There was a lot going on this weekend on the ski racing scene and many of our readers have better things to do then sitting in front of their computer (if you don’t that is cool too – we don’t either).
Here is a recap of the weekend’s action with links to the main stories.
World Cup Cross-Country
The big story of course was Kikkan Randall winning the individual sprint and coming back the next day to take second in the team sprint with teammate Sadie Bjornsen.
Individual Sprint Women’s Race Report – Randall Wins, Crawford 4th
Individual Sprint North American Report – Jones and Bjornsen Just Miss Heats
Team Sprint Women’s Race Report – Norway Wins, US 2nd
On the men’s side, Andy Newell and Devon Kershaw were eliminated in the quarterfinals in the individual sprint while Norwegian Ola Vigen Hattestad, a two-time Sprint Cup champion took the victory over Alexei Petukhov (RUS) and Paal Golberg (NOR)
Individual Sprint Men’s Race Report – Hattestad Comes from Behind
Individual Sprint North American Report – Newell and Kershaw Eliminated
In the Team Sprint, Lenny Valjas and Drew Goldsack were an impressive 5th. Teodor Peterson grabbed another podium with Jesper Modin as Sweden won the race.
Team Sprint Men’s Race Report – Sweden on Top
Team Sprint North American Report – Goldsack and Valjas 5th
World Cup Biathlon
Lowell Bailey finished a career-best 5th in the individual race, with teammate Tim Burke in 12th and Canadian Brendan Green taking 14th. Burke moved up to 9th in the pursuit while Bailey slipped to a still-strong 16th.
Men’s Biathlon Individual Race Report – Bergman Wins, Bailey 5th
Men’s Biathlon Pursuit Race Report – Fourcade Dominant, Burke 9th
On the women’s side, Susan Dunklee led the US with a 28th, marking a significant step forward. Zina Kocher (CAN) placed 15th in the individual and teammate Megan Imrie 33rd.
Magdalena Neuner (GER) won the race in dramatic fashion, edging Tora Berger (NOR) by .2 seconds.
Women’s Biathlon Individual Race Report – Neuner Wins, Kocher 15h
In the pursuit, Berger took revenge riding one penalty to a clear victory.
Women’s Biathlon Pursuit Race Report – Berger Cruieses
World Cup Nordic Combined
Taylor Fletcher notched a career-best 21st in the Gundersen format race on Saturday with brother Bryan bettering him with a 16th in the new penalty race. Billy Demong miscounted his penalty laps and was disqualified on Sunday, but felt good about his race.
Halvard Klementsen won the first race for Norway and German Erik Frenzel was off the front on Sunday.
Nordic Combined Saturday Race Report – Taylor Fletcher 21st
Nordic Combined Sunday Race Report – Bryan Fletcher 16th, Deomn DQ’d
SuperTour
A last-minute snowfall and hard work by volunteers salvaged the three race set in Bozeman, Montana.
In the Saturday morning sprint, Mike Sinnott and Jessie Diggins took the victory. In the afternoon Sylvan Ellefson won the men’s 10km freestyle and Diggins was a repeat victor in the 5k.
On Sunday, the race was shortened to 10/15k. Ellefson and Diggins were once again at the top of the heap, while Sinnott and Diggins wrapped up the overall SuperTour lead for period 1.
Saturday Men’s SuperTour Race Report – Sinnott and Ellefson Win
Saturday Women’s SuperTour Race Report – Diggins Sweeps
Sunday Women’s SuperTour Race Report – Diggins Wins Again
Sunday Men’s SuperTour Race Report – Ellefson Makes it a Streak
Women’s Overall SuperTour Standings
Men’s Overall SuperTour Standings
Other Racing
USST athletes Liz Stephen, Kris Freeman, Noah Hoffman, and Tad Elliot competed in a FIS race in Austria. Stpehen won and Hoffman was third.
