NORDIC FIS World Nordic Ski Championships 2011 Oslo
Kikkan Randall just couldn’t make up lost ime after a spill in the sprint.
Kris Freeman races the 30K pursuit.
The U.S. cross country team can take some positive and optimistic feelings away from the performances, especially those of
some of the younger skiers. Jessie Diggins and Sadie Bjornsen
looked like they had a good time racing and got valuable experience. Ida Sargent raced in her first Worlds. Holly Brooks led
Team USA in the women’s 10K classic event finishing in 27th
while Bjornsen was 29th, another top- 30 finish.
In the men’s 15K classic, Kris Freeman led the Americans in
24th place with Noah Hoffman taking 29th.
Hoffman was especially impressive in the men’s 50K on March
6, the last day of competition, as he stayed with the leaders until
the 30K point, and wound up in an encouraging 30th place. “The
Worlds and the 50K in particular was an incredible experience,”
Hoffman said. “The crowds, the courses and the atmosphere
were unlike anything I have ever see. It was a great learning
experience and hopefully will be a large building block in my
career.”
On March 5 in the women’s 30K, Liz Stephen looked strong,
leading Team USA to a 16th-place finish; all four American women were inside the top 30. (Randall was 18th, Morgan Arritola
was 21st and Holly Brooks was 25th.)
Though the U.S. nordic combined team was a dominant player
on the 2010 Olympic Winter Games landscape, its members did
not repeat their success here in Oslo, despite the fact that they
gave it their all, and their greatness gave them a decidedly good
edge. They came close in several events, too — in the team
event they were an impressive fourth, just out of the medals.
In the first combined event, on Feb. 26, the U.S. placed all four
men in the top 30, with Demong and Lodwick having outstanding
skiing times; young Bryan Fletcher was 10th after the jumping
with Demong finishing seventh and Lodwick eighth. The squad
also was just 14 seconds out of a bronze in the team event for
a really fine showing. (Also on that squad were Fletcher and
Johnny Spillane.)
The much-anticipated second women’s world ski jumping championships was held in the midst of the thickest fog of Oslo, and
wasn’t easy on the nerves. Several top jumpers said afterward
SkiRacing.com MARCH 17, 2011 | 36
