March 16, 2007 (Tarvisio, Italy) – The U.S. Ski Team got two more top-20 results Friday at the 2007 Nordic Junior World Ski Championships as Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT/Burke Mountain Academy/U.S. B Team) was 16th and Alexa Turzian (Sun Valley, ID/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) 19th in the women’s 10K pursuit.

The race started with a 5K classic technique leg and then a 5K free technique leg, and was won by Charlotte Kalla of Sweden, who earned her third medal (second gold) of the championships. Kalla, who had the fastest 5K classic leg and the fastest 5K skating leg, won in 26:10.9 – nearly 41 seconds ahead of four Norwegians led by Marte Monrad-Hansen (26:51.7).

Stephen, who was seventh two days earlier in the 5K free, had the sixth-fastest 5k free in Friday’s race and moved up 27 places in the final lap to finish in 27:50.8. Turzian, the U.S. 10K champion although she’s only a senior at Wood River H.S., was eighth fastest over the 5K freestyle loop and passed 18 skiers in the field of 76 for a total time of 28:05.5.

In the men’s 20K pursuit, Norway’s Eirik Kurland Olsen was gold medalist with a time of 52:49.8 in the sunny, 35-degree weather, just 1.2 seconds ahead of Czech Ondrej Horyna with Norwegian Sjur Roethe another 2.3 seconds back. Matt Gelso (Truckee, CA/Auburn Ski Club/U.S. B Team) had the best U.S. result, finishing 31st in the field of 89 skiers.

The final races of the cross country schedule at Junior Worlds will be the relays Saturday – the women’s 4×3.3K and men’s 4x5K.

2007 FIS NORDIC JUNIOR WORLD SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tarvisio, ITA – March 26, 2007

Men’s 20K Pursuit (10+10)

1. Eirik Kurland Olsen, Norway, 52:49.8
2. Ondrefj Horyna, Czech Republic, 52:51.0
3. Sjur Roethe, Norway, 52:53.3
4. Alex Harvey, Canada, 52:54.5
5. Johannes Duerr, Austria, 52:58.9

31. Matt Gelso, Truckee, CA/Auburn Ski Club/University of Colorado/U.S. B Team, 55:10.9
56. Reid Pletcher, Hailey, ID/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, 57:20.2
57. Karl Nygren, Prior Lake, MN/CU, 57:20.2
75. Colin Struthers, Boulder, CO/SVSEF

Women’s 10K Pursuit (5+5)

1. Charlotte Kalla, Sweden, 26:10.9
2. Marte Monrad-Hansen, Norway, 26:51.7
3. Therese Johaug, Norway, 26:52.6
4. Astrid Jacobsen, Norway, 27:16.8
5. Marthe Kristoffersen, Norway, 27:17.6

16. Liz Stephen, East Montpelier, VT/Burke Mountain Academy/U.S. B Team, 27:50.8
18. Alexa Turzian, Sun Valley, ID/SVSEF, 28:05.5
39. Sadie Bjoernsen, Winthrop, WA/Methow Valley Ski Club. 28:44.3
43. Rosie Brennan, Park City, UT, National Sports Foundation, 28:53.9

For complete results click here.