An article on CTV.ca points out that Canadian Olympians winning medals are paid $20,000, $15,000, and $10,000 for gold, silver and bronze medals respectively.  Paralympians, on the other hand, are not paid.

Read the full article here.

Stockholm, Sweden – Host Sweden took seven of the top 12 places between the men’s and women’s races in the opening even of the World Cup finals.

Anna Olsson (SWE) claimed her first World Cup victory since 2006, holding off Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) over the final meters.  Marit Bjoergen (NOR) finally lost a race, but still managed the podium, finishing 3rd.

Petter Northug (NOR) chose to double pole the anything-but-flat Stockholm course.  He won both his quarterfinal and semifinal heats, but Nikita Kriukov (RUS) prevented him from getting away on the flats and was able to stride past to claim the victory on the final climb.  Northug outlinged Emil Joensson for 2nd.

The Swedish men went 3,4,5,6 and the women, 1,4,6.

All four North Americans were eliminated in the quarterfinals.  Andy Newell remained in good position, but faded halfway up the last hill.

Newell ended up 22nd and Alex Harvey (CAN) 30th.

Kikkan Randall finished 15th, another strong classic sprint result and Dasha Gaiazova was 23rd.

The B Sample for Polish skier Kornelia Marek has tested positive for the banned substance EPO.  Last week the Polish Ski Association was informed the Marek’s A-sample, taken following the 4×5km relay at the Olympics, had tested positive for EPO.  Marek denied she had done anything wrong, and expressed the hope that the B sample would prove her innocence.

That hope was short lived, and she now faces a two-year ban.  The 25-year-old skied very well at the Olympics, helping the Polish team to 6th in the relay and placing 11th in the 30km.  Marek’s previous best World Cup result had been a 26th.

Stockholm, Sweden – Andy Newell, Kikkan Randall, and Dasha Gaiazova all advanced to the heats in the classic city sprint in Stockholm, Sweden.

Newell qualified in 17th and faces a tough quarterfinal heat against Norwegians Ola Vigen Hattestad, Oystein Pettersen, Nikita Kriukov (RUS), Tobias Angerer (GER) and Daniel Rickardsson (SWE).  The two Norwegians will present the biggest obstacle to advancement.

Alex Harvey just made it through for the Canadians, taking the last qualification spot.  He now faces three Swedes – Mats Larsson, Teodor Peterson, and Marcus Hellner, as well as Eldar Roenning (NOR) and Ville Nousianen (FIN).

Gaiazova advanced in 20th spot, just under seven seconds behind leader Anna Olsson (SWE).  She matches up with Olsson, Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Katja Visnar (SLO), Therese Johaug (NOR), and Marianna Longa (ITA).

Randall moved on in 27th place.  Her quarterfinal consists of Lina ANdersson (SWE), Katerina Smutna (AUT), Evi Sachenbacher Stehle (GER), Vesna Fabjan (SLO), and Karine Philippot (FRA).

Devon Kershaw (CAN) missed advancing by .22 seconds, finishing 32nd.  His teammates Graham Nishikawa and Ivan Babikov placed 48th and 54th respectively in the 57 man field.

Brian Gregg (USA) was 56th, +16.38 seconds.

The men’s qualification was dominated by the Swedes and Norwegians.  Together they combined to take 8 of the top-10 spots, and all-told make up half the filed in the heats.  The two conutries also combined for 13 of the 30 qualifiers in the women’s race.

The course is relatively short, with Olsson posting the fastest time for the women – 2:35.45 and Larsson leading the men in 2:13.49.

Kikkan Randall  gave the US Ski Team a second podium in less than a week, finishing 2nd in the freestyle sprint in Oslo.

Randall looked strong all day, and led heading into the finish stretch.  But Marit Bjoergen is unbeatable right now, and she skied away in the last 50 meters.  Randall held off a hard-charging Natalia Korosteleva at the line.

Andy Newell advanced to the semis, but faded in his last heat, and ended up 10th overall.

More to follow.

Oslo, Norway – Kikkan Randall and Andy Newell both advanced to the heats in the 1.3/1.5km freestyle sprint this morning in Norway.

Randall posted the 8th fastest qualifying time, 3.11 seconds behind leader Justyna Kowalczyk (POL).

Kowalczyk sped through the course in a time of 3:02.19, a full 1.45 seconds ahead of Hanna Falk (SWE) in 2nd.

With a little more time gone by since the Olympics and a large Nations Cup group from Norway, the fields are large and very strong.  A number of top skiers failed to advance, including Aino Kaisa Saarinen (FIN), Stephie Boelhler (GER), Pirjo Murnanen (FIN), and Miriam Goessner (GER).

The Norwegian women advanced seven to the heats, and Sweden and impressive five.

Dasha Gaiazova, the lone Canadian woman in the race, was 37th, 1.54 seconds out of the top-30.

Caitlin Compton (USA) was 21.22 seconds off Kowalczyk’s pace – finishing last (61st).

All 30 qualifiers were within 10 seconds of the lead.

The men’s race featured even more upsets than the women’s but as usual, Emil Joensson (SWE) was near the top.

Joensson was actually the second qualifier, a significant 2.06 seconds behind Anders Gloersen (NOR).

Gloersen led a contingent of nine Norwegians in the heats.  Top sprinter Ola Vigen Hattestad barely squeaked through, placing 29th.  Times were tightly packed, and Marcus Hellner (SWE) in 30th was just 7 seconds in back Gloersen, and 5 behind Joensson.

Newell qualified in 23rd, not as high as he usually does, but considering the tight times, and the fact that he has made aneefort to relax a little in the first round, this is not surprising.

Simi Hamilton was just outside, placing 34th, .52 seconds from 30th position.  Hamilton beat John Kristian Dahl (NOR), Kalle Lassila (FIN), Yuichi Onda (JPN), and Boerre Naess (NOR) among others.  This is an excellent result, and given the strength of the field, more impressive than his Olympic performance.

Mike Hinckley was 66th, +13.25, and Brian Gregg 73rd, +19.90.

Stefan Kuhn (CAN) finished 63rd, +12.56.

Heats start in roughly 30 minutes.

Both Randall and Newell are in quarterfinal 5 of their respective races, and while there are certainly no easy heats, their matchups look favorable.

Oslo, Norway – The pre-World Championship freestyle sprint at the Holmenkollen Ski Stadium features large strong fields.  76 men and 64 women will start the 1.3/1.5km race.

Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) is back in action after sitting out Saturday’s 30km and will try to end Marit Bjoergen’s winning streak.  The US starts Kikkan Randall and Caitlin Compton while Dasha Gaiazova represents Canada.

This will be Randall’s first skate sprint start since before the Olympics.  She has been racing very well recently and should be in the mix for a spot in the finals.

Petter Northug will not start the men’s sprint for Norway, leaving Emil Joensson (SWE) as the easy favorite.  The Northug family will be represented as Petter’s younger brother Thomas gets his second World Cup start.

The US will run Andy Newell, Simi Hamilton, Mike Hinckley and Brian Gregg while Stefan Kuhn is the lone Canadian to start.

Newell will try to defend his first World Cup podium in two years.  He was 3rd just three days ago in Drammen.  While that race was classic, his other two podiums both came in freestyle sprints.

Predictions

Men:

1. Emil Joensson (SWE)

2. Nikita Kriukov (RUS)

3. Alexia Petukhov (RUS)

4. Andy Newell (USA)

5. Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR)

6. Simen Oestensen (NOR)

Women:

1. Marit Bjoergen (NOR)

2. Arianna Follis (ITA)

3. Kikkan Randall (USA)

4. Hannah Falk (SWE)

5. Pirjo Muranen (FIN)

6.  Natalia Korostoleva (RUS)

Complete Start Lists

Fredrik Aukland of Norway, the Swiss National Team coach will leave the Swiss team after the season.

Earlier today he explained reasons for his decision.

“I want to spend more time with my girls at home and therefore want to reduce traveling.”

Aukland will continue to be involved in Cross-Country skiing.

“I’ve got new job with Arena Group.  I will help them to develop concepts for health and motivation.”

Aukland, however, will not leave Dario Cologna.

“I will continue coaching for a few racers like Dario. I have had a fantastic time in Switzerland and will take with me this great experience. Now new challenges are ahead of me!”

Drammen, Norway – Andy Newell (USA) skied to 3rd place, and his third career World Cup podium.  Newell qualified in 11th, and advanced through one of the toughest World Cup fields imaginable.  It is hard to find a deeper and stronger group of racers than what you get in a classic sprint in Norway.

That didn’t phase Newell, however, and the top American sprinter advanced to the finals, placing second to eventual winner Emil Joensson (SWE) in both the quarterfinals and semis.

Joensson pulled away from the group to win the race by 1.9 seconds over Petter Northug, gaining a measure of redemption after a disappointing Olympics.  Northug barely edged Newell, crossing the line just .1 seconds in front.

Newell last finished on the podium in 2008, when he finished 2nd in the freestyle at the Lahti Ski Games.  He was also 3rd in the freestyle sprint in Changchun, China in 2006.

Over the last months, Newell has consistently stated that his fitness is the highest it has ever been.  But he has struggled to reach the finals, and the Olympics were the ultimate disappointment when he crashed during qualifying.

But today proved him correct, and he moved into 4th in the overall Sprint Cup standings, with 2nd within striking distance.

Newell has 278 points, two behind John Kristian Dahl (NOR) and 28 in back of Northug.  Joensson is now clear in the lead with 427 points.

Two sprint races remain – one this weekend in Oslo, and then next Wednesday in Stockholm.

Newell is also ranked 15th in the overall World Cup standings.