With the conclusion of Period IV of the 2012-2013 season we tally who's in and who's out of the coveted Red Group in the most recent World Ranking Lists, from the American and Canadian perspectives.
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Simi Hamilton
At the first World Cup since World Championships, the American men posted two top-30s between the freestyle sprint and 15 k classic in Lahti, Finland. Kris Freeman was 25th in the distance event and Andy Newell placed 27th in the preceding sprint. Neither result was stellar, but it was Freeman's best finish since his top-10 in Canmore.
A few hours before their teammates made history in the women’s race, Americans Andy Newell and Erik Bjornsen got unlucky in the team sprint semifinals at World Championships. Bjornsen fell in a tangle with France and Finland on his third leg the U.S. lost contact with the leaders as they began to take off at the front. They wound up finishing seventh overall in the heat, 26.97 seconds behind the leaders, and failed to advance to the final.
The classic sprint at the 2013 World Championships was preceded by promise and excitement for the Americans, but when only three out of seven starters advanced to the heats on Thursday and none moved past the quarterfinals the team was left feeling frustrated by slippery skis. Kikkan Randall and Sophie Caldwell each finished fourth in their quarterfinals to place 19th and 20th, respectively, and Andy Newell was 21st after placing fifth in his heat.
Newell Rises to Fourth in Davos Sprint, Second in World Cup Sprint Standings
Alex KochonFebruary 16, 2013
US Ski Team member Andy Newell came one step closer to a World Cup podium on Saturday, placing fourth in the 1.5 k classic sprint in Davos, Switzerland. While he was 3 seconds off the mark, Newell isn't too worried: he's still got World Championships and an overall sprint title to chase. Teammate Simi Hamilton notched a season best of 13th, and Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess and Erik Bjornsen learned some lessons.
In a season of lackluster results thus far, Simi Hamilton's performance in the team sprint in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday is especially notable. Andy Newell's fall in the last lap left the Americans disappointed, yes, but Hamilton was "stoked" to ski the second-fastest third round of the entire field.
The U.S. team of Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton had a strong day in Sochi, winning their team sprint semi-final, before just missing out on 4th place after a late crash.
Randall and Sargent Pace Seven Americans in Sochi Heats
Audrey ManganFebruary 1, 2013
Seven Americans landed in the heats in the freestyle sprint in Sochi, Russia, on Friday. Kikkan Randall calmly won her third sprint of the season and Ida Sargent was sixth in her first appearance in a World Cup final. La Clusaz is but a distant memory.
Andy Newell got the U.S. men's relay off to a strong start Sunday, tagging off to Noah Hoffman in fourth. Hoffman rose to second, but two crashes on his last lap proved too much to overcome and the Americans finished 10th, a season best that left the team wanting more.
The 2013 World Championships begin on February 20th in Val di Fiemme, Italy, and if you think this has been an exciting season so far, think again. With the U.S. selection period now closed and team naming expected by the end of the week, we consider criteria, rankings and results.
Bad Luck Halts American Men in Liberec Semifinals
Audrey ManganJanuary 13, 2013
Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell began their semifinal in good position with the leaders in the Liberec team sprint, but got unlucky when a Finn fell in front of Hamilton before the last exchange. The duo finished fifth in the heat for 13th overall and did not advance to the finals.
Andy Newell was sixth in Liberec, Czech Republic, on Saturday for his third appearance in a sprint final this season. He was the only American to advance past the qualifier, but as this is the first World Cup since before the Tour for many, his teammates look forward to moving up from here on out.
Notes and Quotes: Québec Individual Sprint Edition
Alex KochonDecember 9, 2012
Still waiting to hear from your favorite North American skier that failed to qualify for the Quebec World Cup heats on Saturday? We've got their responses.
Hoffman Lone Bright Spot in Kuusamo Pursuit for US Men
BrainspiralDecember 3, 2012
Noah Hoffman (USA) wrapped up a breakthrough weekend of racing in Kuusamo, Finland, placing 26th in the Ruka Triple mini-tour. Hoffman's teammates did not fare as well, with Kris Freeman and Andy Newell both abandoning the race, and Tad Elliott and Sylvan Ellefson finishing toward the pack of the field.
Sargent Gets Her Share of the Wealth; Leads Randall into Kuusamo Sprint Top 10
Alex KochonNovember 30, 2012
American Ida Sargent lived up to the hype surrounding her sprinting skills on Friday, placing ninth in the Kuusamo World Cup 1.4 k classic sprint just ahead of teammate Kikkan Randall in 10th. Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell made the rounds and placed 24th and 27th, respectively.
Notes and Quotes: FIS Scandinavia Extravaganza Edition
FasterSkierNovember 19, 2012
After a substantial weekend of racing, we often have interesting tidbits that didn’t make it into the main race report. Here are Notes and Quotes from races in Bruksvallarna, Sweden, and Muonio, Finland. Chandra Crawford (CAN) was plenty excited about her 2nd place finish in the FIS sprint in Brusvallarna, Sweden. She told FasterSkier that she may have let her emotions get the best of her, saying “I just wanted to be Fast & Female...
Poltoranin, Kowalczyk Win in Muonio; Newell, Sargent Take U.S. to Finals
Audrey ManganNovember 16, 2012
It may have been a relatively relaxed tune-up race, but there was no lack of depth in the field that showed up for the FIS classic sprints in Muonio, Finland, on Friday. Kazakhstan produced an impressive sweep of the podium; Alexey Poltoranin, a traditionally strong sprinter, led the charge while compatriots Nikolay Chebotko and Denis Volotka (KAZ) followed close behind. American Andy Newell, who led much of the final heat, finished fourth after a slight...
American World Cup Preview: Gathering Momentum
Audrey ManganNovember 15, 2012
Welcome to the latest installment of FasterSkier’s season previews! Here we break down what to expect from the US Ski Team’s cross-country athletes on the international stage in 2012-2013. With the pre-World Cup races in Muonio, Finland, just around the corner, now is a good time to take stock of what happened last season. When it was time to write this preview a year ago, the Americans were coming off of a very different winter....
On Saturday, a fundraiser was held in Aspen, Colo., to help support local U.S. Ski Team cross-country athletes Simi Hamilton and Noah Hoffman and nordic combined skier Michael Ward in their quest for international success. A few hundred community members came through the doors over the course of the evening, the sense of pride in their hometown practically tangible. It’s rare, when covering a sport largely from afar, to witness the inspirational power athletes have...
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. – Flinging around a sharp corner about a ski length behind one another, Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mountain School T2 Team), Ida Sargent (Craftsbury Green Racing Project), Caitlin Patterson (CGRP) and Jessie Diggins (SMS) each lowered into a tuck and prepared for a long, steep descent. Diggins called out to the others just ahead of her in the classic rollerski sprint at Lake Placid’s Olympic Jumping Complex. “That’s it,” the U.S. Ski Team...