Outstanding Maja Dahlqvist records 3rd consecutive Sprint victory
Dec 11, 2021·Cross-Country
With light snowfall and the distinct sound of Swiss cowbells along the course, Davos Nordic reported back in a winter wonderland and with spectators back in the stadium. Not only the prestigious course set at Davos, but also the constant light snowfall asked the athletes to give it all in during the Sprint in Free technique.
After Ruka and Lillehammer, it was again the 27 year-old Maja Dahlqvist who ended on top of the podium at the Sprint finals of Davos Nordic. The Swedish Sprint expert collected her third consecutive World Cup victory in a season, when the shape of the athltes is at it’s best. In regards to the Olympic Winter Games, the level of today’s Sprint was high and so the fight was a tight one. To get used to the altitude, Dahlqvist, had spent already the week in Davos together with her team for a training camp.
The finals were not only dictated by Dahlqvist, but also paced by Rosie Brennan (USA), last year’s winner of both competitions at Davos Nordic. Rosie however endured a fall in the finals at the most decisive point of the course and thus gave way for her contenders. All up front Nadine Fähndrich from Switzerland, who under the cheering crowd crossed the finish line in second place. It is the first World Cup podium for a Swiss woman at Davos Nordic and thus, the crowd went extra crazy for this milestone achievement. “I already felt like I could reach for a podium last year but then I was so unlucky. That moment was in my head until today and I knew I wanted to make up for it, in front of my home crowd,” said Fähndrich.
Third on the podium was last seasons Sprint World Cup winner Anamarija Lampic from Slovenia. The 26 year-old fought until the last stretch for a top spot and ended only 0.74 seconds behind Dahlqvist.
Brennan finishes her race 2.07 seconds behind the podium in fourth place, before Tiril Udnes Weng (NOR) and Emma Ribom (SWE).
