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Saturday marked the start of the World Cup ski season -- or as Anchorage’s Sadie Bjornsen likes to think of it, an early Christmas.
Bjornsen, a two-time Olympian, led the Americans with an 11th-place finish in the women’s classic sprint race in Kuusamu, Finland.
“It sure was fun to fire the engine for Day 1 of World Cup racing this winter,” Bjornsen said by email. “I always think of the first races as a Christmas gift ... a total mystery, but completely exciting!”
Bjornsen shined in the qualifying round, finishing with the fifth-fastest time, tops among the Americans.
In the quarterfinals, she won a photo finish with teammate Sophie Caldwell to finish second and advance to the semifinals, where she finished sixth and missed the finals.
“The semifinal got off to a good start,” Bjornsen said, “and then as I was approaching the final big climb, I was on a desperate search for an open lane to put my move on the big climb, but unfortunately burned a few too many flares chasing it, and didn't have the power to advance.
“I think that was one of the more stacked semifinals I have been part of, so I still have a lot of hope and belief for what is to come.”
Russian skiers swept the victories. Yulia Belorukova of Russia won the women’s race and Alexander Bolshunov claimed the men’s win when he caught Norway’s Johannes Klaebo in the final meters after Klaebo, thinking the win was at hand, eased up.
Three other Alaskans from the Alaska Pacific University nordic team also competed Saturday. Rosie Brennan finished 38th in the women’s race, and in the men’s race Erik Bjornsen placed 42nd to lead the U.S. and David Norris was the fourth American in 78th place.