Pete Vordenberg

Gunde Svan

Garrott Kuzzy

Kikkan Randall

Torin Koos

Press Conference - With Chandra Crawford

Men’s Semifinal - Torin Koos

Winner Valerio Checchi of Italy

Kris Freeman and others

We apologize for any mistakes in the live updates. Garrott Kuzzy was intially announced as advancing to the A-Final as a lucky loser, but after reviewing the photo finish, he just missed out.

Emil Joensson (SWE) won his first ever World Cup besting last year’s World Junior sprint champion Ivan Ivanov of Russia and Matias Strandvall of Finland. Strandvall edged Nikolay Morilov (RUS) in a photo finish for the final podium spot. Josef Wenzl, back from injury showed he is still in fine form, finishing 5th. Vassili Rotchev (RUS) took 6th - making it three Russians in the A-Final.

Garrott Kuzzy (USA), racing his first World Cups this week finished third in the B-Final for a stunning 9th place overall. Teammate Torin Koos led the B-final into the homestretch but ran out of legs and settled for a still impressive 11th. Drew Goldsack of Canada took 12th.

Andy Newell was boxed out in his quarterfinal and was unable to advance, finishing 17th on the day after qualifying in 2nd. Canadians Phil Widmer and Devon Kershaw were 13th and 20th respectively.

In the women’s event, hometown hero and defending Olympic Gold Medalist in the sprint, Chandra Crawford, looked strong all day as she pounded the final 200meters to take the victory over Pirjo Muranen (FIN) and Magda Genuin (ITA). Arianna Follis (ITA) and Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) took the final two spots in the A-Final. Kuitunen’s finish moved her into the overall World Cup lead ahead of Swedish Tour de Ski winner Charlotte Kalla. kalla was supposed to be in Canada, but became ill and did not make the trip.

American Kikkan Randall took second in the B-Final to finish 8th on the day. Randall led the first part of the B-Final, and was in a strong position heading into the last 300 meters. But she was unable to overtake Slovenian Petra Madjic. World Cup sprint leader Astrid Jacobsen (NOR) was 10th.

Sara Renner (CAN) capped a successful week with a 16th place finish - she was edged at the line in her quarterfinal by Genuin. Sara Daitch (CAN) captured her first World Cup top-20 with a 19th place effort. Teammate Perianne Jones took the final World Cup point in 30th place.

Former SuperTour Champion Karin Camenisch (SUI) who has raced out of Bozeman, MT for the past 3 years finished 24th and scored her first World Cup points.

Racing on the fast relatively flat fast course made for extremely tight heats. ALmost every round came down to a sprint between 4 or 5 athletes.

More to follow.

Heat winners
Semifinals just completed at 1:45 MST
Finals to begin shortly

We now have complete men’s results.

Andy Newell qualified in 2nd, .08 behind Emil Joensson. Torin Koos was 17th, +2.50, Garrott Kuzzy 29th, +3.85.

Chris Cook finished 33rd, a mere .16 seconds out of qualifying. The men’s race was unbelievably tight - the top 30 were all within 4 seconds of the leader, and another 12 skiers were one second or less out of qualifying.

Read more for details!

Canadian Phil Widmer was 5th, Drew Goldsack 11th, Devon Kershaw 20th.

Goldsack and Kershaw match up in Quarterfinal 1, along with the top seed Joensson of Sweden.

Koos is in Quarterfinal 2 and will battle 4th seed Kozisek (CZE) and Hattestad (NOR).

Phil Widmer (CAN) is the top seed in Quarterfinal 3 - a very tough heat that includes, Hetland (NOR), Lind (SWE), Zorzi (ITA), Pettersen (NOR) and Ivanov (RUS).

Newell sits atop Quarterfinal 4 with fellow American Kuzzy.

There will be no easy race today - the course is skiing fast and it will be extremely tight. That said, Newell looks to be in a good position to advance.

In the women’s Quarterfinals, Kikkan Randall is the top seed in heat 3. Perianne Jones (CAN) and Karin Camenisch (SUI) are also in this heat.

Chandra Crawford (CAN) matches up against World Cup sprint leader and bib 9 Astrid Jacobsen (NOR) in Quarterfinal 4. Teammate Sara Daitch is also in this heat.

Sara Renner (CAN) races in the final women’s quarterfinal - along with Madjic (SLO), Sachenbacher (GER), Genuin (ITA), and wife of former USST Head Coach Trond Nystad, Claudia Nystad of Germany.

Other Americans:

44. Laura Valaas +10.33

46. Lindsay Williams +10.99

55. Kate Arduser +14.58

Lindsey Dehlin did not start.

33. Chris Cook +4.08

54. Leif Zimmermann +6.71

55. Colin Rodgers +6.98

57. Anders Haugen +8.09

58. Lars Flora +8.17

67. Marshall Greene +10.49

69. Brian Gregg +11.29

72 men started and 59 women.

The first corner on the course should prove interesting during the heats.  Many skiers had trouble with it during qualification.  Below Tobias Angerer has issues making his way through the soft and icy patches.

Randall rebounded from a dissappointing classic sprint to qualify in a blazing 5th place. Newell also charged back from a sub-par performance in the classic sprint - qualifying in 2nd.

The Canadians put four women in the top 30 - led by Chandra Crawford in 2nd. Sara Renner guaranteed a fourth consecutive race with World Cup points, qualifying in 23rd. Perianne Jones was 25th and Sarah Daitch 29th.

Long time US skiing presence Karin camenisch, skiing for her native Switzerland qualified in 26th.

At least three Canadian men advanced.

Virpi Kuitunen had the best women’s qualifying time. The field spread out dramatically. Crawford was half a second behind the Finn, and Italian Magda Genuin +2.88. The times back for the next 5 4 finishers jumped dramatically - +9.81, +11.43, +15.04, +20.89.

The corner leading out of the stadium foiled a number of qualifying attempts. It did not appear to be particularly difficult, but a number of skiers tripped and several went down. IT appeared that the inside was skied off, causing the outside ski to wash out into softer crud. Laura Valaas (USA) got tripped up, and while she didn’t fall, she lost significant time.

The freestyle sprint course is substantially different from the loop used for Wednesday’s classic sprint.  Skiers exit the stadium in the opposite direction and immediately climb up the first of two significant hills.  After a quick drop that will allow the racers to carry significant momentum the course climbs again, before dropping down to the 180 degree turn that marked the entrance to the finish stretch in the classic sprint as well.  The course is marginally shorter and features the same long gradual uphill to the finish.  View the course profile at the official Alberta World Cup site using the link on the left. (Read more for US racers and favorites).

It is looking to be another gorgeous day with temperatures warming for the heats - which begin at 12:30.

Kikkan Randall leads a contingent of five US women.  Randall became the first American woman to win a World Cup cross-country event earlier this season when she was victorious in the freestyle sprint in Rybinsk, Russia.  Teammate Laura Valaas represents the US women’s next best chance of qualifying for the heats.  The APUNSC skier finished 41st in the classic sprint on Wednesday.

Kate Arduser, who led the US women with her 39th place finish in the 10km freestyle, starts her fourth race of the week.  Lindsey Dehlin joins Arduser as a four race starter and Lindsay Williams rounds out the American five.

Canadians Sara Renner and Chandra Crawford are hoping to cap an already successful week with a strong performance today.  Crawford is the defending Olympic champion in this event, and skied to a 12th place finish in the classic sprint.  Renner has scored World Cup points in every event in Canmore and is a good bet to qualify for the heats.

Astrid Jacobsen, the World Cup sprint leader is the favorite.  She was edged by Slovenian Petra Madjic in a photo finish in the classic sprint.  Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland alread has three podium finishes and is also a strong podium candidate.  Arianna Follis (ITA), Virpi Kuitunen (FIN), Olga Rothceva (RUS), and Evi Stelle Sachenbacher (GER) are among the other top racers who should battle in the heats.

IN the mne’s event, the American men are led by sprint specialists Andy Newell and TOrin Koos.  Koos qualified an excellent 7th in the classic sprint, but broke a pole in his quarterfinal.  Newell also qualified but was unable to advance.  Chris Cook, coming off a 20th place in the classic, looks to make the heats for the second time this week.  Also sprinting for the US men are Garrott Kuzzy, Colin Rodgers, Anders Haugen, Marshall Greene, Brian Gregg, and Leif Zimmermann.

Canadian Devon  Kershaw looks to bounce back from a disappointing finish in the  15km freestyle in his fourth race of the week.  Phil Widmer and Sean Crooks both qualified in the classic sprint, and look to repeat that performance today.

Josef Wenzl (GER) makes his first start since the beginning of the season.  Wenzl won the season opening sprint in Germany, but was injured in a collision while training. It will be interesting to see the form of the young German.

The Norweigan men start a strong group, though it is unlikely they will be able to match their dominance in the classic sprint, where they took the top five spots.

Check back for an update following the qualification round.

 Leif Zimmermann

  Leif Zimmermann

Vincent Vittoz (#47) finished in fourth place, followed here by Christian Hoffman (#46) and Vassili Rotchev

Zack Simons

James Southam

Johan Olsson

Alexander Legkov

Petter Northug

Garrott Kuzzy

Martin Koukal (#32) and Tobias Angerer (#57)

George Grey (#20) and David Nighbor (#19)

Valerio Checchi

Anders Soedergren (#54) and Tord Asle Gjerdalen (#53)

Tord Asle Gjerdalen (#53) and Anders Soedergren (#54)

Tord Asle Gjerdalen (#53) and Anders Soedergren (#54)

Kris Freeman (#42) and Garrott Kuzzy (#17)

Kris Freeman

Kris Freeman

Kris Freeman

Kris Freeman (#42) and Garrott Kuzzy (#17)

Lars Flora

Remo Fischer

Lars Flora

 Giorgio Di Centa

Valerio Checchi

Lars Berger

Valerio Checchi

Ivan Babikov

Christian Hoffmann (#46) and Ivan Babikov (#21)

Tobias Angerer