It was a good year for North American skiers on the World Cup. Boiling down the choices for best North American cross-country performance of 2016 was no easy task. That's our disclaimer; now the drum roll ... our top awards go to Jessie Diggins and Sophie Caldwell (a tie for the women) and Alex Harvey.
In one tidy article, FasterSkier reveals two awards. First up, the International Skiers of 2016: Martin Johnsrud Sundby and Therese Johaug. International Performances of 2016 goes to Federico Pellegrino's skate sprint streak and Ingvild Flugstad Østberg's blistering 10 k free win at the Ski Tour Canada.
With the conclusion of the IPC World Cup season, FasterSkier presents its nominations for the Para-Nordic skiers of the year. Oksana Masters was undefeated in cross-country races to win her second-straight overall World Cup, while her veteran teammate Andy Soule, placed fourth overall in the Cross-Country World Cup.
The Olympic gold medalist said that he had used mildronate, also known as meldonium, in the past, but "[did] not even remember" the last time he had taken it and had seen in September that it would be added to the WADA Prohibited List.
Austrian skier and former U23 World Champion Harald Wurm has been suspended from competition for four years, effectively ending the 31-year-old's career. He seems to have been using cobalt, which is highly effective at promoting the production of red blood cells when it is inhaled (much like xenon or argon).
Earlier this week, Cross Country Canada announced that its head coach Justin Wadsworth will be stepping down at the end of this season. Wadsworth spoke with FasterSkier about his decision and recommendations for developing North America's next crop of World Cup skiers while also bringing international cross-country events to his home continent.
After eight races in 12 days, 14 Americans and 12 Canadians completed the Ski Tour Canada, a season-long goal for most of them. Here are some final thoughts from several North Americans after the seventh and eighth stages.
Aside from Norway's Therese Johaug dominating to take the overall Tour title and two Crystal Globes as well, the final day of the Ski Tour Canada saw three U.S. women crack the top 30, and six earn World Cup points, for the strongest team result of the season. "It almost brings tears to my eyes," U.S. women's coach Matt Whitcomb said.
Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby is taking home all the hardware: two Crystal Globes and the Ski Tour Canada overall. After starting with a 39-second deficit to Russia's Sergey Ustiugov on Saturday, Sundby rose and Ustiugov faded. Canada's Alex Harvey finished fifth overall for his best result in a World Cup tour.
After placing third in Wednesday's skiathlon, Finland's Matti Heikkinen claimed his first victory since 2011 on Friday in the men's 15 k skate. Canada once again had four in the top 30, with Alex Harvey leading the team in fourth. “I think it’s one of the best races of my life here," Harvey said of Canmore. Noah Hoffman led the U.S. in 23rd.
Friday's 10 k freestyle was a good day for Norway's Ingvild Flugstad Østberg. She skied away for the win, stymied by neither the grueling course or the who's who of Norwegian stars she left in her wake. Jessie Diggins put her hold on fifth, leading four U.S. women in the top 22.
Friday's Stage 7 15 k freestyle skate tightened up the standings for the overall in the Ski Tour Canada. Russia's Sergey Ustiugov leads, but by only 32 seconds ahead of Norway's Petter Northug Jr. If that wasn't reason enough for Ustiugov to keep a high octane pace on Stage 8, Northug's teammate, Martin Johnsrud Sundby starts 39 seconds back from the Russian. These photos capture the action on a beautiful day in Canmore and a decisive day for the men.
In case you missed the action, FasterSkier provides a gallery capturing the top scenes of Stage 7 at the 2016 Ski Tour Canada. Four American women finished in the top 30, with Jessie Diggins leading the team in 5th and Chelsea Holmes scoring her first World Cup in 22nd overall.
Throughout the first two days of racing in Canmore at the Ski Tour Canada, FasterSkier caught up most everyone competing for the U.S. and Canada. Here is what you haven't read -- quotes from the Stage 5 classic sprint and Stage 6 skiathlon earlier this week -- listed in alphabetical order.
Stage 6 of the Ski Tour Canada featured a brutal course for both the women's 15-kilometer and the men's 30 k skiathlons. It was simply survival of the fittest as the classic loop featured a grueling 1.2 k climb while the skate leg was punctuated by dicey soft-snow corners navigated at high speed.
Norway's Martin Johnsrud Sundby won the Ski Tour Canada's brutal Stage 6 skiathlon on Wednesday, putting him third overall in the Tour, while Petter Northug remains in second despite losing precious time to Tour leader Sergey Ustiugov. Canada's Alex Harvey jumped a spot to fourth overall, and his teammates Ivan Babikov and Graeme Killick posted season-best results.
After besting Norwegian teammate Therese Johaug in last week's Quebec pursuit, Norway's Heidi Weng repeated the feat to win in the women's 15 k skiathlon on Wednesday in Canmore. “It was very good to go with Therese and give her a little bit of a fight," Weng said. She is currently 2.9 seconds ahead in the overall tour standings with two more distance races to go.
With the Sprint World Cup already in the bag, Italy's Federico Pellegrino entered the last sprint of the season in Canmore on Tuesday without any pressure. "When you realize your goals, it’s so good,” the eventual race winner said. Meanwhile, Canada's Lenny Valjas fed off his home crowd to place 11th for his second-best result of the season.
American Jessie Diggins posted her best World Cup classic sprint result to date, striding to a sixth in the Ski Tour Canada's Stage 5 in Canmore, Alberta. Diggins also sits in sixth overall heading into Stage 6 on Wednesday. Norway's Maiken Caspersen Falla remained undefeated in every classic sprint she competed in this season, winning the final by a whopping 7 seconds.
Wondering what Lenny Valjas was thinking after the Quebec City skate sprint, or how Noah Hoffman is feeling going into Canmore? Check out these images from the pursuit stage as well as North American quotes from the last two stages of the Ski Tour Canada.