January 8, 2006 (Otepaeae, Estonia) – Swedes Bjoern Lind and Lina Andersson each won the classic technique World Cup sprints today. Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) was 27th in the men’s 1.5K test.

Lind edged 2002 Olympic and 2001 Nordic Worlds champion Tor Arne Hetland of Norway with Russian Vassili Rotchev third and Norwegian Jens Arne Svartedal fourth. Newell qualified 21st but went out in the quarterfinals. Torin Koos (Leavenworth, WA) was a near-miss to race finals, finishing 32nd in the prologue.

Head Coach Trond Nystad said, “This is a tough course with a lot of climbs, but Andy showed again he’s got the speed to go with the big guys, and now he’s learning the tactics for pack racing…and that just takes racing. He’s getting there…and Torin was close, so they keep moving forward.”

Anderson, silver medalist in the CL sprint at the 2005 World Championships, defeated Manuela Henkel of Germany in the women’s 1K sprint with Ella Gjoemle of Norway third and Finn Virpi Kuitunen fourth. No American women raced.

For complete results:
<http://fanmail.ussa.org/ct/ct.php?t=1113868&c=697780820&m=m&type=1>http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/1228.html?event_id=17403