WHISTLER, B.C. - Winning on Canadian soil is a tradition Emil Joensson hopes to continue.

Joensson won the men's 1.6-kilometre classic sprint cross-country World Cup ski race Friday at Whistler Olympic Park, the venue that will host the 2010 Winter Games.

It was the second World Cup victory of the 23-year-old Swede's career. His first came last year in Canmore, Alta. He also won while competing at last year's Canadian championships held at the Olympic park.

"I really like this place, I like this course," said Joensson. "Canada is OK for me."

Joensson laughed when asked if he now becomes a favourite at the Olympics.

"It is better to be No. 1 than No. 41," he said. "Of course it's good to have this in your back pocket when you come again."

Alena Prochazkova of Slovakia also received a huge confidence boost. She won her first women's World Cup race in the 1.3-kilometre classic sprint.

"I am very happy today," Prochazkova, 24, said through an interpreter. "It is a very good result before the Olympic Games."

Ola Vigen Hattestad of Norway was second in the men's race while Germany's Josef Wenzl was third. Russia's Ivan Ivanov had crossed the finish line in third place but was disqualified for skate skiing.

The top Canadian was Devon Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont., who finished eighth.

"I'm satisfied," said Kershaw, who was eliminated in the semifinals. "When you crack into the top-10 it's an important accomplishment for me.

"I came into this races a little tired. The body just wasn't there to win."

In the women's race, Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland was second and Anna Olsson of Sweden third.

Sara Renner of Canmore was the top Canadian woman, finishing 15th. She failed to advance into the semifinals after being out-poled to the finish in her quarter-final heat.

"I have a good heart but I have to work on my arm strength," said Renner. "It's heartbreaking to be so close to going on. At the same time, I was fighting for it and it was within my reach."

The races are the first Olympic test events held at the $119.7-million venue, located about 20 kilometres southwest of Whistler. The facility will host cross-country, ski jumping and biathlon during the Olympics.

Most of the racers praised the cross-country course.

"I think it's a good course," said Joensson. "It has long hills. You have to power uphill and you have difficult curves in the end.

"I like this course very much. You have to stay focused all the time. It's very easy in the sharp corners to get in trouble. You have to stay focused and stay alert."

There was several falls during the races. A spill in the men's final resulted in Russia's Nikita Kriukov and Italy's Renato Pasini exchanging shoves and heated words in the finish area.

Kowalczyk suggested officials consider altering one, 180-degree corner on the track.

"We are together and we are skiing very fast," she said. "This is very hard and very tough for us.

"There was a lot of accidents in this corner. It is very dangerous."

Renner, who won a silver medal at the Turin Olympics, said it was great to hear the support of a Canadian crowd.

"What stands out most for us is the Canadians cheering for us," she said. "We never have Canadian flags or voices saying our name.

"You forget what it is like or what it will be like for the Olympics."

The sprint races began with a qualifying round where the fastest 30 skiers advanced to the finals.

In the finals, six skiers raced in heats with the top two advancing to the next round.

Chandra Crawford of Canmore won a gold medal in the sprint at the Turin Games. Her medal came in a skate sprint.

Crawford, 25, who has been sidelined most of this season with an ankle injury, attended the event but did not race.

The Whistler World Cup comes on the heels of the gruelling Tour de Ski, a series of seven races over nine days in three different European countries. Many of the world's top cross-country skiers are competing but others chose to skip the event.

Other Canadian men to qualify for the final included Sean Crooks of Thunder Bay, Ont., who finished 15th and David Nighbor of North Bay, Ont., who was 24th.

In the women's race, Perianne Jones of Almonte, Ont., had her best World Cup finish with a 20th while Daria Gaiazova of Montreal was 30th.

By Jim Morris
THE CANADIAN PRESS
16 January, 2009