January 21, 2019 (Lahti, Finland) – The USA’s Ben Ogden raced to a stellar 8th-place result after delivering a stunning 3rd-place finish in the Junior Men’s CL 1.6km Sprint qualifications at Lahti, Finland as the 2019 Junior/U23 Nordic World Championships got underway on Sunday.

Ogden made it to the semi-finals after winning his quarterfinal heat but placed 4th and was eliminated. His teammate Noel Keeffe qualified 15th and also made the semis, advancing as a Lucky Loser ending up 12th overall. Gus Schumacher (USA) qualified 12th and finished 5th in his quarter final to end up 16th on the day.

Luke Jager (USA), who qualified 20th, finished with the same ranking as did Remi Drole, the only Canadian to qualify to the heats in 28th – both were eliminated in their quarter finals.

Fellow Canuck Xavier McKeever, 15, the youngest athlete at the Junior World Championships, posted the 52nd fastest time in a field of more than 100 athletes. Thomas Stephen (CAN) was 59th and Pierrick Sarthou (CAN) was 67th – read more on the Canadians here.

Russia’s Alexander Terentev won the men’s race. Two Norwegian skiers snagged the final two spots on the podium with Ansgar Evensen taking second, while Haakon Skaanes won the bronze.

Sydney Palmer-Leger (USA) was the lone North American to qualify in the Junior women’s 1.4km CL race placing 29th and ended up 25th overall. The top Canadian was Calgary’s Anna Pryce, who finished 42nd and did not qualify for the heats as only the top 30 skiers advance.

Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad captured the first international crown for the junior women. She was joined on the podium by Poland’s Monika Skinder in second and Finland’s Anita Korva in third.

Men’s qualifications here.
Women’s qualifications here.

Men’s results here.
Women’s results here.