LAHTI, Finland (Mar. 6, 2015) - The FIS Cross Country World Cup season is a furious train that boards in Northern Scandinavia in early December, speeds through the Tour de Ski, past countless central European stops and various championships before coming to its final destinations in Sweden, Finland and Norway. This year, there are more American passengers boarding the World Cup train for this final round, a sign that the season has gone well for the U.S.
“This morning I did some short hard classic intervals here in Lahti, Finland. The purpose of the workout was to work on my high-end capacity after Sunday’s slow (World Championship) 50-kilometer slog,” wrote Noah Hoffman in his blog. “I’m preparing for a 15-kilometer classic World Cup here in Lahti on Sunday.”
The efforts most of the American team will make in Lahti will be in the same vein—a final chance to find speed at the end of a long season, a few closing fireworks to light off. The laundry is dirty, the van rides are quieter and there’s homesickness that sets in. For folks like Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend, OR), Caitlin Gregg (Minneapolis, MN) and Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Common, VT), fresh from the OPA cup circuit (the World Cup’s minor league), these are key starts to make a campaign for continued time at the international level, a chance to highlight that they belong.
“This is a good time of year to catch your competitors off guard,” explained coach Matt Whitcomb. “The field is generally a bit compromised with fatigue after a major championships, and those that are engaged in the process every day in the final period of the year can capitalize on big results.”
“A big part of fatigue in March is mental,” Matt reminds fans. “Our team isn't in a place where we are counting the days until we travel home. We're awake and ready to close out the season on a big note. We're in a good place after a strong World Championships. We've been healthy this week and the training sessions have gone well.”
U.S. STARTERS
Saturday – cross country sprint
Dakota Blackhorse von Jess
Erik Bjornsen
Sadie Bjornsen
Rosie Brennan
Sophie Caldwell
Jessie Diggins
Simi Hamilton
Andy Newell
Caitlin Patterson
Kikkan Randall
Ida Sargent
Liz Stephen
Sunday – women’s 10k classic
Sadie Bjornsen
Rosie Brennan
Sophie Caldwell
Jessie Diggins
Caitlin Patterson
Kikkan Randall
Liz Stephen
SCHEDULE
Saturday
8:30 a.m. EST – XC Sprint – Lahti
Sunday
5:30 a.m. EST – Women’s 10k classic - Lahti
