Today's Olympic 15 k saw a podium made of exclusively of skiers that had suffered injuries over the past year, led by Switzerland's Dario Cologna, just three months removed from ankle surgery.
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Reactions from the U.S. men's team after a hot and slushy 15 k classic race at the Olympics. Noah Hoffman: "I mean, I love hanging out in this weather, it feels like springtime." But for racing!?
A New Niskanen Stuns Ski World with Fourth in Olympic 15 k, 0.2 Seconds From Bronze
Chelsea LittleFebruary 14, 2014
We've heard about disappointment - but what about amazing, unexpected success? 22-year-old Iivo Niskanen of Finland almost held onto bronze in the Olympic men's 15 k classic. "In my 26-year career in coaching, the best thing is to see a star be born," coach Magnar Dalen told FasterSkier.
Petter Northug of Norway, who was a World Champion last season over the same distance, will not start today's 15 k individual race - and neither will Alexander Legkov and Maxim Vylegzhanin of Russia, Johannes Duerr of Austria, or Maurice Manificat of France. Norwegian and Russian coaches chat about the reasoning.
Wadsworth Manages Media Blitz After Rushing to Russian’s Aid
Alex KochonFebruary 14, 2014
Two days after running a ski down to a Russia's Anton Gafarov, Canadian head coach Justin Wadsworth joked that he'll think twice about doing the same in the future after the gesture prompted a significant amount of media attention.
American Biathlete Lowell Bailey skied and shot his way to eighth place at the Olympics on Thursday, relying on the calm and poise that he had been missing earlier this week. The result was the best-ever Olympic finish in biathlon for the U.S.
Green One Shot Away from Top 10 in 20 k Individual; Burke Makes Mass Start
Alex KochonFebruary 13, 2014
Brendan Green led the Canadians in 21st with his best Olympic result on Thursday, and if he hadn't had two penalties in the 20 k individual, he would've been even closer. His teammates, Nathan Smith and JP Le Guellec placed 25th and 35th, respectively, and Tim Burke placed 44th with four penalties.
Fourcade Takes Second Gold, But Silver and Bronze Make Different Kind of History
Chelsea LittleFebruary 13, 2014
Martin Fourcade used his blazing ski speed to win his second biathlon gold of the Games. But silver medalist Erik Lesser did something more personal: he repaid his grandfather Axel, a cross-country skier, who was in second place in the 1976 Olympics before colliding with a spectator and withdrawing from the race. Evgeniy Garanichev of Russia, meanwhile, became the first athlete to win a medal on their birthday when he took bronze.
Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk was crying at the finish line of Thursday's Olympic 10 k, though it was unclear if they were tears of joy, or of pain. The 31-year-old had won a clear victory over Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla and Norway’s Therese Johaug.
Bjornsen Leads U.S. with 18th in Olympic 10 k: Americans Persevere in Tropical Conditions
Chelsea LittleFebruary 13, 2014
Sadie Bjornsen quickly realized that today's 10 k classic wasn't going to have any easy sections, as temperatures soared into the mid-50s and the snow softened and slowed down. She thought of the Eagle glacier and pushed through to 18th - just a few seconds from the top 15. Her teammates packed in from 32nd to 35th.
In Uniquely Democratic Process, Nordic Athletes Well-Represented in Flagbearing Choice
Chelsea LittleFebruary 13, 2014
Kikkan Randall was nominated to carry the U.S. flag at opening ceremonies, Susan Dunklee voted on the flagbearer, and Todd Lodwick was ultimately chosen. We checked in with Randall and Dunklee about the process, which is uniquely democratic - most national committees just pick someone without consulting athletes. But Dunklee questioned why the diverse U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association received only one vote.
At the water below Sochi's mountain venues, the temperature was 60 degrees--which helped a FasterSkier reporter better grasp the idea of putting the Olympics in this strange part of the world.
“It can be so many things,” Kikkan Randall's coach, Erik Flora, said in an interview after Tuesday's Olympic sprint race. “I’ll go back and review this and see—I’m sure it’ll play over and over in our heads.”
Sophie Caldwell's goal at the beginning of the season, said her father Sverre, wasn't to win the Olympics - it was to just get there. But Caldwell found herself in position to go for a medal when she made the women's sprint final in Sochi today. Felled by a ski tangle at the top of the course, Caldwell's result still topped the historic records for U.S. women's skiing.
Dunklee in the Hunt for Pursuit Medal: ‘This Is Exactly Where I Want to Be’
Chelsea LittleFebruary 11, 2014
Susan Dunklee was in fifth place in the 10 k biathlon pursuit the final time she skied onto the shooting range. She missed three shots and lost her chance at a medal, but with the fourth-fastest ski time of the day, she still ended up 18th. "“The cool thing is that I know I can be there on a solid day,” she said. "There are lots of races left."
After Disappointment in Vancouver, Hattestad Wins Crash-Marred Sprint in Sochi
Nathaniel HerzFebruary 11, 2014
Norway's Ola Vigen Hattestad stayed out of trouble to win a gold medal in the Sochi sprint, while Sweden's Emil Joensson escaped a crash to claim what may end up being this Olympics' most improbable bronze.
Crawford’s Olympic Sprint Journey Ends in 44th on Tough Sochi Course
Chelsea LittleFebruary 11, 2014
After ending last season early and then leaving the national team this year, Chandra Crawford has had a long journey in her quest to repeat her 2006 Olympic gold medal in the freestyle sprint. It ended after qualification today, when Crawford placed 44th. "That is so disappointing," she said. "But I’m happy with the effort."
Top U.S. Biathletes Stymied in Sochi Pursuit
Nathaniel HerzFebruary 11, 2014
After frustrating results for Tim Burke and Lowell Bailey, “They get 12 hours to digest it,” their coach said. “Then, we go for the next one.”
With Warm Conditions, Many Crashes, and No Freezing in Sight, Questions of Olympic Course Safety Return
Chelsea LittleFebruary 10, 2014
After athlete complaints at last year's World Cup, Sochi organizers removed a particularly dangerous downhill from the biathlon course. But with warm conditions and deep, rutted snow, the rest of the course became treacherous today, with at least four major crashes between the 59 racers. Freezing nights are not predicted until next week, suggesting that the cross country ski courses, too, may be in for some ugly conditions.
After turning in clean shooting and the fastest shooting times on the first two stages of today's Olympic pursuit, Jean Philippe Le Guellec was in first place, ready to bring Canada a medal. But a crash on a slushy, skied-out downhill corner left him with a broken ski and cost him 15 places, as well as affecting his next shooting. In his stead, Nathan Smith moved from 13th up to 11th to lead Canada.