The Contenders

With just less than one week to go until the start of the 2015 World Cup season in Ruka (FIN) let’s take a look at some of the athletes to watch.

Therese Johaug and Martin Sundby ©FIS

It’s always difficult to judge success based on early season competitions in a World Championship or Olympic year. However, with a number of FIS Cup competitions taking place over the past couple of weekend’s in Scandinavia, it has provided a bit of a glimpse into the fitness of many of the big names in the sport and possible favourites for medals come February in Falun.

Men
On the men’s side, the Overall World Cup champion from 2014, Martin Johnsrud Sundby of Norway showed he will be a favourite in the opening weekend as he handily won both distance competitions in Beitostolen (NOR) last weekend. After training more than ever during the offseason Sundby certainly appears to be on track for another strong season.

Russia’s 2014 Olympic 50 km champion Alexander Legkov and last year’s runner up in the Overall World Cup standings still has that winning form with a win in last Sunday’s 15 km free technique competitions in Saariselkae (FIN).

Alex Harvey (CAN) who took third in last seasons overall standings is known to be a slow starter to the season but always seems to find his form in time for the World Championships. The 2011 World Champion in the team sprint and the 2013 bronze medalist in the classic sprint he must be considered a favourite heading into this year’s Falun World Championships. With two podium finishes in Gallivare (SWE) over the weekend it would seem that he is in good shape.

Calle Halfvarsson was the top Swede in the final standings sitting in fifth overall last season, and finished no worse than second place in a trio of competitions over the weekend in Bruksvallarna (SWE). With Falun hosting the World Championships it can be expected that Halfvarsson and the rest of the Swedish team will be aiming to repeat their Sochi success on home soil.

After a limited year of competition due to an ankle injury Switzerland’s Dario Cologna will be looking to continue his two gold medal performance from Sochi in Falun. From a weekend of competition in Saariselkae (FIN), it appears it will take a bit of time still to know if Cologna has returned to his top form.

After an offseason he would probably like to forget Norway’s Petter Northug Jr. is always a threat in any event. Northug was in the mix in the opener in Beitostolen winning Sunday’s classic sprint. Along with having his sights set on a Tour de Ski victory the entertaining athlete will continue to be someone to watch.

Last season’s U23 World Champion and Olympic silver medalist in the team sprint Iivo Niskanen (FIN) will be looking to build on his strong first World Cup season. With the World Championships just across the border in Sweden the young Finn will have plenty of motivation to target the podium in several events.

Ladies
On the ladies’ side the big names for the past several seasons, Marit Bjoergen, Justyna Kowalczyk Therese Johaug and Charlotte Kalla have all shown good shape in early season competitions.

Both Johaug and Bjoergen have stated that they had problem-free offseason training. Bjoergen is gunning for her first Tour de Ski title – the only thing she hasn’t won in her illustrious career – so it can be expected to see strong performances as Christmas approaches. Johaug stated after her dominant win in the Beiotstolen that she focused on her classic skiing and ability to sprint and so far it has shown.

Justyna Kowalczyk is always a threat for the win in classic competitions of any length and will focus this season on specifically classic competitions, along with a lighter competition schedule and medals in Falun. Charlotte Kalla like the rest of the Swedish team will be focused on success in Falun, but has already shown she is the class of the field in Sweden sweeping all three days of competition in Bruksvallarna last weekend.

With no early season competitions for the U.S. ski team so it is difficult to gage the fitness of Kikkan Randall but with Falun having the same competition formats as Val di Fiemme in 2013 it can be expected that she will be looking to repeat as World Champion in the team skate sprint event and possibly add a couple others medals in the individual sprint and team relay. Randall ranks third amongst active World Cup female competitors in World Cup victories behind Bjoergen and Kowalczyk.

Finnish skiers Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Parmakoski (formerly Lahteenmaki) appear primed for strong seasons. More than any other nations so far the Finn’s have had three weekends of competition already including two Finnish Cup weekends and an FIS cup comp in Olos. Both Niskanen and Parmakoski have displayed great shape in either technique and will be looking forward to a solid opening weekend on home turf in Ruka.

The next 6-8 weeks of World Cup competitions and National Championships will be qualification periods for many of the World Cup competitors. This should mean a great opening period of World Cups before Christmas. It will be exciting to see who is on early and who builds into their season. What new names will emerge as contenders for the end of season Crystal Globes and medals in Falun. Let the season begin!