Ben Lustgarten had a modest start in nordic skiing, but his future in the sport is anything but. Despite a senior year at Middlebury College that was fraught with injuries, the emerging star is ready to excel in the world of professional skiing.
The Junior World Championships ended Monday with the junior relays, where Norway won the men's race and Sweden took the women's team title, and the Canadian women had the top North American finish in 10th.
While Russia stole the spotlight in the men's and women's individual classic races at Junior World Championships on Sunday, two Canadians notched top-15 career bests on the second-to-last day of the championships: Ricardo Izquierdo-Bernier and Dahria Beatty.
Two Frenchmen and two Norwegian women pushed each other to the finish of Saturday's skiathlons, the last races of U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. UVM's Scott Patterson led the North Americans in 18th and Rosie Frankowski (NMU) captured her first top 30 in 26th.
Satisfied, yet unfulfilled was the sentiment of the North Americans who competed in the 2014 U23 World Championship 10 k and 15 k classic at Val di Fiemme, Italy. With fresh snow falling on the challenging course of Lago di Tesero, the best U23 skiers from North America put their best efforts forward in an attempt to make their mark on the international stage.
Finnish skier Iivo Niskanen and Norwegian Martine Elk Hagen have continued their families’ legacies in the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme on Thursday. Tackling a course covered in fresh snow, Niskanen, brother to Finnish superstar Kerttu Niskanen, and Hagen, cousin of Norway’s up-and-coming Heidi Weng, won their respective 10 k and 15 k individual classic races on the trails of Lago di Tesero.
Jessie Diggins once again demonstrated that she’s a skier with a lot of heart at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. On the same course where she earned a historic world championship gold in the team sprint with Kikkan Randall in 2013, the 22-year-old left the 1.2 k freestyle sprint knowing she gave it her all.
With a World Cup sprint victory already under his belt, Russia's Sergey Ustiugov racked up another U23 title and Jessie Diggins came oh-so-close, winning the women's qualifier then placing second to Germany's Elisabeth Schicho in the final. France's Jean Tiberghien won the junior men's sprint, Sweden's Jonna Sundling captured her first individual junior title, and Canada's Katherine Stewart-Jones placed 15th.
Junior Canadian women bring the heat in the opening sprints of the Val-di-Fiemme World Juniors.
Noah Hoffman was the last American left in the Tour de Ski. Bad ski choice got him off to a slow start, but he powered up the immense climb to find himself in a career-best 25th.
Saturday's Tour de Ski stage 6 individual classic race saw Jessie Diggins notch her best ever classic race. Diggins came in 10th, while Liz Stephen finished a solid 21st, and Noah Hoffman in 47th had an off day.
Therese Johaug, second overall in the Tour de Ski, skied a dominating race that was far and away faster than any of her competitors. Johaug's performance went a long way toward her goal of being the first to the summit of the Alpe Cermis on Sunday.
With the eighth-annual Tour de Ski starting 24 hours from 8 a.m. EST, we thought we’d give you a rundown of what’s happening when and who’s racing.
Just over a year ago, Yulia Tchekaleva had her first child, and while she enjoyed the pregnancy and much-needed break from training, she entered 2012/2013 with a new kind of drive. Without an individual World Cup medal before this season, she's now got four, including one from World Championships.
The classic races of World Championships took place in Val di Fiemme: interval start, relay, marathon. Biathletes competed in Oslo, Americans held their own in Slavic Cup action, and Swedes (and everyone else) gave it their all in the Vasaloppet. Summaries of the action, along with links to reporting and results.
Johan Olsson (SWE) skied what has already been dubbed the greatest 50 k of all time to close out the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships on Sunday in front of a packed stadium. Skiing by himself for well over half the race, the performance drew admiration from his competitors and everyone present in the stands to witness it. Our images from the day.
Alex Harvey hung with the group for the first half of Sunday's 50 k, but dropped out of contention and didn't have the skis or the body to catch back up in the final race of the 2013 World Championships. He finished 28th, Graham Nishikawa was 48th and Ivan Babikov pulled out halfway through.
Johan Olsson surprised most everyone and held his own for nearly 30 k on Sunday, skiing alone with a relentless drive for gold in the World Championships 50 k classic mass start on a hot-and-slushy afternoon.
Noah Hoffman skied with a breakaway on the first lap of the 50 k classic on Sunday at World Championships and eventually faded to a 27th-place finish to lead the American men on the final day of racing in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Kris Freeman was 37th, Tad Elliott finished 40th and Erik Bjornsen placed 52nd.
When you’ve already got 11 World Championship golds, it takes something really special to bring you to tears for the 12th one. Marit Bjørgen was overcome with emotion after winning Saturday's 30 k classic mass start, a race she had been focusing on for the last few years.