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World Cup
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.
Northug Does it Again
FasterSkierNovember 22, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – Petter Northug (NOR) pulled off his patented move, attacking on the last climb to bury Russian Ilia Chernousov, and claim victory for Norway in the men’s 4x10km relay. Northug took the tag down 10 seconds on leaders Russia and Germany. He closed over the first several kilometers, and with three kilometers to go, Tobias Angerer (GER) fell off the pace, setting up the two-way battle for first. Overall, seven teams finished within...
Swedish Women Take Relay Victory on Rival’s Soil
Topher SabotNovember 22, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – The Swedish women’s relay team of Anna Olsson, Sara Lindborg, Anna Lindborg, and Charlotte Kalla turned an early 17 second deficit into a 16 second victory over rival Norway. Conditions were described as “midwinter” with new snow softening the icy tracks that welcomed racers in yesterday’s individual freestyle. The temperature was just under freezing at -1 C. The top-5 teams plus one pulled away in the first leg – Sweden, Norway, Finland,...
Beitostolen, Norway – World Cup racing continues tomorrow with a 4×5/10km relay. Canada will field both a men’s and women’s team, while the US will represent in the men’s race. The Beitostolen realy is the only such event prior to the Olympics, so there will not be another opportunity to see how team’s measure up. Canada is missing a key member of their squad – George Grey. Grey is recovering from an injury and will...
Before this winter, very few ski fans would have recognized the name Ronny Andre Hafsaas. The 24-year-old Norwegian had competed in just a single cross country World Cup in Switzerland, finishing in 36th place. But for the past two years, Hafsaas has been quietly collecting top-tens on the international biathlon circuit, and today, he stamped his authority on the first race of the World Cup season in Beitostolen. Hafsaas beat all of the favorites in the...
FS 2010 World Cup Preview: Overview
Topher SabotNovember 21, 2009
The 2010 World Cup season is set to start this weekend in Beitostolen, Norway, with a 10/15km freestyle on Saturday, and a 4×5/10km relay on Sunday. Exactly 120 days later, with the conclusion of the World Cup Final in Falun, Sweden, one of athletics ultimate endurance challenges comes to an end. A total of 40 races, including 13 individual sprints, 21 distance races, 3 relays, and 3 team sprints, are on the schedule. This includes...
FS 2010 World Cup Preview: The United States
Nathaniel HerzNovember 21, 2009
Four years ago, Fischer had just launched the Jibskate in West Yellowstone. In Norway, a 19-year-old Petter Northug Jr. was being touted as “the next Thomas Alsgaard,” having vanquished the entire national team in a rollerski race in the fall. And somewhere in Finland, the U.S. Ski Team’s Carl Swenson was alone in a car, stuck in a pair of sweaty windbriefs, driving himself 500 miles across northern Europe. Swenson was on his way back...
Team Canada: In good health, could be the most successful season yet. When asked if he thought he had the “strongest team ever” coach Dave Wood paused and said that, in 2006, Becky Scott and Sara Renner were two of the strongest athletes he had seen on the Canadian Team. The difference coming into this season, Wood says, is that Canada not only has athletes with medal-winning potential, but a larger number of them. With...
The 2010 men’s World Cup field should be as deep and competitive as always. FasterSkier previews the top men in the world, and makes some predictions. Petter Northug (NOR) He can do it all and has the best finish in the game. Some question the sportsmanship of his tactics, but regardless of morality, they work. Prediction: After being left off the ’06 Olympic team, he has something to prove. He will go for a sweep,...
Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) Kowalczyk is last year’s overall World Cup Champion and should be considered the favorite to repeat. Her versatility and stamina are her strengths. She’s just as capable of winning a sprint as a 30 km., and last year she missed just one race, scoring World Cup points in every start. She had a total of nine podium finishes, including five victories. Kowalczyk was not dominating last weekend at FIS races in Sweden,...
World Cup Set to Start Tomorrow
FasterSkierNovember 20, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – The 2010 FIS World Cup gets underway tomorrow. Skiers will race a 10/15km individual start freestyle. A ttoal of 91 women and 103 men will take to the start line. US Men: Lars Flora Kris Freeman Canadian Men: Brian McKeever Graham Nishikawa Ivan Babikov Alex Harvey Devon Kershaw US Women: Morgan Arritola Liz Stephen Kikkan Randall Canadian Women: Chandra Crawford
Kershaw Victorious in Sweden
Topher SabotNovember 16, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway was not the only site of high level FIS races this past weekend. Many top World Cup athletes also competed in Muonio, Finland, and Bruksvallarna, Sweden. While some of the Canadian National Team remained in Canada, Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey, Graham Nishikawa, and Chandra Crawford traveled to Europe in preparation for next week’s World Cup opener in Norway. Kershaw had an up and down weekend, barely qualifying for the heats in the classic sprint,...
US Ski Team Ends Beitosprinten Weekend With a Bang
Topher SabotNovember 15, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – The three race Beitosprinten weekend came to a close with today’s 5/10km classic individual start. Once again the races featured World Cup quality and significant depth. The US Ski Team, already with several strong results over the last two days, ended their World Cup warmups with impressive performances. Kikkan Randall led the way in the women’s 5km classic, placing 4th, just 8.4 seconds off the podium. Marit Bjoergen won her second race...
BEITOSTOELEN, Norway (Nov. 15) – The U.S. Cross Country Team wrapped up three days of pre World Cup racing Sunday with even more unexpected success as World Championship silver medalist Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) took fourth and Kris Freeman (Andover, NH) fifth in the women’s 5K and men’s 10K classic FIS races in Norway. “That has to be one of Kikkan’s best longer distance races ever and it really bodes well for the upcoming season and...
(translated from langrenn.com “Marit er i en annen liga” and “Dette gir selvtillit” 11-15-09) Kikkan Randall had a very impressive 4th place finish this morning in the Beitostolen classic, ensuring a bit of variety in the otherwise Norwegian-stacked top 5. Marit Bjorgen won the race with a crushing 23 second lead in the 5km race, which was just over 14 minutes long. This followed her strong win yesterday and prompted her teammate Marthe Kristofferson, 25 seconds back...
Racing Continues in Beitostolen Tomorrow, Randall and Newell to Compete
FasterSkierNovember 14, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – The Beitosprinten weekend concludes tomorrow with a 5/10km classic individual start. The field once again includes many of the top World Cup racers. Petter Northug (NOR) winner of today’s 15km freestyle, will try to make it two for two. He will face a stiff challenge from numerous fellow Norwegians, as well as the top Italian and Russian skiers. Kris Freeman, coming off a strong 5th place today makes his 2009/2010 classic debut....
BEITOSTOELEN, Norway (Nov. 14) – The U.S. Cross Country Ski Team is a leg up on the competition scene after competing in two days of FIS races in Norway where Kikkan Randall (Anchorage), Kris Freeman (Andover, NH), Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VY) and Morgan Arritola (Ketchum, ID) have all had great early season results. “It was a really good start for the year. It was our first competition racing of the season. Our expectations were...
Beitostolen, Norway – Kris Freeman skied to a 5th place finish in the men’s 15km freestyle FIS race in Beitostolen, Norway. Freeman finished just 32 seconds behind winner Petter Northug (NOR). Many top World Cup skiers participated, making for a deep and challenging field. Italian Giorgio DiCenta and Russian Alexander Legkov were 11 and 17 seconds back of Northug to round out the podium. Today’s race was a good test for Freeman, who required...
(translated from Langrenn.com, 11-14-09 “Rå seier til Northug”,”Bjørgen utklasset konkurrentene”) Marit Bjørgen skied to victory in today’s 10km skate race in Beitostolen. Norwegian teammate Kristin Størmer Steira finished second, 52 seconds behind, while Arianna Follis (ITA) took third. Norway took 5 of the top 10 finishes. The U.S. Ski Team saw two top-thirty finished today as Liz Stephen and Morgan Arritola placed 16th and 24th, respectively. In the Men’s 15km skate, Norway’s Petter Northug started...
FIS Racing Continues Tomorrow in Beitostolen
Topher SabotNovember 13, 2009
Beitostolen, Norway – FIS racing action continues, as top skiers prepare for next week’s World Cup opener. 122 men and 74 women are scheduled to start. The men’s field includes such names as Petter Northug (NOR) Pietro PIller Cottrer (ITA) and Alexander Legkov (RUS). They will be racing a 15km freestyle. Kris Freeman (USA) makes his debut, starting as bib 110 in the seeded group. He will be joined by fellow American Lars Flora. In...