Randall just misses spot in freestyle final

For the first time in a World Cup sprint race, three American women, including a somewhat ailing Randall, advanced to the semifinals Thursday in a freestyle sprint held in zero-degree temperatures.

"It was pretty cold and windy out there," Randall wrote in an email. "Just like racing at Kincaid!"

Randall missed out on a spot in the finals by one-tenth of a second, getting edged out of second place in her semifinal by Russia's Natalia Korosteleva, who caught Randall at the finish line.

One of the Americans, 20-year-old Jessie Diggins of Afton, Minn., made it to the finals, where she placed sixth. Randall won the B final to place seventh overall and Ida Sargent of Vermont, the other American in the semifinals, placed 12th.

A fourth American woman, Sadie Bjornsen of Anchorage, placed 39th in qualifying and didn't advance to the heats.

Randall maintained her grip on the World Cup sprint lead and remains fourth in the overall rankings. She leads Natalia Maleeva, who went out in the quarterfinals Thursday, by more than 100 points. But making gains on both of them is Poland's Justyna Kowalczyk, the winner on Thursday.

"I'm happy to still be in the red jersey -- it's been quite an honor to wear it for so many weekends," Randall, referring to the special race bib worn by World Cup leaders, wrote in an email. "Kowalczyk has been sneaking up and will be someone to contend with in the final stretch of the season. I hope I can get back to my top race form."

The World Cup took a break last week, and Randall spent part of it sick with the stomach flu. She said it felt like she was missing a gear Thursday.

"Wasn't quite what I hoped for myself but great to see my teammates ski so well," she wrote. "Jessie looked like she has been doing this for years, skiing so smooth and confident. And great to see Ida get right in the mix as well. I didn't have my best day but I'm still satisfied to grab another top 10 on a sub-par day."

Diggins, who joined the World Cup circuit after Christmas and has quickly established herself as a world-class contender, topped qualifying by a wide margin of 2.47 seconds.