Joy for Johanna: Hagstroem (SWE) claims first World Cup win as teammates falter

It was a day of thrills, spills and surprises in Ruka on Saturday as the first sprints of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season took place in northern Finland. Johanna Hagstroem (SWE) claimed the first individual victory of her career and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) put a disappointing 10K on Friday behind him by dominating the men’s event.

In truth, Hagstroem benefitted from the absence through form and fitness of some of the sport’s biggest sprint starts. Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR), winner of five races last season, was a non-starter as she recovers from stomach surgery, while last season’s overall sprint champion Linn Svahn (SWE) failed to make it out of quarter-final 2 after being driven wide on the fast downhill corner coming out of the stadium section.

Last year’s winner in this race Emma Ribom (SWE), meanwhile, was only 18^th fastest in qualifying so decided to sit out the finals.

That left Hagstroem to battle it out with two other Swedish sprint stars – Olympic and double world sprint champion Jonna Sundling and five-time World Cup sprint race winner, Maja Dahlqvist.

But Hagstroem, 26, wasn’t to be denied for a third time in Ruka, where she has twice finished runner-up in this race. After finishing fifth fastest in morning qualifying, she managed to stay out of trouble to win her quarter-final and semi-final, before taking a more tactical approach in the final.

Close to tears of joy, she explained afterwards: “I like it when I go outside the tracks so I can run on my skis so I thought, ‘ok, I want the track on the right side of the uphill section and when I got it I was like, ‘ok, just give it your all’. I was surprised that I was first so I was like ‘Johanna, don’t screw it up’. I’m in shock.”

And her delight was clear when she crossed the line for her first World Cup victory, punching the air with both fists and screaming to the heavens.

There was joy, too, for Julie Myhre (NOR) who claimed a first individual World Cup ahead of Dahlqvist (SWE).

 “Ah, wow, I actually can’t believe it,” Myhre, 28, said. “First race this season and first time in Ruka – unbelievable but really fun. I felt good and today and I had really good skis, so I thought when I have this great equipment, I need to use it to my advantage, and I felt strong.”

The Finnish crowd also had reasons to be cheerful – and not just because of the presence of Santa Claus, trackside: Jasmi Joensuu’s fifth-place finish, just behind Sundling, means that she leads the World Cup standings.

As last season’s Crystal Globe winner Jessie Diggins (USA) acknowledged, however, it’s early days. “Definitely not close to top race form right now, and that’s ok,” she said after finishing sixth in her quarter-final that also featured Friday’s 10K winner Frida Karlsson. “It’s November and I’m working into the season. There are things I’m doing well and things I want to work on too.”

Classy Klaebo rules in Ruka

In an apparent statement of intent after his surprise fourth place in Friday’s 10K, Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo set the pace in sprint qualifying, 2.55 seconds ahead of the rest of the field, and never looked back as the men’s race turned into something of the procession for the greatest short-distance skier the sport has ever seen.

With Lucas Chanavat (FRA), who won two races last season to finish third in the overall World Cup sprint standings, failing to make it past morning qualifying, along with fellow Frenchman Richard Jouve, who finished on the podium in this race last year, Klaebo’s biggest challenge was always likely to come from another Norwegian sprint star, Erik Valnes.

But last year’s winner of this race had to settle for a distant second as compatriot Klaebo put on a masterclass in the final, leading from start to finish to cross the line 2.01 seconds ahead of his compatriot.

Whenever anybody tried to overhaul him, Klaebo simply turned on the afterburners, accelerating away with a trademark burst on the final climb.

“It’s good to be back,” he said. “I didn’t have my best day yesterday so really good just to be back on the top of the podium again and to do it here in Ruka – I’ve been struggling a little bit here sometimes, especially in the sprints – is amazing.”

There was further success for Finland with Lauri Vuorinen claiming just his second individual World Cup podium in third, behind Valnes.

The World Cup season continues on Sunday with the Men’s 20km Mass Start Freestyle followed by the Women’s race.

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