February 28, 2010 (Whistler, BC) – Despite the damp and overcast day skiers, wax technicians, and groomers proved they can create a fast race through treating the track with unheard of amounts of salt, testing klisters for days and skiing their hearts out.

The course was icy and hard because of the amount of salt used, and Petter Northug used it and a perfectly timed strategic race to his advantage. He held back in the lead pack and let a variety of nations set the pace at the front until the last 5km at which time he unleashed his first real attack of the day. But it wasn’t until Germany’s Axel Teichmann counter-attacked with 500-metres to go that the race was decided.

The rest of the lead pack of four other skiers were not able to answer as Northug jumped in behind him. He had at least two ski lengths between himself and Northug as he took the last corner before the straight-away to the finish. It looked like a German victory until Northug answered with an even faster attack. By this time Switzerland’s Dario Cologna, Germany’s Tobias Angerer, Sweden’s Johan Olsson and Canada’s Devon Kershaw were skiing immediately behind the two leaders.

But Teichmann could not match Northug’s double-poling turnover rate and once again the Norwegians won gold, this time taking the 50km classic in 2:05:35:5. Teichmann took silver, 0.3 seconds back. Cologna fell 50 metres from the finish line and had to settle for 10th, while Sweden’s Olsson skied in for the bronze at 0:19:0 back, Angerer was 4th, 0:28 back, and Kershaw was 5th in a photo finish with Angerer at 0:30 back. This is Canada’s best-ever finish in a 50km men’s  Olympic event.

Northug explained his strategy. “My plan was to stay in the group and attack on the last hill. Today I get it and it feels great. It’s been a dream for me, these championships have been great,” he said, referring to the gold medal the Norwegian men won in the team sprint, the silver in the 4×10 relay and his bronze in the individual sprint.

But Northug added that Teichmann was a formidable opponent, especially on the last hill before the stadium entrace. “He was racing very fast there, I knew that if I stayed with him I could beat him in the stadium. I always said he is maybe the best sprinter with me. I knew I had to give 100 percent at the end.”

Like the women in the 30km race, the men had interval ski changes to counteract wax that was wearing out. Teichmann credits part of his success to being able to access new skis. “I felt strong after I changed my skis at 40 kilometres. I had good skis. I had bad skis between 30 and 40 kilometres, but when I changed after that it was better.”

Teichmann too saw the strategic places on the course he had to use. “I had to take the opportunity at the last hill,” he said of his attack. “For sure I wanted to take a gap.” But he added that he didn’t believe he would be in the top three. “I never imagined to take the silver in the 50 kilometre. I’m happy about it. To take a medal after 50 kilometres – a silver medal – is fantastic for me. I didn’t know who was behind me. I tried to take advantage of the gap. I never thought that I would make it to the top, so I didn’t bring clothes with me for the flower ceremony.”

All four Swedish skiers finished in the top twenty-five as did the Norwegians and the Germans. All three teams placed a skier on the podium. It was Sweden’s day to take the bronze with Olsson sprinting ahead of Angerer and Kershaw. “They were really good condition due to the weather. It has been raining for more than 24 hours. They put salt on the track. The course was so hard. That’s the reason so many people could be there at the end.

“It was really icy hard. I saw that he [Cologna] fell and I knew I had a good chance for a bronze medal. I kept looking to the right to see if anyone was matching me. I had a pretty good final sprint.”

Canada’s George Grey had an excellent race as well, staying with the lead pack until 10km to go and finishing in 18th position, only 42.6 seconds back. The USA’s James Southam was the next North American in at 28th place, 4:32:6 minutes back. Canadians Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov were 32nd and 33^rd at 5:14:4 and 5:14:7 minutes back. Kris Freeman did not finish and might have had issues with his diabetes as was the case in the 30km pursuit.

An elated but very tired Kershaw couldn’t stop smiling after the race. “It was so perfectly executed,” said Kershaw of his race. “I planned to stay with the leaders, conserve energy and stay calm. It’s the fourth 50km in my life, and I am extremely proud of my race today and to work with George Grey. Our men’s team is such a tightly knit group,” continued Kershaw. “We even take ski vacations together even though we see each other every day.

Kershaw also indicated the role Cross Country Canada technicians played in, not only today’s race, but throughout the Games. “The level the technicians brought our skis to – they did such a great job in these adverse conditions,” he added, very emotionally, perhaps as the impact of the team’s success at these Games sunk in.

Grey said the race was “bittersweet” for him. “In a way I was so close to a medal – so it’s heartbreaking. Grey also talked about the close relationship the four skiers have with one another, and that he didn’t go into the race with a particular strategy. “So many times plans don’t pan out. Devon and I skied together and were talking, asking ‘when are you going to switch skis?’ It’s good to have your team up with you. It’s inspiring.”

After nine years on the national team, Grey had said before the Games began that he would not be around in 2014. He had even made a $500 bet with Kershaw that he would not go. But something about his experience here seemed to have changed his mind. “I hit my peak this year – particularly for these Olympics. How can I quit? I love sport. It’s like a drug. The only thing we missed at these Games was a medal – we were so close.” The men’s team far surpassed their expectations with seven top ten finishes.

Cologna, who took the first gold medal of the games in the 15km skate, was contemplative after his fall near the finish. “It was a really good day. I had a good feeling the whole race. I did everything right. It is very hard now because I was so close to a medal. If you are so close to a second, it’s very, very hard.”

The Canadian men were contemplative when asked how they felt about Brian McKeever not starting the event. They explained that they were professionals and had “unfinished business” at the Olympics with respect to racing for a medal, and felt sympathetic for McKeever saying the situation might have been handled better. They final decision lay with High Performance Director Tom Holland and with Harvey and Babikov finishing at the back of the pack some questioned whether they were too tired after their great performances, to execute a strong result in the 50km. McKeever’s lost opportunity was another case of a bittersweet ending to the stellar accomplishments of the men’s team at the 2010 Games.

Full results here.

1. Petter  Northug  (Nor) 2:05:35.5
2. Axel Teichmann (Ger) +0.3
3. Johan Olsson (Swe) +1.0
4. Tobias  Angerer (Ger) +1.5
5. Devon Kershaw (Can) +1.6

18. George Grey (Can) +42.6
28. James Southam (USA) +4:32.8
32. Alex Harvey (Can) +5:14.4
33. Ivan Babikov (Can) +5:14.4
DNF Kris Freeman (USA)