March 20, 2013 (Stockholm, Sweden) – The USA’s Kikkan Randall came to Stockholm knowing she had successfully defended her Sprint Cup title and looked forward to receiving the Crystal Globe from the King of Sweden once again. With three individual WCup victories this season, Team Sprint WCup gold, two Tour de Ski stage wins, along with the first US gold at the World Championships in the Team Sprint… it was memorable year for the Alaskan star. Here’s her take on taking home her second Globe.

Sprint Cup overall winners (l) Kikkan Randall (USA) and Emil Joensson (SWE) © Nordic Focus

“Since this was the last world cup sprint of the season, I had high expectations to improve upon my previous best finishes here in Stockholm and make the final.  I’m still chasing after my first classic sprint podium.  The conditions on the course were some of the toughest I’ve experienced here.  The manmade snow was breaking down and turning to sugar on the first uphill while freshly fallen snow was getting drifted over the top and really slowing it down.  It was a big challenge to find skis that had kick in the sugary snow but weren’t too slow in the windblown.

“I felt like I had good energy in the qualification but didn’t kick very well up that first uphill.  It was good enough however and I was looking forward to the quarterfinals.  In my quarterfinal heat I got off to a great start and had the lead going around the 1st corner.  I struggled to kick up the hill unfortunately and dropped to fourth over the top.

“Coming into the 180 turn, I got pushed wide by Dotsenko and did my best to get back in line and draft behind her. But I was having trouble keeping up in the double pole.  Going into the last uphill I lost that adrenaline surge of being right in the pack and kind of seized up.  Even though we had a fast heat, I was disappointed to have not been fully in the mix and to have had my day end so soon.

“They handed out the overall sprint cup awards after the race finished.  It felt a little strange to be going up on stage after going out in the quarterfinals today but still a nice recognition for the culmination of the season’s sprint races.  I am honored to win the overall sprint title for the second year in a row.  When I was injured this fall, I didn’t know if I would be able to be in contention for the globe again this year and I’m so grateful to have recovered and to have been competitive the whole season.  The feeling of the second one is definitely different than the first.

“Last year, I felt so wide eyed and giddy.  This year feels a little more familiar and a nice validation that last year wasn’t just a fluke.  It was great to have the King of Sweden present the awards again and it’s always an amazing feeling to hear our national anthem played out loud.  I just wish I could bring all of our coaches, staff and my teammates up on that podium to share the moment with me.  A bunch of my teammates stayed a couple extra hours after their races to be there for the awards presentation and I am so grateful for their support.

“I’m looking forward to be bringing another globe back to the US (although it came in a ridiculously large carrying case, so I’m not sure how fun it’s going to be trying to fit it into the overhead compartment!),” concluded Randell.