Oberhof, Germany – Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) took over the 2010 Tour de Ski lead with a strong performance in the women’s 10km classic pursuit. Starting in 3rd, 16 seconds behind Petra Majdic (SLO), Kowalczyk quickly closed the gap. She, Majdic, and Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) formed a lead group of three that skied alone for the first four kilometers. By the 6k mark, Korosteleva had fallen off the pace, and Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) was closing...
Oberhof, Germany – Petra Majdic (SLO) won the opening event of the 2010 Tour de Ski, besting Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) by 2 seconds in the 2.8km freestyle prologue. Majdic, who finished third in last year’s Tour, now leads the event. She also picked up 15 bonus seconds with her victory. The prologue is considered a sprint for the Tour sprint standings. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) was third, +6.3 seconds. She held a two second lead at...
RAMSAU, Austria (Dec. 20) – The U.S. Ski Team’s Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) fell just short of the podium in fifth Sunday as a veritable freight train of nordic combined skiers battled right down to the wire in Ramsau. Despite France’s Jason Lamy Chappuis leading after the jump, the Frenchman couldn’t hold on for the three-event weekend sweep as Germany’s Bjorn Kircheisen took the win. Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO), who was fourth Saturday,...
Rogla, Slovenia – Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) added 125 World Cup points to her season total with a victory in the women’s 15km classic mass start this morning. Kowalczyk finished 4.6 seconds clear of Marit Bjoergen (NOR), the winner of yesterday’s sprint. Bjoergen edged out Anna Haag (SWE) in a photo finish. There were two intermediate sprints with 15,10, and 5 World Cup points awarded to the to the first three. “I did not plan to...
Rogla, Slovenia, Petter Northug (NOR) erased any doubt that he is the best all-around skier on the World Cup this season, following up his victory in yesterday’s sprint with his trademark late surge to capture the 30km Mass Start in Slovenia. Northug added to his overall World Cup lead on the 2.5km course. Racers did a total of 12 loops and bonus World Cup points were awarded every 7.5km. “I feel very happy about my...
Canmore, Alberta – Drew Goldsack and Daria Gaiazova dominated the NorAm classic sprint qualifier this morning. Goldsack skied to a stunning 6.36 victory over Mark Iversen (APU/Rossignol). Gaiazova was a just-as-impressive 6.16 seconds up on second place qualifier Perianne Jones. Complete Qualification results are now available on-line. The top 30 advance to this afternoon’s heats. Men’s NorAm Classic Sprint – Results
Canadians swept the finals in both the mens and womens finals of the Haywood NorAm sprint with the exception of Laura Valaas (US) who placed 6th and was the only US skier in the top 10. In the men’s race Stefan Kuhn outsprinted his competition for the top of the podium. Drew Goldsack and Sean Crooks followed in second and third, respectively. Mark Iverson was the first US skier, in 7th. The women’s race saw a...
Rogla, Slovenia – Andy Newell (USA) had his best day of the 2010 season, ripping through the qualifier and skiing to his first Finals appearance since last year. Despite fading in the homestretch, Newell ended up in 6th. Petter Northug (NOR) cemented his place as the man to beat in any discipline, taking the victory ahead of Thobias Angerer (GER). Newell won the qualifier by an impressive 2 seconds over Nikolay Chebotko (RUS), in a...
Canmore, Canada – With Olympic spots on the line, Stefan Kuhn and Daria Gaiazova started the day on the right note, winning the classic sprint qualifier at the Canmore Nordic Center. Gaiazova posted her usual strong qualification, besting runner-up Shayla Swanson by 3 seconds. Canada took the top 7 spots, with Laura Valaas (APU) in 8th. Kuhn was 1.5 seconds ahead of fellow Canadian Drew Goldsack. Favorite Garrott Kuzzy (USST/CXC Team Vertical Limit) qualified 7th....
Ramsau, Austria – The US Nordic Combined team had a stellar day, placing three skiers in the top-10 and four in the top-20. The team was led by Johnny Spillane, who continues an excellent start to the season. Spillane finished 4th, battling for the top spot until the end. Teammate Todd Lodwick was just behind in 6th, Billy Demong was 9th, and Brett Camerota was a career-best 18th. Jason Lamy-Chappuis (FRA) won in exciting fashion,...
Rogla, Slovenia – Marit Bjoergen (NOR) won her first World Cup sprint since 2006, defeating Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) on a snowy day in Slovenia. Kowalczyk had the upper hand in qualification, posting the fastest time, 1.5 seconds up on Evgenia Shapovalova (RUS), and 3.5 ahead of Lina Andersen (SWE) in third. But Bjoergen, who qualified 4th, won when it counted, capturing her second sprint podium of the season. “I’m happy with my victory today,” said...
Rogla, Slovenia – On a cold, snowy day, Petter Northug (NOR) won the World Cup classic sprint on a long challenging course at altitude, adding to his overall World Cup lead. Andy Newell (USA) won the qualification round by two seconds, with Northug nearly nine seconds back. But with heat times pushing the four minute mark, distance skiers fared quite well. “It was a pretty long sprint, so those guys [distance skiers] were getting stronger...
When the result board turned to the next page and showed her final result Haley Johnson could not help crying. To see that historic 21st place on the score board in Pokljuka, Slovenia after the women’s 15km individual today was a relief in many ways. Not only was it the best result for the US women this season, but it also qualified for the US Olympic Team. “I made it,” Johnson screamed, “I made it....
SOLDIER HOLLOW, UT (Dec. 13) – World Champion Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) swept his way through a blizzard to take his second straight win an International Ski Federation Nordic Combined Continental Cup at Soldier Hollow Sunday. Austrian Tomaz Druml was second and Germany’s Steffen Tepel third, matching the podium ranking from the opening event on Saturday. Lodwick took the lead in the jump Saturday at the Utah Olympic Park. With snow moving in, officials...
Coleraine, Minnesota- The second day of the Biathlon World Team Trials started off with a low of -12 F. Fortunately, the sun pushed through clouds bringing the temperature to 0ºF and the Men’s 15km Mass Start began after a two-hour delay. Zach Hall, Anchorage, AK won the men’s race and Tracy Colliander, Durango, CO, captured the women’s crown, both in exciting fashion. As USBA development coach James Upham pointed out that the “slight left to...
Pro North American racing continued today at Silver Star Resort in Vernon, BC. Holly Brooks (APU) won the womens' race just 8 seconds in front of Canadian Dasha Gaiazova. American Rebecca Dussault (CXC/Team Vertical Limit) took the last podium spot in third. On the mens' side Garrot Kuzzy (USST/CXC Team Vertical Limit) finished in first place 50 seconds in front of second place finisher James Southam (APU), with Math Liebsch in third.
Thanks to great volunteers that blew snow over the 2.5 km course at Mt. Itasca, the 2010 Team Trials got underway today. While the course was not as difficult as the 3.5 km loop, it was challenging enough for the USBA to evaluate the racing. In the men’s 10 km sprint competition it was National B Team member Mark Johnson skiing away from the field in a time of 26:20. In the women’s 7.5 km...
Silver Star, British Columbia – Holly Brooks (APU) stayed hot, winning her fourth Continental Cup race of the season. Daria Gaiazova cemented her spot as the top Canadian on the CC circuit, finishing 2nd. Rebecca Dussault (CXC Team Vertical Limit) was 3rd. Brooks has four victories in six starts, as well as a 2nd and a 4th. Women’s 10km Freestyle NorAm – Top 10 1. Holly Brooks 2. Daria Gaiazova 3. Rebecca Dussault 4. Madeleine...
Davos, Switzerland – Matti Heikkinen (FIN) joined Irina Khazova (RUS) as a firs time World Cup winner today. Heikkinen skiied to a 14 second victory over Marcus Helllner (SWE) in the 15km individual start race, while Maurice Magnificat led a strong French showing in 3rd. Like Khazova, who won the women’s race, Heikkinen had never stood on the top step of the World Cup podium. Just a week shy of his 26th birthday, his previous...
