January 20, 2007 (Canmore, Alta.) – Canada’s elite cross-country ski athletes were battling for more than national bragging rights during the Madshus sprint races on Saturday at their home training centre in Canmore, Alta. The Canadian squad was also vying for a chance to wear the national suit at the World Championships in Sapporo, Japan next month.

Phil Widmer, of Banff, Alta., and Sarah Daitch, who grew up in Fort Smith, N.W.T., bolstered their chances to represent Canada after leading the pack wire-to-wire on Saturday. Widmer and Daitch, who both posted the fastest times during the qualification round at two minutes 42.60 seconds and 3:14.43 respectively, manhandled their Canadian comrades in the head-to-head heats, both taking home the gold medal.

“The conditions were perfect and it was a great day of racing,” said Dave Wood, head coach, Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team. “Phil and Sarah were a step ahead of the rest of the field today, and both skied really well. The field will be even stronger tomorrow, and it is going to be a tough decision to pick our team.”

The heats consist of the top-30 athletes from the qualification round, with five athletes racing head-to-head. The top-two athletes in each of the six heats move on to the next round. The top two third-place finishers from the quarter-final heats also move into the semifinals based on their qualification times.

Widmer had control of the men’s side of the draw all day alongside newcomer to the World Cup circuit, Stefan Kuhn, of Canmore, Alta. When the snow finally settled in the mad dash to the finish line, Kuhn was forced to the silver medal position on the podium. Graham Nishikawa, of Whitehorse, Yukon, rounded out the top-three in the bronze medal position.

Sarah Daitch wasn’t able to flip it into cruise control in the women’s race. Daitch was forced to empty the gas tank with a number of determined Canucks on her tail all day. Tasha Betcherman, of Thunder Bay, Ont., was second, while Edmonton’s Tara Whitten skied into third spot.

The Haywood NorAms continue on the World Cup track at the Canmore Nordic Centre Sunday with another Madshus sprint race. The selection committee will officially announce the World Championship team following the NorAm distance races in Canmore, January 27-28, 2007.

Madshus Sprints

Men
1. Phil Widmer, Banff, Alta.
2. Stefan Kuhn, Canmore, Alta.
3. Graham Nishikawa, Whitehorse, N.W.T.
4. Chris Jeffries, Chelsea, Que.
5. Chris Werrell, Burns Lake, B.C.
6. Brian McKeever, Canmore, Alta.

Women
1. Sarah Daitch, Fort Smith, NWT.
2. Tasha Betcherman, Thunder Bay, Ont.
3. Tara Whitten, Edmonton, Alta.
4. Karla Mika, Ont.
5. Dasha Gaiazova, Montreal, Que.
6. Shayla Swanson, Calgary, Alta.

For complete results click here.