January 05, 2012 (Cortina, Italy) – Marit Bjoergen (NOR) finally claimed the red leader’s bib over her closest rival Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) on Stage 7 of the 2012 Tour de Ski, a 15km free race with handicap start. The two were tied at three wins apiece before the stage, but at the end of the day, Bjoergen edged ahead grabbing the win and the leader’s bib for the first time during the nine-stage contest.
While it’s a small margin of seven seconds it’s the first time Bjoergen has ever been the Tour’s overall leader. She is now poised to become the first Norwegian to win the TdS. Team mate Therese Johaug (NOR) raced in a lonely limbo, maintaining her third place ranking and finished +3:16.9 behind.
The USA’s Kikkan Randall had a solid day, finishing fifth after starting fourth. She didn’t have the best first half but as her engine warmed up she picked up the pace. Krista Lahteenmaki (FIN) caught and passed her on the second lap to claim fourth on the day and is now 4th overall. Randall won a hard-fought race for fifth in an all-out sprint with Marthe Kristoffersen (NOR) and Charlotte Kalla (SWE), who settled for sixth and seventh, respectively.
Temperatures on race day were a comfortable minus 3 C when Kowalczyk pushed off first, 4.8s ahead of Bjoergen, who proceeded to bridge to her. Together, Kowalczyk and Bjoergen maintained their head-to-head battle over the entire 15km distance, neither able to shake the other.
When Bjoergen launched an attack on the second lap, Kowalczyk responded, refusing to be shaken. The race was decided in the final metres, when Kowalczyk made a small technical mistake, allowing Bjoergen to surge away and gain precious seconds for the win and the overall lead.
Johaug, in third place overall, now trails the leader by 3:20 and will have a hard time making up lost ground on the final two stages of the Tour. Randall also has her work cut out as she is 15 seconds from Lahteenmahki in fourth but is being hunted closely by Kristoffersen at only four-tenths of a second behind. In fact, sixth through 11th place are all within a minute of the American.
January 05, 2012 (Cortina, Italy) – Switzerland’s Dario Cologna pulled away from Petter Northug of Norway on Stage 7, the Tour de Ski’s Queen Stage, a 32km point-to-point freestyle race, breaking his Norwegian rival with a convincing win.
Cologna, who was in a league of his own today, turned what had been a meagre 13.5-second lead into a much more significant gap of one minute and 28 seconds. Skiing alone out front for all but a few minutes of the the race, Cologna stopped the clock at 1:09:25.2.
Canada’s Devon Kershaw, had a strong race as well posting the third fastest time finishing 4th on the day, to retain his 4th place overall position. Kershaw looked smooth and skied much of the day at the front of the chase group of five skiers that formed behind Cologna in the latter half of the gruelling race.
“This is a race I have been thinking about all year for 365 days. I was so nervous last night and this morning it was unreal,” said the 29-year-old Kershaw. “This is probably the best skate-ski race I have ever had. I couldn’t have imagined to have skied this strong.”
His teammate Alex Harvey, who was skiing with a second chase group, also had a good day, managing to hold onto 9th overall, although he lost a few seconds and is currently at 3:07.8 behind Cologna.
While Northug managed to hold on for second in today’s stage, he struggled early on and is now in a dogfight to stay on the podium at this year’s Tour. Cologna led out today’s handicap-start race with a 13.5-second lead over the Norwegian but Northug charged after him and quickly closed the gap. His push cost him tho’ as his Swiss rival accelerated soon after Northug caught him but the Norwegian could not match Cologna’s pace and quickly faded.
Northug was soon caught by Russia’s Alexander Legkov and the two skied together over the top of the long initial climb at 11.5km. The duo was eventually caught at about the 22km mark by a chase group of three that included Kershaw, Marcus Hellner (SWE), and Maurice Magnificat (FRA).
Entering the stadium just over a minute after Cologna crossed the line, the chase group of five was left to battle for the final two spots on today’s podium and the bonus seconds that came with them. Northug, who had been lurking at the back most of the time, showed off his classic finishing speed and out-sprinted the small pack to the line, followed by Legkov and Kershaw.
Cologna retains his overall lead in the Tour, but gave up time to all of his nearest rivals except Northug. There are now five skiers within a minute and half of Cologna, with two hard and decisive stages to go.
Also having a good day today was the USA’s Kris Freeman, who finished 42nd to moved up to 29th overall at 6:48.3 behind Cologna. Canada’s Ivan Babikov also skied well to move up from 43rd to 35th today and sits 6:56.1 behind the race leader.
January 04, 2012 – Getting to dance on the podium with your teammates is, without a doubt, the best feeling ever! We train together all year, room together, travel together, have dance parties together, and race together. And I’m super proud and happy for our entire team; athletes, coaches, wax techs. Awesome day! I ended up 1st, Caitlin 2nd, and Jennie in 3rd, while Karl took 6th on the men’s side.
Here’s a bit of a breakdown of my race: I always hate going into a race with a target on my back and too many nerves, so I was really trying to focus on only the things I could control and not putting too much pressure on myself. After a glitch in the timing system got sorted out and the qualifier results came in, I found myself with bib #1 by 2.5 seconds. It was a good confidence booster and I knew my speed was running well for the day.
I spent the quarterfinal and the semifinal playing around with tactics and figuring out ski speeds. I knew my boards were lightning fast, but I also knew the final downhill into the finishing stretch was a huge drafting spot. The semis got pretty messy and I found myself in danger of tripping over skis and poles, so for the final I made a pretty risky decision. I just went from the gun and led the whole thing, knowing Jennie and Caitlin would be getting the benefit of my draft on the downhill but wanting to avoid tangles. Turns out I bobbled and almost took myself out right before the finishing stretch, but caught my balance at the last second!
In the sprint lanes for the finish, I heard Jennie go down as she lost her balance and fell backwards. It made crossing the line first bittersweet because she’s my teammate and good friend and it really, really sucks when falls happen. It’s a part of racing – you need to stay on your feet – but it’s still super unfortunate. However, it’s proof of how awesome she is – fell and still placed 3rd! Caitlin skied smart and fast and it was great to have the three of us on the podium together. I could go on and on and ON about how amazing the equipment was and how well the coaches waxed them…but you’re probably tired of hearing all this by now!
The cooldown was my favorite part of the day (no joke!) because I got to run around the woods with teammates and cheer on our junior girls as they raced the heats. All results linked HERE.
So now we’re getting ready for the next races – we have a day off and then Thursday is the 10km skate. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good weather!
January 04, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – With over 150 teams entered in the inaugural SkiTrax Fantasy FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 International Contest, in co-operation with FIS and the WorldLoppet Ski Federation, the registration deadline is fast approaching as round two of the series, the 50km Jizerská Padesatka in the Czech Republic, is taking place on Jan. 8.
With the cancellation of Italy’s La Sgambeda, the first round of the scheduled for Dec. 18 (lack of snow), the team registration deadline was extended until Jan. 7, 2012. Don’t miss your chance to win fabulous prizes and we’ve added a twist to this new fantasy contest – here’s how it works.
Register your team of four (4) men and four (4) women plus one “Outlaw” male skier not in the top 15 and one “Outlaw” female skier not in the top 10 of the FIS Marathon Cup overall rankings – all lists are at registration. Here’s the twist… following the La Transjurassienne on Feb. 12/12 (previously the Koenig Ludwig Lauf prior to the cancellation of La Sgambeda) we’ll allow contestants to swap one male and one female skier from their team for added excitement leading into the final six (6) races. Note: we may update the skier menu lists at that time depending on the red group of skiers racing.
Points will be awarded following each Marathon Cup World Loppet based on each skier’s performance and published regularly at skitrax.com so you can see how your score compares with other international players and the actual FIS Marathon standings. Earn bonus Am Birkie or Gatineau Loppet Points plus other bonus points – all information and contest rules are available when you register your team.
These are the only FIS Fantasy Nordic contests of their kind worldwide so don’t miss your chance to enjoy fabulous top level xc ski racing and win fabulous prizes – good luck to all contestants.
* 1st Prize – OneWay Premio 10 WCup Skis, Diamond Storm Premio 10 Poles, SNS Premio Pilot Bindings. (value $1,350) * 2nd Prize – Nipika 4-nights for 2 people in luxurious cabin, including Trail Fees (value up to $1,160)
* 3rd Prize – Alpina ESK Ski Boots (value $449) * 4th Prize–Halti XC Race Suit Hemmo Set (value $269) * 5th Prize – Fischer RCS QF poles (value $225) * 6th Prize – Cross Country Canada e-Store Gift Certificate (value $200) * 7th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $150) * 8th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $120) * 9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65) * 10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $40)
Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including One Way, Nipika, Alpina, Halti, Fischer, Cross Country Canada, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Rottefella, Auclair, and Buff.
SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).
January 04, 2012 (Rumford, ME) – Check out this great interview with Torin Koos (Bridger Ski Foundation) as SkiTrax’s Peter Graves caught up with him yesterday following his victory in the men’s 1.6km freestyle sprint at the 2012 US XC Championships in Rumford, Maine on a super fast track.
January 04, 2012 (Toblach, Italy) – Russia’s Nikolay Morilov out-sprinted Petter Northug of Norway and Dario Cologna of Switzerland to capture the win in today’s 6th stage of the Tour de Ski, a 1.2km sprint race in Toblach, Italy.
After a slow and tactical first lap in today’s final, Northug took charge and upped the pace on lap 2. The Norwegian then lead into the final turn but couldn’t hold off the hard-charging Morilov in the final metres as the Russian nipped the speedy Northug by 0.1 sec at the line. Cologna, who won the qualification round, crossed the line 0.4 seconds back.
The Canadian men had a good day in Toblach as well. After qualifying in 5th and 6th, respectively, Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw made it into the heats, with Harvey skiing all the way into the final as a Lucky Loser in his fast semi, to finish 6th overall. Kershaw, who looked strong in his quarter-final and was leading in the finishing straight, ended up third and was eliminated. Teammate Ivan Babikov, still nursing an injured wrist, finished 73rd in qualification.
Kris Freeman, the lone American male still at the Tour, finished 54th in qualification and did not make it into the heats.
Cologna, Northug and Russia’s Alexander Legkov continue to occupy the top three overall positions at the Tour de Ski, with Cologna leading Northug by 13.5 seconds. Canada’s Kershaw moves into 4th overall at 2:06.6 off the lead and just 38.4 seconds from the podium. Harvey, meanwhile, vaulted back into the top 10 after making today’s final and now sits in 9th overall at +2:46.2.
January 04, 2012 (Toblach, Italy) – Marit Bjoergen of Norway threw down the gauntlet again today, qualifying first as she romped to victory on Stage 6 of the Tour de Ski winning the 1.3km skate freestyle sprint event. The USA’s Kikkan Randall was in control as well putting in a stellar performance but couldn’t catch Bjoergen to take a close second, followed by Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk.
Bjoergen showed her strength earlier in the day, winning the qualification round by a margin of over a second, followed by Krista Lahteenmaki of Finland in second and the USA’s Randall in 3rd. Kowalczyk qualified 11th overall.
In today’s sprint final, Norway’s Marthe Kristoferssen charged to the front on the first lap, but Bjoergen, Randall and Kowalczyk took over on the 2nd lap and easily gapped the other three finalists. Randall, who was skiing in third going into the final climb, attacked up the hill and went by Kowalczyk, but didn’t quite have the jam to reel in Bjoergen.
The other story for the USA today was Holly Brooks’ terrific result. Brooks, who is skiing with broken bones in her left wrist, managed to qualify 28th today and squeak into just her third World Cup sprint quarter-final. While Brooks managed no better than 6th in her heat, she may have established a record as the first competitor to qualify for a sprint heat while nursing a broken wrist!
After today’s stage, Kowalczyk holds onto the overall Tour lead over Bjoergen in second by a paltry 4.8-second margin. Therese Johaug of Norway sits in third, at 2:22.1 behind Bjoergen. Randall has jumped from 7th back into 4th overall and is now roughly 1:18 from a podium position. With today’s 10 bonus seconds Randall also gives herself a bit of a cushion against the likes of Swedes Charlotte Kalla and Lahteenmaki, who are just under 30 seconds behind her in 5th and 6th overall, respectively.
After today’s victory Bjoergen also levels things with Kowalczyk in the Tour de Ski win column, with both now having won 3 stages each.
January 04, 2012 (Rumford, ME) – On a classic clear and cold winter’s day the 2012 USSA Cross Country Cross Country Skiing Championships got underway at the Black Mountain of Maine with the men’s and women’s freestyle sprints on a hyper-fast track.
Winning the women’s 1.4km sprints was USST-CXC athlete Jesse Diggins of Afton, MN who has enjoyed nothing short of a whirlwind year. The cheery Diggins took the win over CXC teammate Caitlin Gregg, while third position went to former UVM skier Jennie Bender, giving CXC a sweep of the podium. It was a tremendous day for high school senior Corey Stock of CSU, out of Lincoln, MA, finishing fourth. Stock is expected to attend Dartmouth College next Fall, and ski for the Big Green.
Following the race Diggins, who topped the qualifications as well, shared the joy with her team and and was clearly thrilled. “It was a great day for me, and for my teammates as we went 1-2-3, that’s the best part, it was the most amazing feeling. I am happy that it all came together, but I’m still learning everyday and still working on my technique.”
Adding to the sprint title he took here one year ago, former USST skier Torin Koos, who now skis for the Bridger Ski Foundation, looked fit and fresh today taking the national title in the men’s 1.6km sprint. Koos, clearly enjoys skiing here at Rumford and it showed again today.
But the last six months have not been easy as Koos has battled a serious shoulder injury and mono stating that his win a very important one. “This is very big for me today. I needed this, The race treated me well and I feel like my season is just getting going. After what I have gone thru, I just hope that I can get back to the level I was before,” Koos told SkiTrax.
Audio Interview with Koos
Koos, who qualified 6th, needed to be on form to match the torrid tempo of the number one qualifier from the morning’s session as former Dartmouth skier Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess, skiing for the Bend Endurance Academy, finished a very impressive second place. Third place went to Tyler Kornfield of UAF. Vail’s Sylvan Ellefson took fourth, while fifth went to former US Olympian Lars Flora of APU.
In the Junior sprint competition today Middlebury College’s Austin Cobb took the men’s crown while Dartmouth frosh Carly Wynn – a biathlete – took the junior women’s title.
Action continues tomorrow with Men’s and Women’s Adaptive .08km sprints, slated for 9AM.
January 03, 2012 (Toblach, Italy) – Justin Wadsworth, head coach of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team, along with athletes Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov bring you on the team’s unique bus they are using to aid in rest in recovery while traveling through Germany and Italy as they compete in the ultimate grind of high-performance sport – the Tour de Ski. Modeled after the Tour de France in cycling, the world’s best all-around cross-country ski athletes will compete in nine races in 11 days while traveling to five cities in two countries.
January 02, 2012 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Check out this interview with Canada’s Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey on their perspective of the 20-kilometre (1okCL+10kmFR) pursuit race at the Tour de Ski in Oberstdorf, Germany on Jan. 1st. Kershaw finished sixth and is 5th overall while Harvey placed seventh and is now 11th overall. The Tour de Ski resumes with a five-kilometre classic-ski race in Toblach, Italy on Tuesday, Jan 2.
January 01, 2012 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Marit Bjoergen (NOR) finally grabbed top step on the podium besting Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) in the women’s 10km Skiathlon (5CL+5FR) with a late afternoon start on New Year’s day. Therese Johaug (NOR) claimed third as she also wrestled with Kowalczyk during the race.
For USA’s Kikkan Randall is was another fabulous finish as she catapulted herself from 19th at the exchange to a stellar 7th at the finish and is now 4th overall.”I’m psyched with another good race today,” Randall told SkiTrax.”My strategy was to go out and try to hang in the top 10 on the classic and move up from there. The pace out of the start however was super hard and I was slipping on the climbs. So I think I drifted back a little farther than I wanted too.
“I was feeling really good and just trying to move up. I had no idea where I was sitting in the pack and was just focused on catching the skiers ahead of me. There was a group of three way ahead, about 100m, going into the big climb on the final lap. I was initially more focused on skiing away from the pack I was with but ended up catching those 3 by the top of the hill.
“Unfortunately I made a bad passing choice around Roponen at the top of the hill, going to the outside while Kalla and Sarasoja went on the inside. So I missed getting in their draft on the downhill and then didn’t have enough room to catch them on the home stretch.” Randall’s strong day moved her up one spot from 5th to 4th as skiers hit the first rest day.
During the classic portion Kowalczyk and Johaug duked it out up front as Bjoergen dangled behind with Kristin Stoermer
Steira as the four broke away from the pack and never looked back. Kowalczyk hit the exchange first but the others were all close behind. Bjoergen left her attack late in the game and by the 9.4km bonus Kowalczyk still looked strong and took the top spot with Johaug second and Bjoergen third as Steira got dropped.
It was now time for the Norwegian star to put up or take a backseat to her Polish rival again. As Bjoergen surged to victory Kowalczyk and Johaug battled for second with Kowalczyk edging out the Norwegian for the second spot on the podium.
Randall’s teammates Liz Stephen and Holly Brooks finished 36th and 58th respectively – not at good as they both would have liked but they survived four gruelling days at the Tour.
“I had a great start to the race and my skis were working wonderfully going up the first hill. Then, all of a sudden, all the girls in front of me started “power-plowing” and I felt like I was going to run directly into them. I felt like I had to plow too and then caught my ski in the slush. I think I did a somersault but am not sure.
“I can’t believe I didn’t break anything… but the fall left me somewhat hopeless for the rest of the race. I kept fighting to catch back up to a pack but that’s tough when you’re trying to conserve energy. I’m excited to head to Italy tomorrow (it will be my first time) and it’s great to see Kikkan doing so well. Happy New Year…”
Kowalczyk continues to lead with a 26.6s margin over Bjoergen in second with Johaug in third at 1:06, Randall in 4th at 3:02 and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) in 5th at 3:04. Stephen sits in 37th and Brooks is 58th overall.
So how will Randall spend her day off from the office? “We’re driving to Toblach in the morning and will settle into our hotel and then ski after lunch. Going to experiment with some intervals this year instead of just skiing easy. I felt like my body shut down a little bit on the rest days last year. Other than that, some coffee, and maybe a movie with my teammates and then back at it!”
January 01, 2012 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – It was classic Petter Northug (NOR) firing on all cylindars at the finish to take the win on New Year’s Day in the men’s 20km (10CL+10FR) Skiathlon while Canada’s Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey grabbed valuable bonus seconds along the way to solid 6th and 7th place finishes respectively.
Dario Cologna (SUI) was a strong second as Russia’s Maxim Vylegzhanin, who made as last minute bid for glory, settled for third. Given the tough weather and conditions in Obertsdorf officials salted portions of the course to firm up some sections including the last 100m to the finish and on a few wet spots in the stadium.
Kershaw was second to Lukas Bauer (CZE) in the first classic preem at 6.9km as he and Harvey skied well and near the front the whole race. “Today went better than yesterday. It’s a tight track and the classic was a bit faster than I expected while the skate was slower and more tactical,” said Kershaw in a teleconference call on the way to Italy and who now sits 5th overall, “Our strategy was to go for bonus seconds and do our best to hold on until the end. We lost some energy which cost us a bit but we still finished strong.”
Harvey was also happy with his day moving up into 11th overall. “We raced solid today and it’s always a good day to be in the top 10. The course is tough and everyone is working hard so you had to ski smart – we were able to go for points and keep pace, plus our skis were running well.”
Their teammate Ivan Babikov also had a strong run and was leading for a stretch during the skate leg as the Canadians made their presence felt throughout the race. An unfortunate crash near the end bumped Babikov down to 31st on the day.
The US squad had a tougher time in the trenches as Andy Newell was not able to start due to sickness and Kris Freeman slugged it out finishing 47th while Simi Hamilton was further back in 75th.
“I have been feeling a little bit under the weather the last few days which has made the first few races tough,” Newell told SkiTrax by email. “I tried to get through yesterday and score some points. I actually felt pretty good during the qualification but went on klister which was slow, then switched over to harries for the heats and struggled with kick – so it was a tough day. This morning I woke up really congested and feeling much worse. Turns out sprinting in the rain isn’t good for your cold so I’ve had to pull out of the Tour.”
Northug grabbed both skate bonuses on his way to victory but was shadowed by Cologna who also earned bonus seconds as the two remain in first and second respectively. Skiers now enjoy their first rest day at the Tour as they make their way to Toblach, Italy for the next two stages.
Toblach is where Kershaw won his first WCup last year at the Tour. “I’m not putting more pressure on myself for Toblach,” added Kershaw. “We want to race well at every start line. We’ll relax and rest up tomorrow and then get right back at it.”
“We’re looking forward to sun, snow and good food in Italy,” quipped Harvey.
Skiathlon results HERE.
Skiathlon results detail HERE.
Tour de Ski Overall HERE.
January 01, 2012 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – It was another tough day on Saturday for the classic sprints with rain and snow and slippery tracks as several top skiers took a tumble including the USA’s Kikkan Randall, Sweden’s Emil Joennson and Petter Northug (NOR). Here are more skier comments and some great photos from yesterday’s action…
Devon Kershaw (CAN)
I am feeling in great shape, and my skis were fast, but I was cut off on the second hill. Simple as that. I’m 11th and I’m not happy.
Alex Harvey (CAN)
I made a mistake on the far corner just before the last uphill where I had a bit of contact with a Russian skier that shot me wide and killed my speed. I passed one guy coming down the stretch which got me in a photofinish for third. It looks like I was only two centimetres from being the lucky loser, which is a bit of a bummer. I had to re-accelerate after that mistake in the corner and then it was too late.
Kris Freeman (USA)
My energy was good today. I wanted more but I was two seconds from qualifying which is not a bad day. The Tour has a bigger field this year with more pure sprinters competing which is making qualifying more difficult. The TdS is hard but it is hard for everyone. We have a great masseuse with us, Stephe, who is working wonders for us. In some ways my body feels better than when I started. My strategy tomorrow is to stay with the lead group in the classic and to pass it on the last lap of the skate.
Holly Brooks (USA)
The wrist was better today than yesterday. Shorter race – the hills helped. Double poling is the worst… (Double poling along with slippery skis making yesterday really, really tough). Other than the injury, I really liked the course and the hills suit my classic sprinting strength well.
I can honestly say that today was also one of the WETTEST days of skiing I’ve ever had. Probably wetter than most in Vancouver, even. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, with more precip. I’m curious to know what that will look like. We’ve been advised to bring every piece of dry clothing possible. I wish I could have gotten a picture of Chris Grover [US Head Coach] in his trash bag dress for you….
Energy-wise I’m feeling fine and looking forward to fatigue setting in on the field. After a rough start to the Tour I’m anxious for the opportunity to move up in the field.
Our team had a small New Years celebration complete with bottle rockets. Today is also Kikkan’s birthday so it was a festive occasion! Tomorrow’s women’s race doesn’t start until 3:45pm – it might even be getting dark towards the finish, who knows.
Happy New Year to everyone
Simi Hamilton (USA)
Yeah, today was a bit frustrating, but it seems like I’ve had a couple of days like that this year so I’m really trying to focus on things that I can improve in my training so that I can consistently ski top-ten qualifers in both skate and classic. With that said, I think my classic sprinting has improved and I’m making gains in the right direction. To me that’s really encouraging and I am psyched to keep making the improvements that need to be made.
Today was totally nuts. It rained super hard all day at about +2C and tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer and wetter. I really liked the course – very straight forward and smooth and both big uphills ski really well. I would have liked to have skied a little more relaxed and found some more speed in my glide today. I’m already looking forward to skiing this sprint course again next year. There’s a lot of racing left this week, so I am going to recover from today and hopefully string together some good racing in the next few days.
I am fairly psyched with yesterday’s Pursuit and thought I skied the challenging course smart and climbed the uphills well. I’m really bummed that I crashed on the biggest downhill on my fourth lap – there was a track that had a huge wobble in it and it just fed one ski into the other when I had my head down in my tuck. I think I lost some pretty valubale time there, but all and all, I’m happy with the gains that I’ve made in my classic skiing and recognize there’s a lot more to be made.
December 31, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – The USA’s Kikkan Randall was looking strong and poised to go head to head with Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and Marit Bjoergen (NOR) at Saturday’s 1.2km classic sprint, round #3 of the Tour de Ski. The teams and TdS entourage made their way to Obertsdorf from Oberhof on Friday for the Sprints and the Skiathlon races. But an unfortunate slip up near the finish during her semi final ended Randall’s day early – read more her crash HERE.
Randall is leading the WCup sprint series and is the only American women to complete the Tour – and the second North American woman to complete it as Sara Renner was 15th overall in 2008/09 and 17th the next season. Randall was 21st last year at her inaugural TdS and will undoubtedly shatter that PB record this year – despite getting knocked out early in the sprints Randall is 5th overall in the TdS Standings HERE.
She posted her best classic result in the women’s 10km on Friday – 6th – and is looking stronger and more confident each season. We caught with Randall for a brief interview following her fateful crash in her semi final where she and Kowalczyk [the eventual winner] had a sizeable lead on the chasers…
Tough break today – you looked so good out there – what happened in that final section?
Kikkan Randall: OMG, I’m not even sure what really happened. I think one of my skis may have grabbed and then crossed over my other ski and it just flipped me into the air. It was a total surprise. My legs were feeling fine, I was just getting ready to stand up and start double poling. It’s pretty frustrating because I was feeling really strong.
How do you like this course and how does it compare to others on the WCup…?
KR: I do like this course. It’s got all the exciting elements for a sprint course. A good wide open start, two solid climbs, a couple turns and a good finish stretch. I think it’s pretty comparable to most courses on the WC. A little on the faster side perhaps, but really fun!
Does the level of competition feel tougher than last year at the Tour…?
KR: The level of competition feels pretty similar to last year. Obviously Kowalczyk has prepared really well this year and is coming in really strong, but the others are still in the fight too. I feel a lot stronger than I did at this point last year, and so it’s exciting to be up in the mix.
Your classic technique has improved tremendously – what do you attribute this to ?
KR: I’ve been working on my technique with my coach Erik Flora [APU] back home and with my husband a lot. I think having better fitness and strength this year has allowed me to get up on top of my poles better and be able to be more consistent in the variable conditions.
You look strong out there – how are you feeling after three tough days of racing…?
KR: I am still feeling really strong after three days. That was perhaps the most frustrating thing today, is how strong I was feeling and then not to get a chance to use it in the final. I hope I can continue to feel strong because I’m really looking forward to the next few races.
Happy New Year and all the best with rest of the Tour
KR: Thanks – Happy New Year to everyone.
It’s Kikkan’s birthday today so best wishes to her as well on this special day. Fans may remember last year at the Tour when the music in the stadium suddenly changed to Happy Birthday when Randall finished her Prologue. According to Holly Brooks…”Our team had a small New Years celebration complete with bottle rockets. Today is also Kikkan’s birthday so it was a festive occasion!”
December 31, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Russian blue put the hurt to the field in the men’s 1.2km classic sprint as rain and snow pelted skiers making for tough conditions. Nikita Kriukov, the 2010 Vancouver Olympic classic sprint champ, lead a Russian sweep of the final podium with Alexey Petukhov in second and Nikolay Morilov in third – Dmitriy Jarapov took fourth for good measure.
In the final Petter Northug (NOR) had a surprising fall at the base of the final hill forcing Dario Cologna (SUI) to falter but remain on his skis as the two could not regain contact with the four Russian leaders finishing fifth and sixth.
Canada’s Devon Kershaw told SkiTrax conditions today were “Horrendous – the worse I’ve seen in 7 years.” Kershaw qualified 16th behind teammate Alex Harvey in 14th and controlled his quarter final with smart skiing as he moved up on the first hill and then took over the lead on the second hill before coming into the final stretch. Russian speedster Dmitriy Japarov nipped him at the line as the two advanced.
But Kershaw’s strategy was foiled in his semi. “It’s disappointing as I got boxed in by Cologna and almost came to a dead stop and couldn’t recover,” said Kershaw by phone. Still his efforts saw him finish 11th on the day and moved the Canuck into 4th overall behind Northug, Cologna, and Japarov.
Harvey, who favours longer sprint courses, looked strong in his quarterfinal as well but took a final corner too wide and lost some ground. He recovered well in the final sprint and tied for 3rd but his heat was not one of the faster ones and he did not advance as a lucky loser. “We had great skis today despite the tough conditions. I was hoping to do better but couldn’t make up enough ground when I was forced to take a corner too wide. Still I moved up 8-9 places overall [Harvey is 19th] and there’s lots of racing to come.”
The USA’s Andy Newell also looked strong as his quarterfinal got underway but he was not able to hold the pace as it picked up. Racing in his heat was defending WCup Sprint champ, Emil Joensson (SWE), who was another crash victim on one of the final corners and both he and Newell were out.
Newell’s teammates Simi Hamilton (34th) and Kris Freeman (43rd) did not qualify but Hamilton was only 1.11s off the mark. “Today was totally nuts. It rained super hard all day,” said Hamilton. “I think my classic sprinting has improved and I’m making gains in the right direction. I would have liked to have skied a little more relaxed and found some more speed in my glide today.”
Freeman told us, “My energy was good today. I wanted more but I was only two seconds from qualifying which is not a bad day.” Freeman in 30th overall is looking for more redemption in Sunday’s Skiathon (10kmCL+10kmFR). Canada’s Ivan Babikov ended the day in 81st.
For Russia it was a picture perfect result – unlike the weather – sounding the alarm to the rest of the competing nations that when it comes to sprinting they’re the country to beat – with eight qualifiers and three top finishing spots the proof is on the scoresheets.
December 31, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk was on fire again today nailing her third consecutive TdS win taking the women’s 1.2km CL Sprint as Kikkan Randall suffered a surprising and unfortnate fall as she rounded the final corner heading into the finishing straight about 200m from the line. She and Kowalczyk had a comfortable lead over the chase group that included Marit Bjoergen (NOR). Conditions were challenging again with rain and snow making it challenging for the wax teams and the skiers on course as several crashed like Randall.
“OMG, I’m not even sure what really happened,” Randall told us post-race. “I think one of my skis may have grabbed and then crossed over my other ski and it just flipped me into the air. It was a total surprise.” (check back for more from Randall on her fitness and the Tour).
Randall looked strong all day placing fourth in the qualifications with Kowalczyk topping the field followed by Bjoergen in second. All three won their 1/4 final heats handily with Randall’s being the fastest as she and Charlotte Kalla (SWE) advanced taking both Lucky Losers, Vesna Fabjan (SLO) and Anastasia Dotsenko (RUS) in their heat, with them to the Semis.
Kowalczyk and Randall matched up their semi with Kowalcyzk leading from the start as two pulled away on the second climb but Randall’s fall gave Aurore Jean from the France a post-Xmas gift into the final. Meanwhile Bjoergen had to recover from a flub at the start to regain control in her semi – the fastest of the day – as Natalia Matveeva (RUS) and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen (NOR) both made it thru to the final as Lucky Losers.
In the final, Kowalczyk was taking no prisoners again and was not to be denied as she powered to the front after the gun went off to take an unchallenged win, her third consecutive victory at the Tour de Ski, with Bjoergen settling for second and Ida Ingemarsdotter (SWE) taking third.
Kowalczyk continues to lead the Tour by 22s over Bjoergen with Therese Johaug (NOR) in third followed by Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) in 4th with Randall at 1:40 in 5th.
December 30, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Tough conditions greeted the worlds best xc skiers on Day Two at the Tour de Ski. Here’s a selection of quotes and photos as the USA’s Kikkan Randall nailed her best-ever classic result in the women’s 10km Classic Pursuit placing 6th as Poland’s Justyna Kowalcyzk strengthened her grip on the overall lead with her second consecutive win. In the men’s 15km CL it was local star Axel Teichmann from Germany who took over the series lead with his strategic victory on Stage 2 of the Tour while Devon Kershaw (CAN) lead the North American men in 15th.
10km CL Pursuit Women’s PHOTOS
Kikkan Randall (USA) – 6th in the 10km CLPursuit
I knew I would be starting with a strong group of skiers that usually finish in the top ten so I wanted to try and hang with them as long as possible. At this point I’m more focused on testing my limits than skiing too conservatively early in the race.
The pace was pretty frantic from the start as usual and with big differences in skis, it felt like there were a lot of skiers going back and forth. It finally started to settle down going into the 2nd lap and I could still see the lead pack not too far in front. My skis were working well in some places and not in others so I just tried to stay in the group.
Ski selection was really tricky today. I was testing both zeros and hardwax and with 10 min until start I still couldn’t decide what to do. It seemed like the conditions were changing every few mins. The snow picked up again so Peter [Vordenberg – coach] and I decided on the zeros with 8 min to go. I didn’t have perfect skis out there but they were decent enough and relatively consistent through the race to allow me to use my fitness.
I still felt pretty strong on the last lap and tried to move up in my group. We weren’t really working together but we weren’t fighting each other either. I made a move with 400m to go and just focused on staying ahead of the others to the finish. I had no idea we were fighting for 6th.
Holly Brooks (USA) – 6th in the 10km CLPursuit
Today was really, really tough for me. Skis were tricky for everyone but I seemed to be slipping more than most. I was on zeros, like most of the field and they were kicking much better during warm up. Other girls commented that the conditions were different each lap we skied and I agree.
I had hoped that my wrist was on the mend after it was feeling better yesterday but as it turns out, double poling and slipping on my skis (catching with arms) is pretty much the worst thing for it. The only thing I could do today was try to not loose too much ground – and hope for a better day tomorrow and the next.
Liz Stephen (USA) – 29th in the 10km CLPursuit
I had a solid race today, got a good, clean start and then just began picking people off where I could. I love the pursuit style race starts, as it so often gives you a great mix of people to ski with. Some are better at the technique or race distance of the day and come back to you, others come past you and provide a good ride. It’s a really engaging kind of race.
My goal today was never to go so hard up a hill that I was totally smoked and couldn’t ski well over the top. Up the last hill under the bridge I went past Astrid Jacobsen and a German girl and knew from a split Chris Grover [head coach] had given me going into the last lap that I had been in 31st, so was now in 29th. I really wanted to be in the points, so I hammered under the bridge and then was pretty worked over all the way to the finish, but was able to hold the two girls off, so I was really psyched.
The skis were challenging today, especially in certain sections of the course, as the conditions were fairly variable throughout the course. Days like this are such good practice for me as an athlete, because I can get really stressed out when the skis during testing don’t come together right away. I have figured out how to stay calm and trust that the skis will be good.
Our wax techs are really good at their jobs and even when it is a tough day and it is down to the wire to get good skis, it is rare when they don’t figure it out for us. I went into the start pen knowing there would be some slippery places, and I would just fight fight fight the whole race. So, that’s what I did and the result turned out really solid for me. Now for the classic sprint tomorrow!! Eeek!!
15km CL Pursuit Men’s PHOTOS
FIS world cup cross-country, tour de ski, pursuit women, Oberhof (GER)
Devon Kershaw (Can) – 15th in the Men’s 15km CLPursuit
The body felt so good again today, it was really tricky with the conditions and I had to rely solely on my upper body for the last six kilometres. It was a bit frustrating, but that is the game of cross-country skiing. Our guys tried their best, but the temperatures warmed up and there’s nothing you can do. We have the best wax techs in the business, and this will motivate them for sure. It is frustrating, but tomorrow will be similar conditions and I know we’ll get it right. There are lots of races to go.
Alex Harvey (Can) – 27th in the Men’s 15km CL Pursuit
I couldn’t kick the skis today. When you don’t have kick you just work your arms so hard and blow up. I had nothing for the final two laps.
Justin Wadsworth (Can) – Head Coach of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team
When you face conditions like this, it’s kind of like playing the lottery. Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don’t. Today we didn’t get it right, but that doesn’t happen to our team very often because we have some of the best wax techs in the world. But you can see the country’s that nailed it today.
December 30, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Germany’s Axel Teichmann captured the victory and the series lead on Stage 2 of the Tour de Ski, winning the men’s 15km classic pursuit race in Oberhof, Germany holding off a hard-charging Petter Northug (NOR) who finished in 2nd with Dario Cologna of Switzerland in third.
Teichmann’s win ignited local fans in Oberhof and the finish might have been closer as Cologna went down on the final corner before the finishing straight taking a few skiers with him. Northug, who was just behind, deftly bypassed the crash on the inside, but lost time to Teichmann in the process. Amazingly Cologna recovered quickly from his fall and was able to challenge Northug settling for third as Teichmann takes over the TdS lead.
With fresh snow overnight and warm conditions around zero it was a tough day for the wax technicians and many did not hit the mark including the Canadians as Devon Kershaw lead the North American charge in 15th while his teammate Alex Harvey was 27th. Sweden’s Marcus Hellner suffered as well placing 29th.
Despite the tough conditions it looks like the USA’s Kris Freeman recovery is underway as he had the 20th best time of the day to finish 30th overall. Canada’s Ivan Babikov placed 52nd while the USA’s Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell came in 66th and 74th, respectively.
Northug led out the race after winning yesterday’s Prologue, but was quickly caught by Cologna and France’s Maurice Manificat. The lead group of three was then swallowed up by a much larger group of chasers and the pace settled down. The Russians and Germans soon established themselves close to the front and controlled the pace during the middle part of the race.
Knowing he didn’t stand a chance in a sprint finish, distance specialist and former Tour winner Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic, eventually increased the pressure up front with Jens Filbrich and Teichmann of Germany along with Russia’s Alexander Legkov.
With the pace accelerating, a lead group of roughly 15 skiers began to string out in the final kilometres, with Northug lurking behind in 10-12th position.
Just before coming into the stadium, with Teichmann in the lead, Cologna suddenly went down in the final corner bringing down Bauer and Matti Heikkinen of Finland in the process. Northug, who was just beginning to work his way to the front, side-stepped the crash on the inside and began chasing after Teichmann. Meanwhile Cologna made a surprisingly quick recovery and was able to catch on behind Northug and took third.
Full results HERE.
Pursuit detail results HERE.
Tour de Ski Overall HERE.
December 30, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland eked out her second consecutive victory at Stage 2 of the Tour de Ski, just outstretching Norway’s Therese Johaug at the line in an exciting duel that saw the two double-poling head-to-head for the final 300m. Norway’s Marit Bjoergen finished in third.
The USA’s Kikkan Randall recorded her best ever classic distance result, finishing a superb 6th. Randall skied in a large chase group for most of the race hovering around 10th. But at the finish she put the hammer down and surged to make up a few places in the final kilometre as the women around her began to fade.
Randall’s 6th place is a personal best in a classic distance race – previously she placed 16th at the WCup in Kuusamo, Finland in late Nov. and then 11th at the WCup in Rogla, Slovenia in mid-December. Randall’s teammates Liz Stephen and Holly Brooks finished 29th and 56th, respectively, on the day.
Kowalczyk led out today’s 10km classic pursuit with a 5.4-second advantage over Bjoergen. But the Norwegian quickly closed the gap and the pair skied together until they were caught by a small chase group that included Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) and Johaug. An attack at 3.7km by Saarinen whittled the lead group down to four which included Kowalczyk, Bjoergen and Johaug.
Johaug made the decisive move of the race with an attack early on the last lap with only Kowalczyk able to follow her. Bjoergen and Saarinen struggled to limit the gap.
Kowalczyk and Johaug came into the stadium double-poling side-by-side, with Kowalczyk’s power just out-matching Johaug’s furious tempo for a photo-finish win at the line.
Kowalczyk maintains her hold on overall lead with Johaug and Bjoergen in 2nd and 3rd respectively. Randall sits in 6th overall.
December 30, 2011 (Obertsdorf, Germany) – Here’s a selection of photos from the Team Presentation held the evening before the Tour de Ski began on Dec. 29, and some great action shots from Stage 1 including the women’s 3.1km Prologue won by Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and the men’s 4km Prologue won by Petter Northug (NOR).
December 29, 2011 (Oberhof, Germany) – Norway’s Petter Northug fired warning shots signaling his full intention to finally win the Tour de Ski overall this year with a win in the men’s 4.1km Prologue, beating TdS arch rival Dario Cologna of Switzerland by 0.7 seconds. Northug, current leader in the World Cup overall standings, has been runner up at the Tour for the last three years.
Cologna, the defending Tour de Ski champion, settled for second today while France’s Maurice Magnificat showed a strong hand as well finishing third in today’s race. For North American fans Canada’s Alex Harvey powered to a very solid 6th place finish underscoring that he’s in contention as well.
“When I heard I was fighting for the victory it gave me more power,” said Northug in a FIS XC interview after the race. He cautioned not to place too much emphasis on today’s result however, and clearly has his sights fixed on winning the overall title: “I don’t think anyone will remember who won the Prologue in Oberhof when we’re standing at top of Alpe Cermis,” he added.
Canada’s three-man team also had an excellent start to the Tour. On his way to 6th place Harvey was indeed challenging for a podium spot in the closing metres of the race before fading slightly prior to hitting the finishline. Harvey was pleased with his result nonetheless. “Any time you’re in the top 10 in the world you can’t allow yourself to be disappointed,” he told SkiTrax by phone earlier today, “so I’m really happy … it doesn’t mean much for the Tour in the overall, but it’s a good sign of where my shape is at.”
“Pacing is important, you know, you don’t want to start too hard, because you don’t want to blow up near the end, but you have to start pretty fast and not give up time early on. For me I always tend to start a bit conservative, but today I tried to go a little bit harder and I was 13th at the first time check and for me that’s quite a fast start, usually I’m around 20th, so it was good aggressive start for me.”
Harvey was leading, in fact, going into the final kilometre of the race, but with fatigue settling during the final metres he lost a second or two. “Coming into the finish I got a little tight and probably lost some time, I was just getting really tight and unstable because I was giving it everything I had.”
Harvey’s teammate Devon Kershaw, meanwhile, finished a very solid 12th on the day. Kershaw started slowly and was skiing in 31st position at the 1.7km interval before accelerating on the 2nd lap and making up 19 positions to finish in 12th. While he was a little frustrated with his pacing Kershaw was still “…happy to have made up a lot of time in the last part of the course and obviously I’m super happy to be in 12th and happy with the way the body felt.”
In terms of strategy for the day Kershaw told SkiTrax: “I was just trying to keep a level head and ski ‘big’ and smooth and powerful and then in the latter part of the course really attack, attack, attack and push really hard into the downhills to carry my speed through.”
Ivan Babikov was further back, but still managed a personal best for the Prologue, finishing in 38th position.
Andy Newell led the American men with a 29th place finish. “Maybe the hardest WC point I’ve ever scored today,” he later tweeted. Newell was skiing as high as 18th at the first interval, but lost time near the finish as he started to fatigue. “I felt ok today,” Newell told us, “and was having a pretty good race up until the last few hundred meters and then really blew up and lost a lot of time.”
“Sometimes that’s just the way Prologues go,” he continued, “pacing is so important in these races and if you don’t nail it just right it can be tough. But I recovered pretty well after the race and I’m still feeling ready to go for tomorrow.”
Newell was followed by teammates Simi Hamilton and Kris Freeman, who came in 63rd and 64th respectively. Hamilton, who finished 10th in the Rogla sprint race before Christmas, was a little disappointed after fighting somewhat with the icy conditions. “Today went alright, not great,” he commented by email post-race. “It was really fast and icy and although that has sometimes suited me well in the past, I struggled with balance and power application a bit today. It was a tough course for sure… one that will be helpful to be familiar with in the coming years.”
“I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the races,” he continued “especially the sprints, and know that if things go my way and my body is feeling good I have the potential to ski well.”
Freeman, who is looking to regain his form following a lacklustre entry to this season, said he started out too slowly, which he attributed to the fact that he has been in a rest and recovery phase recently: “I felt strong but very flat. Not surprising since I have focused more on rest than training in the past few weeks.”
After going through the 1.7km split in 81st position, Freeman was able to make up a lot of ground, moving up a whopping 17 positions! “My strategy was to accelerate throughout the race which I did. My initial speed was just too slow. The conditions were very fast and the downhills were icy and a bit sketchy. I will learn a lot more about where I am at tomorrow.”
Friday’s race features a 15km handicap start classic race, with Cologna heading out 5.7 seconds behind Northug. It will be fascinating to see if Northug choses to work with Cologna to maintain a gap on the field, as they did in Kuusamo, or allow the rest of the field to catch up. Either way, count on Northug to launch his trademark devastating kick in the closing metres, unless Cologna or someone else can dish out a surprise.
December 29, 2011 (Oberhof, Germany) – So…. I haven’t said much on my blog yet about the Tour de Ski but here it is – starting TOMORROW! As there is no World Champs or Olympics this year, the Tour is kind of the pinnacle of the race year. Many of the top athletes have been aiming to perform well here all year. I was a last minute addition to the US Tour roster after having performances during period one of the World Cup this fall.
I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to race this event. As a distance skier and high volume trainer, I absolutely LOVE the thought of racing day in and day out, challenging myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have no idea how I’ll do or what will happen to by body as the days of fatigue add up but this is a great time to try it and I couldn’t be more excited for the challenge.
There are a ton of friends, family, and even people I don’t know that have helped make it possible for me to be here. As many of you know, I’m responsible for providing my own funding and I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the generous support and enthusiasm of many of YOU. I hesitate to name anyone personally because there are so many of you and I don’t want to leave anyone out but you know who you are.
The experience of needing support and needing it fast has really been really moving. I only hope that I can repay many of you back with the generosity someday be it in the form of a ski lesson, athletic inspiration, a smile, or perhaps one day, dollars to a cause important to you. I know that on Thursday, when I put a bib on, I will feel like I’m racing with the support of people from Washington and Alaska; Kongsberger Ski Club, Alaska Pacific University, and Snoqualmie Nordic Team. THANK YOU so much to ALL of you!
As far as challenges go, I feel the need to share something that’s been on the fore front of my mind lately…. Christmas Day I decided to go for a short run before dinner. It was dark out and icy in places. Just as I was about to turn around and head back to the Kobaldhof, I slipped on the ice, falling back, and caught myself with my left hand. I knew instantly that it was not good…. but I wasn’t sure how bad. And I still don’t know. The plan for tomorrow, and each day afterwards is to ice, tape, take some anti-immflatatory medication and go for it.
The US team doesn’t have a doctor here at the moment so this morning I went and saw the Norwegian Team’s Doctor and “Physio.” (The Euro name for PT). They were incredibly generous to see me and were encouraging in that they do not think my wrist has a scaphoid fracture – my greatest worry via a couple hours on email and web MD. (Always a bad idea and also guaranteed to give you nightmares). If Petra Madjic can win a bronze medal at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games with broken ribs and a punctured lung, perhaps I can race the Tour, and excel in it with whatever injury my wrist may have sustained. It’s not ideal but I’m certainly not the first athlete who has gotten a bit beat up.
Time for bed as often rest provides one with the best healing and rejuvenation powers! Thank you everyone for everything and I’ll do my best to keep you posted through this incredible journey!
December 28, 2011 (Oberhof, Germany) – The Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski looks destined to live up to what many have predicted is the most-anticipated event of the FIS cross-country race season. Now in its sixth year the TdS kicks off in Oberhof, Germany on December 29th and concludes on January 8th in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
With no World Championships or Winter Olympics this year, the gruelling multi-stage ski event, styled after the Tour de France has attracted most of the top cross-country skiers in the world.
Tough Races
This year’s instalment of the Tour de Ski features a total of nine stages conducted over 11 days at five different venues in two countries – Germany and Italy. The women will race a total of 60km, with the men doing 110km. The event begins in Oberhof on December 29th with a prologue in free technique, followed the next day with a handicap start race in classic technique – 10km for the women and 15km for the men. The Tour then moves to Oberstdorf for a classic sprint race on December 31st and short pursuit races on New Year’s Day.
After a rest and travel day the athletes will spend three days competing in and around Toblach, Italy, beginning with a short distance interval race on January 3rd, followed by skate sprints on January 4th. The final day in Toblach will see the athletes compete in a long distance free technique race, with the men racing on a 35km point-to-point course between Cortina d’Ampezzo and Toblach, while the women will race three laps of a 5km course starting in the stadium in Toblach.
After a second rest day on January 6th, the Tour will conclude in Val of Fiemme, Italy, with a classic mass start race over 10km (women) and 20km (men) on the 7th, and the gruelling final stage on the 8th, featuring the infamous final 3.7km climb up Alpe Cermis, during which competitors gain almost 1,500ft in elevation.
In addition to bragging rights as the world’s best overall skier, the participants in this year’s tour will be battling for World Cup points and prize money. Up for grabs will be 50 points for the winner of each stage, along with a rich prize of 400 points for the overall victory, meaning that whoever wins the TdS overall stands a very good chance of winning the overall World Cup title as well. Participants will compete over a purse of cash prizes worth a total of 720,000 Swiss francs as well!
Teams and Contenders
Teams from a total of 21 countries will contest this year’s Tour de Ski, ranging from Great Britain’s one-man team of Andrew Musgrave to the large German and Russian teams of 19 and 22 members respectively. The Swedes, Finns and Norwegians will also be there in force. A total of 186 athletes are officially registered, but like its namesake event, the Tour de France, we can expect a fair amount of attrition due to exhaustion and illness by the time the Tour ends on the slopes of Alpe Cermis.
While the Norwegian duo of Marit Bjoergen and Petter Northug have dominated the World Cup for the last few seasons, neither has ever won the Tour de Ski. Northug has finished second for the last three years in a row. In fact, a Norwegian has yet to stand on the top step of the Tour de Ski podium, so both national as well as individual pride are on the line.
Both Bjoergen and Northug have set their sights firmly on overall Tour de Ski victories this year. Bjoergen has stayed away from the Tour in recent years in order to prepare for other events like the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and last year’s Nordic World Championships in Oslo, but this year that her main goal is a victory in the Tour de Ski, just about the only prize she has yet to win in the sport. “It inspires me that this is what’s missing from my victory list, and that no Norwegians have won the Tour de Ski before,” Bjoergen told FIS XC in an interview yesterday.
A raft of the world’s other top all-around skiers are similarly focused on the Tour. On the women’s side, Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk will return to defend last year’s crown against Bjoergen and her teammate Therese Johaug, runner-up to Kowalczyk last year. Also in the hunt will be rising U.S. star Kikkan Randall, and Sweden’s Charlotte Kalla, a past Tour winner who is coming off a recent illness.
Switzerland’s Dario Cologna will be aiming for a third overall victory in the men’s race, but will be chased by Northug and former winner Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic, along with Canada’s Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey, both of whom finished in the top ten last year.
Three-time runner-up Northug admits to frustration with his previous results but feels in a better position to win this year than in the past: “I know what has happened in recent years. Everything has been my own fault. It was miserable to be number two last year when I felt so vigorous at the end but I think I’m stronger in the final stage now,” he told FIS Cross Country.
Meanwhile, according to Czech Head Coach, Miroslav Petrasek, Bauer “…will be fighting for top results. He will be personally unhappy to miss the podium; I would be disappointed if he is outside the top five,” Petrasek was quoted in the press earlier this week.
Meanwhile, illness continues to take its toll on athletes as three more have recently dropped out of the Tour, including Norway’s Vibeke Skofterud and Martin Johnsrud-Sunby and Sweden’s Calle Halfvarsson.
The North Americans Teams
A total of nine athletes from North America will contest this year’s Tour, the most ever. Canada will field a trio of strong men – Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov – while the USA will send a squad of six athletes consisting of Kikkan Randall, Liz Stephen, Holly Brooks, Andy Newell, Kris Freeman and Simi Hamilton. SkiTrax caught up to the Canadian and US Head Coaches by phone yesterday to talk about their teams’ hopes and expectations for the Tour this year.
Justin Wadsworth – Canada
On the Canadian side, all three team members are capable of stage wins and top ten overall finishes. Kershaw and Babikov already have Tour stage wins to their credit, in 2011 and 2009 respectively, and all three have placed in the top ten overall at least once in previous years.
Canadian Head Coach Justin Wadsworth expects even more from them at this year’s Tour. “Even though none of them have had a final podium yet I think that we’re in a better overall position than we were last year. I think all the guys are in better shape, they’ve all had at least one very good race under their belts this year that shows their fitness and it’s all been pretty recent, so I’m pretty excited. I think our goals as a team are still three in the top ten, and we’d really like to have guys get on the podium.”
Wadsworth made no secret of the fact that much of their past dryland season training was geared to preparation for the Tour de Ski, particularly the latter stages like the Alpe Cermis, where athletes like Alex Harvey have lost ground in the past. “The Tour is kind of our World Championships this year and so during a lot of the camps this year we really focussed on a lot of offset and working on steep uphill technique, with that in the back of our minds,” Wadsworth explained.
“Ivan is one of the best steep off-setters out there, but with Devon and Alex it’s something they needed to work on and I feel like it’s something they both really improved on,” he continued.
Wadsworth said the hours of gruelling uphill work helped both with the mental as well as physical dimension of the Tour: “We did a lot of those long uphill rollerski sessions up the volcano in Hawaii from sea level to 10,000ft and when we did those we had the Tour in mind. With both the mental as well as physical challenge that the TdS poses it really helps their confidence to know they’ve done that in training.”
Wadsworth expects Kershaw and Harvey to challenge for podium positions on any given day of the Tour that they feeling good, but the biggest prize is to grab a piece of the final podium pie in the overall standings, something he feels is well within reach for both skiers.
“For guys like Devon and Alex, they can do well in any stage, and if like last year we can just keep getting lots of top fives then they can just keep chipping away at the overall that way. They have the possibility to score sprint or distance podiums in either technique and for those guys it’s just about picking those days when they feel good and trying to capitalize on those and trying to avoid having a bad day where you lose lots of time.”
While great things are expected of Kershaw and Harvey at this year’s Tour given their top ten results last year, Wadsworth is equally excited about Babikov’s chances, despite coming off a poor season last year. “Ivan’s been in the top ten before in the Tour de Ski and he’s in better shape now than I’ve ever seen. I think he’s in a better position now with his classic skiing being much better. He just had a great classic race in Rogla where he was up in the lead group a lot of the race, and even led for a while.”
“Last year in the Tour he struggled a bit in the classic races so I’m really excited to see what he can do this year. If he can be a little closer coming into the final stage and the climb up Alpe Cermis he can be a major threat because he’s had the fastest time on the climb before.” Babikov’s one and only World Cup victory was won on this final stage of the Tour de Ski, back in 2009.
Wadsworth also addressed the fact that no Canadian women will be racing in this year’s TdS, despite that fact that his American counterpart was sending three women to the Tour. Referring to Chandra Crawford, Dasha Gaiazova and Perianne Jones, Wadsworth said, “Their distance results just haven’t matched their sprint results, and the Tour de Ski is not a place to come and just dabble in a few sprints, it’s a lot of work.”
Wadsworth added that missing the Tour de Ski was the best way to set the three women up for greater success in the 2nd World Cup period, which features a number of back-to-back sprint events. “Even though there are two sprint races in the Tour,” he said, “they’re only half point races, and if you look at the races right after the Tour, those are very good races for our women’s team – the sprints in Milano, Moscow and Otepaa.”
“A lot of the athletes they’re going to compete against in those races are going to be pretty fatigued from the Tour,” Wadsworth pointed out, “and they can hopefully garner some more podiums from those races. So that’s the decision we made and I think in the long run it will prove to be a smart one.”
Chris Grover – United States
With a mix of both distance specialists and sprinters capable of producing distance results, U.S. Head Coach Chris Grover has been planning all along to send a squad of men and women to the Tour. “Our initial thought all along this year was to race Kris, Andy, Kikkan, Liz and Simi,” Grover told SkiTtrax. “Since last spring they were the skiers in particular that we had planned to race, as we felt like they would be ready for the Tour if their training went well.”
Grover said the decision to commit to a larger team was based on a number of factors, mostly to do with how the U.S. athletes were developing as more all around skiers: “The difference between this year and last year, where we only had three athletes, is that this year we feel we have athletes that are skiing at an all-round better level in terms of their fitness, strength and experience, and who can do well in multiple types of events.”
Holly Brooks, meanwhile, was a late addition to the Tour de Ski team after a series of breakthrough performances on the World Cup: “Having Holly here is totally based on the fantastic skiing that she’s delivered during the first World cup period,” continued Grover.
When asked about his performance expectations of the US athletes on the Tour, Grover dwells less on specific results targets and more on encouraging the team to continue building on the momentum established so far this season, one in which almost every member of the team has achieved a personal best.
“Five of the six athletes have had a personal best of some kind or another during the fall World Cup period,” Grover points out, “whether it’s Andy in distance skiing, Simi in sprint, Liz in classic skiing, and Kikkan and Holly in pretty much everything. So I’d love to see those guys seize that type of opportunity again and have another personal best. And the thing about the Tour is that if you can stay healthy and really take care of yourself the opportunities almost become greater as you go along because there’s a lot of attrition.”
Having said that, Grover is certainly not ruling out the possibility of a podium finish or two: “This is also a year in which we have a few different athletes with the potential to score a podium – and since we’ve never had a Tour de Ski podium that would be exciting for us as well.”
The fireworks begin on Dec. 29 so stay tuned to skitrax.com for complete coverage of the 6th annual Tour de Ski.
December 27, 2011 (Helsinki, Finland) – One Way, the Finnish Nordic Sports brand, signed a contract today with World Cup Overall Series winner and Tour de Ski winner, Dario Cologna from Switzerland, that begins May 1, 2012
Cologna will use the new One Way Diamond Storm Premio poles from Spring 2012. Both parties have agreed to a long term co-operation and a successful marketing approach for Nordic skiing and products.
Yann Vallet, Nordic Racing manager OW commented, “We are really proud having Dario very soon on our team. As a young and modern cross-country brand we have a lot of synergies between us. It will be an exciting cooperation in product developments but especially in a fresh promotion for Nordic Sports”
December 27, 2011 (Chama, NM) – Come out and play in the snow at the Chama Chile Ski Classic, January 14-16, 2012 over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in Chama, NM! There will be 3 days of fun for everyone and 7 cross-country ski and snowshoe races! This winter event is held in the charming, quaint Village of Chama and the races are held on the Rio Grande National Forest between Antonito, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico. There’s everything from Freestyle and Classic style cross-country ski races and a snowshoe race to family events and a chile/chili contest, where you can taste some of Northern New Mexico’s best family recipes.
Families can take advantage of the Classic Cross-country Ski Techniques Clinic (there will be 4 instructors for beginner to advanced), broom hockey and Frisbee golf for the kids, and some of the ski/snowshoe/yurt tours being offered over the weekend. For even more fun, there will be a costume contest and snow sculptures at the ski race site.
In the evenings, there will be live music and beer tasting at the High Country Restaurant in Chama. Gary Gorrence from Pecos, NM will be playing on Friday, January 13th with his own style of country and southwestern rock. The Muddy Mountain Orchestra from Taos, NM will be playing Irish, rock-n-roll blues and bluegrass on Saturday, January 14th and the Porchlights from Dolores, CO will be returning with their original, “rocking acoustical mayhem”. Both the Saturday and Sunday bands will be playing before and after the Awards Ceremonies each evening.
For athletes, there are 2 days of cross-country ski and snowshoe races. On Saturday, January 14th there will be both a 7.5K and 15K Freestyle Cross-Country Ski race. On Sunday, January 15th, there will be 5K and 10K Classic Style Cross-Country Ski races and a 5 K Snowshoe race. Those who need more of a challenge can enter the combined 5K Ski/5K Snowshoe Race or the 10K Ski/5K Snowshoe Race. Skiers can also “go retro” in the wooden ski category or enter a team in the 5K Classic XC ski race.
More advanced skiers and racers, can take advantage of the Telemark Skiing Clinic, Classic Style XC Skiing Techniques Clinic and Ski Waxing Clinic.
A Restorative Yoga class is being offered by Steve Ilg with High Performance Yoga on Saturday afternoon to help all skiers unwind from the day’s activities and prepare for the next day of races.
For the skier or snowshoer who doesn’t want to compete, there will be a guided XC ski/snowshoe tour to the Sargent’s Wildlife Area (now groomed for XC skiing & snowshoeing) and tours to a couple of the yurts located in the South San Juan Mountains near Chama. After the races on Sunday, everyone is welcome to ski the race course.
An Avalanche Rescue Techniques Clinic offered on Saturday, January 14th in the afternoon, is a must for skiers and snowmobilers who venture onto snowy, mountainous terrain.
The races and many of the events are held on the Rio Grande National Forest through a special use permit.
For more information go to www.chamaski.com or call 575-756
December 26, 2011 (Davos, Switzerland) – Apparently, life’s been good the last few weeks because I’ve been too busy eating stellar food, taking saunas, drinking cappuccinos, training hard and hitting up all the World Cup stops instead of reflecting on what’s been up. My bad.
If you need to use the restroom or if you’re hungry and/or thirsty I’d suggest taking care of that now – it’s been a busy three weeks and I’ve been accused of being “wordy.” Preposterous, I know.
Let’s go through them as they happened.
Dusseldorf, GER – Skate Sprint
Fact. It was hard to peel myself away from the Bivio’s antipasti.
Justin had been trying to convince me to give Dusseldorf a go for months, even booking me a plane ticket saying, “even if you don’t go, at least we have our bases covered.” So, when I describe it as a “snap decision” to go to Germany for less than 24hrs to race a sprint race – I’d be somewhat lying.
Seriously though, I wasn’t convinced – especially after my bush-league outing in Kuusamo’s classic sprint.
It’s amazing what sun on the face, great food, and good vibes can do. By Friday I was stoked to giver, so off I went to give it a go.
The major characteristic of the short trip was this: It rained. And I don’t mean, “rained” so much as I mean a deluge of biblical proportions. I single-handily soaked three sets of boots, all the clothing I traveled with and most of (our wax tech’s) Joel’s. Damn, it was nasty. Warming up, my eyes constantly drifted to the swelling Rhine where I expected to see a robed man sporting a huge beard (which is how I imagine Noah to look. Now that you mention it, that’s how I depict everyone in the Bible: robed & bearded) aboard a great wooden ship – some would say Ark-like. I saw many a ship meandering by – yet none with Llamas, Chinchillas, Snow Leopards, Platypuses, Voles, Manatees, etc… two by two.
The other thing that wasn’t two-by-two was the race. It was tight and narrow! My race itself was unspectacular. I was really happy to qualify easily in 15th place, but in my quarterfinal I felt like a boarder-collie behind unorganized, massive, aggressive sheep. I kept going back and forth on the narrow course looking for a hole to sneak through – but found none. Therefore I was knocked out and ended my day in 18th. I felt so much better than that –but I learnt a valuable lesson. Mainly, Dusseldorf is incredibly narrow and full of right turns – making it hard to come from 6th around everyone. My starts need to improve.
Davos, SUI – Skate sprint
After a few more killer days in Italy and a long session in Pontresina, SUI it was time for us to move down to Davos for the World Cups there.
At first I was psyched. They changed the planned 30km individual start race to a 15km – which was good news for guys like me that like to sprint too.
Yet, the decision didn’t stick. Babs’ repeated strange sauna snow dances seemed to have worked – and from Thursday onwards it started puking (snow) and didn’t quit. The 30km was back on, and I was back on the bench – deciding (read: Justin repeatedly telling me: “dude – we talked about this. That 30km is NOT going to happen”) to skip the 30km to have some snap left for Sunday’s sprint.
How did the sprint go? Good thanks. Yet, it almost didn’t go at all. I got into the rounds by the skin on my teeth and I brush three times a day, floss and Listerine – so I imagine there’s not a ton of skin on them. 28th place. 0.1 seconds slower and I would have had a pretty lame weekend.
But, in is in, and thankfully the body was rocking. The heats went amazing. I made the final and aside from just embarrassingly slow starts – things were clicking well. Made the decision to skip the 30km seem pretty smart.
In the final itself I felt good but made some tactical errors late in the race – I finished 4th. I know right?!? 4th is just such a burn but I was 0.1sec from even getting a chance to race at all, so 4th isn’t SO bad.
I felt now finally that the first two weeks of the season were behind me and I was back to feeling “normal.” We spent most of the week in Davos just skiing easy and drinking cappos before the show moved East to Slovenia.
Rogla, SLO – 15km mass start classic + skate sprint
We arrived late Wednesday evening and awoke to warm temperatures and rain. Man it was depressing. The venue had a sad little ribbon of rock/dirt/snow through the fields on Thursday and I was pretty convinced that no distance race was going to go down.
Then – Petra or someone must have spoken to God – because Friday couldn’t have been any more different. It was heinous – snowing like crazy, North Shore of Maui-windy, and just an all around nasty, nasty, nasty day. I laughed up there testing skis – it was such a difference from Thursday!
First up was the classic race. The day wasn’t exactly awesome. It was still snowing a bit and windy as’ too. In the race itself, I felt good – but skied like an idiot – going for an early preem, getting it (and the 15 WC points) before paying dearly for the effort the rest of the race.
It was a waste of good feelings, and I crossed the line disappointed. I should have known better, but I was feeling so good that I just went for it. Lesson learned.
The storm blew itself out by Sunday, and we were treated to sunny skies and very little/no wind too for the sprint, which was cool. I finally got to see what Rogla looked like – pretty nice terrain.
I had an ok qualifier – better speed than the week before in Davos – and moved on to the heats. The course was short with a lot of corners – which didn’t exactly play into my snail-like starts. I felt amazing again – but ran out of time in the end, finishing 3rd in my heat – getting knocked out and finishing 15th on the day.
So, I wasn’t super happy with the weekend (but of course seeing Chandra crack the podium on Sunday was pretty awesome!! WOO!). I felt much better than the results board read – but so it goes. I was happy to have felt good body-wise and that gives me confidence as the Tour de Ski approaches.
Davos…
Sometimes I wake up in the night with this reoccurring nightmare. I’m in a Swiss town nestled in the Alps. It starts dumping snow – like “ski movie” dumping – and it doesn’t ever stop.
The mountains are getting blasted – sick powder is there to be ripped – but I am a cross-country ski racer and the Tour de Ski is a little over a week away. Then, I wake up feeling crappy, like I’m fighting something – not quite healthy and I’m tired from travel and a heavy race schedule.
Then I realize that’s me right now. I’m living that nightmare! I’m the guy who is a bit run down, and not out skiing big lines. Argh. Yes – Davos is beautiful, and yes it is getting hammered with snow – but I’m just chilling out trying to get my energy back and reload for the Tour, which starts in a shade over a week. No powder skiing for me it looks like, but that’s fine (is it?). Delay doesn’t mean denial – so boys get ready for the best-ever backcountry ski trip come spring. It’s so bad that I’m excited for something that is so far away – but all this powder is making crazy!!
Christmas will be spent here with Alex, his girlfriend (Sophie), Hutchy, Babs and his family and Lenny. Going to be a chill scene, but that’s ok too. It’s my sixth year spending Christmas here in Davos – so I should be an old hand at it, but I still miss friends and family back home – as well as beautiful Canmore.
December 26, 2011 (Salt Lake City, Utah) – The National Nordic Foundation will invest an additional $25,000 in two Cross-Country Pillar Projects in its second round of 2011/2012 funding. Of this additional investment $13,000 will go toward subsidizing the World Junior Championships & Under 23 World Championships trip. $12,000 will do toward reducing World Cup expenses by athletes who have qualified to compete on the World Cup but are not funded by USSA or FIS. This brings the NNF’s 2011/2012 investment in the sport to a record $83,000 nearly doubling its 2010/2011 funding allocation. These strategic investments, made to Support Tomorrow’s Stars Today, are made possible by the generous contributions from over 1000 individuals who donated through the Drive-for-25 and other NNF fundraising efforts this fall. THANK YOU NORDIC COMMUNITY!
As NNF Board member Yuriy Gusev explains, “We are pleased to be able to increase the investment in both the World Junior/U23 World Championship and World Cup teams to a total of $38,000. Representing the country at this level is a privilege deserved by an athlete through years of focused dedication. We have seen our next generation of U.S. athletes step up and preform at the early season World Cups with unprecedented results and we expect similar results throughout the winter. We believe that we have to do wherever it takes so athletes do not receive an invoice at the end of trips of this significance. Complete funding might not happen overnight but this is something we need to work towards. As the National Nordic Foundation, we are pleased to be able to make these strategic investments on behalf of over one thousand individuals who have pledged their support. Now the skiers feel they have 2000 hands pushing them up each hill.”
As Jessie Diggins states,”Waaaay cool! – Awesome to hear about the amazing fundraising. It is so cool to see the Nordic community step forward and support its developing skiers! This will help so much; not only for fundraising to pay for the World Junior/U23 trip, but as motivation while we’re there. It’s much better to race knowing your family, friends, community and country is backing you up.”
The National Nordic foundation will be supporting 5 Pillar Projects with a total of $83,000 in Round 1& 2 of 2011/2012 funding:
– $38,000 ($25,000 + $13,000) – World Junior Championships & Under 23 World Championships; Erzurum, Turkey February 10 – 27, 2012
The World Junior U23 Ski Championship is where then nation’s top junior athletes first see how they stack up against the very best juniors in the World. This annual World Championship are often a precursor to the (Senior) Nordic World Championships 2-4 years later. For US athletes the Junior and U23 world championships are the foundation and stepping stone for a successful future.
– $25,000 ($13,000 + $12,000) – World Cup; 2011-12 Circuit
The World Cup Pillar funding allows America’s future stars who have qualified to compete on the World Cup but are not funded by USSA or FIS to get exposure to the World Cup. The World Cup is the premier race circuit. Available money is split amongst qualifying athletes throughout the individual World Cup “periods”. Because the money available and the money needed will always be a changing number, NNF is not required to split the money evenly between World Cup periods.
– $3,000 – National J2 Elite Camp; Sun Valley, Idaho August 1-8, 2011
– $5,000 – J1 Junior Scandinavian Championships “Scando Cup”; Mammaste, Estonia, Feb 14-27, 2012
– $15,000 – Europe Continental Cup “OPA/Scandinavian Cup”; Jan 20 – Mar 15, 2012,
For more details on the $53,000 of round 1 funding please click HERE.
Support Tomorrow’s Stars Today
The National Nordic Foundation exists to help America’s young, dedicated, and driven Nordic talent realize their, and America’s, long term potential in sport and in life. The biggest hurdle facing American Nordic racers is gaining consistent access to international quality coaching, training, and racing experiences from ages 15 through 25. Providing future generations of U.S. Nordic athletes earned access to a progression of high-quality international competitions, their life enriching lessons, represents this nation’s greatest Nordic development opportunity and funding need. The National Nordic Foundation and its Pillar Projects exist to fulfill this need. Please donate to the National Nordic Foundation and support tomorrow’s stars today as their quest for athletic accomplishment on the trails prepares them to achieve their potential in life while inspiring others to do the same. The Nordic Combined Funding allocation will be announced later this week. Please Donate $25 or $2500 Here Now!
December 26, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – Check out these great video recaps of the recent sprint competition in Rogla, Slovenia, courtesy of Torin Koos, where Canada’s Chandra Crawford captured her first ever World Cup silver medal in the women’s final, while heavy favourite Kikkan Randall (USA) fell victim to a crash and a broken pole in the sprint final ending up 6th. Watch USA’s Andy Newell in action and Simi Hamilton’s fabulous quarterfinal as he advanced to the semis and lead the US men’s team with a 10th place overall.
December 24, 2011 – In this week’s edition of Kikkan Randall’s Q&A, junior skier, Abe Meyerhofer, from Alaska asks an interesting question about Warm Ups before sprint and distance races. Kikkan responds with some valuable tips for both types of races…. Check out Randall’s Training Rap HERE and check her MAILBAG for all Q&As thru the season.
Q & A – Warm Ups
Hi Kikkan,
As a junior skier, coaches often tell me to “get a good warm up” before races. I was wondering what that looks like. Can you give me a picture of what your warmup looks like, and what you change in it for sprints vs. distance races?
Abe Meyerhofer,
Alaska
——–
Hi Abe,
Getting a good warm-up is important for both interval workouts and races, to make sure your body is open, warm and ready to perform at it’s best! I usually start all of my warm-up routines by skiing or jogging easy for 15-20 min. Sometimes it can be hard to keep this pace easy with race nerves surging and an exciting atmosphere around, but try to keep a lid on the effort if you can.
Towards the end of the 20 min, I start picking up the pace just a little bit and then transition into about 5-10 min of L3 or sub-race pace skiing. This is a pace that is a little slower and easier than your goal race pace and helps switch on the aerobic system. The next part depends of whether it’s a sprint or a distance race.
If it’s a distance race, I usually just add on a couple minutes of race pace skiing to the end of the L3 interval. Nothing too hard or too long, but it does help to wake up the body to the pace it will be racing at. After the interval, ski easy for another 5-10 min and then throw in a few short bursts. In the start pen, I usually jog around, swing my arms and just work on staying loose.
If it’s a sprint, I next add in some 30-60 second short intervals at race pace with a couple minutes rest in between. I usually do 3-4 of these on important parts of the course. I finish up my warm-up with some easy skiing and a few short 6-10 sec bursts. While I’m in the start pen, I continue to stay warm with some track-style drills like high knees, bounding, skips, etc. The key is to feel warm and sweaty when you start!
Practicing your warm-up routine on interval days will help you figure out what works for you. Everyone is a little different. Sometimes the situation at the race site may cause you to change plans, so just remember the basics and be ready to be flexible.
December 22, 2011 (Toronto, ON) – We are pleased to announce that the fourth annual international SkiTrax FIS Fantasy Tour de Ski 2011/12 Contest is now live for team registration for contestants around the world with over $3,500 in prizes up for grabs. This year the Tour de Ski runs from Dec. 29 to Jan. 8 covering 11 days with the first event kicking off in Oberhof, Germany.
Here’s how the FIS Tour de Ski 2011/12 Contest works
Register your team of unique individual skiers including four (4) men, and four (4) women plus two (2) Outlaw Skiers (one male and one female) not in the top 15 of the FIS World Cup overall rankings. The menus for all skiers are at registration as well as a link to the FIS World Cup Ranking where you can find more details on each skier.
Deadlines, Points, Prizes
The deadline to register your FIS Tour de Ski 2011/12 team, or to make any changes, is 10pm EST on Dec. 28 – the day before the TdS launches. Earn bonus points such as Kick and Glide or Val Climb Points along with other opportunities to score points – all contest rules and information are available at TdS registration.
Points will be awarded following each TdS stage based on each skier’s performance and published regularly at skitrax.com so you can follow your team’s progress and see how you compare with other players and the actual TdS standings.
Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Rossignol, Mont Ste-Anne, Salomon, Marwe, SkiGo, Sporthill, Bliz, Rottefella, Auclair, Buff, Fresh Air Experience, and High Peaks Cyclery.
SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).
December 22, 2011 – The sixth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear will kick off in just seven days, on December 29, 2011. For the first time, the event will be carried out over 11 days, with nine races at four venues in two countries, and this year it will be the true season highlight since there are no championship of Olympic events on the program.
The kick-off will be in Oberhof (GER) on the 29th-30th of December, with a prologue in free technique and a handicap start race over 10 km (ladies) and 15 km (men) in classical technique. The Tour will then continue on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with a classical sprint and a short pursuit race (ladies 5km + 5 km, men 10km + 10km) in Oberstdorf (GER), site of the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships.
After four intensive competition days the athletes will have a well-deserved rest day on January 2nd, when athletes will travel from Oberstdorf to Italy. In Toblach, the racers will take on three races in a row for the first time. On Tuesday, January 3rd, they will race a short interval start race over 3km (ladies) and 5 km (men). A free technique sprint follows on January 4th, before the racers tackle the challenge of the special point-to-point stage from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Toblach for the third time. The male athletes will be racing in a free technique handicap start over 35 km. Based on the experiences from past years, the ladies will start in the stadium of Toblach and make three 5 km loops.
After the second rest day, the Tour will conclude in Val di Fiemme, the host of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2013. January 7th will see a mass start race over 10 km (ladies) and 20 km (men) in classical technique. The final stage on January 8th will again start in the cross-country stadium at the Lago di Tesero and end on Alpe Cermis, with the final climb stretching over 3.7 km and a climb of 425m. Both genders will race the same course, 9 km in free technique.
The snow conditions are promising everywhere. All venues have received snowfall in the past days or were able to produce snow. The sixth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear can start: We are ready – do join us on the Tour 2011/2012!
Starting times & program
For an overview of the FIS Tour de Ski plus starting times and the complete programe click HERE.
December 21, 2011 (Sweden) – According to Scandinavian media reports, Swedish sensation Charlotte Kalla is a possible no-show for the Tour de Ski as a result of an ongoing chest infection. Swedish broadcaster, SVT, reports that Kalla has been struggling with her health for a while and is being treated with antibiotics.
While Swedish coach, Magnus Ingesson, is hopeful that Kalla will be healthy enough to compete in the Tour, it remains possible that she will miss the event entirely.
Kalla, who finished 5th overall in the 2010 Tour de Ski, has been struggling ever since the end of the Kuusamo mini-tour at the end of November, and has managed no better than 13th in her last four races.
The Swedish team has been hard hit by illness in recent weeks. In addition to Kalla, Anders Södergren, Hanna Brodin, Anna Haag and Emil Jönsson have been ill recently, along with Johan Olsson, who will miss the Tour completely due to bronchitis.
December 20, 2011 – Due to the cancellation of Italy’s La Sgambeda, the first round of the 2011/12 FIS Marathon Cup scheduled for Dec. 18 (lack of snow), the team registration deadline for our inaugural SkiTrax Fantasy FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 International Contest, in co-operation with FIS and the WorldLoppet Ski Federation, has been extended accordingly.
This is good news for any XC ski fans who have been procrastinating, because it means that our deadline for contest registration has been extended until Jan. 7, 2012 – the day before the 50km Jizerská Padesátka taking place in the Czech Republic on Jan. 8.
With the recent news that Petter Northug (NOR) has confirmed his participation at the Konig-Ludwig-Lauf, the Marcialonga and the Vasaloppet, and Martin Koukal (CZE) has joined the Skinfit Racing team and has decided to dedicate a full season to marathon skiing, we have added them to our Outlaw Skier menu.
150 Teams so far…
The FIS Marathon Contest is off to a good start with over 150 teams already enterd and is similar to our other fantasy contests with fabulous prizes and some twists – here’s how it works.
Register your team of four (4) men and four (4) women plus one “Outlaw” male skier not in the top 15 and one “Outlaw” female skier not in the top 10 of the FIS Marathon Cup overall rankings – all lists are at registration. Now here’s the twist… following the Koenig Ludwig Lauf event (Feb. 5/12) we’ll allow contestants to swap one male and one female skier from their team for added excitement leading into the final six (6) races.
Points will be awarded following each Marathon Cup World Loppet based on each skier’s performance and published regularly at skitrax.com so you can see how your score compares with other international players and the actual FIS Marathon standings. Earn bonus Am Birkie or Gatineau Loppet Points plus other bonus points – all information and contest rules are available when you register your team.
These are the only FIS Fantasy Nordic contests of their kind worldwide so don’t miss your chance to enjoy fabulous top level xc ski racing and win fabulous prizes – good luck to all contestants.
The deadline to register or revise your team is Jan. 7, at 10pm EST, the day before FIS Marathon Cup season finally kicks off with the 50km Jizerská padesátka on Jan. 8. – and stay tuned for our Tour de Ski Contest launching very soon..
* 1st Prize – OneWay Premio 10 WCup Skis, Diamond Storm Premio 10 Poles, SNS Premio Pilot Bindings. (value $1,350) * 2nd Prize – Nipika 4-nights for 2 people in luxurious cabin, including Trail Fees (value up to $1,160)
* 3rd Prize – Alpina ESK Ski Boots (value $449) * 4th Prize–Halti XC Race Suit Hemmo Set (value $269) * 5th Prize – Fischer RCS QF poles (value $225) * 6th Prize – Cross Country Canada e-Store Gift Certificate (value $200) * 7th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $150) * 8th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $120) * 9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65) * 10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $40)
Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including One Way, Nipika, Alpina, Halti, Fischer, Cross Country Canada, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Rottefella, Auclair, and Buff.
SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).
December 20, 2011 (Crescent Lake, OR) – Registration for the Crescent Lake Challenge freestyle ski race and citizen tour, set for Sunday, January 15, 2012, is now open. The event, which takes place on a 22km course on the groomed trails and rolling hills around scenic Crescent Lake, Oregon, in the central Cascades is popular, and due to limited space in the lodge for the free hot lunch, entries are limited to 120 skiers.
Organizers are adding a classic track set (conditions permitting). All levels of skiers are welcome but be prepared to ski 14 miles.
December 19, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – North Americans wrapped up a successful weekend of World Cup racing in Rogla, Slovenia with a slew of personal bests in Sunday’s skate sprint events. Canada’s Chandra Crawford scored her first ever World Cup silver medal in the women’s final, while her teammate, Dasha Gaiazova, placed 9th, a personal best in a skate sprint.
While heavy favourite Kikkan Randall (USA) fell victim to a crash and a broken pole in the sprint final (ending up 6th), she and her US teammates still had something to celebrate. Randall scored her best classic distance result in the women’s 10k classic placing 11th on Saturday while Holly Brooks did the same placing a solid 19th, and Liz Stephen also celebrated a personal best finishing 22nd. Meanwhile Ida Sargent qualified for the sprint heats for her first time on the World Cup while earning her first WCup points.
The USA’s Simi Hamilton led the North American men, finishing 10th in the freestyle sprint, also a personal best World Cup result. Overall, Canada and the US placed five men in the top 21, with Devon Kershaw, Len Valjas, Alex Harvey and Andy Newell placing 15th, 18th, 19th and 21st respectively. Newell also notched his first ever World Cup points in a distance race after finishing 24th in the men’s 15km classic on Saturday.
Read additional comments on the Rogla weekend from Simi Hamilton, Ivan Babikov, Noah Hoffman, Holly Brooks, Liz Stephen, Lenny Valjas and Kris Freeman below.
Simi Hamilton on his sprint top-10
A great day for sure… I’m pretty fired up. The course seemed to suit me really well. A lot of tight, technical corners that you really had work as well as a pretty short length and firm conditions.
My training was really quality this summer and fall, and even though I’ve been battling some bouts of illness recently, I knew that my preparation was good… it was just a matter of getting the energy and confidence back. My coach Pete and I designed a training plan that really focused on improvement of my weaknesses. I’m feeling a lot more comfortable in the last 200 meters of the race and I’m much better at calling on the flat-out speed that I have during that crucial time in the race.
I had a really good start in my quarter- another thing that Pete and I worked on a lot on this summer- and I found myself about 1 meter ahead of everyone at the 30 meter point. I knew that with the nature of the course it was good to go into the corners section in the lead, so I decided to ski hard and stay ahead. It basically came down to drag race in the last 200 meters, and a good lunge got me into that lucky loser spot.
In the semi I wanted to go with a different strategy… there was a long slingshot downhill pretty early in the course that Gloersson passed me on in the quarters, so I wanted to be in 2nd or 3rd on that section. After that long downhill and the corners section, I tried to make a move over the steep climb but got boxed out by Gloersson on the right and got pinballed by Morilov on the right.
Eventually I found a lane on the climb, but I would have liked to have entered the lanes with a little more of an advantage over the other guys in my heat. Unfortunately, the lunge in the quarters didn’t get me as far in my semi, I think by about a centimetre or so. Oh well, it was still a great heat to have been a part of.
I’m definitely satisfied with today. I’ve known all fall that this is where my fitness and speed are at, but just haven’t gotten a chance to prove that. I’m really looking forward to the Tour de Ski and the rest of the winter. Of course I’ll be most looking forward to the sprints, but I’m really excited to see how some of the distance races turn out, especially the ones on the shorter side.
Holly Brooks on her 19th place in Saturday’s classic distance race
It was a solid day. Matt Whitcomb pointed out that it’s phenomenal to come in 19th and feel “luke warm” about the race. That said, I believe the entire women’s team has World Cup best classic distance races today! Plus, it was wonderful to see Andy Newell score his first distance points! Newell and Freeman have had a long going bet (maybe many years) about who will score points in the other person’s discipline first. I suppose it’s Freeman’s turn to score tomorrow in the sprint!
The conditions today were a LOT nicer than they were yesterday. Friday’s training day featured thick fog and snow that was constantly changing between hard wax, klister covered, and klister. We woke up this morning to snow down low and received an email that the venue got 20cm last night! That said, it wasn’t nearly as soft as it could have been.
The men’s race was first this morning which is extremely rare for the World Cup. Therefore, the tracks were even sloppier than they otherwise would have been due to the wind. They were washed out in places and there were big troughs for poling in the two middle tracks. The top of the course featured an out and back SUPER windy section where the snow was dirty, there were big chunks of ice and a strong headwind/cross wind to fight against. The skiing, in this section specifically, was ugly. I felt ugly and I’m sure it looked horrendous on TV. Luckily I wasn’t the only one fighting with it.
For the first two laps I was skiing a bit stronger – 13th and 10th and two of the respective intermediate check points. I felt strong for 2-3 laps and then fatigue set in like a load of bricks. I skied the entire second half of the race with Marthe Kristoffersen and my skis were slightly better but I couldn’t get around her, no matter what I did. I was hoping to have some energy left for the last herringbone hill into the long, gradual uphill finish but I was toast. There were certainly more girls collapsed in the finish line than usual – a testament to the tricky conditions, altitude, and mass start format.
On Monday I will head to Ramsau, Austria with the rest of the crew competing in the Tour. I’m excited for a bit of downtime and some easy skiing. Conditions in Ramsau as of a couple of days ago were really good – 30k groomed and I’m really hoping that’s held up! I’m over the gerbil loops for a while and long for some big tours where you cover a significant amount of terrain on the natural stuff!
As for confidence, I’m feeling good right now… I think I’ve scored points 6 times in period one which has exceeded my expectations. Although I’m not ecstatic about today, it was still a personal best which goes to show that my expectations are changing. I feel like I’ve established my baseline and I’m already looking forward to the next level!
Ivan Babikov on Saturday’s classic race, in which he placed 22nd
I’m very happy with my race today, I have struggled with my classic in the past two seasons. I didn’t plan any early attacks, I just tried to stay at the front of the pack as long as possible, and there was an opportunity for bonus points, so I was very happy about that. Our skis worked very good today, and it was very exiting to ski with Devon and Alex at the front.
I got a bit tired on the last lap and couldn’t go with the leaders but still satisfied with the overall.
We all looking forward to the Tour now, just have to stay healthy, that’s the goal for now.
Noah Hoffman on Saturday’s race, plus plans going forward
The course today was much better than what we skied yesterday. We got a significant amount of snow last night. The organizers were able to spread some more manmade snow to add a hill to the course. The organizers did a great job.
My skis were fantastic. The techs did a great job. I also have a lot of confidence in the pair of skis I was on. It is the same pair I raced on in the 15km at World Championships last year.
Today was a little disappointing [51st], but I feel I am set up for some success in the second half of the season.
I love being on the World Cup and the whole scene. It is much less of a spectacle this year than last year for me. I still enjoy watching the logistics and everything that goes into putting on one of these races. It is a really cool series of races.
I’m headed to Vermont on Monday to work on technique with Zach Caldwell. I’ll be in the East until US Nationals.
Liz Stephen on her best ever finish (22nd) in a classic World Cup distance race
It was a PB Saturday and I was really excited, for sure. The race on Saturday went really well for me. After previewing the course the day before, I set my sights to a top 35 goal, as I thought getting into the top 30 would be pretty tough for me on a relatively flat course with tough snow.
However, we woke up the next morning to fresh snow which helped the tracks a lot and the added part of the loop that had not been open the day before had another short climb in it, which all helped, for sure.
However, I think most of what happened Saturday was me deciding to go for it. Courses are never all going to be perfect for any athlete, but the ones that can learn how to just go for it every time, have a much better chance to have a great race than the ones who only think they can ski to their potential on courses that were made for them. And on Friday night, I decided that was not going to be me.
So, I went for it, and every lap felt better than the one before it. I kept skiing up, tried to ski smart by tucking in behind girls where I could to block the gusting wind, rest where I could, hammer where I could, and just never count myself out. And it worked.
Lenny Valjas on battling sickness in the days before Sunday’s sprint race
On Friday I woke up achy with a sore throat. Not the feeling you want the day before a race. I knew starting the 15km race would be a mistake so I told Justin [Wadsworth] to take me out of the race. I didn’t feel any better on Saturday. I sat in bed all day and watched 4 movies. I really liked the course. It suited me very well with the gradual climbs and the tough finish. It would have been a fun course to try if I was feeling 100%. I told myself that I would race the sprint no matter how I felt. I kept telling myself that the cold would not affect me in the race.
This morning [Sunday] I woke up and was still congested, but my sore throat was much better. I didn’t feel nearly as crappy as the morning before. I can’t be any happier with how my day ended up. It felt surreal to be in the heats, considering that I was lying in bed for the past two days.
This year I will spend Christmas in Davos with the Tour de Ski boys. I will not be racing the Tour this year, the coaches and I agreed that it might be too much for me to handle with all the sprints coming up in the weeks following.
Kris Freeman reveals how a personal loss is affecting his racing
This has been a very disappointing period of racing for me. I have been dealing with a major loss in my personal life and it has a very negative impact. I haven’t slept like I normally do and my stress levels have been through the roof. When it has been time to push in races there has been nothing there. Stress always makes my sugar less predicable but I have had no major issues.
The course [on Saturday] was easy, the pace was on the slow side and my skis were good. The snow was an odd mix of natural and man-mae snow but I generally like snow that you have to finesse. Everything pointed to a good race for me except that I have let myself get exhausted from external factors.
Andy’s race [on Saturday] was exciting. This is the first time since the 2002 season that three American men have scored World Cup points in distance racing. I have been suffering but my teammates are picking up the slack.
December 18, 2011 (Rossland, BC) – Jessie Diggins (CXC) skied away from the field once again adding another win to her resume on Sunday in the women’s Mass Start 10km freestyle race on the final day of the Haywood NorAm in Rossland, BC. Alysson Marshall (Larch Hills) was a bridesmaid yet again followed by Jennie Bender (CXC) in third.
The 15km men’s race was a much closer affair with Kevin Sandau (Foothills), Brent McMurtry (FNSC) and Graeme Killick (Banff Ski Runners) locked in a sea-saw battle at the finish with Sandau taking the win by a ski length. He holds onto the leader’s jersey as well and earns himself a WCup berth with the Canadian men’s team for his efforts.
A front group formed in the men’s race with Jesse Cockney (Foothills) leading the charge on the second lap as the USA’s Leif Orin Zimmermann (Bridger Ski Foundation) took over. By the fourth lap Sandau, McMurtry and Killick had established themselves as the real contenders making for a close race down to the wire.
December 18, 2011 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Team Canada was on fire on Sunday using eight spare rounds to claim 6th overall in the Mixed 2×6+2×7.5km Team Relay only 36s off the podium at 1:14.5 behind Russia who won gold in 1:13:33.4, using five spare rounds. The Czech Republic delivered fabulous shooting on Sunday using only three spare rounds for the silver, while France took home the bronze at 38.5 behind with nine spare rounds.
For Russia’s Olga Zaitseva it was her third consecutive top podium performance in as many days as her teammates Olga Vilukhina, Alexey Volkov and Anton Shipulin delivered – both men shot clean to seal the win.
Competitors were blessed with stellar conditions, a welcome change considering the snow and wind during Saturday’s Pursuit. Canada’s Megan Imrie, Zina Kocher, Brendan Green and Jean-Philippe Le Guellec put together a great day of skiing and shooting, building on some recent personal bests such as Imrie’s career-best 24th place finish in the Pursuit.
“The team has been fantastic this entire tour. We are very supportive of each other, and everyone’s made big gains,” said Megan Imrie in Biathlon Canada release. “The coaching staff has been their usual outstanding supportive selves, and our wax techs are the best on the planet. We have worked very hard as a team and we know it’s going only going to get better!”
Team USA finished 14th place using 10 spare rounds as Sara Studebaker, Annalies Cook, Tim Burke and Leif Nordgren posting a time of 1:16:11.5 at 2:38.1 behind Russia.
A total of 26 teams started but many teams did not field their best athletes so it was a chance for some lesser-known athletes to strut their stuff.
December 18, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – The USA’s Simi Hamilton turned heads qualifying 7th to lead the North Americans in 10th overall as Dario Cologna (SUI) scored the win in the men’s 1.2km freestyle sprint over Nikolay Morilov (RUS). Morilov attacked just before the final climb and tried to escape in the final but had to settle for second in the end as Cologna was too strong, with Norway’s Gloeersen in third.
Hamilton’s teammate Andy Newell qualified a strong 10th along with three Canadians including Len Valjas, Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey, but all were disappointed with their showings in heats and were out quickly on the fast, tight and unforgiving Rogla course.
For Hamilton it was a breakthrough day as he was the lone North American to advance to the semis as a lucky loser, but then drew a very fast heat with Gloeersen and Morilov taking first and second to move on to the final. Hamilton’s semi also included both lucky losers – Paal Golberg and Erik Barndsal from Norway – as the speedy American ended up 10th.
“The course seemed to suit me really well. A lot of tight, technical corners that you really had work as well as a pretty short length and firm conditions,” Hamilton wrote SkiTrax post-race. “My training was really quality this summer and fall, and even though I’ve been battling some bouts of illness recently, I knew that my preparation was good. My coach Pete [Vordenberg] and I designed a training plan that really focused on improving my weaknesses.
“I had a really good start in my quarterfinal – another thing that Pete and I worked on a lot on this summer. It basically came down to drag race in the last 200 meters, and a good lunge got me into that lucky loser spot. In the semi I wanted to go with a different strategy… there was a long slingshot downhill pretty early in the course that Gloersson passed me on in the quarterfinal, so I wanted to be in 2nd or 3rd on that section. After that long downhill and the corner section, I tried to make a move over the steep climb but got boxed out by Gloersson and pinballed by Morilov on the right.
“I’m definitely satisfied with today. I’ve known all fall that this is where my fitness and speed are at, but just haven’t gotten a chance to prove that. I’m really looking forward to the Tour de Ski and the rest of the winter.”
For Newell it was another day of frustration on the sprint course as he allowed others to control the race despite his better positioning. “The course in Rogla is a good one, perfect conditions today and lots of fun corners and stuff on the sprint loop. I tried to get out in front in my heat and control things which I did for a period of time but then managed to get pushed around and cut off too many times in the last portion of the heat.
“It’s completely my fault I don’t know why I’m skiing like such a wimp. I need to hold my ground better and not allow myself to get boxed out on the hills or cut off in the finishing lanes – it’s just happening too often. I’m feeling pretty good so hopefully I can turn that around. I was a little tired after the classic race but I should still be able to sprint it out. I’m satisfied with the distance result but still haven’t had anything to be too stoked about on sprint side yet this year.”
In a phone interview Canada’s Kershaw echoed similar sentiments. While it was great to qualify three team members he wanted more. “It was busy out there and for sure a great day for Chandra. I’m disappointed that I didn’t get better positioning early on to make a go of it later in the sprint. It was tough to pass guys and having Cologna and Hattestad in the mix didn’t help.”
Kershaw was up against teammate Len Valjas as well – so what’s it like facing a teammate in an important race like this? “We’re getting more used to it which is good,” said Kershaw. “Lenny’s a really laid back guy and it’s all part of the game, plus it’s a chance for us work together and hopefully both advance.”
Harvey was disappointed as well but on the short twisty course there was little chance to gain ground. “I tried but it’s not super wide and there are lots of turns so you’re chances are limited. Still we have lots to celebrate with Chandra’s podium and qualifying three guys… we’re ready for the Tour de Ski and more racing.”
Both coaches were pleased overall… “Today was filled with big ups and downs, but when the team is rolling the way it has in period one it’s easy to focus in on the positive,” said US Coach Matt Whitcomb. “Simi and Ida were the big hits of the day. Simi took his first World Cup top-10 and Ida her first World Cup points. Neither of them ever faded in their elimination heat. They had a lot to give today, and had good production right through to the finish.
“These two have been a bit flat for parts of period 1, and today’s race indicated that training is being absorbed and good feelings are here. Ida goes home to Rumford now satisfied with a great result, and Simi heads into our Tour de Ski pre-camp feeling more confident. Andy and Kikkan each looked fit for the finals today, but standard course contact got the best of them. Still, we’ll take four in the top 25 any day. Plus the techs made great skis again today.”
For Canadian Coach Justin Wadsworth a podium finish in the bag as the first Euro campaign comes to an end feels good. “The team is doing really well. Chandra’s podium is icing on the cake of three top 20s in each race – that’s a solid start. Plus Dasha’s personal best in the skate sprint – it’s all adding up to solid training and a good mindset. We know they can all perform and the proof sets the stage for the Tour de Ski and races to come.”
Wadsworth is American so how does it feel to see success there as well? “We’re one big family, both teams, and we feed off each other and work hard together for overall success… I’m really pleased to see success there as well.”
According to Wadsworth Harvey, Kershaw, Babikov and Valjas will head to Davos and prepare for the Tour de Ski – Valjas is not competing at the Tour but training with the three studs is “good for him overall.” Crawford and Gaiazova head back to Canmore to train and will rejoin the team in Jan. The US teamers are spending Xmas in Ramsau in their lead up to the Tour de Ski when the fireworks begin again.
December 18, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – Xmas came early for Canada’s Chandra Crawford as she scored World Cup silver in the women’s sprint while her American friend Kikkan Randall, the WCup Series leader who looked dialed for another top podium finish, suffered a crash just after the start in the final that ended her day. Fans were hoping for a North American podium but it was not to be.
Crawford skied smart near the front staying out of trouble and powered up the final climb in a battle with Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla as the two began to pull away from the field on their own. As they crested the hill Falla surged down the finishing stretch ahead of Crawford to claim the gold as Ida Ingemarsdotter from Sweden, the top qualifier, took home the bronze.
“There were some rough years,” said 28-year-old Crawford in a phone interview with SkiTrax post-race, “but my mental approach has always been positive and now the physical side is finally kicking in. The hard work through the summer and new initiatives like the great Women’s Alliance camp we had with the US team in Alaska are all paying off. I’m so excited for our team that has been pushing so hard – it’s great to see some personal bests for both teams.”
“I’ve been working on having a stronger finish and the distance racing is also helping me build stamina and strength. Following Dusseldorf and Davos I’ve been feeling more confident and my plan today was to stay out to trouble and tuck in behind Kikkan. When she crashed out I kept near the front and attacked on the climb but couldn’t catch Falla in the end – I’m so happy with today’s result.”
It was the first silver medal of Crawford’s career. The 2010 Torino Olympic gold sprint medallist also has two World Cup gold medals and two bronze podium finishes to her credit.
Randall, who handily won her quarter-final (over Saarinen) and her semi-final heat (over Falla), was disappointed but has already put it behind her. “Someone caught my ski and before I knew it I spun out and went down. Then as I tried to recover my pole broke – either I broke it or another skier did somehow. The good news is I feel strong and ready for the next challenge. I’m really happy for Chandra and it was a great day for Ida [Sargent] and Simi [Hamilton].”
Daria Gaiazova had a super day as well for Canada as she ends the first part of the Euro campaign with a personal best of 9th in the skate sprint – her best result in the classic sprint is 8th. Gaiazova qualified 22nd and aced her quarter final with a strong push up the final hill and then a big kick at the finish to place second. In her semi the same strategy didn’t work but she was buoyant about her result.
“I knew the uphill was a good place to attack and it worked well in my first heat but I had less snap in the semi. Still it’s my best skate sprint result and I’m happy to end the last Euro weekend before the holidays on a positive note which wasn’t the case last year,” commented Gaiazova.
The USA’s Ida Sargent had a breakthrough day as well placing 30th in the qualifications for her first crack at the quarter final sprint heats. Despite being eliminated early she gained all important points and excellent experience.
“Last weekend in Davos I paced the qualifier and that didn’t work so today I just went for it from the start and it was awesome to squeak into the heats. In the quarterfinal I wasn’t aggressive enough out of the start and was boxed in when I tried to move up, but I’m super psyched with the race and it was a great confidence builder.”
December 17, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – Justya Kowalczyk (POL) would not be denied today for her first victory this season despite a valiant challenge by Norway’s Therese Johaug in the women’s 10km CL as the USA’s Kikkan Randall nailed a career-best 11th place finish on Saturday. Vibeke Skofterud looked like she might upset the apple cart for Johaug as well but settled for third as American Holly Brooks made the top 20 finishing 19th for a personal best.
Johaug attacked early but Kowalczyk remained glued to her as the two exchanged the lead several times as Kowalczyk gained on the descents. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen established herself in third with Skofterud and Charlotte Kalle (SWE) just behind with Randall as high as 5th looking sharp.
In the latter part of the race Kowalczyk attacked and only Johaug could respond as they created a gap on Saarinen who faded, but not as bad as Kalla did, allowing Skofterud to take over third. Randall began to suffer as well on the slow tough course as Kowalczyk pulled away on her own to solo in for her first WCup win this season. Johaug, knowing Skofterud was closing ramped it up at the finish for second with Skofterud in third.
The USA’s Randall was edged at the line by Krista Lahteenmaki (FIN) for 10th but was pleased with her result, her best 10km classic race ever surpassing her 16th in Kuusamo earlier this year.
“It was tough out there today. The snow was soft and some sections were quite windy – the course was deceptively difficult with occasional headwinds on the flat sections,” Randall told SkiTrax in a phone interview. “It was nice to finally see snow arrive but it made for tough conditions.
“I skied well for the first half but couldn’t hang in with some groups and in the end was out-lunged for 10th. It’s my best 10km classic race ever so overall I’m happy with how today went and look forward to the sprint tomorrow. I feel good and ready to perform but anything can happen in a sprint but the course suits me so we’ll just have to see how things play out.”
For Brooks it more affirmation that she belongs in the Elite field. “I’m feeling good right now… I think I’ve scored points six times in period one which has exceeded my expectations,” she told SkiTrax. “Although I’m not ecstatic about today, it was still a personal best which goes to show that my expectations are changing. I feel like I’ve established my baseline and I’m already looking forward to the next level! ”
Following Brooks in 22nd was Liz Stephen, then it was Canada’s Daria Gaiazova in 34th, the USA’s Ida Sargent placed 38th while Chandra Crawford was 50th. Perianne Jones did not start.
December 17, 2011 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – In snowy conditions Canada’s Jean Philippe Le Guellec shot clean in the men’s 12.5km Pursuit to lead the North American men in 8th while the USA’s Jay Hakkinen matched LeGuellec’s stellar shooting to claim 9th as Germany’s Andi Birnbacher won a nail-biter over Norway’s Ole Einar Björndalen by two-tenths of a second. Birnbacher and Björndalen also shot clean with Simon Fourcade from France placing third on the podium only 1.3s behind.
Both Le Guellec and Hakkinen had superb days as the Canadian started in 48th while the American was 45th. For Le Guellec he matched his second best WCup finish since 2008/09 also in Hochfilzen (his best result was 7th in Anholtz-Anterselva, ITA, that same season). Hakkinen’s result was his best finish since 2007 when he was 9th in Anholtz-Anterselva and he now sits 30th overall while Le Guellec is 36th.
“It was a huge relief and confidence booster for me,” said Le Guellec in a Biathlon Canada release. “I wanted to go into the Christmas break with some good performances and I achieved that. Mentally today I didn’t want to sweat the small stuff and this gives me the confidence to know I can be there.”
“This is a great day for me I’m really happy to be back in the top- 10,” Hakkinen was quoted in US Biathlon press release. “It feels like it’s been awhile. It was finally the race wanted to race with clean shooting today and also in yesterday’s sprint, the skis were also great and the ski form was good.
“The best thing about today’s race was fighting for those top positions and even having the potential to move up even farther. It was just a great day for me,” he added.
Birnbacher credited his win to “clean shooting and perfect skis” as he earned Germany’s first podium this year. It was the legendary Björndalen’s first podium this season as well.
“I am really up here because of my shooting,” Björndalen told Biathlonworld.com. “Everything was coming together as we came to the finish. I tried in the last meter, but Andi was stronger. It was difficult today as only a small part of the track was fast, so it was hard to pass.” Björndalen’s teammate Tarjei Boe finished fourth, with three penalties, and continues to lead overall.
The USA’s Lowell Bailey was 25th and hangs on to 9th overall in the series while Leif Nordgren was 33rd. Canada’s Brendan Green finished 40th.
December 17, 2011 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Russia’s Olga Zaitseva was on fire again shooting clean resulting in back-to-back wins as she followed up yesterday’s sprint win with a victory in the women’s 10km Pursuit on Sunday with a time of 31:52.2. Sweden’s Helena Ekholm kept her cool and out-lasted her rivals to claim the silver with one penalty at +29.1 behind Zaitseva. Darya Domracheva, of Belarus, suffered three penalties to hold on to third, at 44.7 off the winning time.
The Canadian success continued in the Pursuit as 25-year-old Megan Imrie, of Falcon Lake, Man., moved up one spot to 24th despite a tough day on the range, after chalking up a career-best 25th in the Sprint on Friday. Imrie missed four shots in as many rounds of shooting in the Pursuit toe finish at 3:52.9 behind the winner.
“I commented before the race these are my best conditions: challenging wind for shooting with fast and warm ski conditions,” said Imrie in a Biathlon Canada release. “After a very hard year of training, I have been focusing on fully enjoying each race. I always look forward to the pursuit. It’s great fun to ski with other people, and be in with the best. I’m feeling fit and healthy and having fun.”
Fellow Canuck, Zina Kocher, was 30th while American Annalies Cook racing for Team USA was lapped.
December 17, 2011 (Rogla, Slovenia) – Rogla finally got some natural snow overnight making for slower tracks on the 2km course that organizers created with man-made snow for this weekend’s WCup races. Petter Northug (NOR), who hung back for most of the race, picked up the pace near the finish timing his finishing sprint perfectly to edge out Dario Cologna (SUI) for the win. Kazakhstan’s Alexy Poltoranin, who made a bid for the victory in final 2km, was caught but held on to claim third.
Canada’s Alex Harvey lead the North Americans in 10th followed by Devon Kershaw in 16th. The Canucks looked very strong early on with Ivan Babikov leading at the 3km mark and Harvey and Kershaw just behind.
Kershaw claimed the first sprint points at the 5.2km mark, but couldn’t hold the pace as Daniel Rickardsson (SWE) attacked and then the Russians ramped it up taking over the lead in the latter stages. Kershaw ended up 16th while Babikov faded a bit as well finishing 22nd. The final Canadian in the mix was Graham “The Nish” Nishikawa from Whitehorse, Yukon, in 40th.
“Our plan was to be on the offensive for WCup points on the sprints,” said Harvey. “We knew it might cost us at the finish but we wanted to go after the extra points and try to hold on to the end.”
Kershaw concurred with their strategy adding that it was “soft, messy and windy in sections out there.” The 15km classic is one of his favourites and he wanted better than 16th overall. “I worked hard to win the first sprint points but almost thought it was too easy. Then Rickardsson attacked and that forced me to use even more energy leaving less in the tank in the end. It was a tough course and I paid for my early surge especially at altitude.”
Top US sprinter, Andy Newell, scored his first official distance race points leading the Americans in 24th proving that his hard work is paying off. “Although I have technically scored distance points before in prologue-style events this definitely feels like my first ‘real’ points race,” Newell told SkiTrax post-race. “I told myself I had to score a top 30 in a distance race during the first period in order for me to stay over and race the Tour de Ski so I was stoked that I was able to pull that off today.”
New Hampshire’s Kris Freeman did not have one of his better days finishing 42nd while Noah Hoffman out of Aspen, Colorado ended up 51st and Lars Flora from Alaska placed 54th.
December 16, 2011 (Toronto, ON) – Following the Davos WCup it’s a very close race in the SkiTrax FIS Fantasy WCup 2011/12 Contest. Team B Sul and birks ski are still tied for the lead each with 508 points. Only two point behind are three teams tied for second – Hoaxia, The Moose Patrol and 3LIT3 all with 506 points. In 6th place with 504 points is Siggy’s Speedsters.
For the complete WCup Fantasy Contest standings after Davos click HERE.
SkiTrax Fantasy FIS World Cup 2011/12 Contest Prizes * 1st Prize – Fischer 11/12 Carbonlite Hole Skis, Xcelerator Bindings, Carbonlite Poles (value $1,100) * 2nd Prize – SkiGo Carbon 780 Roller Skis (value $580)
* 3rd Prize – Alpina ESK Ski Boots (value $449) * 4th Prize – Bjorn Daehlie Exclusive US XC Ski Suit (value $300) * 5th Prize – Sporthill XC Pants/Tights and Glacier Top (value $220) * 6th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $150) * 7th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $130) * 8th Prize – Bliz Proflip Visor (value $129)
* 9th Prize – Concept2 Goodie Duffle Bag (value $100) * 10th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65) * WCup Breaks – Buff Headware (value $22) to top 3 contest leaders before the Tour de Ski
Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Fischer, SkiGo, Alpina, Bjorn Daehlie Clothing, Sporthill, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Rottefella, Bliz, Concept 2, Auclair, and Buff.
SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).
December 14, 2011 (Alaska) – After completing another “personal best” World Cup weekend in Davos, Switzerland the decision has been made – Holly Brooks will officially be joining the US Ski Team’s roster to participate in the 2012 edition of the Tour de Ski!
The idea arose after Brooks’ successful completion of the Kuusamo Mini-Tour where she finished 23rd overall amongst over 90 women. However, coaches and Brooks were waiting to see how the races in Davos went before making an official decision about her race schedule. Brooks proved that she belongs on the Tour de Ski roster without question. In Saturday’s distance event in Davos, after 50 starters Brooks was leading the race. Until approximately 10km (into the 15k event) she was as high as seventh place overall. While she faded towards the end of the race, Brooks finished 13th place, five seconds out of tenth to bring home the best result of the day for the USA. Aside from Kikkan Randall’s 8th place in Sjujsoen and an 11th place in the 2011 Lahti, Finland pursuit, Brooks’ 15km result in Davos might be one of the best female distance race results since Alison Kiesel in the mid 1980s!
Following this weekend’s performance Holly has consistently scored points in five of seven individual race starts. World Cup points have come in both techniques, skate and classic as well as both racing styles, distance and sprint events. Brooks has proved that she is a well-rounded racer, capable of skiing well in any event, and any distance; a skill that will prove valuable in the 9-stage, 11- day Tour de Ski!
Brooks’ enthusiasm for the Tour format matches her stellar, World Cup start. “I am really, really excited for the Tour and the opportunity to race day after day here in Europe. My favorite part of the World Cup are the race weekends and in the Tour, it’s like having five race weekends condensed into one event. I feel like my training with APU has prepared me with the fitness to race day in and day out.
“I’ve gathered both mental and physical strength from my long days in the mountains growing up with my dad and at home, in Alaska with my husband Rob. I am excited for the challenge and cannot wait for the Tour to begin!”
In the overall World Cup standings Brooks currently sits in 26th place overall, and perhaps more notably, is ranked 19th in the World for distance skiing.
This year’s Tour will begin in Oberhof, Germany on December 29th with a 2.5km freestyle Prologue event. The Tour will then continue on to Obersdorf (Germany), Toblach (Italy), Cortina (Italy), and finally conclude in Val di Femme (Italy) where the final stage will take place in the form of a 9-kilometer uphill ski. (Val di Femme is also the site of the 2013 Nordic World Championships so racing at this venue will prove valuable in more ways than one!).
The full Tour de Ski schedule of events can be found in the attached World Cup Calendar document. For more information on the actual event, check the website HERE.
The first event of the Tour is scheduled to begin 10 days after the upcoming World Cup weekend in Rogla, Slovenia. This means Brook will spend Christmas in Ramsau, Austria with other members of the US Ski Team in order to participate in a pre-Tour training camp. Brooks, along with US Ski Team members Kikkan Randall and Liz Stephan, will miss the 2012 US Nationals being held in Rumford, Maine. The US Championships is scheduled in direct conflict with the Tour de Ski.
The 2012 Tour de Ski is the banner event for the 2011-2012 season; a year where there is no World Championships or Olympic Games. As such, many of the top athletes are gunning to have their best performances at the Tour.
Last year’s Tour de Ski proved to be tough as close to two thirds of the field dropped out before the final hill climb. This year completion rates are expected to be higher as skiers aren’t worried about “saving themselves” for a Championship event. Still, the unique stage race will prove to be tough physically, mentally, logistically, and finally, financially.
The chance to participate in the Tour de Ski is a wonderful opportunity, one that Holly will not pass up. Unfortunately, the invitation for the Tour comes with no funding and Holly is responsible for paying her costs directly out of pocket. If she continues to turn in good results there may be an opportunity to finish out the entire World Cup season, through the end of March. What initially began as a six week trip has the likelihood of turning into a full, five month World Cup season!
In order to participate in the Tour and the remainder of the World Cup season Holly is faced with raising an additional $17,500. This sum pays for basic expenses (room & board + transportation) alone with no “in-pocket income.” Several fundraising campaigns are currently in the works to support Holly’s Tour de Ski and World Cup efforts. For more information or if you would like to participate, donations can be made via paypal on her blog or, contact Holly directly at brooksha@gmail.com.
December 12, 2011 (Davos, Switzerland) – Kikkan Randall (USA) and Alexey Petukhov (RUS) completely dominated the Elite fields on Sunday at the Davos World Cup sprints, winning both of their final 1.5km matches by a healthy margin. Led by Devon Kershaw, who placed fourth in the men’s final, Canada had a good day as well with the men’s and women’s teams each firing in synch to put six skiers in the top 30, .
Randall looked to have an extra gear today, attacking on the last climb during both her semi and final races to distance herself from the field, which chased in vain. So powerful was her acceleration in the semi-final that some wondered if she would have anything left in the tank for the final. But Randall, who qualified first, was in a league of her own in Davos as she executed the same move in the final with apparent ease. Following behind her in the final were Russia’s Natalia Matveeva and Norway’s Maiken Falla. World Cup overall leader Marit Bjoergen (NOR), who won in Davos last year, finished 7th on the day.
“I was happy to have some good energy today,” Randall told SkiTrax in a post-race interview, and who felt no ill effects from yesterday’s 15k skate race. “Yesterday was definitely a hard race but if anything I think it just helped me for today.”
Randall also talked about her race tactics and the way she exploited her power to accelerate away from the field on the final climb. “I didn’t expect the move to be quite as decisive as it was, but I knew that that’s usually a strong point for me so when I was in good position coming into the hill each time I took advantage of it.”
Sunday’s win was also a measure of redemption for Randall, who ended up 3rd here last year after being blocked in the final sprint to the line by Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk – a move for which the Polish star was relegated by the race jury. Randall certainly learned from the experience and made sure no one was in a position to repeat such a move on her today: “I knew from last year that I had to take more initiative earlier in the race to get in a better position and I was just happy to be able to do that today.”
With her win Randall solidifies her grip on the World Cup sprint title with 240 points and sits 3rd in the World Cup overall standings, just 18 points out of second place.
USST women’s Coach, Matt Whitcomb, was ecstatic with the weekend’s results. “Our ladies certainly left their mark on Davos, finishing the weekend with 5 top 30s that included a huge win,” he told SkiTrax by email. “If you watched Kikkan’s final today you know what I mean. Over the top of the final climb Kikkan opened up a can and showed us what inspired skiing looks like.”
Canada’s Chandra Crawford put in a strong performance today as well, qualifying 8th and winning her quarter final heat over Bjoergen, before running out of gas and being eliminated in the second semi-final. Crawford finished 9th on the day and now sits in 6th place in the World Cup sprint rankings.
In the men’s final, Petukhov attacked the field early during the second lap and held on to his advantage over the final hill and into the finish. Sweden’s Teodor Peterson out-stretched his teammate Emil Joenssen for second behind Petukhov. Joenssen, last year’s overall Sprint Cup winner, returned to action this weekend after recuperating from a thigh injury.
After a slow start on the World Cup circuit so far, Canada’s Kershaw upped his game with his fourth place finish, and looked capable of a podium after winning his semi-final heat. Kershaw got off to a poor start in the final, however, and had to work to close down a gap right away. After rejoining the pack Kershaw stayed in the mix but couldn’t quite close and had to settle for 4th. Norway’s Petter Northug finished in 5th behind Kershaw.
“For sure it stings being in fourth but it was an amazing result,” said Kershaw in a Cross Country Canada press release. “I felt so amazing in every round and in total control. I just couldn’t find any room in the finals. You can only do what you can do. Cross-country skiing is so hard so finishing fourth out here is amazing.”
Kershaw also commented on the strength of the Canadian team: “We have a super deep team and I think these results speak volumes of our program. Each weekend we have all had a top-five of our own. Hopefully one of us will break through.”
Kershaw’s teammate Alex Harvey also made it into the semi-finals, but was held up in traffic at the final hairpin turn going into the last climb and was eliminated. Harvey finished 9th on the day. “Good sprint day for me!,” Harvey tweeted afterward, “Body felt good after getting sick last weekend! Got tangled up in the semis but happy 9th place!”
Other North Americans did well in Davos too. The USA’s Holly Brooks finished in 23rd in the women’s race, after qualifying in 16th. “We’re obviously fired up by Holly’s 16th place qualification,” said Whitcomb, “but with the way things have been going the word surprised no longer fits. It’s a true testament to hard and smart work done by Holly and her club. As we search the country for the next World Cup skier it’s comforting to know that APU is hard at work milling its current and future generation. We’ve constructed a very positive partnership between their program and our women’s team and we are only getting started.”
Americans Ida Sargent and Sadie Bjornsen were 50th and 52nd respectively in the qualifications. “While I know Sadie and Ida are disappointed to miss on the sprint qualification, there’s no question that these girls are fit for World Cup sprinting,” Whitcomb added, “it’s just going to take a lot of swings before they connect in the qualifications. They know this, and they know we believe in them. These tough days are time well spent.”
Among the other Canadian women racing both Perianne Jones and Dasha Gaiazova of Canada qualified to the quarterfinals but were eliminated in their heats and finished 29th and 30th, respectively.
On the men’s side, top sprinter Andy Newell of the USA qualified a very strong third, but did not advance thru the quarterfinals and finished 16th overall. “I’ve been feeling good so it was nice to see some speed come out in the qualification and to be back up toward the top again,” Newell told SkiTrax by email.
He also explained that he has been experimenting with his tactics in the heats lately: “The heats were similar to last weekend in that I tried to sit back and relax during the majority of the sprint and then attack at the finish. That’s something I’ve really been trying to improve on so I’ve been trying to work on that strategy – unfortunately it’s been close but not close enough at the finish line the last two weekends. I think in the next sprint I will have to go back to my normal type of skiing which is geared toward skiing at the front.”
Simi Hamilton, who had been battling illness since arriving in Scandinavia last month, bounced back into action and missed qualifying by a mere 14 one hundredths of a second, to finish 33rd. US teammates Skylar Davis, Kris Freeman and Lars Flora finished 77th, 85th and 86th, failing to qualify for the heats.
Canada’s Lenny Valjas qualified in 14th in the men’s sprint but was also eliminated in the quarterfinals. Valjas was skiing in a tight group when he went down in traffic at the hairpin turn leading up to the final hill. “Yesterday was a frustrating day,” Valjas told us. “All week, Devon, Alex, and I were feeling really good and knew we had a shot at having a couple of Canadians in the final. My qualifier went well. It was a lung burner because of the altitude and the layout of the course.
“In the quarter final I was exactly where I wanted to be, behind Petukhov and Peterson. I was following them into the hill when a Finnish skier tried to take the corner on the inside where there was no room. His ski ended up tripping me up at a crucial point in the race and I was unable to catch them back.”
FIS XC videos of the women’s final HERE.
FIS XC videos of men’s final HERE.
December 12, 2011 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Here’s a selection of great photos capturing some of the team relay action on the final day of racing in Hochfilzen, Austria as Norway took control winning both the men’s 4×7.5km and women’s 4x6km relay competitions – full results HERE.
December 11, 2011 (Davos, Switzerland) – The USA’s Kikkan Randall was untouchable in Davos on Sunday as she took the women’s freestyle 1.5km final sprint in convincing style with a big margin over Russia’s Natalia Matveeva in second and Norway’s Maiken Falla in third – in fact that was her style in every heat after qualifying first earlier in the day.
Racing near the front Randall put the hammer down the second time up the climb and Matveeva could not respond giving the American a sizeable lead which she took to the finish. Canada’s Chandra Crawford also raced well winning her quarter final over Marit Bjoegen (NOR) to finish a strong 9th in the women’s race, after qualifying in 8th position.
Russia’s Alexey Petukhov delivered a similar win to take the men’s 1.5km World Cup skate sprint final. Petukhov escaped and built up a strong lead, which has tried unsuccessfully at recent competitions, but this time it worked. Sweden’s Teodor Peterson, the top qualifier today, barely outstretched teammate Emil Joenssen for second at the line.
Canada’s Devon Kershaw who qualified 28th won his quarterfinal and then made the men’s final as a Lucky Loser finishing 4th overall. He was followed closely by his teammate Alex Harvey, who finished 9th.
Other North Americans to qualify included Canada’s Perianne Jones and Dasha Gaiazova, who finished 29th and 30th, respectively, on the day. The USA’s Holly Brooks qualified 16th and finished 23rd overall.
On the men’s side, the USA’s Andy Newell and Canada’s Len Valjas also qualified in 3rd and 14th respectively, but failed to make it out of the quarter finals – full report and photos to follow.
Women’s Qualifications HERE.
Women’s Final results HERE.
Men’s Qualifications HERE.
Men’s Final results HERE.
December 11, 2011 (Hochfilzen, Austria) – Norway ruled on the final day of racing in Hochfilzen a they topped both the men’s and women’s relay podiums on Sunday. Starting off in the morning Norwegian Tarjei Boe shot clean to anchor his team for the win in 1:14:52.9 in the men’s 4×7.5 km race – despite one penalty and seven missed rounds overall.
Russia was leading coming into the final round but could not hold off Norway and settled for second at 13.9 seconds back with no penalties and five spare rounds. Frenchman Simon Fourcade put them in contention during the second leg with excellent shooting but France ended up third on the podium.
The US team finished a solid 9th with one penalty and ten spare rounds in a close fight with Belarus as anchor Leif Nordgren shot clean while Evgeny Abramenko did as well as Belarus took 8th ahead of the Americans by 4s. Canada’s had as similar score on the shooting range with one penalty and ten spare rounds to finish at 4:24.1 behind in 15th.
In the women’s 4×6 km relay it came down to the final leg as well as Norway’s anchor, Tora Berger, out-paced Marie Dorin Habert of France to win in 1:07:13.3 with no penalties and ten spare rounds. Russia rounded out the women’s podium at 29.4 seconds back with six spare rounds.
France had been leading early on but ceded the lead to the Ukraine in the second round. Norway was able to stay in the mix and on round three took over the lead as Synnøve Solemdal had a strong third leg. Berger needed two spare rounds in the final leg but her strong skiing gave her the win over Habert by just over 13s.
The Canadian team had a great day finishing 9th with no penalties using 10 spare rounds to finish at 3:14.2 behind Norway. Team USA was lapped suffering two penalties and 15 spare rounds.
December 11, 2011 (Sovereign Lake, BC) – Following Saturday’s Haywood NorAm 1.4km classic Teck Sprints held in great conditions at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre we caught up with women’s winner American Jesse Diggins (CXC) who’s having a stellar start to the season, and Canada’s Brent McMurtry who was second on the podium behind men’s winner Michael Sinnott (Sun Valley).
While it’s a small margin of seven seconds it’s the first time Bjoergen has ever been the Tour’s overall leader. She is now poised to become the first Norwegian to win the TdS. Team mate Therese Johaug (NOR) raced in a lonely limbo, maintaining her third place ranking and finished +3:16.9 behind.
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![Caitlin Gregg winning silver [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Gregg_0.jpg)
![Torin led from the front all day which is especially impressive given the nature of the course (downhill to high speed finish) [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Koos-2.jpg)
![Sam Naney [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Naney.jpg)
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![Jessie Diggins, Jennie Bender, and Caitlin Gregg leading out the women’s A final [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Diggins-2_0-Copy.jpg)
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![Tyson Flaharty [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Tyson_1.jpg)
![Jessie Diggins coming into the finish straight with Jennie Bender and Caitlin Gregg tucked in behind her [P] Ian Harvey/Toko](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Diggins-2_2.jpg)
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![(l-r) Gregg, Bender, Diggins [P] Peter Graves](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Gregg-Bender-Diggins-DSCN0404-1.2.jpg)
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![(l-r) Kalla (SWE) and Randall (USA) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Kalla-Randall-311211ah025.2.jpg)
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![Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Korosteleva311211ah066.2.jpg)
![(l-r) Ingemarsdotter (SWE) and Bjoergen (NOR) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Bjoergen-311211ah027.2.jpg)
![Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Kowalczyk311211ah004.2.jpg)
![Russia in control (front l-r) Petukhov and Kriukov (winner) followed by Japarov (l) and Morilov [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Russia-311211ah035.2.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug301211ah036.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug301211ah007.jpg)
![(l) Petter Northug (NOR) and Maurice Manificat (FRA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug-Manificat-301211ah025.jpg)
![Devon Kershaw (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kershaw-301211ah027.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) and Ilia Chernousov (RUS) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug-Legkove-301211ah038.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug-301211ah039.jpg)
![Alex Harvey (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Harvey-301211ah026.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug-301211ah035.jpg)
![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug-301211ah025.jpg)
![Maurice Manificat (FRA) leading [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Magnificat-301211ah034.jpg)
![Devon Kershaw (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kershaw-301211ah022.jpg)
![Maurice Manificat (FRA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Magnificat-301211ah034.2.jpg)
![Alexander Legkov (RUS) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Legkov-301211ah034.jpg)
![Men’s field [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Men-301211ah038.jpg)
![Marcus Hellner (SWE) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Hellner-301211ah021.jpg)
![(l) Alex Harvey (CAN) and Devon Kershaw (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Harvey-Kershaw-301211ah038.jpg)
![Ilia Chernousov (RUS) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Chernousov-301211ah034.jpg)
![Kikkan Randall (USA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Randall-301211ah0631.jpg)
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![(l-r) Petter Northug (NOR) and Dario Cologna (SUI) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Group281211ah021.jpg)
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![Jennie Bender P] Angus Cockney](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bender1.jpg)
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![Henkel, Vitkova, Kuzmina and Schrempf…[P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Henkel-Vitkova-12182011cm022.jpg)
![Tim Burke (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Burke12182011cm073.2.jpg)
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![Czech Team all smiles… [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Czech-12182011cm082.jpg)
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![Alexey Volkov (RUS) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Volkov12182011cm062.jpg)
![Olga Vilukhina (RUS) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Vilukhina12182011cm024.jpg)
![Annalies Cook (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Cook12182011cm040.2.jpg)
![Tim Burke (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BurkeNordgrenGroup12182011c.2.jpg)
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![W Podium (l-r) Crawford, 2nd, Fall 1st, Ingemarsdotter 3rd. [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/W-Podium-181211ah031.jpg)
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![Chandra Crawford (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Crawford181211ah033.jpg)
![Vesna Fabjan (SLO) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Fabjan181211ah004.jpg)
![Falla, Crawford and Ingemarsdotter at the finish…[P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Falla-Crawford-181211ah021.jpg)
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![Chandra Crawford (CAN) at Davos last weekend. [P] Nordic Focus file photo](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Crawford12112011cm563.21.jpg)
![Daria Gaiazova (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Gaiazova-051210ah006.2.jpg)
![Ida Sargent (USA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Sargent171211ah051.2.jpg)
![(clockwise from top left) Randall, Brooks, Sargent, Stephen [P] courtesy of Holly Brooks](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/US-Women-IMG_3500.2.jpg)
![Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kowalczyk171211ah070.2.jpg)
![Kikkan Randall (USA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Randall171211ah053.2.jpg)
![Vibeke W. Skofterud (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Skofterud171211ah017.jpg)
![W Podium (l-r) Johaug 2nd, Kowalczyk 1st, Skofterud 3rd. [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/W-Podium-171211ah019.jpg)
![Therese Johaug (NOR) holds onto second… [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Johaug-171211ah016.jpg)
![Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kowalczyk171211ah010.jpg)
![Charlotte Kalla (SWE) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kalla-171211ah062.jpg)
![Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kowalczyk171211ah070.jpg)
![Ida Sargent (USA) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Sargent171211ah051.jpg)
![Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kowalczyk-171211ah011.jpg)
![W Podium (l-r) Johaug 2nd, Kowalczyk 1st, Skofterud 3rd. [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/W-Podium-171211ah020.jpg)
![Vibeke W. Skofterud (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Skofterud171211ah069.jpg)
![Jean Philippe Leguellec (CAN) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Leguellec12022011cm673.2.jpg)
![Jean Philippe Leguellec (CAN) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Leguellec12022011cm673.3.jpg)
![Jay Hakkinen (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Hakkinen12172011cm356.2.jpg)
![Leif Nordgren (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Nordgren12172011cm353.2.jpg)
![Jay Hakkinen (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Hakkinen12172011cm365.2.jpg)
![Lowell Bailey (USA [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bailey12172011cm343.2.jpg)
![Simon Fourcade (FRA) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Fourcade12172011cm325.2.jpg)
![(l-r) Bjoerndalen, Birnbacher and Fourcade [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Podium12172011cm389.2.jpg)
![Andreas Birnbacher (GER [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Birnbacher12172011cm385.2.jpg)
![Andreas Birnbacher (GER) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Birnbacher12172011cm344.2.jpg)
![Tarjei Boe [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Boe12172011cm358.2.jpg)
![(l-r) Kershaw, Harvey, Rickardsson, Babikov, Vylegzhanin [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Canucks-171211ah032.jpg)
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![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug171211ah023.2.jpg)
![Men’s podium (l-r) Cologna 2nd, Northug 1st, Poltaranin 3rd [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/M-Podium-171211ah003.2.jpg)
![Devon Kershaw (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Kershaw-171211ah030.2.jpg)
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![(l-r) Filbrich, Rickardsson, Babikov [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Group171211ah005.2.jpg)
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![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug171211ah002.2.jpg)
![Babikov (l) and Kershaw [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Babikov-Kershaw-171211ah030.2.jpg)
![Ivan Babikov (CAN) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Babikov-171211ah005.2.jpg)
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![Petter Northug (NOR) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Northug171211ah001.2.jpg)
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![Alex Harvey (CAN) and Dario Cologna (SUI) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Harveyt-Cologna12112011cm231.jpg)
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![Final podium (l-r) Matveeva 2nd, Randall 1st, Caspersen Falla 3rd [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/W-Podium-12112011cm282.2.3.jpg)
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![(l-r) Rosanna Crawford (Can), Zina Kocher (Can) [P] Christian Manzoni](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Group111211mf600.2.jpg)
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![Darya Domracheva (Blr) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Domracheva111211mf623.2.jpg)
![Megan Heinicke (Can) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Heinicke111211mf624.2.jpg)
![Magdalena Neuner (Ger) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Neuner111211mf607.2.jpg)
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![Brendan Green (Can) [P] Nordic Focus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Green12022011cm270.jpg)
![Valj Semerenko (Ukr) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Semerenko111211mf636.2.jpg)
![Jay Nordgren (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/NordgrenGroup111211mf578.2.jpg)
![Andrei Makoveev (Rus) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Makoveev111211mf547.2.jpg)
![Tarjei Boe (Nor) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Boe111211mf583.2.jpg)
![France’s Men’s Relay Team (l-r) M. Fourcade, Boeuf, S. Fourcade and Jay [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/France111211mf537.2.jpg)
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![Tora Berger (Nor) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Berger111211mf602.2.jpg)
![Tarjei Boe (Nor) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Boe111211mf533.2.jpg)
![Martina Chrapanova (Svk) [P] NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Chrapanova111211mf605.2.jpg)
![Lowell Bailey (USA) [P] US Biathlon/NordicFocus](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Lowell-Bailey_1211.2.jpg)
![Jesse Diggins [P] Julie Melanson](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/DigginsIMG_7724a.2.jpg)
![Kate Fitzgerald, Marlis Kromm and Kate Brennan close finish for 7th, 8th and 9th. [P] Julie Melanson](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FinishIMG_7747a.2.jpg)
![[P] Julie Melanson](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/IMG_7644-2.2.jpg)
![Michael Somppi [P] Julie Melanson](https://skitrax.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/SomppiIMG_7676a.2.jpg)