January 01, 2013 (Val-Mustair, Switzerland) – The USA’s Kikkan Randall is in a league of her own in freestyle sprinting. She first fired warning shots with a whopping 4.8s-margin topping the women’s 1.4km FR Qualifications ( 3:38.32), only to better her time in the final as she dominated her heats taking the decisive victory at the new venue in Val-Mustair with a time of 3:37.0.

Norway’s Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg and Heidi Weng were clearly no match for the American star as they battled for second and third with Oestberg earning the silver. She was also in the spotlight during her semi as well as she made little attempt to hide her team directive to let her teammate Kristin Stoermer Steira take second and advance to the final where in the end Steira finished 5th.

Meanwhile the American women continue their assault on the traditionally Euro-dominated international circuit qualifying all four skiers. But luck was not on their side as the first quarter final drew Randall, Holly Brooks and Liz Stephen with the latter two not advancing. Jessie Diggins looked smart and strong in her heat sitting in third for most of the race, but could not hold the pace near the end finishing 4th and with her slow heat did not advance as a lucky loser.

Randall, who took charge early in each of her heats, kept the pace up until the second climb where she forced all skiers to the limit as she seemed to get stronger with each lap, pulling away for decisive victories each time including the final. A belated birthday present from FIS indeed.

She is now 5th overall behind TdS leader Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), who was knocked in her semi, and Norwegian star Therese Johaug in second, with Steira in 3rd and Germany’s Denise Herrmann in 4th.

Women’s Qualifications here.
Women’s final here.
TdS W Overall here.