Individual sprint
Wins for Hattestad and Randall - German talent Hanna Kolb kept her promise
A premiere, a repeat and a good result of the German cross-country skiers marked the first day of the FIS Cross-Country Ski World Cup in Dusseldorf. Thousands of spectators witnessed the first ever US American victory in Dusseldorf on the perfectly prepared course along the banks of the Rhine. After finishing runner-up last year, Kikkan Randall was the first to cross the finishing line this year.
In a thrilling men’s final the Norwegian 2009 double World champion Ola Vigen Hattestad snatched victory away from Russian Alexey Petukhov on the last few metres.
“I would say it was a mediocre competition day for us!” Though German national coach Jochen Behle was “not discontented“ with the results of his athletes, “they could have been better”. Behle was relieved that altogether four German men had qualified: “We didn’t have that for a long time.”
However, the coach soberly admitted that “our tactic wasn’t the best”. Less the tactic but rather a small mistake at the start of her semi-final cost Hanna Kolb the qualification for the final. But Behle wasn’t disappointed by the 20-year-old promising talent’s 11th place: “The aim was the semi-final, and that’s what she achieved.”
Randall now leads the women’s sprint World Cup classification after the second of altogether 13 events. The 28-year-old from Alaska about her Dusseldorf win: “The track was very fast and demanding. I wanted to get out of the last corner as much ahead as possible, and that’s what I did. I am very happy with this victory here.”
This held also true for the winner in the men’s sprint. Ola Vigen Hattestadt repeated his 2008 win and said: “My parents, my girlfriend and many friends were here in Dusseldorf. That was a special stimulus for me.” The Norwegian, who defeated the Russian 2009 winner Alexey Petukhov on the finishing straight, added confidently: “I let him breathe for one metre in the last corner because I was sure to pass him in the end.”
FIS Cross-Country Ski World Cup Dusseldorf
Women, 0.9 km
1. Kikkan Randall (USA)
2. Natalia Matveeva (RUS)
3. Laurien van der Graaf (SUI)
Men, 1.7 km
1. Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR)
2. Alexey Petukhov (RUS)
3. Paal Golberg (NOR)
