January 4, 2009 (Anchorage, AK) – Below average temperatures in Anchorage have forced the cancellation of the Classic Sprints at the 2009 US Nordic Ski Championships. The event originally scheduled for yesterday, January 3, was rescheduled to today due to frigid temperatures. However, the thermometer failed to rise to safe racing levels and after delaying the start from 11:30am to 1pm in the hopes things would improve, organizers were forced to cancel the sprints.  

Due to the cold conditions tomorrow’s skate race has been shortened from 10km for the women to 5km and the men’s from 15km to 10km. And the course has now been switched to the classic course.  “There’s a section on the originally planned skate course called the “ice box”, and it is called that for a reason,” said Anchorage local Kikkan Randall.

“Obviously I am disappointed not to race as it has been a long break, but I am happy officials made the right decision,” stated Randall. “Racer’s health has to be priority number one and there is lots of racing left in this season. Let’s hope it warms up enough tomorrow though to get the racing started.”

Up next will be the 5km and 10km individual skate race on Monday with fingers crossed that temperatures will rise.