BJOERGEN TAKES SOVEREIGN LAKE WOMEN'S PURSUIT
Beckie Scott Career Best Second
Marit Bjoergen of Norway, current World Cup leader and 2005 WC champion in all disciplines, showed her stuff once again today, skiing a strategically perfect race winning the Sovereign Lake 15 km Double Pursuit.
Beckie Scott, skiing a World Cup in her home country for the first time in 11 years, was a dominant force throughout the race. Scott showed her ability from the very start, leading up the first hill out of the stadium.
Forty-one year old Hilde Pedersen, Norway turned in an equally impressive performance and lead pack after the first classic lap with Scott and fellow Canuck, Sara Renner close behind. Shortly into the second lap a group of eight skiers began to pull away. The field caught the lead pack, but Bjoergen, Pedersen and Scott stayed at the front.
Bjoergen began to apply pressure on the uphills gaining only a slight advantage over her nearest competition, but succeeding in isolating a group of eight from the main field.
Oxana Jatskaja of Kazakhstan made a move on the group taking the lead over Bjoergen, but it was to be short lived.
Scott took control half way through the first skate leg and much to the delight of the local crowd, lead much of the remainder of the race. The two Norwegians, however, launched an attack only .5 kilometers from the finish. Scott was able to answer and entered the stadium ahead of Pedersen and just behind Bjoergen.
In a full-out sprint, Bjoergen edged Scott by only .3 second to further extend her World Cup lead and solidify her position as the dominant female cross country skier in the world.
"I felt really good during the race," Scott said. The pace was pretty casual so I was holding back waiting for someone to make a move. That didn't happen. When we started the first skate leg I had really good skis. I knew somebody was going to attack and I wanted to be ready for it."
The victory didn't come easily to Bjoergen. "I was very tired, but I knew the others girls were tired too. I knew I'd be the strongest in the last climb and that I could attack there and I did."
All three women will compete in the Sprints on Sunday. The Norwegians will return home following those races to continue training. Scott will move on to Canmore for next weekend's World Cup.
Racing on home snow was a great boost to Scott. "It was an incredible feeling to race in Canada. All around the course I could hear my name - it was very special and very motivating."
Fellow Canadian Sara Renner turned in an impressive performance with a 12th place finish, her best long distance World Cup race. Milaine Theriault claimed the last World Cup point with a 30th place finish. Rebecca Dussault was the top American finisher in 39th.
