Apparently it is too much to hope for a doping free season. Over the past month several doping scandals have made headlines. First, the FIS released the news that the urine sample provided by Russian sprinter Natalia Matveeva following the World Cup classic sprint in Whistler on January 16th tested positive for EPO. Despite initial reports that the B-sample would be tested within a week at the WADA lab in Quebec, no additional information has been forthcoming. Matveeva is provisionally...
Spring is here whether you like it or not. Sure, there is plenty of skiing to be done in many parts of the country, but the 2008-2009 racing season is over, and it is time to take care of cleaning up and putting away. After a long and often exhausting winter of travel and racing, it is easy to throw the skis in the storage closet and start working on your bike. The winter quickly...
The 2008-2009 World Cup season came to an end a little over a week ago in Falun, Sweden, and while the 2009-2010 World Cup opener is less than 240 days away, there is a little time to take a look back at an eventful season. FIS made the decision to get going a little later this year, abandoning the late October city sprint in Germany, and kicking things off in Gaellivare, Sweden at a much...
A few weeks ago “Can Northug be considered a true champion if he doesn’t treat his competitors with respect?” The question stimulated quite a bit of discussion and is worth following up with a bit more information on Northug. I was recently in Norway, where Northug’s antics are laughed off. The people I talked to did not necessarily approve of his actions, but he is the on the home team, and one of the best...
Fairbanks, Alaska – James Southam (APUNSC/Atomic) and Kristina Strandberg (Saab Salomon Factory Team) won the rescheduled 5/10km US Nationals classic race yesterday. This race was originally scheduled for January in Anchorage, but was canceled due to cold temperatures. Weather was not a problem in Fairbanks with sunny skies and temperatures in the teens. However, the recent explosion of Mt. Redoubt prevented some skiers from reaching Fairbanks in time for the race, including Canadian World Cup...
Falun, Sweden – Justyna Kowalczyk became the first ever overall World Cup winner in cross-country from Poland today. She held off the competition in the final event of the season to win the World Cup Final. A hard charging Therese Johaug (NOR) was second, and Charlotte Kalla (SWE) took third in the 10km freestyle handicap start race. Kowalczyk started the 48 seconds ahead of Anna Olsson (SWE) and skied hard out of the start. Olsson,...
Falun, Sweden – Dario Cologna (SUI) had no problem maintaining his lead in the final World Cup race of the season, winning bot the the four event World Cup Final and the overall World Cup title. Vincent Vittoz (FRA)finished second, and Alex Harvey (CAN) skied up from 11th to 6th in the 15km freestlye handicap start. Cologna started the day with a 58 second lead on Alexander Legkov (RUS), and a 1:20 lead on Petter...
Falun, Sweden – Axel Teichmann (GER) won the men’s 3.3 km freestyle prologue in the second day of racing at the World Cup Finals. Teichmann edged Dario Cologna (SUI) by .2 seconds. Martin Koukal (CZE) was third, +5.3. Canadian Alex Harvey continued his impressive skiing, placing 8th. “It was a good race for me today,” said Teichmann. “After the World Championships I was not so strong, and had some poor results. Now I hope that...
Falun, Sweden – Claudia Nystad (GER) won the World Cup final 2.5km freestyle prologue, edging Charlotte Kalla (SWE) by 2.7 seconds. Overall World Cup leader Petra Majdic was 5th, and her closest challenger, Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) 3rd. It was another beautiful day in Sweden, warm and sunny. 70 women competed, and only two did not start. Britta Norgren (SWE) and Esther Bottomley (AUS), the two withdrawals, are now out of the World Cup Finals. Nystad...
Falun, Sweden – The World Cup Final and Nordic Cup continues tomorrow in Sweden with a 2.5/3,3 km freestyle prologue. Both the Americans and Canadians have their full World Cup teams competing. The World Cup Final consists of four events, and athletes must complete all four to earn World Cup points. Petra Majdic (SLO) leads the women’s competition, holding a 2.9 seconds lead over Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN). In the men’s event, Johan Kjoelstad (NOR)...
Stockholm, Sweden – The Norwegian men swept the podium in the first event of the World Cup Final. Johan Kjoelstad led the way, skiing away from teammates John Kristian Dahl and Eldar Roenning on the last hill to claim the victory. The three Norwegians opened a gap midway through the A-Final, and as they approached the last large climb, it was only a question of which of them would take the top spot. It was...
Stockholm, Sweden – Petra Majdic (SLO) continued her winning ways, overcoming a crash in the quarterfinals to win the last World Cup sprint of the season. Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN), who is attempting to overcome a 200 point deficit in the overall standings, finished second. Majdic wrapped up the sprint title weeks ago, but is now looking to win the overall as well. She qualified in 9th, but in her quarterfinal, she crashed on the...
Stockholm, Sweden – The end of the 2008/2009 World Cup season draws near as the World Cup Final and Nordic Cup gets underway in downtown Stockholm this afternoon. The World Cup final consists of four races – a classic sprint today, a 2.5/3.3km freestyle on Friday, a 10/20km pursuit on Saturday, and a 10/15km handicap start on Sunday. The event functions like a mini Tour de Ski, with the first across the line on Sunday...
Lahti, Finland – Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) skied to a convincing 22 seconds victory over Charlotte Kalla (SWE) in the women’s 10km freestyle this morning. Marthe Kristofferesen (NOR) was third. Kowalczyk won her fourth World Cup of the season, following a successful World Championships where she won two golds and a bronze. Her victory, coupled with Aino Kaisa Saarinen’s absence due to illness, has tightened the women’s overall World Cup race. Petra Majdic (SLO) who finished 19th today,...
Lahti, Finland – Alexander Legkov (RUS) won his second career World Cup, beating Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer by 7.5 seconds. Christian Hoffman (AUT) was third. The 25-year old Legkov was first at every checkpoint en route to the victory. “I’m really happy about today’s success,” said Legkov. “It was a great race and I gave my all. Liberec was not so good for me but now I am back and would like to fight...
Lahti, Finland – Petter Northug (NOR) continued his winning ways, edging teammate Ola Vigen Hattestad by inches at the line in the men’s 1.5 km freestyle sprint. Torin Koos led three Americans in the heats, finishing 12th. Hattestad, who had won 5 of 6 sprint starts this season, was unable to stop Northug’s roll. Neither of the two Norwegians qualified at the top – Hattestad was 14th and Northug 20th. This was normal for...
Lahti, Finland – Petra Majdic won her 6th World Cup race of the season and took over the overall World Cup lead. Arianna Follis (ITA) was seconds and Pirjo Muranen (FIN) took third. Majdic, who already clinched the Sprint Cup title, passed Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) in the overall standings, and now leads her by 74 points. Saarinen did not race due to illness. Despite her season-long success, Majdic went without a medal at World...
Mora, Sweden – Daniel Tynell (SWE) joined select company when he became just the sixth skier to win the famed Vasaloppet more than once. Tynell completed the 90km classic race in a time of 4:10:55, 23 seconds ahead of fellow Swede Oskar Svärd. Sandra Hansson (SWE) continued her strong marathon season, winning the women’s event. Said Tynell after the race, “to win Vasaloppet is a huge thing in Sweden, well in the class of a...
