January 31, 2009 (Rybinsk, Russia) – The USA’s Andrew Newell lead the North American charge on Saturday with a 5th place finish – his best individual sprint result this season – at Saturday’s Elite men’s 1.3km Sprint at the Veissmann XC World Cup in Rybinsk, Russia won by Italy’s Renato Pasini. American Torin Koos finished 17th while Canada’s Devon Kershaw was 19th.

“Andy skied as well as he possibly could today,” Head Cross Country Coach Peter Vordenberg said. “He skied the final really well and fifth was it for the day.”

Newell continues to gain momentum approaching 2009 Liberec Nordic Worlds. “It felt good to make the final. I was due to make it. I’ve run into some bad luck this season,” Newell said. “In the final I went for it and actually pulled into the lead at one point, but then the wheels came off a little. For a minute I thought I was going to get the win.”

In the women’s competition Kikkan Randall (USA) finished 16th as she hoped to repeat on her fabulous result here in Dec. 2007 when she won gold becoming the first American woman win and xc ski world cup. Finland’s Pirjo Muranen took the women’s race over Itay’s Arianna Follis in second and Magda Genuin in 3rd.

“I felt really good day which concerned me a bit as last year here in the warm up I felt terrible,” said Randall. “I skied well today but made a tactical error in the S-turn coming into the homestretch and had the door shut on my move and had to settle for 4th and didn’t advance.”

Women’s qualifications here.
Men’s qualifications here.

Women’s final results here.
Men’s final results here.

Qualifications (brief)

Women

1. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) 2:53.92
2. Magda Genuin (Ita) 2:54.93
3. Ekaterina Chuikova (Rus) 2:55.67
4. Vesna Fabjan (Slo) 2:55.95
5. Virpi Kuitunen (Fin) 2:56.85

15. Kikkan Randall (USA) 3:00.64

Men

1. Anton Gafarov (Rus) 2:30.50
2. Nikolay Morilov (Rus) 2:30.59
3. Martti Jylhae (Fin) 2:30.77
4. Andrew Newell (USA) 2:31.53
5. Matias Strandvall (Fin) 2:32.12

18. Torin Koos (USA) 2:34.06
27. Devon Kershaw (Can) 2:35.48
43. Chris Cook (USA) 2:38.68

Final (brief)

Women

1. Pirjo Muranen (Fin)
2. Arianna Follis (Ita)
3. Magda Genuin (Ita)
4. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (Fin)
5. Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol)

16. Kikkan Randall (USA)

Men

1. Renato Pasini (Ita)
2. Alexey Petukhov (Rus)
3. Anton Gafarov (Rus)
4. Franz Goering (Ger)
5. Andrew Newell (USA)

17. Torin Koos (USA)
19. Devon Kershaw (Can)
43. Chris Cook (USA)