Canmore World Cup Photos – Day One
FasterSkierFebruary 5, 2010
FasterSkier’s Win Goodbody is part of our team that has ventured to Canmore for the World Cup races this weekend. Here is a look at the action through his camera lens.
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The cream of the crop. The best in the world compete all winter long on the World Cup. We follow them at every stop with article and results. We also post occasional reports from North America’s best as they travel the globe.
Kalla Nips Kowalczyk in Canmore 10k; Compton 14th
Nathaniel HerzFebruary 5, 2010
Canmore, Alberta – Tune-up? Small field? Sure, but it’s still the World Cup. In front of hundreds of fans in Canmore, Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla gave her Olympic hopes a boost by winning the women’s 10k freestyle here on a course tailored to her strengths. She finished ten seconds up on Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland today, with Russia’s Irina Khazova in third. Kalla excels on steep uphills and through transitions, and she said afterwards that she...
Canmore, Alberta – Italian Pietro Piller Cottrer wouldn’t mind moving his family to Canmore. “I just need to teach them English and we can come,” he said following his 2nd place finish in today’s 15km individual start freestyle. According to Piller Cottrer, Canmore is very similar to his home in the Italian Dolomites. “I have always raced very well here, and have now finished 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th in Canmore.” Piller Cottrer joined teammate...
Race Time Canmore
FasterSkierFebruary 5, 2010
The sun has come up over the mountains, warming the stadium from the overnight chill. It is another beautiful day in Canmore. We are just over 30 minutes from the start of the women’s 10km individual freestyle race. The track is firm, and the snow a bit colder than expected. 66 women are slated to start on the challenging 5km loop. The men will follow at 12:30 for the 15km event. Nat Herz checked in...
For the first time in five years, a true world-class field will toe the line tomorrow for a race in North America. While there’s no Northug in town, a solid international field is in Canmore for this weekend’s distance skate and classic sprint World Cup races. Cologna, Teichmann, Legkov, Kowalczyk, Majdic—the gang’s all here. Not to mention full rosters of Americans and Canadians jazzed to throw down in front of their home crowds. But while...
FasterSkier presents a video preview of the 5km loop to be used in the 10/15km individual start freestyle race in Friday’s World Cup.
After a brief hiatus, the World Cup gets underway again in Canmore, Alberta. The weather is sunny and warm, the skiing firm and fast. There is not much snow, but the courses are in great shape. The race loops are packed with athletes and coaches testing skis and getting ready for tomorrow’s distance race. If you have never been to Canmore, the skiing here is amazing. The venue is stunningly beautiful with amazing trails, excellent...
The Finnish press has reported that retired Finnish star Mika Myllylä has admitted to using EPO during his career. Myllylä won a gold medal at the 1998 Olympics and at the World Championships in 1997. Myllylä was convicted for doping in the 2001 Lahti World Championship scandal. The majority of the Finnish Team was caught re-handed, and Myllylä served a two-year ban. He retired in 2005.
Russian Alena Sidko Tests Positive for EPO
FasterSkierJanuary 26, 2010
2006 Olympic Bronze Medalist in the sprint, Alena Sidko (RUS) has tested positive for EPO and has been banned by the Russian Ski Federation for two years. The positive test was taken following a Russian FIS in Krasnogorsk on the 26th of December. Sidko has been “Red-flagged” by the FIS, meaning she is ineligible to start. The FIS declined to comment, responding to FasterSkier’s request for comment: “With regard to your request, we have to...
Tomas Northug won the men’s World Junior freestyle sprint yesterday. As everyone knows, his older brother Petter is considered the best all-around skier in the world. There is also a third brother, Evan, who is still quite young. Nat Herz talked to John Northug, the father of the three boys, in Hinterzarten today.
Russian Men Sweep 30km Podium
Topher SabotJanuary 23, 2010
Rybinsk, Russia – The Russian men’s team swept the podium, and placed six in the top-10 in the 30km pursuit, Artem Zhmurko won his first-ever World Cup race, following up on his strong 9th last weekend in Otepaa. Zhmurko won a tight sprint consisting of seven men. He also claimed an addition 25 World Cup points by winning one intermediate sprint, and finishing second in another. “I’m so happy about my first place!” said Zhmurko. ...
Rybinsk, Russia – Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), one of the few top World Cup skiers racing in Rybinsk, extended her overall World Cup lead by winning every bonus sprint and the race. The 15km pursuit featured two intermediate bonus sprints with 15,10 and 5 World Cup points awarded to the top three at each location. Kowalczyk bested Russian Irna Khazova each time to take home an extra 30 points. Khazova ended up 5th, while teammate Olga...
If you have always dreamed of scoring World Cup points, all you have to do is show up in Rybinsk, Russia, with the blessing of your National Ski Federation, and complete a race. Only 25 women and 29 men are scheduled to start tomorrow’s pursuit, guaranteeing all finishers World Cup points. Despite the small fields, several top skiers are present. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), the women’s overall World Cup leader will race, as will the top...
Fabjan Wins First World Cup
Topher SabotJanuary 22, 2010
Rybinsk, Russia – Vesna Fabjan (SLO) joined renowned teammate Petra Majdic as a World Cup winner, capturing the women’s freestyle sprint in Russia. Fabjan, who finished on the podium for the first time this season after five years on the World Cup circuit, posted the fastest qualifying time, edging Magda Genuin (ITA) by .62 seconds. Her teammate Katja Visnar was 3rd in qualifying, 3.32 seconds back. Genuin matched her qualifying place in the heats, skiing...
Russian Men Sweep World Cup Sprint
Topher SabotJanuary 22, 2010
Rybinsk, Russia – The Russian men swept the freestyle sprint on home soil behind a strong performance by Nikolay Morilov. Morilov was followed by Alxei Petukov and Nikita Kriukov. “I’m happy that the race was tough today,” said Morilov. ” But the track is very familiar for us as we spent a week here in October practicing this very route and are very grateful to the Demino skiing center for the conditions they provided us...
Olympian Kris Freeman is ready for the Olympic Games. He is training back at home in New Hampshire on the trails he grew up on, and soon will be on his way to Canada. Kris took the time to answer some questions about his goals for the Olympics and where he is in his preparation. You’ve stated that your training this season is focused on staying healthy and not overdoing things. This seems like it...
With Swedish, Norwegian and Italian National Championships underway, and the Olympics just around the corner, a paltry field will take to the line tomorrow for the World Cup freestyle sprint in Rybinsk, Russia. Just 34 women and 43 men are scheduled to start. Just skiing the qualifier will gain World Cup points for all but four of the women. 16 of the men are Russian, and exactly half the women’s field is racing on home...
Norway announced that they have named seven more athletes to their Olympic Cross-Country Team, bringing the total to 11. Celine Brun-Lie, Marthe Kristoffersen, Vibeke Skofterud, Ronny Hafsås, Martin Johnsrud Sundby, Øystein Pettersen and Eldar Rønning all got the nod, and now join Ola Vigen Hattestad, Petter Northug, Marit Bjørgen and Kristin Størmer Steira with tickets to Vancouver. Norway has a total of 20 spots, but have not taken their full quota in the past. Top...
Falk Throws Down the Gauntlet as Olympics Approach, Gaiazova 12th in WC Sprint
Topher SabotJanuary 17, 2010
Otepaa, Estonia – Hanna Falk, the 20-year-old Swede who has taken the World Cup sprint scene by storm this season won her second race of the year, edging Sprint Cup leader Petra Majdic (SLO), in the classic sprint today. Majdic led the Final right from the gun, and set a blistering pace over the winding Otepaa sprint course. Falk locked in behind her early on, and top-qualifier Aino Kaisa Saarien (FIN) moved up even with...
It’s a pretty good sign for the U.S. Nordic Combined Team that a fourth-place World Cup finish for Bill Demong isn’t greeted with a whole lot of fanfare. With 28 days before the first race of the 2010 Olympic Games, Demong and his teammates have already been on the podium four times this year, despite the fact that Head Coach Dave Jarrett says that his athletes haven’t even tried to peak yet. In Sunday’s World...