Silent end for Kristin Kristin decided to end her sports career earlier this year. The 2014/15 season was influenced by an injury, and at the end of the season she felt that other things in life are more important. Kristin's dream is to start a family and have a happy life, which she totally deserves. Thank you Kristin for thirteen exciting years of great battles, defeats and victories. You will never be forgotten as being a part of it.
2015 - Kristin on start again The end of 2014 was not a good time for Kristin. She got injured. But she is OK now and she even took part in the 10 F race in Scandinavian Cup in Sweden earlier this year, finishing 4th after the likes of Kalla and Jacobsen. Hopefully we will see more of Kristin during the season.
WC Holmenkollen: Kristin nr. 8 Kristin had another good race today, finishing 8th on home snow in Holmenkollen. She was beaten in the finish by the Czech skier Vrabcova-Nyvltova, who was the only non-Scandinavian athlete to achieve the Top10. Marit won ahead of Therese and Kerttu Niskanen of Finland.
WC Lahti: Kristin nr. 22 after a good start
Just like during the 15 km pursuit in Sochi, Kristin had a good start in the 10 km F yesterday, but she wasn't able to endure till the end, and she finished 22nd. Marit won ahead of Charlotte Kalla, who had a great finish, and Therese. Kristin is still nr. 12 in the Distant WC races rating.
OWG Sochi: The spell of number 10
Kristin wore bib with number 10 yesterday. It was also her 10th Olympic race. And she won her 10th major medal.
Kristin received her medal during the closing ceremony. She couldn't have wished a better moment. And although Marit won, both Kristin and Therese joined her singing the Norwegian anthem. After several promising attempts Kristin finally became an individual Olympic medalist. She also received the 100th Olympic medal in the history of Norwegian cross-country skiing. Therese is nr. 101 and Marit nr. 102.
OWG Sochi: Kristin made it! And maybe more to come...?
Well, not much work has been done on these pages for 3 years... I forgot the password. Shit happens, as Forrest Gump said. But the thing is - Kristin has finally won an individual olympic medal! It may be because of Therese and Marit who helped Kristin finally win that elusive medal, but Kristin deserved it and the three Norwegians destroyed the field. Marit beat Therese and Kristin but they all were happy. Normally I don't steal any pictures, but this time I simply had to.
But this year can bring some more news for Kristin. Do you remember her story in Torino? Well, she did finish 4th three times. But there are rumours that Kristina Smigun of Estonia, the Queen of Torino, doped during the games. This could bring Kristin 2 more medals. Would these medals make Kristin happy? I don't think so. She fortunately got the chance to feel the joy immediately after the race yesterday, which medals sent by post cannot match. And long 8 years passed since then. But at least the justice would be done.
Decent day for Kristin Kristin once again showed how strong she is when it comes to the free technique. In Sjusjön she finished 5th in the 10km race. Marit Bjorgen won ahead of Charlotte Kalla and Vibeke Skofterud. So good to see Vibeke in the Top3 again! Anyways, in the Top7 there were 5 Norwegians... Pretty damn good.
We are with you, Norway.
As a fan of Kristin, I have to express my deep sorrow over the terrorist attacks in Norway. We are with you in our minds, Norwegian people.
We haven't seen much of Kristin this WC season.
Kristin decided to ignore Tour de Ski this season. Time will show if it was a good decision or a bad one. Kristin did take part in the opening races of the WC season and scored one 4th place, one 3rd place and of course a compulsory win with the relay team. And I will tell you what. Kristin will score two medals at Holmenkollen on home snow this year!
WC Finale: Stockholm + Falun
Too bad the season is over! In the WC finale in Sweden, Kristin showed how strong she is when it comes to distant races. She finished 2nd in the 10 km pursuit on Saturday and achieved the 2nd best time in the 10 km F handicapped race on Sunday, earning herself another 4th place overall... Certainly this 4th place hurt a lot less than the 4th places at the Olympics. But Kristin won another medal today! She finished 3rd in World Cup in distant races overall, behind Kowalczyk and her teammate Bjorgen. As far as I know, medals are given for the Top3 positions in WC standings, so Kristin's medal collection has grown again. Kristin also finished 6th overall!
By the way, I watched the men's relay at the Paralympics yesterday. The athletes did a great job and it was a very exciting relay. I feel a lot of respect towards all of them, no matter if they won a medal or not.
WC Holmenkollen: Marit won ahead of Kristin and Therese.
Just incredible! Need I add more? :-)
OWG 2010: Kowalczyk won, Marit takes silver, Kristin and Therese in the Top 10
Bad strategy! Marit came too early and Justyna Kowalczyk had enough power to defeat her in the finish. Kristin was active in the race, she was in the Top3, but finally she lost too much power and could not keep the bronze, which was captured by Saarinen of Finland. Congratulations to all the medalists!
OWG 2010: Gold for Kristin and co.
Wow, she has made it! It was the seventh start at the OWG for Kristin, and in the relay event the Norwegians destroyed the world, including the medalists, girls from Germany and Finland. Kristin took the third leg and did a great job, hanging over in the 1st position. Marit then showed everybody who the snow queen is. Congratulations to all the medalists!
OWG 2010: Kowalczyk remains third, no bronze for Kristin.
The Norwegian team decided not to appeal against Justyna Kowalczyk, who started skating too early. They noticed too late that Justyna had violated the rules. Nevertheless, the team is going to post a protest note to FIS because the referees should have noticed the violation, and Justyna should have been disqualified automatically. Kristin remains fourth, but in many fans' eyes she will probably be considered the bronze medalist instead of Justyna. It certainly is my case.
OWG: Did Kowalczyk start skating too early?
The Norwegian cross-country team are considering an appeal against Justyna Kowalczyk, who may have started her skating too early. Though the results were not influenced by that, it is still violation. Using a free technique in a classic race is not allowed. Justyna could lose her bronze medal and it could be Kristin who will finally be ranked 3rd. The team has decided to concentrate on the men's pursuit and the final decision of whether the team will appeal against the results will be met tomorrow at 17/00 CET.< xml:namespace prefix = "o" />
Well, it would not be good for Kristin to win a medal in this way, after she had cried in the end of the race. Justyna was better in the finish. But if she did break the rules, she should be disqualified. Something similar happened to Vibeke Skofterud during the 2010 Tour de Ski, she was disqualified of the race, though her skiing did not influece the race's results. The athletes should be treated in the same way, no matter if they are top favourites or utter outsiders.
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]-->
OWG 2010: What are the chances in the relay for Norwegian girls?
Well, Norway has just had a great race where Marit won the gold and Kristin and Therese were both in the Top6. For the relay, the Norwegians are surely the favourites. But I remember a similar situation in Torino, the team had 2 successful races, but the team was unable to get a relay medal because of Marit's ill health. I admit, Marit is in top form and nothing like that can be expected in vancouver and both Kristin and Therese have shown what they are capable of, but where is the 4th girl? Vibeke was not impressive in the races (she even gave up today), something similar can also be said about Marthe. I do wish Norway won a medal in the relay. It is probably the only chance for Kristin to get an Olympic medal, no matter if gold, silver or bronze. I think she would really deserve one, after the sad 4th places both in Torino and Vancouver. Please, keep your fingers crossed for Kristin!
OWG 2010: Gold and tears for Norwegians
In today's race, the 15 km double pursuit, Marit won the gold and Kristin finished 4th again... Lord, what did Kristin do to you?
OWG 2010: Serious blunders make athletes suffer
Apparantly, the Canadians do not know much about safety. How else can one explain so many serious injuries and even a death during or before the competitions? Nodar Kumaritashvili had to die because of organizers' diletancy, Petra Majdič had to suffer an injury which made her finish her season and forget about another possible medal just because she fell into a hole that should have been covered with a net. A lot of girls fell during the downhill competitions. OK, I admit, it was the athletes who make technical mistakes that lead to falls, but it is the organizers that have to make sure the mistakes do not lead to serious injuries and even to deaths!!! The organizers really suck and they should be told!
OWG 2010: Gold for Marit, injured Majdič takes the bronze. Kristin not on start
Marit Bjorgen is in a great shape of form, winning the sprint event in classic technique. She beat Kowalczyk and Majdič in the finals. However, it is Petra Majdič who deserves the most words of praise, as she got seriously injured shortly before the start of the qualification. I hope she will get at least a little better, as her favourite discipline, 30 km CL, is planned on Friday next week.Congratulations to all the medalists!
OWG 2010: Bronze for Marit, Kristin in the Top10
Marit won the bronze medal in the 10 km F race in Vancouver. Kristin finished 8th. Sweden's Kalla won ahead of Smigun-Vaehi. Congratulations to all the medalists!
A big apology...
Due to my preparations for the final exams at university, I was unable to find time for updating the pages. I apologize to everybody who waited in vain for the latest news.
Tour de Ski 2010
Kristin again showed that she is excellent when it comes to the very last stage of the tour. After three runner-up places in 2007,2008 and 2009, this year she mastered the track, which helped her to finish 5th overall. As for the remaining stages, she did her best. This is how I would mark their stages:
1 - A (She lost practically nothing in the 3,3 km prologue)
2 - A (She was able to claim 3rd spot)
3 - A++ (Kristin scoring Top6 positions in sprints? Very rare, but this was the case here)
4 - C (No surprise anymore, free sprints are not Kristin's cup of tea)
5 - C (Four athletes with the advantage of more than a minute, four athletes behind her with about 30 seconds to make up. Kristin did her best, but dropped to 9th place)
6 - B (This was a good race! 4th place in the classic race is nothing to be ashamed of)
7 - C (Kristin was leading the race but she lost it in finish, finishing outside the Top10. However, she only lost positions, not time, so it could have been worse)
8 - A+++ (Great! Her second victory in a Tour de Ski lap. Kristin finished 5th overall)
Marit Bjorgen decided to ignore Tour (what a wise decision), Vibeke Skofterud was disqualified and Therese Johaug withdrew. But Marthe had quite a good Tour. Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland won ahead of Majdic (Slovenia) and Follis (Italy). Justyna became a legend, with only two more goals to achieve - an Olympic gold medal and a victory at Holmenkollen.
The season continues in Kuusamo
This time it is the 10 km C race. Kristin will wear bib Nr. 86 and there will be 88 runners in total. Thirty seconds ahead of Kristin Vibeke Skofterud starts. She has a great string of successful races there, because her worst position there has been Nr. 8. Marit Bjorgen will not compete today. She is slightly ill and the coaches decided it would be better for her to rest a bit. Good luck, Marit, take care of yourself! I wanna see you at your best in Vancouver!!!
(NOV 28, 9:30 CET)
A very good WC start for Kristin
In today's race, the 10 km F, Kristin again proved she is one of the best skiers, she finished 4th. Placed in Norway, the race was one by the local star Marit Bjorgen, who once again showed her strength. Marit, ignore Tour De Ski and save your energy for the Olympic Games!!! That is the best thing you can do. Vibeke's Skofterud comeback was impressive, too, she finished 5th and was the 3rd best Norwegian.
(NOV 21, 12:45 CET)
WC starts tomorrow!!!
The 2009/10 WC starts tomorrow in Beitostolen, Norway. The women will have a 10 km F race. Kristin will wear bib Nr. 88. There will be 91 runners. Keep your fingers crossed for Kristin.
Summer is ending...
August is slowly finishing, which means the end of summer. In just three months the season starts. This will be the Olympic season, nothing else counts, not even a Tour de Ski success. For Kristin, the goal is clear - to win an individual Olympic medal and to do her very best to help the relay team. I hope she will make it.
However, if she doesn't, nothing happens. It is just sport. In sport, you have to have a lot of good luck and be in a great shape of form. Sport means a lot of hard work. If you do not believe, go for a walk and find a path with hills. The shortest distance women run is 10 km, but 15 km and 30 km races are common. If you go 15 km on foot, you are likely to get tired at the end. Anf this is nothing compared to athletes, who try hard to win the race. That's why I wll never criticize Kristin or anybody else if the race is not very good. To me, Kristin is a star and she'll always be, no matter what will come in the future.
By the way, Tchepalova is said to have doped in the winter. Too sad, she was one of them who prevented Kristin from getting a medal in Torino...
The season is over...
The WC has just finished and Justyna Kowalczyk claimed the big crystal globe ahead of Petra Majdić. Kristin finished 4th in the WC finale, but in today's race nobody could beat her! Kristin finished 9th overall and 4th in the distant races' rankings. It has been the best WC season for Kristin so far. Together with her siver medal, won in Liberec, it is a proof that Kristin was among the best again. For the next season I wish Kristin all the best. I hope she will get at least one individual Olympic medal as well as a medal in the relay race.
The form is still here...
During the WC finals and after the WC in Liberec, Kristin is still in a good shape of form. She finished twice in the Top10 in distant races. More significantly, she scored good results in sprints this week, and she is now 13th overall in the WC finals, held in Sweden. Keep your fingers crossed for Kristin!
Bad luck again...
In the two last races, Norway had a lot of bad luck. The relay team lost their medal in the last 500 metres, and in the 30 km free race Therese Johaug and Kristin finished fourth and fifth, though they were very active during the whole race. Justyna Kowaylczyk won ahead of Medvedeva (Russia) and Shevchenko (Ukraine), for whom it was the first invidiual medal. Liberec seems to be a place where many dreams come true... For Norway, however, this championships was a nightmare, with only one medal for the whole team.
What a day!
Today in Liberec at the 2009 World Championships, Kristin won a silver medal in the 2x7,5 double pursuit race. Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland won the event, thus making an entry into history as being the first Polish cross-country skier ever to win a gold medal. However, Kristin's joy was just as big as Justyna's, as she made another entry into history. She has won 3 medals in a row in the discipline so far, something no-one ever has achieved before. It is a good day for me, too. After nearly two months, I got a new PC finally, so I can update the pages again. Check further updates, including the new section Liberec 2009, where you can find some pics of the town of Liberec and its environs. The pics were taken on my summer holiday last year in August.
(FEB 21, 17:15 CET)
A decent Tour de Ski start for Kristin
Despite finishing 29th in today's prologue in the free technique, Kristin is not likely to be very dissatisfied with the result. Klaudia Nystad from Germany won the race. The prologue is also valid as the first stage of the pursuit race, which will be completed tomorrow. The second part will be in the classic technique, and the distance will be 10 km for ladies. Kristin likes the distance, so a lot of things to expect from her tomorrow. As for other Norwegians, Marit Björgen finished 5th. The Czech skier Rajdlova, who came back to business after maternity leave, finished 24th and was the best Czech overall. Her compatriot Lukas Bauer disappointingly finished 31st in the men's race. Fortunately for him, classic technique prevails in Tour de Ski. Teichmann of Germany won the men's race.
(Dec 27, 15:35 CET)
Second WC victory for Kristin!
In today's race, the 15 km F mass start in La Clusaz, Kristin once again proved she is one of the best skiers in the free technique. There was no doubt of her winning the race, and 1 km before the finish, she built a gap of 24 sec. It was her second WC victory. Kristin is now 5th in the overall WC standings. Therese Johaug finished 3rd. Again, the Norwegian relay is likely to be very strong tomorrow!
(Dec 6, 18:50 CET)
Norway have won the first relay!
The first relay victory duly belongs to Norway, who had a very good weekend in Gällivare. The Norwegian relay had a good start, and after three legs run by Marit Bjorgen, Therese Johaug and Kristin, the team was on the 2nd position in touch with Finland. The relatively unexperienced youngster Marthe Kristofferson was very strong in finish, beating Ropponen of Finland. Third came Charlotte Kalla of Sweden. As for Kristin, her 3rd leg was the very fastest of all.
Today's race in Gällivare, the 10 km F, was a great race for Norwegian girls. Marit Bjorgen finished second behind Charlotte Kalla of Sweden. Third came Aino Kaisa Saarinnen of Finland. Just behind her was Therese Johaug. Kristin was sixth. The first Norwegian relay is going to be very strong tomorrow. Kristin will take the third leg.
The first race will be thre 10 km F individual race. Kristin has had some Top5 finishes in these races so far, so she certainly is capable of adding some more. She wears bib Nr. 72. There are 82 racers ready to compete, so she is expected to finish 11th. But remember, skating is not Kristin's weak spot, so the Top10 is expectable. Keep your fingers crossed for Kristin!
Kristin is also likely to compete in the relay on Sunday. All she needs is a respectable position earning her a place in the relay team.
