Weekend Roundup: Podium in First World Cup of the Season? No Problem for Canada

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