Changchun XC: Freeman 10th, gaining momentum

American Kris Freeman, continuing to build steam as a leadup to the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships next week, was 10th Friday — his best World Cup result in three years — in a 15 km freestyle race.
CHANGCHUN, China — American Kris Freeman, continuing to build steam as a leadup to the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships next week, was 10th Friday — his best World Cup result in three years — in a 15 km freestyle race.
    Defending World Cup champion Tobias Angerer of Germany won with a time of 37 minutes, 05.8 seconds as he tore through the second lap. Second place went to Vincent Vittoz of France, the defending pursuit world champion; his time was 37:15.1.
    Freeman, who was sixth and then fifth in two World Cup races in December 2003 — and 15th nearly two weeks ago in Davos, Switzerland, in another 15 km FR, was 14th at the 2 km mark and moved up to eighth at 9.4 kilometers before finishing in 38:15.3. He was the only U.S. skier competing in the sunny, 32-degree weather.
    Czech Katerina Neumannova won the women’s 10 km in 25:21.2, more than a minute ahead of Karine Philpott of France. No U.S. women raced.
    The World Championships open Feb. 22 with classic technique sprints.

VIESSMAN CROSS COUNTRY WORLD CUP
Changchun, China — Feb. 16, 2007
Men’s 15 km freestyle
1. Tobias Angerer, Germany, 37:05.8
2. Vincent Vittoz, France, 37:05.15.1
3. Emmanuel Jonnier, France, 27:05.17.1
4. Sergei Siriaev, Russia, 37:21.9
5. Petter Northug, Norway, 37:32.5
–
10. Kris Freeman, Andover, N.H., 38:15.3.

Women’s 10 km FR
1. Katerina Neumannova, Czech Republic, 25:21.2
2. Karine Philpott, France, 26:29.7
3. Svetlana Malahova, Kazakhstan, 26:51.6
4. Yuanyuan Liu, China, 26:56.7
5. Alena Sidko, Russia, 27:02.5
(No Americans raced)

Click here for complete results.