Randall and Harvey Turn in FasterSkier Performances of the Year

FasterSkier Performance of the Year

FasterSkier Performance of the Year is given to the top single North American performance of the 2008/2009 season.

FasterSkier Performance of the Year (women):

Kikkan Randall (USA). Kikkan Randall won the first-ever US cross-country skiing medal when she took the Silver in the freestyle sprint at the World Championships in Liberec. This was the only the third medal won by a US cross-country skier – Bill Koch won Bronze at the World Championships in 1982, and Silver at the Olympics in 1976.

This performance is one of the greatest results in US skiing history and is an easy choice for the FasterSkier Performance of the Year. Randall won this award last year after becoming the first US woman to win a World Cup race.

Kikkan Randall (left) at the World Championship Medal Ceremony (Photo: TeamToday)

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FasterSkier Performance of the Year (men):

Alex Harvey (CAN). The men’s Performance of the Year was a much harder choice, with a number of top performances throughout the season. Ultimately Harvey’s third place finish in the World Cup 50km classic in Trondheim got the nod. The 20-year-old native of Quebec battled with the top skiers in the world on a grueling course, opening up a significant lead at one point, and finally outsprinting Russian Maxim Vyleggzhanin in the homestretch to claim third.

Honorable Mention

Ivan Babikov (CAN). Babikov posted the fastest time in Tour de Ski Final Climb, claiming the “Man of the Day” award. Babikov’s performance would be impressive at any time, but the Russian turned Canadian was battling illness entering the brutal climb up the Alpe Cermis.

Kris Freeman (USA). Freeman missed out on a World Championship medal by just 1.3 seconds, finishing 4th in the 15km classic in Liberec.

Devon Kershaw (CAN). Kershaw posted the third fastest time in 15km classic pursuit on the second day of the Tour de Ski.

George Grey & Alex Harvey (CAN). Grey and Harvey teamed up to finish 3rd in the Team Sprint in front of the home crowd at the pre-Olympic World Cups in Whistler.

Andy Newell & Torin Koos (USA). Newell and Koos finished 4th in the World Cup Team Sprint in Duesseldorf, Germany.