Consistent Canucks Ski into Top-20 at Cross-Country Skiing World Cup in Norway
BEITOSTOLEN, Nor.— Katherine Stewart-Jones and Antoine Cyr continued their steady start to the World Cup season with top-20 finishes in a World Cup 10-kilometre race.
Stewart-Jones, of Chelsea, Que., was 19th in the women’s individual start classic-ski race, while Cyr placed 20th.
“I am happy with where both Katherine and Antoine are at,” said Robin McKeever, National Team Coach of the Olympic stream. “They have both had some viruses to deal with, but I believe they will unload more training and can be even faster.”
Battling to nail her pacing in individual start races, and shaking off some fatigue, Stewart-Jones was in the hunt for her second top-15 result in as many weeks. The 27-year-old built throughout the two laps on the technical track and finished with a time of 28:24.3.
“I’m really happy with today. I had a cold the last five days so I’m just happy to be healthy and back to racing and feelling good,” said Stewart-Jones. ‘It was perfect classic conditions today and I had great skis. The course here is super tough and definitely suits me.”
Finland’s Kerttu Niskanen set the time to beat at 26:56.3. Norway’s Anne Kalvaa was 12.7 seconds back at 27:09.0. Sweden’s Frida Karlsson won the women’s bronze medal with a time of 27:12.8.
Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse) was 37th at 29:26.2. Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt, of Morin Heights, Que., placed 46th with a time of 30:06.2.
Fighting through an early-season illness, Antoine Cyr charged hard out of the gate en route to a 20th-place finish.
“It is really good to be in the top-20 and get the points. The shape is there so I’m really, really happy with my day,” said Cyr, who was coming off a 12th-place result last weekend where he was just five seconds behind the race winner.
“I felt I was really professional today. I put a bad day like yesterday behind me and was able to give a bit more today. Consistency is very important to me with my results. I want to race as good and as fast as I can.”
The 24-year-old old completed his two loops in a time of 24:38.5.
“This was a really good course for me. It was very technical with a lot of transitions and two-to-three massive uphills. That is where I’m strong – with long strides,” added Cyr, who was 30 second off the podium pace.
The Norwegians skied to the top-two spots on the podium. Paal Golberg won gold with a time of 23:55.6. Didrik Toenseth claimed the silver at 24:03.2, while Andrew Musgrave (Great Britain) posted a bronze-medal time of 24:05.9.
The youngest member of the Nordic squad at 21, Olivier Léveillé of Sherbrooke, Que., was 32nd at 24:56.6. Graham Ritchie, of Parry Sound, Ont., stopped the clock at 25:11.7 for 40th spot.
The relays are scheduled for Sunday in Beitostolen, Norway.
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