Biathlete Ronny Andre Hafsås (NOR), the winner if the season opening XC World Cup race in Beitostolen, Norway, has declared he will focus on cross-country in an attempt to make the Olympics.

National team coach Morten Aa Djupvik welcomes Hafsås with open arms. “For me this is a very good news,”  Djupvik told Norwegian television.

Hafsås has not had much success in biathlon this season.  His top finish was a respectable 11th in the first biathlon World Cup weekend, but his next best performance is a 38th, and given the strength of the Norwegian biathlon team, he has little chance of making the Olympics.

His weakness has been on the range, where poor shooting has spoiled good skiing.

Todd Lodwick (USA) finished 5th in today’s World Cup Nordic Combined competition.  Lodwick was 17th after the jump and started the cross-country 32 seconds back.

Johnny Spillane and Billy Demong finished 13th and 14th respectively.  Brett Camerota was 39th.

The US Nordic Combined Team did not have a great day on the jump today.

17.  Billy Demong

17.  Todd Lodwick

21.  Brett Camerota

28.  Johnny Spillane

Given the strength of the US team on the ski trails, the team has a good chance to still post solid results, but the podium is likely out of reach.

Jason Lamy-Chapuis (FRA), the overall World Cup leader and winner of the first two races in Ramsau, posted the top jump in is in position for an impressive third straight win.

Petter Northug (NOR) followed his standard protocol, sitting in the pack for most of the race before using a ferocious charge at the end to capture the men’s 30km classic.

Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) took the women’s race.

Kikkan Randall (USA) and Sarah Renner (CAN) were both in the points.  Renner led the way in 24th, while Randall continues to show good distance form, in 30th.  This was Randall’s best distance result in a race over 10km.

Alex Harvey (CAN) skied with the lead pack for most of the race, leading at 23km.  He took at least one intermediate bonus sprint, but before slipping back in the last kilometer.  He still had his best result of the season, ending up 22nd.

Kris Freeman (USA) dropped out after losing the lead back and falling nearly two minutes behind the lead, and well out of the top 30.  He was done at 23km.

Andy Newell led the US in 41st and Lars Flora 47th.  Torin Koos did not start.

Full reports to follow.

Northug wins in a stunning charge, overtaking the Russian leaders and standing up across the line.  Harvey is 22nd.

Vlegzhanin driving the pace very hard.  Pack is breaking up as the finish approaches..

That was an error on Freeman – not him in that red suit.  He is not with the lead pack and is well out of the top-30 – in fact he has dropped out.

It is a beautiful sunny day in Rogla.

Kris Freeman (USA) is in good position as well in the top-10.  Petter Northug (NOR) is in the middle.

The pack is still together at 23.6km.  Harvey has dropped back into the middle.

Alex Harvey (CAN) is leading the men’s 30km mass start in Slovenia at 22km.  He also just won one of the intermediate sprints.

US Skiers are in good position after the jumping portion of today’s World Cup Nordic Combined race:

8. Lodwick

9. Camerota

16. Spillane

23. Demong

Andy Newell posted his best result of the season, making the A-Final for the first time this season and finishing 6th.  Newell posted the fastest qualifying time on the day.

He was nearly joined in the heats by teammate Kris Freeman, who finished a career sptin best 32nd.

Distance skiers performed very well on the long, high altitude course in Rogla, Slovenia.  Petter Northug won, followed by Thobias Angerer (GER).

No other North American qualified for the heats.

A long challenging sprint at altitude this weekend.  Some skiers are absent as they end the first World Cup period early, but the field is still plenty tough.

US Starters:

Andy Newell
Torin Koos
Kikkan Randall
Kris Freeman
Lars Flora

Canadian Starters:

Alex Harvey
Sara Renner
Chandra Crawford

Complete Start List

Devon Kershaw (CAN) is sick, and will not race this weekend in Rogla.  He is hunkered down in Davos.  Hopefully he will make a fast recovery.

Alex Harvey (CAN) is looking to show the form that led onto the World Cup podium at the end of last season.

He told the Canadian Press, “I want to be active in the group, not at the back of the pack, trying to hang on for dear life. I want to try to be able to ski strong around the front…for most of the race.”

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