Untouchable Johaug becomes World Champion in 30km F
Mar 02, 2019·Cross-Country
In the final race for the ladies at the 52nd FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Seefeld, Therese Johaug remained untouchable and raced to her 3rd World Champion title this year with winning the 30km in Free technique.
Up to +50 seconds ahead of her fellow competitors, Johaug pulled through the rounds of 7.5km almost all by herself. Johaug who reported back at the beginning of this World Cup season had her eyes set on the World Championships. She missed out on the FIS Tour de Ski at the beginning of the year and focussed on bringing home Gold for Norway.
Other plans but for sure also one of the top favourites had a tougher fight for the spot on the podium. Ingvild Flugstad Østberg - amongst other, this year's winner of the FIS Tour de Ski - was calculating with a top 6 spot before the race. Remaining in the leading group, Østberg soon took over the lead and set out in the footprints of Johaug. Only 19-year-young sensational Frida Karlsson from Sweden managed to keep up with the pace.
The duo extended the gap to the following Jessica Diggins from the USA by another good +10 seconds. Ebba Andersson (SWE), Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Teresa Stadlober (AUT) and Nathalie von Siebenthal (SUI) was the first bigger group, fighting for the top-6 spots.
Johaug finished the 30km F with 58:41.2 minutes, followed by Østberg +49.2 seconds and Karlsson +51.8 seconds behind.
