The youngest of the two Fletcher brothers is doubling up with his second FS Award of 2015, this time in the performance category for his World Cup podium in Sapporo, Japan.
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Falun World Championships
Alex Harvey's personal coach and the head coach of the Pierre-Harvey Training Centre for more than a decade, Louis Bouchard has been recognized as one of Canada's top coaches for some time. This year, FasterSkier picked Bouchard -- the man behind two individual World Championships medals -- as its 2015 Coach of the Year.
Pneumonia Ends Kershaw’s Season, But He’s Not Done Yet: ‘You can’t go out like this’
Alex KochonMarch 7, 2015
What started out like any other cold turned into a season-ending downward spiral for Devon Kershaw, who, in the midst of what would have been his eighth World Championships, had to forgo racing and leave Sweden early to recover at his fiancée’s home in Oslo, Norway.
Harvey Jockeys for Position, Finishes Fifth in Final 50 k Push at World Championships
Alex KochonMarch 1, 2015
Alex Harvey stayed at the front of the pack for most of Sunday's 50 k classic mass start, the final race of 2015 World Championships in Falun, but he couldn't quite get into the position he needed before a four-man finishing sprint -- which he was just behind. Also for Canada, Graeme Killick notched a career-best 19th, and Ivan Babikov placed 30th after leading as well.
Earlier Than Planned, Johaug Runs Away with World Champs 30 k, Beats Bjørgen by 52 Seconds
Alex KochonFebruary 28, 2015
Therese Johaug did what she had to do to beat Norwegian teammate Marit Bjørgen on Saturday in the final women's race of 2015 World Championships: the 30 k classic mass start. She did so by inadvertently attacking around 7 k: "I thought, ‘Oh my God, it’s early. I have 23 kilometers to the end,'" Johaug recalled.
Northug Sticks It to Halfvarsson, Edges Swede for Norwegian Relay Win at Worlds
Alex KochonFebruary 27, 2015
After missing out on a podium at the 2014 Olympics, the Norwegian men put themselves back on top in Friday's 4 x 10 k relay at World Championships in Falun, Sweden. With his characteristic finishing kick, Petter Northug outlasted Sweden's Calle Halfvarsson for gold, and France took bronze.
Babikov Kicks Late for 20th in World Champs 15 k Skate, Killick Just Outside Top 30 for Canada
Alex KochonFebruary 25, 2015
Ivan Babikov couldn't believe what he was hearing early in the 2015 World Championships 15 k freestyle. Two years after placing fourth in that race, he was in danger of finishing near last if he didn't speed up. Babikov turned it on for his second lap, which ended up being 24 seconds after than his first, to place 20th. Also for Canada, Graeme Killick placed 32nd and Jess Cockney was 57th in his first distance race in almost three months.
Nishikawa Cracks Top 30 in Falun 10 k, Jones Tallies Another Distance Best in Last Race
Alex KochonFebruary 24, 2015
With the pressure off, the Canadian women posted some career-best performances on Tuesday in the 10-kilometer freestyle individual start at 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Emily Nishikawa took 30th, and Perianne Jones placed 32nd in what she said would probably be her final international race.
FasterSkier sat down with Alex Harvey on Monday to talk about the two medals he's racked up in his two races so far at 2015 World Championships, and what they mean to him and for Canadian cross-country skiing.
Harvey Does It Again with Skiathlon Bronze, Second Medal of 2015 World Champs
Alex KochonFebruary 21, 2015
Alex Harvey approached Saturday's 30 k skiathlon with a winning mindset and came out with bronze, his second medal in as many races so far at 2015 World Championships. "A medal today is as good as gold," Canadian National Team Coach Justin Wadsworth says, "We couldn’t want anything more." Russia's Maxim Vylegzhanin outlasted Switzerland's Dario Cologna for his first world title.
Bjornsen Busts Out Season-Best Distance Result in 28th at World Champs, Top U.S. Man in Skiathlon
Alex KochonFebruary 21, 2015
Erik Bjornsen of the U.S. Ski Team and Alaska Pacific University notched his best-distance result of the season on Saturday in his first race of 2015 World Championships. He led the U.S. men in 28th in the skiathlon, while Noah Hoffman placed 44th, Kris Freeman was 48th and Matt Gelso finished 54th.
Oh So Close for Norwegian Rookie Tønseth
Inge ScheveFebruary 21, 2015
FasterSkier’s coverage of the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden, is brought to you by the generous support of Kikkan Randall training wear. Norway’s Didrik Tønseth was looking at a podium finish in his very first FIS Nordic World Ski Championships event. Now he’s looking at doing more pushups. Twenty-three-year-old rookie Tønseth was leading for part of the way in the men’s 30-kilometer skiathlon on Saturday. “I was thinking that, ‘This is it. I’m...
What Silver Means for Canada: High-Performance Director Holland Explains
BrainspiralFebruary 21, 2015
A day after Alex Harvey rose to silver in the men's classic sprint on the first official day of 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden, Cross Country Canada Athlete Director Colin Abbott caught up with high-performance director Tom Holland about the significance of silver.
Rydzek Realizes Every Child’s Dream as Nordic Combined World Champ; Taylor Fletcher Leads U.S. in 19th
Alex KochonFebruary 20, 2015
In the first nordic-combined competition of World Championships, Germany's Johannes Rydzek had some of the best timing all day, attacking late to drop his lone rival before the finish: Italy's Alessandro Pittin. The U.S. saw top-20 jumps from Billy Demong and Ben Berend, and Taylor Fletcher skied up from 25th to 19th.
At 19, Ben Berend made his World Cup debut last month in Schonach, Germany. After a whirlwind trip to Kazakhstan for Junior Worlds and Austria for the last Continental Cup, the Colorado native is set to compete in his first senior World Championships on Friday in Falun, Sweden.
Out of six U.S. Ski Team members who advanced to the heats in Thursday's World Championships classic sprint, Sophie Caldwell and Simi Hamilton went the farthest, making it to the semifinals before finishing 10th and 12th, respectively. Andy Newell placed 17th and rookie Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess led his quarterfinal at one point before ending up 30th overall. Sadie Bjornsen was 19th and Ida Sargent placed 29th.
Bjørgen Seizes First Win of 2015 Worlds, Holds Off Sweden’s Nilsson in Classic Sprint
Alex KochonFebruary 19, 2015
Marit Bjørgen overcame the spectator roars for Sweden's Stina Nilsson to hold off the home-crowd favorite by 0.42 seconds in the women's classic-sprint final on the first official day of 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. Bjørgen captured her 13th World Championships gold, Nilsson notched silver and Norway's Maiken Caspersen Falla took bronze.
Caldwell Leads Four North American Women Into Heats in World Champs Sprint Opener
Alex KochonFebruary 19, 2015
Four North American women advanced to the heats on the first day of medal competition at the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, with American Sophie Caldwell leading the crew in 21st in Thursday’s classic-sprint qualifier. Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk won the qualifier by 0.24 seconds, and Kikkan Randall missed advancing by 3.22 seconds in 36th.
For Aspiring Skiers, World Championships Qualifier Much More Than a Race
BrainspiralFebruary 19, 2015
The buzz is building at the 2015 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with the completion of the first races in Falun. Wednesday saw the individual-start distance qualification races take place with 45 women and 69 men and women skiing 5 kilometers and 10 k, respectively.
Interview: Wadsworth on Canadian World Champs Team
Lander KarathFebruary 18, 2015
FasterSkier discusses the selection of nine skiers to the Canadian 2015 Nordic World Ski Championships with Canadian National Team Head Coach Justin Wadsworth. "In every race we have good opportunity. It is just putting it together on the right day," he said of the team's chances in Falun, Sweden.