Norway dominates the freestyle sprint in Canmore, Canada: Kristine Stavaas Skistad and Johannes Hoesflot Kläbo flew to victory. Laura Gimmler provided a positive surprise.
Laura Gimmler from SC Oberstdorf was one second short of reaching the final of the cross-country sprints on Saturday (February 10, 2024). The disappointment, which may have been brief, will soon have passed, as seventh place in a strong field was worthy of all honor.
The victory went to the Norwegian Kristine Stavaas Skistad, who left behind the recently dominant Swedes, Maja Dahlqvist and Linn Svahn, in the final. Skistad ran cleverly on the fast and technically demanding 1.3 kilometer long route, pushed past all competitors on the long home straight and said afterwards: “It was nice to beat the Swedes.”
Gimmler – first luck, then bad luck
Laura Gimmler initially had the luck that it sometimes takes and was the only German cross-country skier to reach the semi-finals at the start of the overseas trip. There the German showed one of her best races and only had to be separated from series winner Linn Svahn (Sweden) and Kristine Stavvas Skistadt ( Norway) admit defeat. Because the Swedes Johanna Hagström and Maja Dahlqvist were a bit faster in the second semi-final, Gimmler missed out on the final.
In the quarter-finals, the Allgäu woman was initially lucky with a manageable group. The 30-year-old ran tactically cleverly and went at a slow pace. At the finish line, Gimmler had the best final sprint and flew into the semi-finals in 2:57.31 minutes.
Carl’s tactics don’t work
In contrast to Gimmler, Victoria Carl (SC Motor Zella-Mehlis) was eliminated in the quarterfinals – even though she was significantly faster (2:50.6 minutes). However, the Thuringian’s run was a lot stronger. Among others, she faced sprint dominator Linn Svahn (Sweden) and Nadine Fähndrich (Switzerland). Carl’s tactics quickly became clear: she tried to surprise the competition with a bold approach, immediately took the lead, but was unable to break the gap she had hoped for. Svahn and Fähndrich were hot on her heels and passed on the home stretch. Carl hoped for the lucky loser ranking as third – but in vain.
Victoria Carl missed the sprint semi-finals in Canmore.
Lena Keck (TSV Buchenberg) also finished in the round of the best 30. The 23-year-old, for whom reaching the final was already a great success, was 17.6 seconds slower than Tiril Udnes Weng (Norway) in her run and was eliminated with no chance.
Rydzek unlucky
Coletta Rydzek experienced a bitter afternoon. The sister of combiner Johannes Rydzek came in 31st and narrowly missed the final round by the blink of an eye. For newcomer Anna-Maria Dietze (Pulsschlag Neuhausen) the gap was a little bigger. She was eliminated from the qualifying in 37th place.
Broken stock slows down Sossau – Kläbo wins
Anian Sossau from SC Eisenärzt played the German solo entertainer in the men’s quarterfinals because Florian Knopf (48./SLV Bernau) and Friedrich Moch (50./Isny) failed at the qualification hurdle. Sprint expert Sossau was able to compete against the crème della crème in his run and kept up with, among others, World Cup leader Harald Oestberg Amundsen from Norway until the finish line. When things really got going, Sossau was no longer able to get involved; after a stick broke a few meters from the finish, he was powerless and eliminated.
He was able to watch the final in a relaxed manner as a spectator and saw the next victory of the top favorite Johannes Hösflot Kläbo, who chose to escape to the front and won ahead of his fiercest opponent and compatriot Erik Valnes. The Swede Edvin Anger came third.
On Sunday it’s the long distance
On Sunday the mass start races over 20 kilometers continue in Lake Placid for women (6 p.m. live ticker at sportschau.de) and men (8:15 p.m. in live ticker at sportschau.de). Then the German team again has three hot irons in the fire with Katharina Hennig, Victoria Carl and Friedrich Moch.