Pole, Russian Earn First-Day Wins
January 22, 2008

Canmore World Cup Coverage Special to CrossCountrySkier.com See the rest of our coverage

Photos and text by Matt Muir

Kris Freeman Just 38 Seconds Back; Arritola 24th for Women

Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk Skis Away with Women’s 15k Pursuit, Russia’s Nikolai Pankratov Sprints for Men’s 30k Victory

The women’s 15k pursuit today in Canmore was won by Polish skier Justyna Kowalczyk who skied steadily away from the evenly strung out women’s field finishing in 42:30. In the men’s 30k pursuit, Russian Nikolai Pankratov outsprinted four other racers by a second or less for the win in a total time of 1:16:33.

Canmore competitors make the climb in the first day of competition. (see a larger version of this image)

The day was graced by a backdrop of blue Rocky Mountain sky and temperatures that warmed to around -5C (23F). The women did two classic laps and two skate laps on the Canmore Nordic Centre’s competition trails, which lived up to their reputation for difficulty.

The women’s race steadily strung itself out and remained void of any real tactics. Kowalczyk simply continued to distance herself from the field over the duration of the race. Next over the line was Evgenia Medvedeva of Russia, at 15.9 seconds back, and third place Olga Rotcheva of Russia crossed the line at 22.9 seconds behind the leader.

Morgan Arritola of the United States was the top American as well as the first woman from the continent across the line in 24th position at a very respectable 2:56 back. Experienced World Cup public address announcer, Kjel Erik Krisiansen, called Arritola’s finishing a “big surprise.” Color commentator and retired Canadian star, Beckie Scott, called her a “young, up-and-coming American.” In all, people took notice of Arritola’s day on the trails

Sara Renner of Canada finished one spot behind Arritola in 25th place, less than a year after having her first child. While the difficult course reduced the women’s race to a virtual individual time trial right from the start, Arritola appeared to be at home with the course as she stayed in a clocklike rhythm of textbook technique.

The men’s race, however, was tactical. A lead group of 22 skiers eventually left behind chasing groups and stragglers as it ticked off the kilometers all the way to the last several hundred meters. Traversing the final two swooping climbs, a group of eight racers came into the finishing straight together and fanned out into lanes to contest the all-out sprint.

Pankatrov, who wisely stayed anonymous in the lead group, burst into a finishing lane and just barely beat out Giorgio Di Centa of Italy in second and third place Axel Teichmann of Germany. The top thirteen racers all arrived within five seconds of the leader.

American Kris Freeman was 22nd across the line at 38 seconds back. Freeman yo-yoed off the back of the lead pack for much of the race until half-way through the final lap when he lost contact from the lead group of 21. He finished alone in a no-man’s land, after the lead bunch but before the chase groups.

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