Flying Falk took the sprint victory. Then came Emil Jönsson and did the same. Ideal day for Sweden in Otepää on Sunday. We have seen new Swedish team. Offensive, strong and victorious.

Another sprint victory for Flying Falk
Hanna Falk, 21, sprinted down Petra Majdic who has dominated classic sprints. But Hanna Falk did not care whether Majdic attacks or Finnish Aino Kaisa Saarinen is behind.

Hanna Falk focused only on one thing - to come first over the finish line and win her second World Cup victory. The development is sensationally good even for those who follow the team closely. Psychological barriers that could have been there are torn down now the whole ski-Sweden is focused on victory.

Team spirit does that trick
Sweden is currently the best in the world in producing ski talents. And they can make them internationally accepted in relatively short time. Leadership of Magnus Ingesson ,Joakim Abrahamsson and men's sprint coach Arild Monsen gives energy, self-reliance and almost magical atmosphere.

All Swedes made it through qualification. Four out of five Swedes succeeded in quarterfinals and proceeded further. Hanna Falk and Ida Ingemarsdotter were fighting in the ladies' finals. For Ingemarsdotter it was the best World Cup result ever.
Four Swedish men advanced to semifinals. Two fought in the finals; Emil Jonsson took victory and Björn Lind finished sixth. A brilliant effort.
Emil reigned all the way and despite the fact that Ola Vigen Hattestad and Russians Kiriukov were pushing hard in final meters of the race. Årsunda-Express showed self-confidence as never seen before. Bjorn Lind should not be forgotten as it was his first sprint finals in the 2009/10 season.

Move on to the semifinals.
Team Sweden is doing well. It was yellow and blue show yesterday in Otepää. What will be Norwegian and Russian response to the Swedish express?

Contributed by: Swedish Ski Association. Author: Torbjörn Nordvall
FIScrosscountry.com
Monday 18 January 2010

Sweden or Norway? War of nerves has started.
Emil won the sprint meeting in Otepää - war of nerves has started

"I'm the fastest now and I will be better at the Olympics "said Emil Jönsson after victory in Otepää.
" Next time we meet in Vancouver and I will win" said Ola Vigen Hattestad.
The Norwegian champion in the sprint was defeated by Emil but he promises revenge in Vancouver - nerve war has started.

After Emil won the qualification in Otepää they met already in the quarterfinals and were together in the finals. The Swede won all the duels.

"My tactic was to stay behind Emil it was a good tactic "explained Vigen Hattestad, but he was unable overtake Jönsson.
"It's an incredibly long track here and wind gusts made it heavy" commented Emil his race. He also believes this was a good test for the Olympics.
"I believe that those who were here will fight in Vancouver too. Personally, I do not think Petter Northug will go the classic sprint, said Sunday's winner, who was also happy to fight against Hattestad, the Norwegian superstar in a sprint finish.
"Last meters to the finish Line in Whistler are different. There is a curve in the stadium and therefore it is not so important to be first all the way, as it was here in Otepää" analyzed Jönsson.

Exciting finals
Emil Jönsson was really struggling to keep Ola Vigen Hattestad behind him, while Russian Nikita Kriukov came from behind and tried to squeeze himself between the two.
But there was no doubt that Emil was first across the line. Who will claim victory in Vancouver in Sprint Classic? When we take a look at results from Pre-Olympics World Cup we find out that Emil Jönsson finished first, Ola Vigen Hattestad second and Josef Wenzl (GER) third. Nikita Kriukov was also there taking fourth place. 5th was Renato Pasini. Josef Wenzl has not had hi best season so far and he still searching for Olympic shape. He took 7th place in German Championships in Sprint 1.4 km Free technique. Pasini was ranked 12th in Sprint F in Prague, however, his performance in Sprint Classic in Oberhof was far away from podium places as he took 49th place.

The Olympic Sprint Classic Men is scheduled on February 17th, 2010

Contributed by: Kjell-Erik Kristiansen.
FIScrosscountry.com
Monday 18 January 2010

Newell Just Misses Semis in Estonia

OTEPAA, Estonia (Jan. 17) - Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) missed out on the semifinal round by an eyelash at the Viessman FIS World Cup sprint in Estonia on Saturday, finishing 13th after qualifying sixth. Sweden's Emil Joensson won on the men's side and Hanna Falk on the women's.

"I wasn't outraced, I was outlunged," Newell said, beaten by Finland's Jesse Vaeaenaenen in a photo finish.

Newell said he felt strong in qualifications and even better in warmups for the final heat, "which is kind of what made it so disappointing," he said.

Tactics played a major role in Newell's quarterfinal heat, slower than the trail blazers before it as skiers tried to ensure they made the top two rather than count on speed to get them through.

"We noticed that the first two heats, especially the first heat, had gone super fast, way faster than anything in qualifications," Newell said.

Newell, who dropped from third to fourth in the FIS Sprint Cup standings, found himself second with a front-row view of the finish before Vaeaenaenen eked past.

"I skied how I wanted to," he said. "I was in position to attack the final stretch."

Newell now gets a trip home to Vermont after 10 weeks on the road in Europe. Now he'll focus on training for the Olympics and a final World Cup sprint in Canmore, AB, on Feb. 6.

FIScrosscountry.com
Monday 18 January 2010

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