World Juniors: 1.2 k Skate Sprint with Three North Americans in top-30, Sweden with the Win (Updated)

Calling it like it was: fir trees draped in fog and the colorful hues of Junior Worlds Lycra a deep contrast to the pervasive monochromatic snow and forest. This was the backdrop for World Junior’s freestyle sprint day in Oberwiesenthal, Germany. Keeping things real for several North Americans, expectations were high as the core, for example, of the U.S. team is riddled with potential podiums.

For the North American women, three skiers qualified for the heats in the 1.2 skate sprint: Novie McCabe (U.S./MVNT) qualified in 19th (+7.62), Elizabeth Elliott (CAN/Revelsoke Nordic) 27th (+9:05), and Benita Peiffer (CAN/Whistler Nordic) 30th (+9.58).

Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm, the day’s fastest qualifier. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

The fastest qualifier on the day was Norway’s Helene Marie Fossesholm in 2:28.53. According to FIS, Fossesholm has raced two individual World Cups. She placed fifth in Falun’s 10 k skate mass start, and 18th in Lillehammer’s 15 k skiathlon. Both races were this season.

Fossesholm advanced to the final’s but placed fifth, 2.62 seconds off the win. Sweden’s Louise Lindstrom, the day’s 11th fastest qualifier, won in 2:33.41. Poland’s Izabela Marcisz was second (+0.47), and Switzerland’s Siri Wigger third (+1:07).

Sweden’s Louise Lindstrom with the win. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

Sweden’s Louise Lindstrom was the day’s 11th fastest qualifier and the unexpected winner. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

McCabe placed fifth in the fourth quarterfinal to finish 22nd overall. The eighteen-year-old from Washington’s Methow Valley remained in contact with the quarterfinal’s leaders when she came to a stop to avoid a skier merging into her path on a short but critical climb. There, she lost vital time.

Novie McCabe during qualification on Saturday’s World Junior’s skate sprint. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

Novie McCabe during her World Junior’s skate sprint quarterfinal. She was the 19th fastest qualifier, and placed 22nd overall. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

Elliott placed 23rd after placing fifth in the third heat, while Peiffer was 25th overall. Peiffer was fifth in the first quarterfinal.

Also for the U.S., Sydney Palmer-Leger (SVSEF) skied to 49th, Callie Young (Dartmouth) 54th, and Mara McCollor 73rd (Minneapolis Ski Club).

For Canada Liliane Gagnon (Skibec Nordique) placed 39th, and Molly Miller (Black Jack Ski Club) 42nd.

Junior Women’s Qualification | Junior Women’s Results | Junior Women’s Brackets

Canada’s Elizabeth Elliott, during her World Junior’s quarterfinal. She placed 23rd overall. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

Benita Peiffer of Canada, during the World Junior’s skate sprint. Peiffer placed 25th overall. (Photo: Doug Stephen)

Jason Albert

Jason lives in Bend, Ore., and can often be seen chasing his two boys around town. He’s a self-proclaimed audio geek. That all started back in the early 1990s when he convinced a naive public radio editor he should report a story from Alaska’s, Ruth Gorge. Now, Jason’s common companion is his field-recording gear.