Sports

Bjornsen survives tough 50-K in world ski finale

The World Nordic Ski Championships saved its worst for last.

Skiing in slow, soft tracks during wet falling snow, Anchorage's Erik Bjornsen endured 50 kilometers of classic-technique racing to place 43rd in the final race of the championships in Falun, Sweden.

Noah Hoffman of Colorado was the only other American finisher, placing 31st after hanging with the lead pack for 40 kilometers.

Norway's Petter Northug earned his fourth gold medal of the championships by outsprinting Lukas Bauer of the Czech Republic. Bauer was the only skier to stop at the 40-K exchange to get a pair of freshly waxed skis.

A press release from the U.S. Ski Team called conditions "extremely tough."

"With a running time nearly 10 percent higher that typical 50K World Cup efforts, Sunday's slow snow took a visible toll on the field," the team reported. "Countless broken poles, more (ski) changes than usual and a higher percentage of skiers taking feeds at every possible support position signaled a tough day..."

Northug finished in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 2.1 seconds. Bauer clocked 2:26.3.8.

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Hoffman finished in 2:29:55,6 and Bjornsen in 2:40:41.2.

Bjornsen was one of four Alaska Pacific University skiers who competed in Falun. On Saturday, his sister Sadie Bjornsen (20th) and teammate Rosie Brennan (16th) helped the United States put three women in the top 20 of the 30-K classic.

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