Scandinavians dominate World Cup cross-country season opener
Norway's Paal Golberg, Stina Nilsson of Sweden were top performers
Scandinavians dominated the men's and women's 1.4-kilometre sprints on Saturday in the season's World Cup cross-country opener in Kuusamo, Finland.
In the men's event, Paal Golberg of Norway clocked in at two minutes, 54.12 seconds, followed by Calle Halfvarsson of Sweden 75 seconds back at 2:51.51 and Norwegian skier Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo 87 seconds behind Golberg with a time of 2:52.71.
Alex Harvey of Quebec was the top Canadian, finishing in 25th place.
"Finishing 25th definitely leaves me wanting more, but Kuusamo is always a really competitive field. I believe it is one of the deepest on the circuit with lots of guys fighting to just get a start next week. There is no room for error here and the difference between moving on to the next rounds is so small. It is so tight out here," said the 28-year-old Harvey.
Len Valjas (54th), Devon Kershaw (63rd), Knute Johnsgaard (69th), Bob Thompson (80th), Jess Cockney (83rd), and Andy Shields (91st) round out the Canadian results on the men's side.
In the women's event, Stina Nilsson of Sweden covered the distance in 3:21.61, beating Maiken Caspersen Falla and Heidi Weng, both of Norway, by 17 and 69 seconds respectively. Athletes were challenged by snowfall, making it hard to stay in the tracks. Both Nilsson — who claimed her first win in classic technique — and Golberg proved strongest on the final stretch to the finish.
Dahria Beatty of Whitehorse is a rookie on the circuit and placed 50th. The 22-year-old Beatty turned heads last spring when she posted a 15th-place classic-sprint finish at the Ski Tour of Canada in Canmore, Alta.
Cendrine Browne of Barrie, Ont., finished 62nd, while Emily Nishikawa, also from Whitehorse, did not start.
The World Cup continues on Sunday in Ruka, Finland with a women's and men's 10- and 15-kilometre classic-ski race.
With files from Cross Country Canada