Skistad and Klaebo win city sprints on home snow in Drammen (NOR)
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Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo and Kristine Stavaas Skistad gave the home fans along the streets of Drammen, Norway, something to cheer for as they won the men’s and women’s sprint classic at the Coop FIS Cross-Country World Cup on Tuesday.
In the women’s race, Skistad claimed the second World Cup win of her career on the snowy streets of the city in south-eastern Norway where she lives and competes for the ski club Konnerud IL. She finished 1.22 seconds before Swedish world champion Jonna Sundling, who had to settle for a second place. Norway’s overall World Cup leader Tiril Udnes Weng got the last spot on the podium, 1.83 seconds after Skistad.
“It was very fun. Drammen is the best city, so I am happy,” said the winner, whose surname suitably for the occasion translates to “ski city”.
“(The course) is hard but now I like it.”
Skistad had claimed her first World Cup triumph in Les Rousses, France, in January, but missed out on the podium at the 2023 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia, in February/March where she finished fifth in the sprint final.
On home snow however, the 24-year-old strong double-poler made no mistakes. Having finished second in the quarter- and semifinal, she stayed behind Sundling for the beginning of the final before shifting gears at the end, making it difficult for the Swede to respond.
“I tried to go fast in the end and it worked out,” Skistad summarised her final tactics.
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