Kuusamo XC: Newell, Randall 12th in sprint

Norwegian Jens Arne Svartedal won a cross-country ski sprint race on Saturday, his ninth career World Cup win. It was a solid day for the Americans, with Andy Newell 12th, Torin Koos 20th and Chris Cook 27th. On the women’s side, American Kikkan Randall was 12th.

KUUSAMO, Finland — Norwegian Jens Arne Svartedal won a cross-country ski sprint race on Saturday, his ninth career World Cup win.
    Norway swept the top five places on the 1.2-kilometer (0.75-mile) track. Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset finished second, Tor Arne Hetland took third, Trond Iversen was fourth and Johan Kjolstad placed fifth.
    “The last minutes required full speed and energy — maybe the hardest sprint ever — but it suited me very well,” Svartedal said.
    It was a solid day for the Americans, with Andy Newell 12th, Torin Koos 20th and Chris Cook 27th. On the women’s side, American Kikkan Randall was 12th.
    Eldar Ronning of Norway leads the overall standings with 132 points. Hetland is second with 120.
    In the women’s event, Petra Majdic of Slovenia beat Norwegians Marit Bjoergen and Astrid Jacobsen.
    “It was a little surprising because I’m usually in better shape during the second half of season, but the track was made for me,” Majdic said.
    Bjoergen leads the overall standings with 220 points. Majdic is second with 158.  
    Newell qualified second and tore through his quarterfinal heat, then led the semifinal heat before tiring in the final meters in the overcast, 30-degree weather.
    "It was a good day," said sprint head coach Chris Grover. "Four skiers into the points, two top 12s … and a big thanks to Roar [Lillefjell, head waxing technician] and the waxing staff. We had outstanding skis all day, even with the glazing conditions on the snow and everything else.
    "Andy led that semifinal heat down the hill and back up toward the finish until he just ran out of gas at the end. And I'll take the hit on that; Coach Grover needs to work a little more on their conditioning … but Andy's skiing so well, they all are. Torin had some bad luck with a couple of guys going down right in front of him on the final turn, and he lost all his momentum…"

Kuusamo World Cup cross-country results
KUUSAMO, Finland — Results Saturday from a World Cup cross-country ski meet:

Men
Sprint
1.2 kilometers, classic style
1. Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway.
2. Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset, Norway.
3. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway.
4. Trond Iversen, Norway.
5. Johan Kjolstad, Norway.
6. Emil Jonsson, Sweden.
7. Axel Teichmann, Germany.
8. Eldar Ronning, Norway.
9. Oystein Pettersen, Norway.
10. Vassili Rotshev, Russia.
11. Fredrik Ostberg, Sweden.
12. Andrew Newell, United States.
13. Yuichi Onda, Japan.
14. Janusz Krezelok, Poland
15. Timo Simonlatser, Estonia.
16. Ivan Alypov, Russia.
17. Bjorn Lind, Sweden.
18. Matias Strandvall, Finland.
19. Evgeny Kostshevoiy, Kazakhstan.
20. Torin Koos, United States.
21. Lauri Pyykonen, Finland.
22. Sami Jauhojarvi, Finland.
23. Thobias Fredriksson, Sweden.
24. Jari Joutsen, Finland.
25. Nikolay Tshebotko, Kazakhstan.
26. Kalle Lassila, Finland.
27. Chris Cook, United States.
28. Maciej Kreczmer, Poland.
29. Devon Kershaw, Canada.
30. Thomas Stoggl, Austria.

Sprint standings
After 2 of 8 races
1. Eldar Ronning, Norway, 132 points.
2. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway, 120
3. Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway, 116.
4. Oystein Pettersen, Norway, 109.
5. Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset, Norway, 80.
6. Trond Iversen, Norway, 79.
7. Johan Kjolstad, Norway, 63.
8. Andrew Newell, United States, 54.
9. Tobias Angerer, Germany, 50.
10. Jon Kristian Dahl, Norway, 45.

Overall standings
After 3 of 27 races
1. Eldar Ronning, Norway, 132.
2. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway, 120.
3. Jens Arne Svartedal, Norway, 116.
4. Oystein Pettersen, Norway, 109.
5. Ole Einar Bjorndalen, Norway, 100.
6. Tobias Angerer, Germany, 82.
7. Tore Ruud Hofstad, Norway, 80.
(tie) Odd Bjorn Hjelmeset, Norway, 80.
9. Trond Iversen, Norway, 79.
10. Axel Teichmann, Germany, 76.

Women
Sprint
1.2 kilometers, classic style
1. Petra Majdic, Slovenia.
2. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland.
3. Marit Bjoergen, Norway.
4. Astrid Jacobsen, Norway.
5. Mona-Liisa Malvalehto, Finland.
6. Ella Gjomle, Norway.
7. Lina Andersson, Sweden.
8. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, Finland.
9. Manuela Henkel, Germany.
10. Stefanie Bohler, Germany.
11. Natalia Korosteleva, Russia.
12. Kikkan Randall, United States.
13. Evgeniya Shapovalova, Russia.
14. Ida Ingmarsdottir, Sweden.
15. Claudia Kunzel, Germany.
16. Evi Sachenbacher Stehle, Germany.
17. Laurence Rochat, Switzerland.
18. Arianna Follis, Italy.
19. Seraina Mischol, Switzerland.
20. Mirva Rintala, Finland,
21. Madoka Natsumi, Japan.
22. Katerina Smutna, Austria.
23. Natalia Matveeva, Russia.
24. Vesna Fabjan, Slovenia.
25. Pirjo Manninen, Finland.
26. Viola Bauer, Germany.
27. Vibeke Skofterud, Norway.
28. Nicole Fessel, Germany.
29. Kirsi Perala, Finland.
30. Alena Prochazkova, Slovakia.

Sprint standings
After 2 of 8 races
1. Marit Bjoergen, Norway 160 points.
2. Petra Majdic, Slovenia, 126.
3. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland, 102.
4. Ella Gjomle, Norway, 100.
5. Natalia Matveeva, Russia, 88.
6. Lina Andersson, Sweden, 86.
7. Mona-Liisa Malvalehto, Finland, 85.
8. Arianna Follis, Italy, 58.
9. Astrid Jacobsen, Norway, 56.
10. Evi Sachenbacher Stehle, Germany, 51.

Overall standings
After 3 of 27 races
1. Marit Bjoergen, Norway, 220.
2. Petra Majdic, Slovenia, 158.
3. Virpi Kuitunen, Finland, 122.
4. Katerina Neumannova, Czech Republic, 107.
5. Ella Gjomle, Norway, 101.
6. Natalia Matveeva, Russia, 88.
7. Lina Andersson, Sweden, 86.
8. Mona-Liisa Malvalehto, Finland, 85.
9. Kristina Smigun, Estonia, 80.
10. Arianna Follis, Italy, 76.