Three Canadians fought their way into the heats at the Ski Tour Canada, Tuesday (March 8) in Canmore, but the sunny day was “bittersweet” for the Canucks. Len Valjas was the top Canadian with an 11 th -place finish in the men’ s 1.
Three Canadians fought their way into the heats at the Ski Tour Canada, Tuesday (March 8) in Canmore, but the sunny day was “bittersweet” for the Canucks.
Len Valjas was the top Canadian with an 11th-place finish in the men’ s 1.5-kilometre sprint at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Standout Alex Harvey was frustrated with his performance, finishing 21st, and Dahria Beatty was the top Canadian woman on the day, finishing 15th in the women’ s 1.5-km.
With his parents and family in Canmore to watch Valjas do what he does best, it couldn’ t have been a better day to perform so well.
“I loved everything about today,” said Valjas.
Valjas and Beatty both capitalized on separate falls from their competition during their quarterfinal heats.
Valjas passed Alexander Bessmertnykh after the leading Russian wiped out taking an unforgiving sharp corner under a bridge with about 300 metres left in the heat. Valjas was able to press hard down the stretch, leaving the Russian behind to make it to the semifinals.
“I can’ t complain, this was a dream come true to get back into the semi for the second time this year, back at home,” said Valjas. “In the semifinal, I was starting to get a bit tired; if you don’ t push over the top of the hills you don’ t get the same finishing speed.”
Beatty took advantage when Norway’ s Therese Johaug took a spill on the same tricky corner, but the Canuck missed the semifinals by less than a half-second.
The 21 year old, who has lived in Canmore for the past four years, was all smiles, though, about her best result in the sprint.
“I’ ve never started so fast in my life, I don’ t know what happened,” said Beatty. “(...) I just kept pushing hard and Johaug took a tumble, so she was able to pull me back to the contact a little bit and my skis were running really well.”
Beatty suffered an injury after a fall on the Ski Tour Canada course in Montreal last week, but it was a nonfactor for her in the race.
“I didn’ t notice it today,” she said. “Those two days off definitely helped and we’ ll see how it does in the longer distance the next two days and moderate it, but right now it feels better.”
Canada’ s head coach Justin Wadsworth said he looked at today’ s sprint as a “glass half full” kind of day.
“It’ s a bittersweet day, of course, we always want somebody to be in the finals and going for the podium, but at the same time we had a couple of strong performances on the guy’ s side and it’ s great Dahria made it in on the inside, that’ s really great for her,” said Wadsworth.
Wadsworth spoke on Harvey, who shouted out in frustration crossing the line in his quarterfinal heat after the race ended his day early. Harvey was quick to leave the athletes’ area following the heat.
“In Alex’ s case, he got bent up and bumped out of the quarters and we’ re going to use that as a positive and be more rested for tomorrow,” said Wadsworth.
“I know Alex is disappointed, but at the same time, it’ s a tour and he’ s been there before and let’ s move on.”
For the men, Italy’ s Federico Pellegrino won gold, Norway’ s Eirik Brandsdal claimed silver, and France’ s Maurice Manificat was bronze.
For the women, it was a clean podium sweep for the Norwegians. Maiken Caspersen Fallas was first, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen was second, and Ingvild Fulgstad Oestberg was third.
On Wednesday (March 9) the men’ s and women’ s skiathlon gets underway at 10 a.m.
“Tomorrow’ s race is going to be a real hard, hard race,” said Wadsworth. “Tomorrow you could lose a minute or two if you’ re not feeling in your top shape.”
Ski Tour Canada continues on Friday (March 11) and Saturday (March 12) at the Nordic Centre.
