Skistad claims season's first victory as Trondheim son Klaebo shows strength at home
Dec 15, 2023·Cross-Country
Norwegian superstar Kristine Stavaas Skistad, who won finished last season with five sprint victories, is back on top of the podium.
The 24-year-old claimed her first victory this winter after a strong finish in the women's sprint free in the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Trondheim, Norway, on Friday.
Sweden's Linn Svahn and Emma Ribom finished second and third respectively.
"I love it, it's very good," Skistad described her feelings after winning in the World Cup for the first time since 25 March in Lahti, Finland.
Skistad had been third in Ruka, Finland and second in Oestersund, Sweden, both times with Ribom as the winner.
But in front of the home fans in Trondheim's new track – where the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2025 – the local favourite was determined to climb to the top of the podium.
She had looked detached from the front in the semfininal but switched gears to blast into a third-place behind Ribom and Svahn to qualify for the final as a lucky loser.
When the Swedish duo broke away mid-way through the final, Skistad stayed behind them to once again show her strength in the end of the race.
Svahn was in front but as it looked like she would be fighting for the win with Ribom, chasing her third consecutive sprint triumph, the Norwegian made a strong push in the last 100 metres to claim the first position. She finished 0.15 of a second before Svahn, to the joy of the fans in Trondheim's stands.
"My plan was to go fast in the end and I did, so I'm happy," Skistad said.
The second and third places were decided with a photo finish, Svahn beating the total sprint World Cup leader Ribom by one hundredth of a second. Svahn, 24, is now only 17 points behind Ribom in the sprint rankings.
The No.1 in the overall standings, USA's Jessie Diggins, had taken charge and started the race in the front for the first minute, but had to settle for a fourth-place, just over four seconds behind the winner.
Germany's Victoria Carl finished fifth, before the final's second Norwegian, Lotta Udnes Weng, in sixth place.
The men's sprint free final was also set to be a Norwegian cross-country party as five of six competitors came from this weekend's host nation.
It was however the race's only non-Norwegian, Lucas Chanavat from France, who took charge of the race. Chasing the third World Cup win of his career, the 28-year-old Frenchman set off at a furious pace and had the lead two thirds into the race, with Norway's home favourite Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo chasing after.
In the last narrow turn leading into the home straight, however, Klaebo flew past Chanavat and was unbeatable in the final sprint, claiming his second consecutive sprint victory to the joy of the fans in his hometown.
Having grown up in Trondheim after his family moved there from Oslo when he was five, Friday's win was extra special for Klaebo who is already racing and training with next year's world championships on his mind.
"That was amazing. It's always fun to race here in Trondheim. Especially with that many spectators, it's really something special," Klaebo said.
Crossing the finish line 0.81 second after Klaebo, Chanavat threw his arms out in frustration and impressiveness with the Norwegian's strong finish.
"I was like where did you come from," Chanavat told the winner afterwards.
"I had to try it there," he said to Klaebo, proud to have made an impact among the Norwegians. Harald Oestberg Amundsen (NOR) finished third, 1.69 seconds behind the winner.
"It was a tough final," Klaebo said.
"I think Chanavat did a great job. The pace was really high and I was struggling a little bit there but in the end I had really good skis and I feel like my shape is getting better so that's fun, especially when you're on home turf."
The 27-year-old had a slow start to the season after catching Covid-19, having to settle for a third-place in the sprint in Ruka, Finland, where he was outside of the top-ten in the distance races.
He then took some time off, hid away in his cabin for 11 days, got his form back, winning the sprint in Oestersund last weekend.
Klaebo's win was his 69th individual World Cup victory. As the weekend continues with the men's and women's 20km skiathlon on Saturday and the 10km classic on Sunday, he will have two chances to make it 70 in front of the home fans.
The victory also puts Klaebo back on top of the World Cup sprint standings, followed by teammates Erik Valnes, in second place, and No.3 Haavard Solaas Taugboel.
Taugboel claimed the fourth place in the sprint, 2.55 seconds after Klaebo, as Matz William Jenssen finished fifth before Valnes in sixth place.
Amundsen shouted "yes" on the podium as he was awarded for his third place, and the 25-year-old has a lot to be happy about at the moment. Having won the 10km free in Oestersund last weekend, the distance expert showed that he is also very much a sprinter and tops the overall World Cup rankings before Klaebo, with teammate Paal Golberg in third place.
Click here for full results from the women's sprint free and here for full results from the men's sprint free.
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