Nordic Worlds: Kowalczyk takes women’s 15K
Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk became a world champion today, wining a 15K classic pursuit cross country race at the 2009 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. It is her second medal at these games, she won the bonze in the 10K event Thursday.
Norway’s Kristin Stoermer Steira finished two seconds later to claim second place and World Cup overall leader, Finland’s Aino Kaisa Saarinen rounded out the podium in third.
Elizabeth Stephen led the Americans with a 15th-place finish at the Burke Mountain Academy product’s first World Championships.
Check out highlights from Liberec at UniversalSports.com.
Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk became a world champion today, wining a 15K classic pursuit cross country race at the 2009 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. It is her second medal at these games, she won the bonze in the 10K event Thursday.
“I’m very happy, this is my dream. I can’t believe it,” Kowalczyk told the Associated Press. “It was the best finish of my life. I worked hard the whole distance with Steira, but this time I was stronger in the finish.”
Norway’s Kristin Stoermer Steira finished two seconds later to claim second place and World Cup overall leader, Finland’s Aino Kaisa Saarinen rounded out the podium in third.
Elizabeth Stephen led the Americans with a 15th-place finish at the Burke Mountain Academy product’s first World Championships. Teammate Morgan Arritola followed in 32dn place.
“I had really good skis and spent most of my warmup testing out skis. It worked out well. I was able to ski really relaxed and came in mid pack. Then I worked my way through in the skate, trying to pick off people as I went,” Stephen said.
“The crowds are awesome, really loud and people are just having a blast out here. They were chanting all the girls’ names in the 10k classic and the stands are chocked full of people,” she said.
“I’m so excited. Liz and Morgan skied well. I am proud of how they raced and couldn’t be happier,” U.S. Cross Country Head Coach Pete Vordenberg said. “It’s been a great Championships so far.”
The two will race in the women’s 4x5K skate relay Feb. 26.
Check out highlights from Liberec at UniversalSports.com.
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Time | FIS Points |
1 | 2 | 3435001 | KOWALCZYK Justyna | 1983 | POL | 40:55.3 | 0.00 |
2 | 6 | 3425003 | STEIRA Kristin Stoermer | 1981 | NOR | 40:57.0 | 0.97 |
3 | 1 | 1255665 | SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa | 1979 | FIN | 41:03.3 | 4.56 |
4 | 3 | 1222200 | LONGA Marianna | 1979 | ITA | 41:16.8 | 12.26 |
5 | 9 | 1142563 | SHEVCHENKO Valentina | 1975 | UKR | 41:39.5 | 25.20 |
6 | 10 | 3425301 | JOHAUG Therese | 1988 | NOR | 42:19.2 | 47.84 |
7 | 8 | 1138877 | FOLLIS Arianna | 1977 | ITA | 42:25.3 | 51.32 |
8 | 14 | 3505217 | KALLA Charlotte | 1987 | SWE | 42:25.9 | 51.66 |
9 | 7 | 1276714 | MAJDIC Petra | 1979 | SLO | 42:30.6 | 54.34 |
10 | 19 | 1256732 | SACHENBACHER -STEHLE Evi | 1980 | GER | 42:34.4 | 56.51 |
11 | 44 | 1181848 | JATSKAJA Oxana | 1978 | KAZ | 42:34.5 | 56.56 |
12 | 15 | 1207165 | MEDVEDEVA Evgenia | 1976 | RUS | 42:46.6 | 63.46 |
13 | 4 | 1166037 | KUITUNEN Virpi | 1976 | FIN | 42:49.2 | 64.95 |
14 | 22 | 1274580 | ISHIDA Masako | 1980 | JPN | 42:51.4 | 66.20 |
15 | 38 | 3535261 | STEPHEN Elizabeth | 1987 | USA | 42:52.3 | 66.71 |
16 | 24 | 1101920 | CONFORTOLA Antonella | 1975 | ITA | 42:53.5 | 67.40 |
17 | 18 | 1247226 | ZELLER Katrin | 1979 | GER | 42:59.7 | 70.93 |
18 | 20 | 1099204 | LAURENT PHILIPPOT Karine | 1974 | FRA | 43:05.4 | 74.18 |
19 | 5 | 1303777 | BJOERGEN Marit | 1980 | NOR | 43:12.4 | 78.17 |
20 | 37 | 1174670 | RAJDLOVA Kamila | 1978 | CZE | 43:18.7 | 81.77 |
21 | 13 | 1128886 | RENNER Sara | 1976 | CAN | 43:22.9 | 84.16 |
22 | 35 | 1289227 | SANNIKOVA Alena | 1980 | BLR | 43:23.2 | 84.33 |
23 | 12 | 1255374 | ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa | 1978 | FIN | 43:30.2 | 88.32 |
24 | 32 | 3185004 | SARASOJA Riikka | 1982 | FIN | 43:32.4 | 89.58 |
25 | 58 | 1319976 | KOLOMINA Elena | 1981 | KAZ | 43:32.9 | 89.86 |
26 | 34 | 1182042 | MALAHOVA-SHISHKINA Svetlana | 1977 | KAZ | 43:35.1 | 91.12 |
27 | 23 | 1322110 | ROTCHEVA Olga | 1978 | RUS | 43:37.4 | 92.43 |
28 | 21 | 1005017 | VALBUSA Sabina | 1972 | ITA | 43:47.7 | 98.30 |
29 | 68 | 3125002 | HONGXUE Li | 1984 | CHN | 43:48.5 | 98.76 |
30 | 26 | 1092996 | TCHEPALOVA Julija | 1976 | RUS | 43:49.4 | 99.27 |
31 | 28 | 3435014 | JASKOWIEC Sylwia | 1986 | POL | 43:49.9 | 99.56 |
32 | 45 | 3535270 | ARRITOLA Morgan | 1986 | USA | 43:51.3 | 100.35 |
33 | 43 | 3155008 | JANECKOVA Ivana | 1984 | CZE | 43:59.0 | 104.74 |
34 | 30 | 1088922 | SAVIALOVA Olga | 1972 | RUS | 44:04.8 | 108.05 |
35 | 29 | 3195010 | HUGUE Coraline | 1984 | FRA | 44:15.6 | 114.21 |
36 | 27 | 3485032 | KOROSTELEVA Natalia | 1981 | RUS | 44:22.0 | 117.86 |
37 | 25 | 3425183 | JACOBSEN Astrid Uhrenholdt | 1987 | NOR | 44:24.4 | 119.23 |
38 | 53 | 1316193 | JAKIMCHUK Vita | 1980 | UKR | 44:25.9 | 120.08 |
39 | 51 | 3665001 | VASILJONOK Olga | 1980 | BLR | 44:32.0 | 123.56 |
40 | 40 | 3435018 | MAREK Kornelia | 1985 | POL | 44:32.7 | 123.96 |
41 | 42 | 1194555 | NESTERENKO Lada | 1976 | UKR | 44:39.5 | 127.84 |
42 | 46 | 1217156 | ERBENOVA Helena | 1979 | CZE | 45:13.5 | 147.22 |
43 | 36 | 1345293 | STORTI Cecile | 1983 | FRA | 45:13.9 | 147.45 |
44 | 67 | 3665014 | RUDAKOVA Ekaterina | 1984 | BLR | 45:15.2 | 148.19 |
45 | 54 | 3675007 | ROSHINA Tatjana | 1987 | KAZ | 45:18.8 | 150.25 |
46 | 41 | 1323565 | MANNIMA Tatjana | 1980 | EST | 45:32.9 | 158.29 |
47 | 63 | 3105040 | GAIAZOVA Daria | 1983 | CAN | 45:33.8 | 158.80 |
48 | 59 | 1341898 | SWANSON Shayla | 1982 | CAN | 45:39.2 | 161.88 |
49 | 47 | 3565014 | JEZERSEK Barbara | 1986 | SLO | 45:55.2 | 171.00 |
50 | 57 | 3155006 | SKALNIKOVA Eva | 1985 | CZE | 46:00.5 | 174.02 |
51 | 49 | 3505481 | BRODIN Hanna | 1990 | SWE | 46:01.8 | 174.76 |
52 | 52 | 3695015 | OBIUKH Zoya | 1985 | UKR | 46:18.9 | 184.52 |
53 | 39 | 3195059 | BARTHELEMY Laure | 1988 | FRA | 46:28.1 | 189.76 |
54 | 55 | 1350628 | FUKUDA Nobuko | 1980 | JPN | 46:28.3 | 189.87 |
55 | 62 | 3665028 | DUBAREZAVA Nastassia | 1985 | BLR | 46:47.4 | 200.77 |
56 | 50 | 3415003 | CALDER Katherine | 1980 | NZE | 46:55.8 | 205.56 |
57 | 69 | 3125046 | LI Xin | 1992 | CHN | 47:18.0 | 218.21 |
58 | 64 | 3435031 | MACIUSZEK Paulina | 1985 | POL | 47:30.0 | 225.06 |
59 | 56 | 3535021 | COMPTON Caitlin | 1980 | USA | 47:35.3 | 228.08 |
60 | 65 | 3045009 | WATSON Aimee | 1987 | AUS | 47:48.7 | 235.72 |
61 | 48 | 3395035 | ROHTLA Laura | 1985 | EST | 49:13.2 | 283.90 |
Lapped | |||||||
77 | 3775004 | ZAMYATINA Julia | 1985 | KGZ | |||
76 | 3725008 | CHINBAT Otgontsetseg | 1991 | MGL | |||
75 | 3085002 | MOURAO Jaqueline | 1975 | BRA | |||
74 | 3235029 | DANOU Maria | 1990 | GRE | |||
73 | 3775002 | RESHETKOVA Olga | 1982 | KGZ | |||
71 | 3225004 | YOUNG Sarah | 1989 | GBR | |||
70 | 3225006 | HUGHES Fiona-Elizabeth | 1990 | GBR | |||
66 | 1354799 | GYORGY Monika | 1982 | ROU | |||
61 | 3095010 | GRIGOROVA Antonia | 1986 | BUL | |||
Did not start | |||||||
33 | 3505003 | RYDQVIST Maria | 1983 | SWE | |||
11 | 1293107 | BOEHLER Stefanie | 1981 | GER | |||
Did not finish | |||||||
72 | 3125023 | MAN Dandan | 1989 | CHN | |||
60 | 3525001 | CETINKAYA Kelime | 1982 | TUR | |||
31 | 1312701 | MISCHOL Seraina | 1981 | SUI | |||
17 | 3055066 | SMUTNA Katerina | 1983 | AUT | |||
16 | 1220648 | NYSTAD Claudia | 1978 | GER |