February 04, 2015 (Almaty, Kazakhstan) – We caught up with Team USA’s Ben Saxton at the FIS Junior/U23 Nordic World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan after he finished a stellar sixth in the U23 men’s 1.3km CL sprints on the opening day of competition – race report here.

Saxton in Sprint CL Qualification © SMS T2

How did it feel to make the U23 Men’s Sprint CL final at Worlds ?
BS: It was amazing to reach the final, I’ve been fighting to reach this level for several years now, and arriving their in such an emphatic fashion felt amazing.

Talk about the course – conditions – and your skis.
BS: The course was subject to lots of discussion throughout the week; there was very little snow when we arrived at the venue prior to the competitions, and we ended up racing on the third iteration of the original sprint course due to the lack of snow available on the course. My skis were great, it was a tough day for skis, but my tech Tim Baucom and I worked all week to dial in the race boards and we went with kick heavy skis because of the large final climb.

You qualified a strong 10th – then beat top qualifier and eventual winner Fossli (NOR) in a close quarterfinal – that was big… tell us about it.
BS: The qualifier was a great start to the day, I was a little jittery out of the start and bounced around a tad too much on the first half of the course, but I settled down before the hill and was able to move the way I wanted heading into the finish. In my quarter I got out to a great start and controlled the heat all the way to the course’s low point and from there Fossli and I charged and separated ourselves from the rest of the heat.

Saxton (#10) battling thru the Sprint CL heats © SMS T2

In your semi you battled with Fossli and Skar – another close one – we’d love to hear about it.
BS: Like my quarter I got out to a pretty good start but right before we began the final climb I let myself get passed  on a technical turn, and I didn’t have the lane choice I wanted heading into the hill, which is why I didn’t get to charge all the way to the finish with those two.

Your first Worlds final – were you nervous on the start line?
BS: Not really, you definitely feel excited, and just kind of joyous at making the finals, but we mentally prepare ourselves for moments like this all year, so there isn’t much reason to be nervous.

Please walk us through the final…looks like you may have crashed.
BS: The final was similar to my semi in that I didn’t position myself just right heading into the final climb, and was subsequently given a lane I didn’t want to use. During the final, a Russian skier cut over three lanes right in front of me, and I poled between my own legs which took me out of contention. That was a big bummer, because I know that throughout the day I had been as fast as the Norwegians on the hill, and I would’ve loved to get a clean run at them in the finals.

Saxton's fateful Sprint CL final... © SMS T2

How’s your fitness and training gone – do you feel you’re at your best for the Worlds?
BS: I really nailed the preparation period heading into these races, and I was able to bring my A-game because of it. Before US Nationals I didn’t hit that same prep-period just right, and it showed in a week of sub-par racing. Taking care of everything just right, and getting a great plan made with my Coach Pat [O’Brien, SMS T2] felt fantastic.

What’s next for you at the U23 Worlds ?
BS: The 30K Skiathlon! Should be a fun one.

Who are your sponsors ?
BS: Fischer skis and boots, Swix poles, and Julbo sunglasses.

Any shout out for fans at home… ?
BS: Big shoutout to Val Hart.