Published: Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:42 PM MST

Updated: Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:03 PM MST

Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) add valuable points to her overall World Cup lead with her victory in the classic sprint in Stockholm, Sweden. Kuitunen has led the World Cup since Canmore, but Norweigan Astrid Jacobsen has closed the gap over the past few weeks.

Kuitunen showed her usual strong form in classic sprinting. She won the qualification and each of her heats on the way to the top of the podium. Petra Majdic, always near the top in classic sprints, was a close second. Majdic, who won this event in Canmore, lost the overall sprint ranking lead to Kuitunen and now trails the Finnish star by a mere two points.

The surprise of the day was Madoka Natsumi of Japan, who finished third. Natsumi, who skied her first World Cup race in 1997 as a 19 year old, stood on the World Cup podium for the first time in her career. She has been a successful sprinter, with her previous best a 5th place finish earlier this season.

The Swedish women were unable to accomplish much on their home turf. They were led by Lina Anderssen in 26th place, and haven't showed the form that allowed them to dominate women's sprinting several years ago.

Canadian Chandra Crawford had a solid day with a 12th place finish. The defending Olympic sprint gold medalist is a stronger skater, but has showed significant improvement in classic sprinting this year. She just made the heats with her 28th in qualification, but advanced out of her quarterfinal before finishing last in her semifinal and the B-final. Her times back in those heats were significant and it is unclear if she fell or was simply out of gas.

I had another exciting day and summoned all of the energy in my body to try and break through to the final, but finished 12th for the third straight time, said the 24-year-old Crawford. There is all kinds of work I need to do to get to the next level but the key is really holding my technique and everything together when I am really tired. I have come a long way from placing 40th in this race to now consistently in the top-12. With two years to go until Vancouver I think Im on track.

No other Canadians or Americans qualified for the heats.

Koos, Crawford Advance to Heats in Stockholm Sprint

Men's Coverage

Read a brief account of the day from Andy Newell and see photos (that snow was dirty!!) on his blog:
blogs.fasterskier.com/andynewell

Complete Results
Originaly from Source

Published: Wed Feb 27, 2008 6:41 PM MST

In what has become the norm, the Norweigan men's team dominated the World Cup classic sprint in Stockholm, Sweden. Taking places 1,2,4,6,8,9 Norway combined with host Sweden to take 9 of the top 10 spots.

Jens Arne Svartedal won the event after qualifying in 29th. Boerre Naess, the top qualifier, was second and Emil Joensson gave the hometown fans something to cheer about with his third place finish.

Cyril Miranda of France was the only non-Scandinavian to crack the top 10, finishing 5th.

Torin Koos was the only American or Canadian to crack the top 30. Koos qualified in 20th, but was knocked out in his quarterfinal, finishing 29th on the day.

“Unfortunately, it was a really bad day,” said U.S. Ski Team Sprint Coach Chris Grover. “Kikkan did not have any energy. Andy fell in qualification, and still almost made it in. Torin made it in, but was in the fastest quarterfinal of the day, and couldn't hang on during the final uphill climb to the finish.”

The Royal Palace Sprint is an annual event where snow is placed around the Royal Palace in downtown Stockholm with thousands of spectators lining the streets for the classic technique sprint. It had been persistently raining in Stockholm. Without enough cold to stiffen the snow overnight, athletes were left to ski in less than desirable conditions.

Read coverage of the qualification round, including additional North American results:
Koos, Crawford Advance to Heats in Stockholm Sprint

Women's Coverage

Read a brief account from Andy Newell and see photos (that snow was dirty!!) on his blog:
blogs.fasterskier.com/andynewell

Complete Results
Originaly from Source

Published: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:50 PM MST

World Masters is set to start in just two days a celebration of Cross-Country skiing bringing together thousands of participants from skiing nations around the world. Held in McCall, Idaho, this years event features a staggering number of American participants. Over 600 US master skiers of all levels and ages will be competing.

Says US National Masters Director John Downing, The really cool thing about the massive US numbers this year is that not only is this the biggest national contingent (any nation) to ever attend a Worlds in the 28-year history of the event, since the MWC is concurrent with our National Masters this year, it's also the biggest national championship that I'm aware of in U.S. Nordic skiing history.

This is an opportunity for competitors to mix it up with the many of the best skiers in their age group. Says John Broadhead of Craftsbury, Vermont, a veteran of eight World Masters events, I like competing against 100 really fit athletes my own age from all parts of the world. It is extremely inspiring to be with so many really fit athletes my age and older. And while Broadhead has taken home medals in the past including a silver in Lake Placid, he is not going to Idaho for the hardware, looking to just finishing and feeling good at the end.

Dave Knoop of Park City, Utah is approaching the event with a similar mindset I love to compete, so hopefully I'd like to be in the mix with some good skiers. Personally, I'll know if it was a good race regardless of overall place. I have no expectations other than to ski fast and hard all the way. This sentiment was echoed by everyone we talked to ski hard and have fun.

The masters ski movement in the US has grown dramatically in recent years. Downing views this as integral to the overall health of the sport. Hundreds of youth and junior coaches around the world sell the point that XC skiing is a sport for life. This event is proof positive. If we don't live up to that motto and celebrate masters skiing as an equally important part of our competitive experience, as a sport we are going to go the same route as team sports in worshipping youth and relegating adults to the grandstands or recreation leagues.”

To me there's no difference — none at all — between celebrating masters that are at all spectrums (super serious to super casual) the same way we celebrate that diversity in youth and teen programs.”

Everyone gets the fact that this isn't the Olympics. But it is still very special in it's own right.

Adds Knoop, “Our sport can use as much racing participation at all levels as possible from JO's to Masters. Every level has something to offer skiers, as well as potentially create a venue in which to build life long relationshipsif you love your sport enough, you give back to it any way you can, allowing the sport to continue to grow.

Dorcas Wonsavage of Alpina Sports, who has raced at the highest level as a three-time Olympian, sees World Masters as a powerful motivational tool without a worthy goal such as the World Masters, many of us would have a harder time finding motivation to get out, to train, and stay in touch with the sport and fellow skiers.

Wonsavage was looking forward to competing with her former Olympic teammates Ingrid Butts and Leslie Hall (formerly Thompson) in the relay. Unfortunately, due to last minute complications, she will be unable to attend.

Walt Berling, a veteran coach of 23 years in Jackson, Wyoming, is taking advantage of having the event in his neighborhood or at least within a days drive. His goal is to participate. As a coach, Berling doesnt get that many opportunities to race. He points out that he usually loses fitness over the course of the winter. But getting back out on the course is important As a coach it gets easy to stand on side and tell others to ski fast - but if you race now and then it reminds you just how painful and hard it can be it is a way to say yes, I am going as hard as I can, coach.

And while Berling might claim to be out of shape, that doesnt bother Downing. I love watching the progression of skiers through the different age group waves. As a coach it is fascinating to watch the human body adapt as we age. I am flat out in awe of some of the people that can just rip around on skis at any age you can name. Pound for pound I'll take some of these masters any day against the World Cup red group in an age-handicapped and life-handicapped race.

Medals are always nice, but that is mere icing on the proverbial cake. Safe, clean races is number one for sure. I always tell the USA contingent when we are in Europe I don't care how they ski, I just want to see their faces — with a smile if possible — in the evening. I'm quite serious about that, says Downing who organizes and leads the yearly World Masters trip.

A preview of World Masters by Boulder Nordic Sports Nathan Schultz, including snow conditions, courses, and an interview with John downing can be read here:
McCall World Masters Championship Preview

World Masters Website

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[Source: Association for Multi-hull Competition (AMC)] Five years since conception by a group of owner-sailors, the Association for Multi-hull Competition (AMC) aims to organise a 2008 Championship representative of the original D35 Class spirit with high-level competition on the water and friendship ashore.

The AMC was the brainchild of five founding members: Ernesto Bertarelli, Philippe Cardis, Jean-Franois Demole, Guy de Picciotto and Nicolas Grange, who created and developed the Dcision 35 as an owner-sailor class on Lake Geneva. All members share the same passion for sailing competition based on similar sporting values that do not centre on commercial gain. Read the rest of this entry »

After yesterday’s official announcement of the Medcup’s new title sponsor and calendar for the 2008 season, we publish today the provisional entry list. Even if it’s the official one, provided by the organizers of the circuit, as its name indicates it might change.

Just browsing through it one gets the feeling this summer we’ll be able to watch exciting races and the skipper list reads as the who’s who in top professional sailing.

Originaly from Source

Less than 24 hours after receiving their second Extreme 40 catamaran (the former Holmatro), BMW Oracle’s shore crew together with a number of Extreme 40 staff had already put her on the water. Unfortunately, the black and orange catamaran had her maiden sail in Valencia after we left, so there are no pictures.

In the meantime, Alinghi is now carrying an apparently intensive two-catamaran training program and to our understanding the Defender of the 33rd America’s Cup is out on the water every day.

Last but not least, the Desafo Espaol base has been transformed into a boatyard. Inside the shed the team is building a brand new TP52 yacht desgined by Vrolijk, while outside they are modifying last year’s GP42 champion, the Quebramar-Chrysler yacht. Both boats will carry the colors and name of the Spanish team. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Alinghi] Ex-Americas Cup sailor, John Barnitt, joined Alinghi this week as sports director for the sailing team. The American sailor is familiar with the Swiss team having worked for Alinghi during the 31st Americas Cup as starboard grinder.

I have only been in Valencia for a few days, but it is good to be back. It is great to see some good friends and the colleagues that I worked with on the 31st Cup, said JB, adding: my first impressions are that everything seems amazingly well organised and the guys have taken the team from the level that we were at in Auckland and moved one step up from that. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Maktoum Sailing Trophy] 31 boats confirmed for major sailing extravaganza that starts from today.

An exciting field of 31 boats will take to the waters off Mina Seyahi in three divisions for the opening day of the Maktoum Sailing Trophy here from today.

This years race the fourth edition and definitely much more professionally run than the previous three has attracted some of the top sailors including three-time Americas Cup champion Russell Coutts and other greats such as Francis Carr, Marcus Wieser, Alexander Mercier, Matt Allen, Andrea Zaffin and Robert Weight. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Team Gonet] The Dcison 35 catamaran Banque Gonet withdraws from the class championship

A founding member of the Dcision 35 Class, initially a Class sponsor before acquiring a boat, Banque Gonet announces its withdrawal from the Class. Banque Gonet was sailing with Russell Coutts since three years. The team has amongst others won the prestigious Bol dOr regatta in 2006.

Nicolas Gonet announces his withdrawal from the D 35 Class. Despite a very promising sportive season, that would have seen the arrival on lake Geneva of the team BMW ORACLE Racing on board his D35 Banque Gonet & Cie, most Class members have shown hostility during an owners meeting last Friday. Read the rest of this entry »

BMW Oracle just got delivery of their second Extreme 40 catamaran, the former Holmatro. The orange and black yacht arrived at the American base at around 1pm this Monday and its shore crew immediately started working on it.

After Alinghi’s start of two-catamaran training two days ago it won’t be long before we see BMW Oracle as well sailing off Valencia’s coast with its complete armada. The RC44 Gold Cup in Dubai finishes on March 7 and as a result we wouldn’t be surprised to see James Spithill and Russell Coutts match racing in Valencia starting mid March. Read the rest of this entry »