Bjoergen gets 2nd gold of championships in 15k pursuit
Marit Bjoergen claimed her sixth gold medal and second of the 2011 World Championships Saturday (Feb. 26) with a powerhouse showing in the women’s 15k pursuit.
Bjoergen, Norwegian teammate Therese Johaug and Poland’s three time World Cup winner Justyna Kowalczyk broke ahead of the pack about five kilomteres into the race and never looked back.
Bjoergen steamed ahead for the gold, Kowalczyk won silver 7.5 seconds back and Johaug took the bronze 8.8 seconds out.
Fog was again the biggest deterrent to the day, shrouding the finish stadium that spectators could barely see the racers at all, making picking out individuals nearly impossible.
The U.S. skiers finished in a bunch with three making the top 30, results that pleased coach Chris Grover. Elizabeth Stephen was 24th, Holly Brooks 25th and Jessica Diggins 28th.
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| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 2 | 1303777 | BJOERGEN Marit | 1980 | NOR | 38:08.6 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 1 | 3435001 | KOWALCZYK Justyna | 1983 | POL | 38:16.1 | 4.59 |
| 3 | 4 | 3425301 | JOHAUG Therese | 1988 | NOR | 38:17.4 | 5.38 |
| 4 | 5 | 3505217 | KALLA Charlotte | 1987 | SWE | 39:02.5 | 32.97 |
| 5 | 3 | 1222200 | LONGA Marianna | 1979 | ITA | 39:17.0 | 41.84 |
| 6 | 17 | 3505003 | RYDQVIST Maria | 1983 | SWE | 39:17.4 | 42.09 |
| 7 | 18 | 1373617 | FESSEL Nicole | 1983 | GER | 39:17.4 | 42.09 |
| 8 | 7 | 1255665 | SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa | 1979 | FIN | 39:19.9 | 43.62 |
| 9 | 15 | 3425003 | STEIRA Kristin Stoermer | 1981 | NOR | 39:24.6 | 46.49 |
| 10 | 9 | 3505183 | HAAG Anna | 1986 | SWE | 39:46.8 | 60.07 |
| 11 | 16 | 1274580 | ISHIDA Masako | 1980 | JPN | 40:02.9 | 69.92 |
| 12 | 12 | 3485195 | TCHEKALEVA Yulia | 1984 | RUS | 40:05.5 | 71.51 |
| 13 | 22 | 1256732 | SACHENBACHER -STEHLE Evi | 1980 | GER | 40:05.8 | 71.69 |
| 14 | 8 | 1255374 | ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa | 1978 | FIN | 40:06.9 | 72.37 |
| 15 | 11 | 3425349 | KRISTOFFERSEN Marthe | 1989 | NOR | 40:07.7 | 72.86 |
| 16 | 13 | 1247226 | ZELLER Katrin | 1979 | GER | 40:11.0 | 74.88 |
| 17 | 14 | 1142563 | SHEVCHENKO Valentina | 1975 | UKR | 40:37.9 | 91.33 |
| 18 | 20 | 3185004 | SARASOJA Riikka | 1982 | FIN | 40:50.7 | 99.16 |
| 19 | 6 | 1138877 | FOLLIS Arianna | 1977 | ITA | 40:51.3 | 99.53 |
| 20 | 27 | 3565014 | JEZERSEK Barbara | 1986 | SLO | 40:57.1 | 103.08 |
| 21 | 19 | 3705003 | PROCHAZKOVA Alena | 1984 | SVK | 40:58.7 | 104.05 |
| 22 | 31 | 3155008 | JANECKOVA Ivana | 1984 | CZE | 41:03.0 | 106.69 |
| 23 | 29 | 1319976 | KOLOMINA Elena | 1981 | KAZ | 41:03.3 | 106.87 |
| 24 | 37 | 3535261 | STEPHEN Elizabeth | 1987 | USA | 41:03.5 | 106.99 |
| 25 | 32 | 3535142 | BROOKS Holly | 1982 | USA | 41:21.5 | 118.00 |
| 26 | 23 | 3485013 | NOVIKOVA Valentina | 1984 | RUS | 41:22.7 | 118.74 |
| 27 | 26 | 3485198 | IVANOVA Julia | 1985 | RUS | 41:25.9 | 120.69 |
| 28 | 42 | 3535410 | DIGGINS Jessica | 1991 | USA | 41:33.8 | 125.53 |
| 29 | 50 | 1181848 | YATSKAYA Oxana | 1978 | KAZ | 41:35.2 | 126.38 |
| 30 | 35 | 3505069 | LINDBORG Sara | 1983 | SWE | 41:35.3 | 126.44 |
| 31 | 10 | 3185256 | LAHTEENMAKI Krista | 1990 | FIN | 41:50.7 | 135.86 |
| 32 | 40 | 3435031 | MACIUSZEK Paulina | 1985 | POL | 41:51.2 | 136.17 |
| 33 | 28 | 3695011 | GRYGORENKO Kateryna | 1985 | UKR | 41:54.9 | 138.43 |
| 34 | 33 | 3155041 | NYVLTOVA Eva | 1986 | CZE | 42:00.0 | 141.55 |
| 35 | 30 | 3295088 | DE MARTIN TOPRANIN Virginia | 1987 | ITA | 42:01.9 | 142.72 |
| 36 | 25 | 1182042 | MALAKHOVA-SHISHKINA Svetlana | 1977 | KAZ | 42:02.4 | 143.02 |
| 37 | 49 | 1194555 | NESTERENKO Lada | 1976 | UKR | 42:06.6 | 145.59 |
| 38 | 21 | 3195059 | BARTHELEMY Laure | 1988 | FRA | 42:33.3 | 161.92 |
| 39 | 34 | 3195056 | JEAN Aurore | 1985 | FRA | 42:33.9 | 162.29 |
| 40 | 24 | 1293107 | BOEHLER Stefanie | 1981 | GER | 42:38.9 | 165.35 |
| 41 | 48 | 3395035 | ROHTLA Laura | 1985 | EST | 42:52.8 | 173.85 |
| 42 | 44 | 3305134 | KOBAYASHI Yuki | 1987 | JPN | 43:08.1 | 183.21 |
| 43 | 41 | 3535270 | ARRITOLA Morgan | 1986 | USA | 43:09.5 | 184.07 |
| 44 | 36 | 3485291 | BOCHKAREVA Svetlana | 1984 | RUS | 43:16.7 | 188.47 |
| 45 | 43 | 3495008 | ORGUE Laura | 1986 | SPA | 43:39.9 | 202.67 |
| 46 | 46 | 1354799 | GYORGY Monika | 1982 | ROU | 43:40.0 | 202.73 |
| 47 | 47 | 1258769 | LEE Chae-Won | 1981 | KOR | 43:41.2 | 203.46 |
| 48 | 38 | 3195126 | BOURGEOIS Celia | 1983 | FRA | 44:02.3 | 216.37 |
| 49 | 52 | 3675018 | MATROSSOVA Marina | 1990 | KAZ | 44:02.6 | 216.55 |
| 50 | 45 | 3695016 | ANTSYBOR Maryna | 1987 | UKR | 45:00.3 | 251.85 |
| 51 | 39 | 1341316 | GOSLING Brooke | 1980 | CAN | 45:08.6 | 256.93 |
| 52 | 54 | 1365178 | BOTTOMLEY Esther | 1983 | AUS | 46:22.8 | 302.32 |
| 53 | 53 | 3225005 | MUSGRAVE Rosamund | 1986 | GBR | 48:01.6 | 362.75 |
| Lapped | |||||||
| 56 | 3775007 | KHODIAKOVA Irina | 1990 | KGZ | |||
| 55 | 3085003 | PICIN Mirlene | 1980 | BRA | |||
| Did not start | |||||||
| 51 | 3435004 | SZYMANCZAK Agnieszka | 1984 | POL | |||
About the Author: Hank McKee
In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”
