Little light, a lot of shadows from the perspective of the German cross-country skiers at the city catch in Tallinn: Only Coletta Rydzek was able to convince on Wednesday (March 19, 2025).
The 27-year-old Oberstdorfer once again showed why she established herself this season in the expanded world top of the sprinters. She couldn’t run around the podium in the final, but was the fifth but her best result this season.
In the absence of sprint world champion Jonna Sundling, the day victory went to World Cup third Nadine Fähndrich from Switzerland. Maja Dahlqvist (Sweden/+ 0.98 seconds) and Julia Kern (USA/+ 1.30) also made it to the podium. The decision was also made in the fight for overall victory in the sprint rating. Finnin Jasmi Joensuu was already enough to defend her lead.
Rydzek convinces with the finals
Only Rydzek had made it into the semi -finals with German women. The Oberstdorf woman ran a committed race from the start and was able to rely on good material under her feet, especially in the departure. Shortly before the entrance to the finish, she forced the pace and confidently booked the ticket for the semi -finals behind the Swedish Maja Dahlqvist.
Rydzek was much harder there. At the top, the Swiss Fähndrich hit an enormous pace. Rydzek fell back a few meters early, but fought his way back to the finish and secured the finals as a fourth over the Lucky Loser rating.
The competition for the podium was enormous, Rydzek started with outsider chances. Again it was Fähndrich who stumbled in front. Behind it, the field pulled apart early, even Rydzek could no longer follow the high pace and fell backlessly.
Gimmler narrowly beaten – Khrehl in Pech
The competition for Laura Gimmler and Sofie Krehl was bitter. Gimmler caught a feasible heat and also led the race for a long time. The Swede Johanna Hagström only passed the finish line, finally Gina del Rio (Andorra) on the last few meters. Gimmler, who had to drop out the World Cup sprint in terms of health, were only two tenths of a second in second place.
Krehl had already had a big board in the quarterfinals against Vice World Champion Kristina StaAvas Skistad (Norway) and the World Cup fifths Julie Kern (USA). To make matters worse there was also bad luck: After half of the race, the French woman France Pignot fell in a curve, kept Krehl to the ground without intention and took the chances of the next round.
Carl and Hoffmann fail early
Victoria Carl and Helen Hoffmann, who had bronze bronze at the World Cup in Trondheim, were already in places 33 and 49 in the prologue. Carl also missed expanding her lead in the overall World Cup towards her pursuers Astrid Oyre Slind (Norway) and Kerttu Niskanen (Finland). Before the season finale in Lahti, the Thuringian is in second place and thus heads for the best placement of a German long runner in the final ranking.