Charlotte Kalla made for a happy local crowd on Tuesday with a 41-second win in the 10 k freestyle at 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden. Two Americans joined her on the podium for a historic first in a women's distance race at a World Championships: Jessie Diggins in second and Caitlin Gregg in third.
When Norwegian Therese Johaug threw down the hammer on Mördarbacken, a.k.a. "murder-hill", in the last lap of the women's 15 k skiathlon there was no hope for the rest of the competition. Using the hill to her advantage, Johaug skied to a World Championships gold ahead of teammate Astrid Jacobsen and Charlotte Kalla of Sweden.
Sweden's Charlotte Kalla won the last World Cup before 2015 World Championships by more than 36 seconds over Norway's Marit Bjørgen, leading from start to finish for the clear-cut victory. It was her first World Cup win since March 2010, and Bjørgen locked up her fourth Overall World Cup crown.
The Tour de Ski was the one major international title that eluded Marit Bjørgen, but she finally claimed it after an uncontested victory in Sunday's final stage in Val di Femme, Italy, a 9 k freestyle pursuit. While Norway swept the podium, Liz Stephen took fifth to earn the best Tour finish of all time for the United States.
The only thing that can stop Norway’s Marit Bjørgen from winning her first ever Tour de Ski title is herself. Entering Thursday’s fifth stage, a 5 k skate pursuit, in Toblach, Italy, Bjørgen had a 1.34.3 advantage over teammates Heidi Weng and a 2.16 lead over defending Tour de Ski champion Therese Johaug. If either Weng or Johaug wanted a chance to catch Bjørgen, the oppurtunities were winding down and they needed to catch her today.
If you thought this was the year that Marit Bjørgen was beatable, think again. After being bested by Therese Johaug in every 10 k classic so far this year (at least in split time, in the case of the Lillehammer pursuit she won), the Norwegian star turned it around and dominated the Tour de Ski pursuit in Oberstdorf. Also inside: Ingvild Flugstad Østberg throws some shade on Kowalczyk about that snowplow.
Marit Bjørgen had a lot of history riding on Saturday's 10 k freestyle -- if she or any other Norwegian woman won it, their team could go down in the record books with the longest World Cup winning streak. But mostly Bjørgen was looking for her first distance win of the season.
Whether Therese Johaug is a better skate or classic skier is more or less a moot point now that she's claimed her second win of the season in another 10 k classic. Johaug beat teammate Marit Bjørgen by more than 42 seconds again on Saturday at the Davos World Cup to quiet anyone who doubted her in that distance technique.
As so often on the World Cup lately, it’s not a question of who will fight for the victory, but how the competition between Marit Bjørgen and Therese Johaug will unfold. Sunday held a sprint showdown between the two in the women's 10 k classic pursuit on the last day of the Lillehammer World Cup mini tour.
Therese Johaug wasn't sure if last week's 42-second win over teammate Marit Bjørgen was a fluke. While she wasn't able to dominate by as big of a margin in Saturday's 5 k freestyle, Johaug did top Bjørgen again -- this time by 0.3 seconds -- on Day 2 of the mini tour in Lillehammer, Norway.
Marit Bjørgen's gotten used to winning opening mini tours in Kuusamo, and she seems to have no problem getting off to a strong start in the first of three races in Lillehammer, either. "It is always fun to win," she told NRK after her second-straight World Cup sprint win in Friday's 1.3 k freestyle sprint.
Therese Johaug took the fun out of fighting for first, proving herself untouchable throughout Sunday's two-lap 10 k classic on the first day of World Cup distance racing in Kuusamo. Teammate Marit Bjørgen knew the race was for second and narrowly edged Sweden's Charlotte Kalla.
FasterSkier was on site for the second day of FIS races in Beitostølen, Norway, where Marit Bjørgen had her revenge for what she determined was not-so-hot classic form on Friday. Therese Johaug placed second and Heidi Weng was third for the second day in a row.
When it comes to opening distance races, Therese Johaug is a gamer. On Friday, she won the first 10 k classic of the season for the fourth year in a row and third-straight Beitostølen distance opener -- once again ahead of Norwegian teammate Marit Bjørgen.
Therese Johaug could be the Norwegian Ski Federation's MVP. But can they keep her? "She’s going to make more money than both Petter Northug and Marit Bjørgen," one expert says. "The girl has everything, so the sponsors will be willing to pay very much."
Therese Johaug took a 15-second lead and literally ran with it, beating Norwegian teammate Marit Bjørgen by nearly 30 seconds in Sunday's 10 k freestyle pursuit to win the World Cup Finals and her first overall World Cup title.
Therese Johaug of Norway took a major stride toward her first overall World Cup title, skiing away form teammate Marit Bjørgen in the World Cup Final 15 k skiathlon to build a 15 second lead for the final pursuit on Sunday. The winner of that event will take the crystal globe.
Marit Bjørgen proved her dominance today by winning the 30 k classic at Holmenkollen by nearly two minutes ahead of second-place teammate Therese Johaug.
Marit Bjørgen had what she considered a perfect day in Sunday's 10-kilometer freestyle individual start in Lahti, Finland. After a strong start, the Norwegian paced herself to an even faster tempo as she ticked off the kilometers, beating the likes of Charlotte Kalla and Therese Johaug for the World Cup victory.
With three teammates skiing at the front of the women's 30 k freestyle mass start from start to finish, it was no surprise it was Norway, and it wasn't exactly stunning that they dominated the podium. However, the last several hundred meters of the race turned out to be the most exciting, with Marit Bjørgen executing in her usual fashion. The victory made her the most successful woman in Winter Olympics history.