The World Cup continues today in downtown Bern, Switzerland with freestyle sprints for women (800 meters) and men (1350 meters.) Norwegian men, led by Tor Arne Hetland and Trond Iverson, dominate the qualification round with five skiers advancing to the elimination heats. Sweden also has a strong showing with Thobias Fredrikkson joined by three other teamates in the top sixteen.
On the women's side, Marit Bjorgen appears on track for another win, turning in the fastest qualification time of 1:36.93 on the 800 meter course, just ahead of Anna Dahlberg of Sweden. Canadian Sara Renner takes a strong ninth place to move into the quarterfinals.
Local Swiss fans have the chance to cheer on two of their “own” racers in the heats, with Laurence Rochat and Christoph Eigenmann each qualifying in their respective fields. Check back for results from the final rounds later today.
Results from the men's and women's qualification round:
Men
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Time
1 1092511 HETLAND Tor Arne 1974 NOR 2:27.19
2 1185340 IVERSEN Trond 1976 NOR 2:27.83
3 1192130 FREDRIKSSON Thobias 1975 SWE 2:28.29
4 1067485 ZORZI Cristian 1972 ITA 2:29.39
5 3420131 KJOELSTAD Johan 1983 NOR 2:29.56
6 3190025 DARRAGON Roddy 1983 FRA 2:30.17
7 3420012 NAESS Boerre 1982 NOR 2:30.50
8 1370707 LIND Bjoern 1978 SWE 2:30.74
9 1243540 OESTBERG Mikael 1977 SWE 2:30.75
10 3420002 DAHL John Kristian 1981 NOR 2:30.90
11 1223267 PASINI Renato 1977 ITA 2:31.06
12 1268566 EIGENMANN Christoph 1979 SUI 2:31.07
13 1230930 SVARTEDAL Jens Arne 1976 NOR 2:31.40
13 1093869 KREZELOK Janusz 1974 POL 2:31.40
15 3390008 SAAREPUU Anti 1983 EST 2:31.48
16 1365663 LARSSON Peter 1978 SWE 2:31.63
17 1374975 ROTCHEV Vassili 1980 RUS 2:31.75
18 3390001 JALLAI Erkki 1981 EST 2:31.89
19 1223558 FRASNELLI Loris 1979 ITA 2:32.06
20 1181072 SCHWIENBACHER Freddy 1975 ITA 2:32.11
21 1100077 VITTOZ Vincent 1975 FRA 2:32.56
22 1235877 VON ALLMEN Peter 1978 SUI 2:32.69
23 1223364 DEBERTOLIS Bruno 1978 ITA 2:32.76
24 1263425 TRONDSEN Krister 1978 NOR 2:32.90
25 1230542 SKAAREN Arve 1977 NOR 2:33.01
26 1175058 KOUKAL Martin 1978 CZE 2:33.18
27 1276617 ONDA Yuichi 1980 JPN 2:33.42
28 3150035 KOZISEK Dusan 1983 CZE 2:33.53
29 1376430 JOUTSEN Jari 1978 FIN 2:33.69
30 1178162 ANGERER Tobias 1977 GER 2:33.75
31 1256829 KLESSEN Dirk 1980 GER 2:34.08
32 1173700 STOEGGL Thomas 1977 AUT 2:34.13
33 3480287 DEVJATIAROV Mickail Jun. 1985 RUS 2:34.17
34 1374587 BREDL Johannes 1982 GER 2:34.25
35 1207747 REVIN Victor 1975 RUS 2:34.28
36 1258575 HOFMANN Egon 1980 ITA 2:34.32
36 3480280 MORILOV Nikolay 1986 RUS 2:34.32
38 3290026 RIGONI Mirko 1982 ITA 2:34.76
39 1219193 PYYKOENEN Lauri 1978 FIN 2:34.81
40 3480015 ALYPOV Ivan 1982 RUS 2:34.85
41 1367215 HONDA Shohei 1982 JPN 2:34.92
42 1116470 FAFALIS Lefteris 1976 GRE 2:35.10
43 1238787 HOEGBERG Anders 1976 SWE 2:35.14
44 3500005 BYSTROEM Fredrik 1982 SWE 2:35.39
45 3190002 CHAUVET Benoit 1981 FRA 2:35.44
46 1310470 KRECZMER Maciej 1981 POL 2:35.46
47 3510115 WALDMEIER Andreas 1982 SUI 2:35.48
48 3200046 STITZL Andreas 1974 GER 2:35.59
49 1077670 PALOLAHTI Ari 1968 FIN 2:35.74
50 1298054 PASINI Fabio 1980 ITA 2:35.93
51 3480041 EGOSHIN Dmitriy 1981 RUS 2:36.31
52 1249069 MURRAY Paul 1977 AUS 2:36.43
53 3200012 HAENEL Erik 1984 GER 2:36.68
54 1344905 KURTTILA Keijo 1975 FIN 2:36.80
55 1366827 SIELER Christian 1981 GER 2:36.91
56 1255277 MOELLER Martin Troels 1980 DAN 2:36.94
57 1069425 WALPEN Dominik 1974 SUI 2:37.13
58 1313574 FLURY Gaudenz 1980 SUI 2:37.97
59 3190030 FANJAS CLARET Sylvain 1983 FRA 2:38.40
60 1361492 BURN Bernhard 1981 SUI 2:39.71
61 1378564 ILOMAEKI Jirka 1977 FIN 2:39.91
62 3570001 KRAAS Oliver 1975 RSA 2:41.50
63 1281952 TAGSCHERER Zoltan 1976 HUN 2:41.80
64 1361880 NYIKOS Thomas 1980 SUI 2:41.82
65 1288354 BUCHS Andreas 1981 SUI 2:44.75
66 1364014 STADELMANN Jan 1983 SUI 2:44.94
67 1362365 CAVIEZEL Gian 1983 SUI 2:45.13
68 1313477 FISCHER Boris 1980 SUI 2:45.62
69 1108419 GRAF Urs 1975 SUI 2:45.87
70 1363820 FURRER Philipp 1983 SUI 2:46.16
71 1190287 GAY Stephane 1978 SUI 2:47.11
Women
Rank FIS Code Name Year Nation Time
1 1303777 BJOERGEN Marit 1980 NOR 1:36.93
2 1237817 DAHLBERG Anna 1976 SWE 1:37.53
3 1255665 SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1979 FIN 1:38.37
3 1255471 MANNINEN Pirjo 1981 FIN 1:38.37
5 1242958 OEHRSTIG Emelie 1978 SWE 1:38.68
6 3295002 MORIGGL Barbara 1982 ITA 1:38.76
7 1304165 GJOEMLE Ella 1979 NOR 1:38.83
8 1367021 SIDKO Alena 1979 RUS 1:38.85
9 1128886 RENNER Sara 1976 CAN 1:39.35
10 3185005 PERAELAE Kirsi 1982 FIN 1:39.44
11 3425115 SOLLI Guro Stroem 1983 NOR 1:39.53
12 1220648 KUENZEL Claudia 1978 GER 1:39.62
13 1191354 ROCHAT Laurence 1979 SUI 1:39.69
14 1139071 MORODER Karin 1974 ITA 1:39.77
15 1260903 PEDERSEN Hilde G. 1964 NOR 1:39.98
16 1293107 BOEHLER Stefanie 1981 GER 1:40.21
17 1213761 KLAUS Isabel 1978 GER 1:40.26
18 3185004 SARASOJA Riikka 1982 FIN 1:40.55
19 1248778 BACHMANN Flurina 1979 SUI 1:40.58
20 1371192 FEICHTNER Barbara 1982 AUT 1:40.82
20 3195001 JAEGGY Aurelie 1984 FRA 1:40.82
22 1350628 FUKUDA Nobuko 1980 JPN 1:41.15
23 1250524 GENUIN Magda 1979 ITA 1:41.37
24 1345099 BOURGEOIS PIN Elodie 1982 FRA 1:41.60
25 1305426 SKOFTERUD Vibeke W 1980 NOR 1:41.68
26 1312701 MISCHOL Seraina 1981 SUI 1:41.83
26 1345390 VINA Emilie 1982 FRA 1:41.83
28 3665001 VASILJONOK Olga 1980 BLR 1:41.92
29 3515038 TRACHSEL Doris 1984 SUI 1:41.94
30 1169432 NATSUMI Madoka 1978 JPN 1:42.04
31 1113754 HENKEL Manuela 1974 GER 1:42.23
32 1002786 PARUZZI Gabriella 1969 ITA 1:42.48
33 1138877 FOLLIS Arianna 1977 ITA 1:42.65
34 3435001 KOWALCZYK Justyna 1983 POL 1:42.93
35 1285929 STORTI Aurelie 1980 FRA 1:42.99
36 1365178 BOTTOMLEY Esther 1983 AUS 1:43.20
37 3425155 AAS Sigrid 1980 NOR 1:43.23
38 3485024 HAHINA Evgenia 1981 RUS 1:43.71
39 3485030 ROCHEVA Olga 1980 RUS 1:43.92
40 1092123 RESCHWAMM SCHULZE Anke 1972 GER 1:44.23
41 3485198 IVANOVA Julia 1985 RUS 1:44.80
42 1129371 BARANOVA- MASOLKINA Natalia 1975 RUS 1:45.36
43 1092996 TCHEPALOVA Julija 1976 RUS 1:46.57
44 1360619 KUNZ Nicole 1982 SUI 1:48.43
45 1327348 CALDER Katherine 1980 AUS 1:49.93