There’s no place like home: Skistad (NOR) sprints to victory in Drammen

Hometown hero Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR) did her talking on the track with a second straight sprint victory of the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup 2023/24 season and second in as many years in Drammen, Norway on Tuesday.

But in the absence of in-form Jonna Sundling (SWE), compatriot Linn Svahn (SWE) missed the chance to fully take advantage of overall World Cup leader Jessie Diggins (USA) failing to make it past the heats.

By finishing second, Svahn continued her extraordinary run of claiming a medal in every sprint since the first race of the season to clinch the sprint title, but it is victories she really needs to get her hands on the Crystal Globe and it is now seven races – and four sprints – since she last topped the podium.

It is similar consistency that has taken Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) to the top of the men’s overall standings and by qualifying for the semi-finals as a lucky loser, his lead of 157 should still be enough to secure the Crystal Globe ahead of Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR), who continued his imperious recent form here in Drammen to claim his sixth’s straight sprint victory and with it this season’s sprint crown.

The city-centre location and nature of the course in Drammen make it one of the most unique on the World Cup circuit. The 1200m layout is a sequence of long straights and sharp turns, with a steep climb out of the stadium followed by an even longer descent then another lengthy straight to the finish line which includes a hump in the middle.

Supporters are close to the action on each side and with chants of ‘Skistad, Skistad’ ringing out, there were no prizes for guessing who they wanted to win the women’s Classic.

Her chances increased in the absence of Olympic and World sprint champion Sundling, who raced the 50km in Oslo just 72 hours earlier. This left Svahn, who started the day needing just 22 points to secure the sprint title but 147 behind Diggins in the overall standings, as the most likely to spoil Skistad’s homecoming party.

Both made it through to the final in serene style but with neither appearing to want to make the running after the race began at frantic pace, everybody was bunched going into the final hairpin corner. Skistad and Svahn quickly opened up a gap on the rest, but it was the tall Norwegian whose double-poling power told, winning in three minutes, 01.35 seconds, 0.63s ahead of Svahn, whose mid-season finishing speed seems to have deserted her in recent weeks.

In third, Rosie Brennan claimed just her second-ever sprint podium – her first a victory back in 2020. “Honestly, I’m really surprised,” the American, who only qualified for the final as a lucky loser, said. “At the end of the season you never know how the body is going to be so I’m really happy to be on the podium again because it’s been tough, and it’s really nice to know that it’s still there and maybe I can have a strong finish to the season.

“I felt really bad yesterday so I’m glad I had that extra day’s rest. I really enjoy Drammen; I think it’s one of the best locations.”

Despite his exertions in winning the 50km in Oslo on Sunday, Klaebo was even more dominant in the men’s race than Skistad was in the women’s. The 27-year-old claimed his 13^th victory of the season, sixth straight sprint win and fifth triumph in Drammen, where he made his World Cup debut as a 19-year-old in 2016.

Despite fast start’s from compatriot Haavard Solaas Taugboel (NOR) and Richard Jouve (FRA) in the final, Klaebo was never out of a position – a key factor in Drammen, according to cross-country skiing legend Petter Northug (NOR) – and he turned on the afterburners in the home straight to win in 2:35.89, the fastest time of the day despite having the luxury of slowing down to salute the crowd as he crossed the line more than a second ahead of Taugboel.

Even Northug (NOR), with brother Petter watching on from the commentary box, finished third to complete a Norway clean sweep.

“I love skiing here in Drammen,” Klaebo said. “Amazing crowd and the course is so much fun.

As it is, the Crystal Globe is Diggins’ and Amundsen’s to lose going into the final event of the season in Falun, Sweden, which starts on 15 March with another sprint classic.

Click here for the full results from Drammen.