Norway's young gun Tarjei Bø redeemed a challenging season with perfect shooting and a World Championship gold in Sunday's mass start. Lowell Bailey shot clean through three stages but missed the podium with two final penalties. Tim Burke crashed early and was knocked out of contention.
US Ski Team member Andy Newell came one step closer to a World Cup podium on Saturday, placing fourth in the 1.5 k classic sprint in Davos, Switzerland. While he was 3 seconds off the mark, Newell isn't too worried: he's still got World Championships and an overall sprint title to chase. Teammate Simi Hamilton notched a season best of 13th, and Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess and Erik Bjornsen learned some lessons.
Canada's Lenny Valjas gave it his all and drained the tank for sixth, a season-best, non-stage result, and Devon Kershaw continued to his ascent into fighting form in eighth at Saturday's World Cup classic sprint in Davos, Switzerland.
Susan Dunklee used a broom handle and cleaned her first World Cup-caliber race on Friday, leading the U.S. women to a repeat 11th at IBU World Championships in the 4 x 6 k relay. The Canadian women got off to a strong start and settled for 12th.
What does it feel like to have Tora Berger breathing down your neck? Ask Germany’s Andrea Henkel, Ukraine’s Olena Pidhrushna or Italy’s Karin Oberhofer, who started the final leg of the 4 x 6-kilometer women’s relay with a mere 40-second head start.
A year after placing fifth in the 15 k individual at World Championships, American Susan Dunklee finished a solid 15th on her birthday despite falling and busting her rifle stock on the last lap. Canadian Rosanna Crawford raced through the range for a career-best 17th at her first World Championships.
For Tora Berger, it just keeps getting better. Norway’s leading female biathlete took control at the IBU World Championships on Wednesday, cruising through the 15-kilometer individual race to not only defend her title by nearly a minute, but do so without error in Nové Město, Czech Republic.
Kris Freeman was ready for the Tour to be over sooner than he could get out of Europe. Afterward, the US Ski Team veteran headed home, where he spent a full week recovering then building back up to normal. Before picking things up again in Davos, Switzerland, Freeman won two domestic marathons and is feeling primed for the World Cup and World Championships.
Sophie Caldwell hung tough for second place in Sunday's skate sprint in Estonia, just 0.14 seconds out of first, for her best Scando Cup result. Jennie Bender had another solid day in 11th and three other American women made the top 30. On Saturday, Ben Saxton led the U.S. men in 33rd in the classic sprint.
A few days after calling it a season and flying home to Canmore, Alberta, Chandra Crawford and her coach Eric de Nys talk about her decision and what's next for Canada's Olympic gold medalist as she tries to recover for Sochi.
You'll see her now and then in a World Cup race, and when she shows up, she's usually a podium contender. FasterSkier caught up with Japan's Masako Ishida to ask her about her recent achievements and World Championships goals.
Jess Cockney and Emily Nishikawa, both of the Alberta World Cup Academy and Senior Development Team, wrapped up Eastern Canadian Championships with the overall titles Sunday, winning their respective 30- and 15-kilometer pursuits in Cantley, Quebec.
Canadians Perianne Jones and Dasha Gaiazova hung tough and charged late to pick up their first podium of the season, notching third in Sunday's classic team sprint at the Sochi World Cup. Finland's Mona-Liisa Malvalehto and Anne Kyllönen skied away from Russia for the victory, winning by more than five seconds.
Two Alberta World Cup Academy athletes topped the podium on the second day of Eastern Canadian Championships, with Michael Somppi winning another 15 k freestyle and Kate Brennan tallying her second-career NorAm win in the 10 k at Nakkertok Ski Club.
Kristin Størmer Steira went with her instinct on Saturday and decided to go for it shortly after the halfway point of the pre-Olympic 15 k skiathlon in Sochi. The 31-year-old Norwegian stayed ahead and won by nearly 20 seconds for her first individual World Cup victory in four years.
Alysson Marshall overcame the gut-wrenching and familiar feeling of being sick for her first NorAm win of the season, and Phil Widmer continued his classic-sprint winning ways on Day 1 of the Eastern Canadian Championships in Cantley, Quebec.
Petter Northug got down to business Friday at the Sochi Olympic venue's first World Cup, winning the 1.8 k freestyle sprint ahead of Dario Cologna, Italian David Hofer and best of all to him, three Russians.
After a bad crash while training in Sochi, Alex Harvey dislocated his shoulder and will not be competing in the upcoming World Cups Friday through Sunday. The Canadian national team member will take four to five days off, but should be OK for World Championships.
Twelve athletes, including five domestic skiers, were nominated for selection to Canada's 2013 Senior World Championship team, which will compete in the Davos World Cup Feb.16-17 and the WSC in Val di Fiemme, Italy Feb.20 – March 3. Updated with quotes.
Brittany Webster tallied an important win at her home course and race favourite Graham Nishikawa skied away from the field at the Highlands Nordic NorAm on Sunday, which concluded the Canadian World Championships trials.