March 21, 2009 (Falun, Sweden) – Dario Cologna (Sui) had the fastest time in the men’s 20km Pursuit (10km Classic + 10km Free) race on Saturday and combined with the Friday’s Prologue time is the overall winner in 1:04:48.1. Canada’s Alex Harvey continues to excel finishing 8th in the 20km Pursuit race and 11th overall. Devon Kershaw (Can) placed 21st in the Pursuit and is 18th overall.

“Everything went so well again today and my shape is amazing right now,” said Harvey. “Having the confidence to know that my body can hold the pace is definitely a key part of my game right now.”

“Coming into the season, my goal was to be in the top-30 and to be in the top-10 like this is such a surprise for me,” said Harvey. “You need the mental part to know that your body can keep going even when you are so tired. The good results that I have had are telling me that my shape is better right now than ever.”

Fans will appreciate that only Canada and Italy had four skiers in the top 30 of today’s 20km Pursuit and Canada and Norway are the only countries with four skiers in the top 30 overall.

Canada’s Sara Renner lead the charge for the North American women in 28th in the women’s 10km Pursuit today with Findland’s Riitta-Liisa Roponen on top with a time of 29:24.7. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) took the overall combined Prologue and Pursuit with a time of 38:18.2 with Sweden’s Anna Olsson in 2nd and Evi Sachenbacker-Stehle (Ger) in 3rd. Renner’s combined time put her in 33rd overall.

Full men’s Pursuit results here.
Full women’s Pursuit results here.

Full men’s Prologue+Pursuit results pdf here.
Full women’s Prologue+Pursuit results pdf here.

Results Pursuit (brief)

Men

1. Dario Cologna (Sui) 54:59.5
2. Marcus Hellner (Swe) 55:01.2
3. Tobias Angerer (Ger) 55:01.9
4. Pietro Piller Cottrer (Ita) 55:02.2
5. Vincent Vittoz (Fra) 55:03.2

8. Alex Harvey (Can) 55:11.7
21. Devon Kershaw (Can)  55:31.8
29. Ivan Babikov (Can) 56:10.7
30. George Grey (Can) 56:18.7
53. David Nighbor (Can) 57:55.6
63. Torin Koos (USA) 59:03.4
DNF Andrew Newell (USA)

Women

1. Riitta-Liisa Roponen (Fin) 29:24.7
2. Therese Johaug (Nor) 29:26.0
3. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) 29:28.9
4. Claudia Nystad (Ger) 29:39.9
5. Kristin Stoermer Steira (Nor) 29:40.0

28. Sara Renner (Can) 30:34.0
53. Daria Gaiazova (Can) 31:57.0
55. Kikkan Randall (USA) 32:10.9
59. Perianne Jones (Can) 33:21.7

Results Prologue + Pursuit (brief)

Men

1. Dario Cologna (Sui) 1:04:48.1
2. Alexander Legov (Rus) +58.2
3. Vincent Vittoz (Fra) ]+1:06.5
4. Tobias Angerer (Ger) +1:08.2
5. Marcus Hellner (Swe) +1:19.8

11. Alex Harvey (Can) .+1:30.8
18. Devon Kershaw (Can)  +2:09.9

Women

1. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) 38:18.2
2. Anna Olsson (Swe) +48.6
3. Evi Sachenbacker-Stehle (Ger) +56.2
4. Claudia Nystad (Ger) +57.9
5. Pirjo Muranen (Fin) +59.4

33. Sara Renner (Can) + 45.5