World Cup – Page 111

General News Racing US Ski Team World Cup

For U.S. Men, Reasons to Add Fuel to the Fire in Moscow

Audrey ManganFebruary 3, 2012

For the American men in Moscow, Russia, the city sprints on Thursday were cause for a mixture of disappointment, frustration and optimism. Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton fell short of their expectations in Moscow, placing 22nd and 31st, respectively. After popping a top-10 in Otepaa, Estonia nearly two weeks ago, Newell struggled with back pain and couldn’t find the same energy to advance past the quarterfinals. For Hamilton, 31st marked the fourth time this season...

Racing World Cup

Cold Weather Threatens Rybinsk World Cup, Current Forecasts Favorable as Skiers Adjust

Topher SabotFebruary 3, 201212

With frigid temperatures predicted for the weekend, the World Cup races in Rybinsk, Russia have been questionable all week, though current forecasts appear favorable. Earlier in the week, highs for the two-race set on Saturday and Sunday were forecast below the International Ski Federation (FIS) legal limit of -4F (-20C). But Weather Underground now posts a high of 0F for Saturday, warming from overnight lows of -11F, and a downright balmy high of 14F on...

Racing World Cup

Brooks is Back, Ready to go in Rybinsk

Topher SabotFebruary 3, 2012

Holly Brooks’ 2012 season was off to a magical start. Building on strong World Cup results at the end of the 2011 season, Brooks took advantage of the start rights provided by her SuperTour title the season before, quickly establishing herself as a consistent points threat in all formats and distances. Heading into the Christmas break, she had placed in the top-30 five times in nine individual starts, putting herself in good position in the...

World Cup XCFeeds

Within season trends: sprinting

JoranFebruary 3, 2012

I know the Moscow city sprints were exciting and all, but I’ll have some posts on them and the Rybinsk races next week. For now, as promised we have the follow-up for sprinting from Wednesday’s post. These are the folks with the largest improvements in performance (within season). As before their results from this season [...] Related posts:

Biathlon World Cup

U.S., Canadian Women “Show Europe That North America Can Mix It Up” In Oslo Sprint

Chelsea LittleFebruary 3, 2012

After a gray winter that seemed to always be either snowless or stormy, the world’s best biathletes were thrilled to head to Antholz, Italy two weeks ago, where the sun finally shone in the Alps. The North Americans, it seems, are even happier to be in Oslo, Norway, where the World Cup kicked back into action with a pair of sprint races on Thursday. “There is a good vibe here in Oslo,” U.S. biathlete Annelies...

General News Racing World Cup

With Sprint Victory in Moscow, Kowalczyk Takes Over Yellow Bib

Audrey ManganFebruary 2, 2012

The reigning queen of Polish skiing is officially back on top of the world. After a slow start to her 2011-2012 campaign, Justyna Kowalczyk owned the Tour de Ski in January, then followed up that performance with her victory on Thursday in the Moscow city sprint. In doing so, she took over the yellow bib that represents the top level of World Cup success. In front of a home crowd, Russian teammates Natalia Korosteleva and...

Canadian National Ski Team General News Racing Results World Cup

Five Canadians Advance in Moscow Sprint

Alex KochonFebruary 2, 2012

For the better part of the last three months, the Canadians, like many national ski teams, have spent a lot of time together. Fortunately for the three men currently on the World Cup circuit, they seem to get along pretty well. Self-dubbed the “3 Amigos” on Twitter, Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey and Lenny Valjas spend much of their free time goofing around and posting pictures of their collective shenanigans while traveling Europe. They must fit...

General News Racing US Ski Team World Cup

Diggins Blasts into Moscow Final, Leads Another Big Effort by U.S. Women

Audrey ManganFebruary 2, 20121

Just when it didn’t seem possible for Jessie Diggins (USA) to perform any better than she already has on the World Cup this winter, she went ahead and set another career best in Moscow. After qualifying first in the prelims 2.47 seconds ahead of the rest of the field, the U.S. Ski Team (USST) rookie ended up sixth on Thursday in the freestyle sprint at Russia’s Luzhniki Olympic Stadium, leading the U.S. women to three...

Canadian National Ski Team General News Racing Results World Cup

Kershaw Pushes Pace in Moscow Sprint; Peterson Wins

Alex KochonFebruary 2, 20122

(Note: This recap has been corrected to include that Devon Kershaw previously made the podium in a World Cup freestyle sprint in 2006.) Maybe it was the frigid temperatures that scarcely rose above 2 degrees Fahrenheit, -17 degrees Celsius, on Thursday. Maybe it was Moscow. Maybe it was Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth’s promise of a Hawaii trip if all went well. Devon Kershaw said he wasn’t sure what possessed him on Thursday, but it...

World Cup

Physio’s Unusual Move to Russia Takes Her Inside Legkov’s Renegade Ski Team

Chelsea LittleFebruary 1, 2012

In the summer of 2010, Isabelle Knaute found herself in an unusual position. Originally from Germany and a veteran of the Swiss national team staff, the physical therapist was hired by the Russians to work with a small group of skiers. “I don’t think there’s ever been a foreign staff member for the Russian team,” star athlete Alexander Legkov told Russian website skirun.ru at the time. Knaute, who took five years of Russian in school,...

Racing World Cup

Swiss Coach Hetland Successful and Unique on World Cup Circuit

Topher SabotJanuary 31, 20121

During the 2012 Tour de Ski, FasterSkier sat down with the head coach of the Swiss National Team, Guri Hetland. A native Norwegian, Hetland had 45 World Cup starts of her own between 1995 and 2001. She earned four top-10 results, all in sprints, but also scored World Cup points in seven distance races. Hetland was named head coach of the Swiss team in the fall of 2010, and is the only female head coach...

Racing World Cup

Stephen Cracks Red Group, One of Nine North Americans in Period III

Topher SabotJanuary 27, 20121

Complete Red Group Rankings

World Cup XCFeeds

Noah Hoffman’s Pacing

JoranJanuary 25, 2012

I was interested (rather than offended) to read about Noah Hoffman’s pacing strategies in Sunday’s classic WC race. I have a limited supply of data on split times (what I do have is thanks to Jan over at worldofxc.com, though) so the following data is definitely incomplete. Hoffman seemed determined to not start too fast, [...] Related posts:

Canadian National Ski Team General News Racing US Ski Team World Cup

Notes and Quotes from Otepää, Estonia

Audrey ManganJanuary 24, 20121

It was one heck of a weekend on the World Cup in Otepää, Estonia. Dario Cologna (SUI) and Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) each swept both the sprint and distance classic races. Devon Kershaw (CAN) came back from an unlucky equipment malfunction in the sprint to a gutsy third-place effort in the 15 k the next day. With the conclusion of Period 2 on the World Cup, Kikkan Randall (USA) still holds onto the sprint leader bib. The...

Canadian National Ski Team General News Racing World Cup

Led By Kershaw’s Bronze, Canadians Produce Solid Distance Races in Otepää

Audrey ManganJanuary 23, 2012

Devon Kershaw’s rebound from a disappointing classic sprint in Otepää to a third-place finish in the 15 k the next day certainly had the Canadian excited. He’d been gunning for gold, but the World Champion found it hard to be too upset with a podium finish on what many are referring to as the toughest course on the World Cup. In a phone interview on Sunday, Kershaw was just as happy to learn that some...

World Cup XCFeeds

Otepää Sprint Recap

JoranJanuary 23, 2012

I think I’ve been remiss in mentioning this, but as always thanks go to Jan at worldofxc.com for helping to provide the heat times for these sprint races. Let’s see how the men’s finalists fared first: There were apparently some crashes in this race, as evidenced by the outlying slow times. But in general I’m [...] Related posts:

Biathlon World Cup

Canadians Tie Best-Ever Relay Finish with 7th; Rare Synergy as Both North American Teams Top-10

Chelsea LittleJanuary 23, 2012

At the front of the race, Sunday’s World Cup men’s relay in Antholz-Anterselva was not especially exciting. Although the time gaps weren’t huge, there were few lead changes: after the first handoff, France took the lead and never looked back, remaining there for the rest of the race. After that point, Germany sat in second, Austria in third, and Russia in fourth: at each exchange, despite the intervening 7.5 kilometers, the scene was the same....

Biathlon World Cup

Domracheva Makes Up for Early Error With Surprise Ascent to Victory; Dunklee 27th in First World Cup Mass Start

Chelsea LittleJanuary 23, 2012

Mistakes can be a powerful motivator. In Sunday’s 12.5 k mass start in Antholz, Italy, the two biathletes with the fastest course times were the ones who really, desperately wanted to make up for errors in the very first shooting stage of the day. In that prone stage, both and Darya Domracheva of Belarus and Kaisa Makarainen of Finland – currently ranked second and third in the world, respectively – missed two shots. In a...

General News Racing US Ski Team World Cup

With Multiple Beakthroughs, Five U.S. Athletes Score Points in Otepää

Audrey ManganJanuary 22, 20125

Much has been said about the string of breakthrough performances by the U.S. women on the World Cup this season, but on Sunday, the entire team deserved the credit for putting together an historic day for the U.S. Led by Kikkan Randall in 15th, the U.S. placed a total of five athletes in the points in the 10 and 15 k classic races in Otepää, Estonia. Jessie Diggins, in her first distance race on the...

Racing World Cup

Kowalczyk Lies Low Early, Dominates Second Half for 10k Victory

Topher SabotJanuary 22, 20123

Two weeks after claiming her third Tour de Ski title, Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) shows no signs of slowing down. A day after winning the classic sprint, Kowalczyk, racing in her preferred classic technique, took a page out of Axel Teichmann’s book, mirroring the notoriously slow starter’s strategy and dominating the second half of the 10km individual start in Otepaa, Estonia. Marit Bjørgen (NOR) was runner up for the second time this weekend, with teammate Therese...

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