Changchun XC: Randall 7th in World Cup sprint

Two-time Olympian Kikkan Randall screamed through qualifying of a World Cup 1.2-kilometer classic sprint Thursday, then finished seventh in the last event before World Championships open on Feb. 22.
CHANGCHUN, China — Two-time Olympian Kikkan Randall screamed through qualifying of a World Cup 1.2-kilometer classic sprint Thursday, then finished seventh in the last event before World Championships open on Feb. 22.
    Andy Newell posted the best U.S. men’s result with 13th in a race won by Ola Vigan Hattestad as Norway swept the top five places for men. Russian Evgenia Shapovalova took the women’s race.
    Randall — the lone U.S. woman racing — was edged in the semifinal round after qualifying fourth; she then won the so-called B final. Randall is ninth in the sprint standings, 26th overall in the points.
   Newell suffered his lowest finish of the season; however, since FIS rules mandate dropping a result after five races, the finish was discarded and he stands fifth in the sprint points, 26th overall. Torin Koos was 22nd and is 16th in sprint rankings, 40th overall.
    A year ago after the Olympics, as the World Cup was staged for the first time in China, Newell finished third in the men's sprint — also in Changchun — for the first U.S. podium since 1983. Randall and Koos have skied to sprint podiums this season.
    The last races before the '07 worlds are scheduled for Friday, the women's 10 km and men's 15 km freestyle race. Kris Freeman will be the lone American racing. The championships begin next week with CL technique sprints.

VIESSMANN CROSS COUNTRY WORLD CUP
Changchun, China — Feb. 15, 2007
Men's 1.3 km classic sprint (6 make finals)
1. Ola Vigen Hattestad, Norway.
2. Boerre Naess, Norway, Norway
3. Tor Arne Hetland, Norway,
4. Trond Iversen, Norway
5. Simen Oestensen, Norway
–
13. Andy Newell, Shaftsbury, Vt.
22. Torin Koos, Leavenworth, Wash.

Women's 1.1 km classis sprint
1. Evgenia Shpovalova, Russia
2. Natalia Matveeva, Russia
3. Guro Stroem Solli, Norway
4. Nicole Fessel, Germany
5. Lina Andersson, Sweden
–
7. Kikkan Randall, Anchorage, Alaska

Click here for complete results.