World Cup

Source: Langrenn.com – It is clearly a fiasco when the skier who everyone thought would win the gold gets knocked out in the prologue. I was a little shocked when it happened, says the Norwegian women’s team coach Svein Tore Samdal. But this isn’t the first time Bjorgen has struggled in the prologue. -She has numerous times struggled to qualify in classic-sprint prologues. But that’s the way it is. She felt good before the start...

All rights by Marco Felgenhauer

The 1.2km individual classic sprint at the Oberstdorf Worlds has begun with the preliminary qualification round. Incredibly, the pre-race favorite Marit Bjoergen, who has won every world cup sprint this season save one, failed to qualify and ended up 17th. Bjoergen's teammates Ella Gjoemle and Guro Stroem Solli managed to advance to the quarterfinal heats, so it appears unlikely that there were any major waxing problems for the Norwegian team. Beckie Scott Starting The SuperTour...

Vassili Rotchev of Russia posted the fastest qualifying time in the preliminary round of the World Championship classic sprint in Oberstdorf, Germany. Bjoern Lind was second, leading fellow Swedish qualifiers Mats Larsson and Thobias Fredriksson, the former World Champion in the freestyle technique. Norway managed to put all four of their starters into the top 16, with recent World Cup sprint winner Eldar Roenning replacing Jens Arne Svartedal who was reportedly sick. The exciting news...

Source: Langrenn.com The first skier has been kicked out of Oberstdorf Worlds as a result of doping. Denis Vorobjev from Belarus has been kicked out. The skier accidentally left his fluid-carrier belt at the doping control. The doping-hunters found a bottle of growth hormones in the belt. According to the rules it is illegal to be in possession of illegal drugs. Vorobjev is for that reason banned from competing until December, 2006. Vorobjev placed 44th...

Kristin Stoermer Steira When Steira tagged off to Norwegian anchor Marit Bjoergen, it was up to Bjoergen to live up to her boast that she would win the relay if Russia and Norway started the final leg together. Bjoergen had her work cut out for her, skiing against the newly crowned pursuit World Champion and former Olympic sprint winner: Julija Tchepalova. With 700 meters to go, Bjoergen put the hammer down. On the last big...

The U.S. foursome did not receive a final placing when it was pulled off the course after being lapped during the third 5K leg, the first skating leg. OBERSTDORF, Italy (Feb. 21) – World Cup leader Marit Bjoergen pulled away on an uphill 700 meters from the finish Monday and lifted Norway to its first gold medal of the World Nordic Ski Championships in the women's 4x5K mixed relay. Russia was silver medalist nation, 7.6...

14 North Americans are entered to race in Tuesday’s classic individual sprint. Marit Bjorgen and Jens Arne Svartedal pre-race favorites. Watch the race live here on Fasterskier.com http://www.fis-ski.com , click on Nordic World Championship and go to sprint qualification. North Americans entered for the sprint event: Team Canada Women: Chandra Crawford, Milaine Theriault, Sara Renner and Beckie Scott Men: Gordon Jewett, George Grey, Drew Goldsack and Devon Kershaw Team USA Women: Kikkan Randall, Rebecca Dussault...

Frode Estil Italian Giorgio Di Centa and Frode Estil of Norway were in a photo finish for 2nd place, with Di Centa eventually being determined the silver medal winner and Estil the bronze. A surprising performance came from Slovakian Martin Bajcicak, who stayed strong and consistent throughout both the classic and skate phases of the race and finised 4th only 1.3 seconds behind Vittoz. Anders Soedergren of Sweden ended up 5th, 2.1 seconds back, after...

You can follow the women’s relay live, here on Fasterskier.com tomorrow at 6:30 AM Eastern Standard Time (12:30 PM European Time.) Look for that option on the right hand side of the home page. Note: We were not able to confirm the start time when we wrote this article so please check the official World Championship web site. You get constant updates on the position of the teams as they pass certain kilometer markers on...

Here are a few glimpses from the World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany. We hope to bring you more throughout the week. All photos by Marco Felgenhauer, The Exchange Zone In the Women's 2 x 7.5km Pursuit. Germany's Claudia Kuenzel and Canadian Beckie Scott In Foreground. A New World Champion: Vincent Vittoz of France Crosses the Finish Line First In the Men's 2 x 15km Pursuit.

The women's double pursuit race, which took place today at the Oberstdorf World Championships, was dominated by Julija Tchepalova of Russia who managed to ski clear of the overall World Cup leader, Marit Bjoergen of Norway. Conditions were excellent with sunny weather and 30 to 32-degree temperatures. About 30,000 spectators came to watch the fastest cross-country skiers in the world compete in the exciting head-to-head pursuit format. Things were going beautifully for Bjoergen during the...

Get ready to hang on for your dear life in the classic portion of the men’s pursuit race at Worlds tomorrow if you have ambitions to win. Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset's job is to set the pace and weaken the skate specialists, reports Norwegian newspaper VG. Odd-Bjorn Helmeset won’t care about his own result. His job is to wear down and blow the field open in the classic portion of the 2 x 15-kilometer pursuit race. The...

There are eight North Americans among the large field of 96 skiers in Sunday morning’s race. Team Canada: Devon Kershaw, George Grey, Dan Roycroft and Gordon Jewett. Team USA: Kris Freeman, Carl Swenson, Andrew Johnson and David Chamberlain You can follow the race live, here on Fasterskier.com tomorrow at 6:30 AM Eastern Standard Time (12:30 PM European Time.) Look for that option on the right hand side of the home page. This is a mass-start...

Source: Langrenn.com — Translated by Torbjorn Karlsen Here is British oddsmaker Ladbrokes odds on Sunday’s’ men’s 15 + 15-kilometer pursuit race: This is a very open race for Gold. Almost 20 skiers have the capacity to win. No one sticks out as a clear favorite and this puts many skiers around the same odds bracket. We believe despite this that Axel Teichmann from Germany will win. He showed in the 15-kilometer skate race on Thursday...

This morning we heard from US Cross Country Ski Team Head Coach Trond Nystad in Oberstdorf, Germany. He gave us an update on the US Team at the World Championships. The US Team had disappointing results last weekend in Reit im Winkl. Nystad explained why: “We had no idea why Reit went so badly, but a blood test the next day, and the following sickness, explained it…sickness. Carl, Kris, Rebecca and I all got sick...

Source: Langrenn.com Here are British oddsmaker Ladbrokes odds on Saturday’s women’s 7.5 + 7.5 kilometer pursuit race. Norwegian Langrenn.com’s patriotic suggestion is to put your money on 40-year old Norwegian skier Hilde Gjermunshaug Pedersen at odds 13.0 (a $1 bet will pay $13 if she wins). This would be Pedersen’s first ever World Championship gold. Gjermundshaug was very impressive at the Norwegian championship a couple weeks ago and crushed Marit Bjorgen. Bjorgen is however Ladbrokes...

Source: Langrenn.com

By Langrenn.com Kristin Stormer Steira (23) was reasonably happy with her 10th place on the opening distance, but struggled at the end. – It was good to get started. The first lap went well, but I struggled on the last one. I’m not unhappy with 10th place, but had hoped to place higher up, says Stormer Steira. Next up for Steira is the pursuit race on Saturday. She won a World Cup pursuit earlier this...

Biathlon skier Lars Berger possibly fell from a silver medal in today’s 15-kilometer freestyle race at Worlds, but wasn’t too disappointed after the race. Berger fell in a downhill after about 6.5 kilometer. Norwegian coaches estimated that he lost seven or eight seconds on the crash, and if that is correct Berger would have captured the silver medal. Instead he had to settle for fourth place. – I can’t be too disappointed. I raced my...