March 17, 2012 (Falun, Sweden) – Canada’s assault this year on the final WCup mini-tour in Falun will long be remembered as rookie top sprinter, Len Valjas, unleashed a distance bomb today taking the bronze in the final dash to the line in the men’s 15km CL adding yet another podium for the red Maple Leaf tally.

It was the Canucks third in podium in two days (races) as Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw became the first Canadian men to share a WCup podium on the previous day – plus it was Harvey’s first gold. If you count Stockholm only days ago where Valjas scored bronze, that’s four podiums over three World Cup races. During the previous week in Drammen, Norway, the lanky 6’6″ Team Hardwood skier took second between two Norwegians.

“This one definitely confuses me,” said the 23-year-old Valjas post-race in a team release. “My goal was to stay close in the overall. I skied with a good pace and was in control all day.”

Racing with team mates Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey not far from the front was an early sign of Valjas’ good form. Close to the 7.8km bonus eventual winner Dario Cologna (SUI) moved to the front and grabbed the first preem with Russian Maxim Vylegzhanin marking his move as did Kershaw, both earning points.

Then it was Norwegian Eldar Roenning’s turn to kick it up along with Jean Marc Gaillard (FRA) who seemed ready for glory. The wily Canucks bided their time behind as Roenning took the 12.8km preem with Cologna second and Vylegzhanin 3rd.

As the race wound down it Roenning and Cologna leading the charge to the finish as Kershaw and Valjas were within striking distance while Harvey was not able to challenge. As they came into the finishing stretch Valjas in sixth kept passing rivals to take the stellar bronze and his first distance podium – the third WCup medal of his young career.

“I felt so good on the final gradual climb,” continued Valjas. “I just stuck to my pace and didn’t waste energy going for the bonuses today. Coming into the finish people started dying. It just tried to pick as many off as I could. When I got to fifth and fourth, it was just an unreal feeling.”

Cologna surged past Roenning making it another win for the star-studded Swiss skier who has won the overall WCup title again and is having an amazing season. Kershaw, of Sudbury, Ont., finished a solid fifth adding more padding to his incredible season and will soon to be anoited as the first Canadian male to finish second in the overall World Cup standings.

The lone US skier in the mix, Andy Newell, also a sprinter, was pleased with his day landing in the points in 29th although he was hoping for a top-25 result.

“In the 15km classic my result was solid but I was hoping to be top 25 and a little bit closer for a mass start. But anytime I can score World Cup distance points I’m happy with the day,” Newell told SkiTrax. “Conditions were a little bit wet in some places and rock hard in others like on the Morderbakken where they had salted. But there were tons of fans on the hill so it helped us hammer up it.

“For me my wax was a little thin so I was slipping a little bit up the bakken which was tough. I think with a little bit of stronger kick it could have been a better race for me.

“Although I’m really tired from racing so much in the past week I think the body is holding up pretty well so we will see how tomorrow goes. It does feel weird after such a long World Cup season to suddenly be going into the last race. After being on the road for almost 5 months it’s hard to wrap your mind around finally going home.”

Harvey finished 18th while Calgary’s Kevin Sandau raced to 33rd. With one more stage to go Valjas is second overall in the World Cup Final mini-tour and Kershaw is third adding lustre to their remarkable season to date.

“I’m not sure how I’m doing all of this,” added Valjas. “We had a great training camp in Italy last month and I’ve just been building from that. I just can’t ask for anything more right now.”

With Valjas’ podium today the Canadians have won 13 World Cup medals this year, surpassing their collective goal of 10 set at the beginning of the season – which means they’re Hawaii-bound again once the season ends.

“This is truly amazing,” concluded Justin Wadsworth, head coach, Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team. “Lenny has not done many distance races this year, but he has had success in Opa Cups. I am a bit blown away. It is unreal.”

Final results HERE.
Final results detail HERE.
World Cup overall standings HERE.