The World Cup season enters it's final stretch this weekend with a pursuit and relay in Lahti, Finland. There will be no Canadians in this weekend's events as the team had planned to use this time for recovery and regeneration before joining the circuit for Thursday's sprints in Drammen Norway.
The men's team of Devon Kershaw, George Grey, Alex Harvey and Ivan Babikov will be looking to build on their progress over the last 2 weeks with the aim of podium positions in the upcoming events. Alex Harvey will look to repeat his bronze medal finish in the 50k in last year's Norwegian World Cup during the Oslo events that will serve as the pre World Championships. Two other Canadian men will be participating, Stefan Kuhn who had an excellent Olympic sprint result finishing in 15th place, and young up and coming skierGraham Nishikawa who qualified as the Haywood NorAM Canada Cup leader.
Joining the men's group will be Daria (Dasha) Gaiazova the woman's Haywood NorAM Canada Cup leader, who has had an excellent series of races this year and hopes to fill the ski boots of Sara Renner who hung up her skis at the end of the Olympics. Sprint star Chandra Crawford is continuing her recovery to full form, and focusing on next year's World Championship sprint and Sochi 2014, by racing at the Haywood Ski Nationals in Whitehorse that begin, March 14th.
FIS Lahti UPDATE
World Cup leader Petter Northug jr. will not compete tomorrow. He is not feeling so well and decided to be focused on the competitions next week in Norway. Also a couple of other Olympic racers will be not at the start as the gap between the Olympics and Lahti was not too long and the body is not adapted yet.
Here is Lahti we optimal winter conditions. I have never seen so much snow in this city at the beginning of March. A couple of adaptions on the courses were made and we are racing for the first time here a pursuit race without a break and since year's the first relay competition.
Tomorrow we will also have intermediate sprints where bonus World Cup points will be awarded. The top three can earn 15, 10 and 5 World Cup points. In total max. 130 World cup points will awarded to one athlete in tomorrows race in the ladies competition and 145 World Cup points in the men's race. The intermediate sprints for Bonus World Cup points are after heavy climbs and it will be interesting which tactic the racers will choose.
It will be interesting who is still shape after the Olympics or if some non-Olympic-particapants could use the chance for the victory. Among the favourites are Justyna Kowalczyk and Marit Bjoergen as well as Aino Kaisa Saarinen, which is coming from this area. On the men's side, it will Lukas Bauer (CZE),Tobias Angerer (GER) and Anders Soedergren (SWE).
For Lahti results and info check the following link: http://www.fiscrosscountry.com/place/lahti,9.html
Remaining World Cups
 |
6.-7.3.2010 |
  |
Lahti |
FIN |
WC |
Pur
TE |
Pur
TE |
|
|
11.3.2010 |
|
Drammen |
NOR |
SPWQ
WC |
2xSP |
2xSP |
|
|
13.-14.3.2010 |
|
Oslo |
NOR |
WC
SPWQ |
30k
2xSP |
50k
2xSP |
|
|
17.3.2010 |
|
Stockholm |
SWE |
SPWQ
WC
FIN |
2xSP |
2xSP |
|
|
19.-22.3.2010 |
|
Falun |
SWE |
FIN
WC |
5k
10k
30k
Pur |
5k
15k
50k
Pur |
