Nordic SkiingCross country skiing
Getty Images
The beginning of the World Cup is approaching: within a week of the opening of Ruka key competitions within the Scandinavian movements are taking place between Beitostølen and Gällivare, aimed at defining the teams of the maximum circuit.
Friday 22 November 2019 9 minutes reading time
Today between Beitostølen and Gällivare a fundamental weekend has begun for the home teams, whose movements are extremely wide and therefore they must be trimmed in view of the convocations of the Nordic Opening of Ruka: in Norway the victories of Erik Valnes and Ane have arrived Appelkvist Stenseth in a sprint in classic technique, while in the Swedish skated distance they celebrated Jens Burman and Frida Karlsson.
MEN'S SECTOR
Great expectations in that of Beitostølen for the winner of the last two crystal balls: Johannes Høsflot Klæbo. In his race for antonomasia the champion of Trondheim has not stolen the eye in front of compatriots already with a state of important form. In the morning qualifiers the leader of the norge movement tore "only" on the 9th time over 5 seconds late from Pål Golberg, so in the qualifying rounds he always spent the round, but having to give in constantly to the perky Erik Valnes.
In the final Klæbo gave definitive proof of not yet possessing the brilliance of the best days, remaining afloat but unable to compete in the final sprint, having to settle for fifth place. At the highlight, today's attention was captured by the second Scandinavian lines, with Valnes snatching success from Pål Trøan Aune, both specialists in this race format. Third currency for Lucas Chanavat who proved himself upright even though he competed with the technique that was less congenial to him.
So Klæbo not brilliant, but not only him: even the other Norwegians already certain of the place in the opening of Ruka struggled: Golberg, after having imposed himself in qualifying, came out in a semifinal too tactical from which they did not emerge fished out; even eliminated in the Emil Iversen and Sindre Bjørnstad Skar batteries.
Moving from the Norwegian Oppland to the far north of Sweden we find an almost unrecognizable Calle Halfvarsson: the 1989 ace class was the author of an anonymous 15 km skating, paying a duty of almost a minute and a half against his teammate Jens Burman. Johan Häggström, the second and also able to precede his majesty Dario Cologna, was not disfigured among the hosts by the first test on snow.
BEITOSTØLEN - SPRINT TC
1. VALNES Erik (NOR) 3'34''76 2. AUNE Pål Trøan (NOR) at 0’’35 3. CHANAVAT Lucas (FRA) at 1’’12am
Click here for complete results.
GÄLLIVARE - 15 KM TL
1. BURMAN Jens (SWE) 31'33''1 2. HÄGGSTRÖM Johan (SWE) to 15''4 3. COLOGNA Dario (SUI) at 17''5
Click here for complete results.
FEMALE SECTOR
If Klæbo did not win and did not even come close, the Norwegian sprint leader Maiken Caspersen Falla did a little better, but even then the success of the day went elsewhere. In fact, since qualifying, Ane Appelkvist Stenseth has given the format champion a run for his money, ahead of it by half a second: the two faced each other only in the final - after having dominated their respective elimination rounds - and at this juncture celebrating was once again the least experienced athlete of the confrontation.
Third position for the American Sophie Caldwell, never really running with the Norwegians, who managed to line up thick athletes such as the Slovenian Anamarija Lampic, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen and Anna Svendsen. Less fortunate is the day of the young and very talented Kristine Stavås Skistad and Helene Marie Fossesholm - out in their respective two batteries - as well as the medal at the World Championships in Seefeld Mari Eide - eliminated in the semifinals.
Waiting for the first seasonal appearance of Therese Johaug - which should take place tomorrow in Beitostølen -, one of the possible rivals of the favorite to conquer the crystal ball has begun to reveal its cards in Gällivare: in the 10 kilometers in free technique played this afternoon in contumacy of the injured Ebba Andersson, rising star Frida Karlsson took the satisfaction of beating the great veteran Charlotte Kalla for a few seconds. The two Swedes have conducted two almost parallel performances except that the younger one had a small drop to two thirds of the test, allowing the seasoned teammate to limit the damage to 6'2.
Third step of the podium for another young woman on the launching pad: Moa Lundgren. The twenty-one is still looking for a bib for the first appearances of the next World Cup, in this sense today gave important signals to the technical staff having clearly beaten two athletes as Maja Dahlqvist (7 ^ and already certain of a place in Ruka) and Anna Dyvik (8 ^).
BEITOSTØLEN - SPRINT TC
1. STENSETH Ane Appelkvist (NOR) 2'52’’63 2. FALLA Maiken Caspersen (NOR) at 1’20.20 CALDWELL Sophie (USA) at 2’’37
Click here for complete results.
GÄLLIVARE - 10 KM TL
1. KARLSSON Frida (SWE) 23’28’’3 2. KALLA Charlotte (SWE) at 6’’2 3. LUNDGREN Moa (SWE) at 36’’8
Click here for complete results.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Social media engagement
Più letti in Sport invernali
Magico Becchis, apre la doppietta azzurra con Valerio: è il 5° titolo mondiale del fuoriclasse cuneese
A Madona ecco il titolo tanto atteso per l'Italia dello skiroll, con la Sprint a skating tutta del campionissimo ancora sul gradino più alto del podio iridato, assieme al compagno di nazionale d'argento. Peccato per Alba Mortagna (miglior tempo in qualificazione), 4^ nel giorno di Kaparkaleja. Titoli juniores a Lia (con tripletta norge tra le donne) e il lettone Bilans che trionfa in casa.
17