distinct ski advantage in the quarterfinal heats, though many of the top skiers did seem to enjoy the best glide. Klaebo coasted to the win in the first quarterfinal (nearly five seconds faster than his own qualifying time) ahead of countryman Erik Valnes (NOR) and Jules Chapaz (FRA).
Even Northug (NOR) had to work extraordinarily hard to advance out of his quarterfinal behind heat winner, Lauri Vuorinen (FIN). Top qualifier, Grate, tangled briefly with Northug on a tight corner. A stumble—and broken pole—ended Grate’s day.
Ogden cruised through his quarterfinal ahead of Ansgar Evensen (NOR) and Paal Golberg (NOR). Cyr finished fifth in that same quarterfinal, ahead of an uncharacteristically flat Lucas Chanavat (FRA)
Schoonmaker finished fifth in his quarterfinal behind heat winner Federico Pellegrino (ITA) and runner-up, Richard Jouve (FRA) who both showed good form and easy speed.
“It’s definitely always a bit shocking at the start of the season to get used to the speed,” Schoonmaker said. “I think just racing more prepares you for the speed of things so getting the first one done and doing a bit of calibrating for the next one feels good.”
Men’s Sprint Semifinals
Ogden lined up in semifinal one alongside the Norwegians—Klaebo, Northug, Valnes, Amundsen—and Lauri Vuorinen (FIN). His sometime-tactic utilized in numerous sprints last year (a hyper-speed scramble to test the semifinal fields of numerous World Cup Sprints) was not on display today, as Ogden tucked in behind the red Norwegian wall. Klaebo cruised easily to the front of the semifinal field (ahead of Valnes), while Ogden’s kick wax seemed lacking on the final uphill. He faded to fifth in the heat, and would finish the day in 11th.
“Today I was happy in the quarterfinals with saving energy and being able to kick over the top of the hill,” Ogden said. “But I wish I had been a little bit more assertive in my position, and had a bit more of a plan going into the semifinal.”
“I took a different tactical route today. It’s always hard to determine if its smarter to try and sit in the back and save energy, or to get to the the front and stay out of trouble. Today in the quarterfinal I decided to try and save energy, and it worked out great so I tried again in the semi. There I paid the price and was caught in a few little stumbles, lane changing antics. I unfortunately didn’t have the strength to get back in contact after that stuff. Generally, I was happy to go in with a different tactical plan and execute with reasonable success.”
Pellegrino showed perfect wax and refined fitness in dominating the second semifinal ahead of Jouve.
Men’s Sprint Final
If Sweden dominated the Women’s Sprint in Ruka (with four skiers in the Women’s final), then the Norwegian men’s team demonstrated its own level of dominance in the Men’s Sprint with a final field in which four Norwegians (Klaebo, Jennsen, Evensen, Valnes) faced Pellegrino and Jouve. Klaebo’s fine skis delivered him to the front on the downhills, though he decided to mark Valnes and Jouve on the other working sections of the course. Klaebo got clogged up behind Valnes and Jouve at the bottom of the late-course uphill, and he never managed to recover his speed on the crucial slope. Valnes showed his fitness as he strided away from Jouve, while Klaebo managed to hold off Pellegrino for the final podium spot.
World Cup coverage from Ruka continues on Saturday with the Men’s and Women’s 10 k Interval Start, followed by Sunday’s 20 k Mass Start.
Men’s Sprint Qualifying RESULTS
Men’s Sprint Final RESULTS
John Teaford
John Teaford—the Managing Editor of FasterSkier — has been the coach of Olympians, World Champions, and World Record Holders in six sports: Nordic skiing, speedskating, road cycling, track cycling, mountain biking, triathlon. In his long career as a writer/filmmaker, he spent many seasons as Director of Warren Miller’s annual feature film, and Producer of adventure documentary films for Discovery, ESPN, Disney, National Geographic, and NBC Sports.
