January 23, 2011 (Otepaa, Estonia) – Petra Majdic (SLO) displayed her Tour de Ski form winning her quarter final and semi final rounds on her way to the finals and another big win in the women’s 1.2km classic sprint. Meanwhile Norway’s Marit Bjoergen showed she’s human once again getting hung up in her semi and missing out on the luck loser spot – as in Liberec – to finish 10th.

“It was really great victory,” said Majdic at the post-race press conference. “This season it is quite difficult for me. I come back after injury. I am happy I have collected three victories.”

In the final Sweden’s Hanna Brodin, the 2010 Junior World Skate Sprint Champ, grabbed her first WCup podium claiming second behind Majdic as Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla – a lucky loser after the semis – took third, edging out WCup overall leader Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) who was the other lucky loser making it the final.

It was Kowalczyk who had beaten out Bjoergen in the lucky loser battle following the semis as the Norwegian queen had a slow start and could not find the right gear, or the room, to finesse herself to the front as she finished an uncharacteristic fourth.

Despite ending up in the final Kowalczyk, the Polish powerhouse, did not have the gas to out-run Falla who earned her second WCup podium. She and Brodin are a sign of new challengers beginning emerge with the Nordic Worlds in Oslo around the corner.

Brodin usually takes a back seat to her team mate, Hanna Falk the top qualifier, but not today. “The final heat went very well for me,” commented Brodin. “I felt strong in the finish – I did not think I could be on the podium today. I will stay here in Otepää for the U23 Championships.”

Canada’s Dasha Gaiazova continued to turn heads qualifying in 21st and then advanced to the semis as she placed second behind Falk in their quarterfinal round. The 27-year-old Gaiazova came from behind with strong double poling reaching her first semi-final of the season.

But she and Falk both got dusted in their semi that was won by Majdic as Gaiazova finished 4th ending up with a career-best 8th. Her semi was slower than that of Bjoergen and Kowalczyk as the latter cashed in and made the final.

“Dasha was very strong today and skied to a personal best eighth place,” coach Eric de Nys told SkiTrax post-race. “It was nice to see and she is skiing better than she did last year where she skied to 12th a few times. Her form is on track and right where it needs to be heading to Oslo.”

Gaiazova’s team mate Chandra Crawford qualified in 17th but didn’t have it in her quarter final heat as she was 7s off the pace to finish 27th. Yet for Crawford the day had a silver lining…

“It depends how you define success,” Crawford told SkiTrax by email. “The absolute position number at the end of the day is the most important BUT an important measure of progress for me is time behind the winner – and today I had my best time behind ever in a classic sprint. From 9 seconds back at the Olympics last year to 6.34 seconds back today.”

Crawford added that her training is going well but… “I’m not a fan of a long double pole finish which should tell you something about what I need to work on in the training season.”

Gaiazova and Crawford matched up well in Liberec in the classic team sprint placing 5th. Gaiazova lead the pace but Crawford showed better classic form and fitness there – so does the 2006 Olympic gold medalist think more distance skiing will help her  sprinting?

“More racing in general all year long will probably help me be a faster and fitter skier, but it’s a question of going through the levels and progressing at the right time.

“From injured to healthy to sprinting to doing well in sprints… I’ve been doing well by being rested up for sprints and that’s still my approach this year and more distance racing will fit in when it works.”

Canada’s Alysson Marshall and Heidi Widmer made their Euro WCup debut in Otepaa in the classic sprint in preparation for the upcoming Junior/U23 World Championships but did not advance. Marshall was 33rd and missed qualifying by a mere .67s while Widmer was 50th. No Americans competed.

Qualifications HERE.
Finals HERE.