FasterSkier’s FIS World Championships coverage stands as a proud tribute to American Skiing Icon Marty Hall, who (with his wife, Kathy Hall, and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award) has supported our coverage of international cross-country ski events. Learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award at info@fasterskier.com. We’ll miss you, Marty.
After the rainy deluge of the women’s Skiathlon Sunday, the focus of the World Championships turned to the women’s 10 kilometer Classic Individual Start. The storylines were numerous and compelling. Could Therese Johaug (NOR) come back from her stinging second place photo-finish to claim a title in a race where she would face stiff competition from her teammates and others? Could Heidi Weng (NOR) overcome her own demons after her result changing tangle with Jonna Sundling (SWE) in the Skiathlon? And what about Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR)— could she bounce back after her disastrous ski exchange in the Skiathlon? Those were just the questions surrounding team Norway.
For team Sweden, Frida Karlsson (SWE) would be looking to take the top podium spot and regain her early season dominating Classic form after having just missed a podium finish on Sunday. Karlsson would still have to contend with her teammate Ebba Andersson, but Jonna Sundling (SWE) would not be racing today as she was resting for the team sprint. That meant there would be one less Swedish woman to potentially knock Karlsson off of the podium.
Whenever there is a Classic race Kerttu Niskanen’s (FIN) name is always mentioned. It’s the first race of these World Championships for her and she would be hoping to make up for lost time.
For the Americans, the question was more fundamental. Would they be able to produce good enough skis to allow their athletes to contend? After the ski preparation difficulties of the last two races, nerves had to be frayed, and no doubt anxiety was high in the American’s wax trailer. Team USA would be without their big gun as Jessie Diggins wouldn’t be racing today which came as no great surprise, given that she’s still nursing her foot injury— which Classic skiing only serves to aggravate— and that she has other races later in the championships to focus on. But it was a surprise that there were only two Americans on the start list. Rosie Brennan and Alayna Sonnesyn were the only skiers representing team USA.
Team USA and the rest of the field weren’t handed an easy hand to play as ski preparation conditions were difficult. At the race’s start, heavy wet snow was falling along with the possibility of it changing to rain with temperatures hovering around freezing; treacherous waxing conditions for Classic racing. The choice of kick wax or zero skis was a difficult decision right off the bat. No matter what the choice, conditions were going to be slow and challenging.
But as the race reached the finish, it was Andersson and Johaug again fighting for the top of the podium with Andersson taking another thrilling finish this time by just over one second ahead of Johaug. Karlsson skied well but couldn’t match the pace of Andersson and Johaug and she took third.
After the race Andersson commented that, “I was so surprised. I was prepared for hard conditions and a tight race. It feels amazing. I had good skis and tried to push everything the entire way. It’s the best I’m feeling this season and maybe the best in my career.”
Brennan ended up finishing 22nd, 2:29 behind the leaders while Sonnesyn held on for 33rd. Sonnesyn was happy with her performance. When asked how she felt about her performance she replied, “overall really good, looks like I just barely missed the top thirty.” She said that her skis felt good and that she had been racing on zero skis, as had many in the field. “It was a good zero day.”
For Brennan, her season long struggles continued. “Skiing was good, my body was less good,” said Brennan after the race. “I’m disappointed … everyone did everything they could to get me here in the best shape possible, it’s hard when it’s not enough. I’m definitely dealing with some tough not understood health things. That’s life I guess.” Brennan was uncertain what her race schedule would be for the rest of the championships.
The top Canadian finisher was Katherine Stewart-Jones finishing 27th. She was followed by Sonjaa Schmidt in 35th, and Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt in 40th.
The Women’s 10 kilometer individual start
At the start of the race it was good news for the Americans as Sonnesyn (USA) was the early leader at the two kilometer mark. While none of the favorites had gone out yet Sonnesyn’s skis appeared to be working well which had to have been a relief for the beleaguered American wax technicians.
Andersson was the first of the favorites to start with Johaug beginning a minute behind her, and Slind following just behind. At the two kilometer mark Andersson went into the lead, but it didn’t last long as Johaug came through over five seconds faster than Andersson. Slind challenged Johaug’s lead when she came through just four seconds behind Johaug, but she wouldn’t remain in second for long as Karlsson came through slightly ahead of her. Early on the four women established the trend for the entire race with the four fighting for the top spots.
Johaug, Andersson, Slind, and Karlsson continued to battle at each time check with all of the skiers being within four seconds of each other at the 3.2 kilometer time check. At the half-way point the race had tightened even more as Johaug and Andersson were separated by only 1.7 seconds with Johaug in the lead. Slind and Karlsson had dropped off the pace and were now more than 10 seconds behind the leaders. A few moments later, the lead had flipped as at 5.9 kilometers Andersson nudged into the lead by a second. By then, it appeared to be a two person race as Karlsson and Slind were now substantially off the leaders’ pace with Karlsson hanging on to third place, while Weng and Niskanen were fighting to stay in contention.
The leaders continued to seesaw in an incredibly close race as at seven kilometers Johaug regained the lead by 0.3 seconds over Andersson, while Karlsson and Slind continued to fight for third place.
With less than one kilometer to go, Johaug was again dropped into second place as Andersson surged back into first place, but by less than a second.
At the finish the race was developing into a replay of the Skiathlon with a thrilling finish looming. Andersson crossed the line first and could only wait to see what Johaug would do. Johaug frenetically double polled to the finish with the crowd screaming, but she was unable to beat Andersson’s time coming in 1.3 seconds behind the Swede. While the Swedes celebrated, they appeared to have forgotten about the racers still out on the course as Teresa Stadlober (AUT) had quietly taken the lead at the 5.9 kilometer mark.
The battle for third place was also still looming as Karlsson and Slind came into the finish with Karlsson taking third place for the time being. Suddenly though all eyes were on Stadlober who was still out on the course and had the advantage of skiing much of the race after the heavy snow had stopped. By the 8.2 kilometer mark Stadlober was still hanging on to third place and was still in third with less than a kilometer to go.
Coming into the finish, Stadlober was the last skier on the course who had a chance to impact the podium as she still had third place in her sights. She gamely fought up the last big hill herringboning up the thick slushy snow. But Stadlober couldn’t muster a quick enough finish as the slow slushy snow provided too much resistance for a finishing sprint, and Stadlober dropped to fourth.
It was another dramatic replay for the women as Johaug and Andersson once again battled to the finish in a race which was decided by just over a second with a clearly disappointed Johaug leaving the finishing area while Andersson celebrated another thrilling victory.
Women’s 10 kilometer Classic Individual Start Results.
