Women’s Team Sprint – Preview

On February 26, 2023, the women’s team sprint freestyle competition will be held in Planica, where Sweden aims to make history by winning their fourth team sprint event at World Championships. Sweden won in classic style in 2011 and 2019 and freestyle in 2021 with Jonna Sundling and Maja Dahlqvist.

Sweden has dominated team sprint events, winning nine out of the 13 team sprint events in Olympic Winter Games, World Championships, and World Cup combined since 2018. Maiken Caspersen Falla (4) and Ida Ingemarsdotter (3) are the only women who have won at least three medals in team sprint events at World Championships.

Sweden took first and second place in the only women’s World Cup team sprint race this season. Linn Svahn and Dahlqvist won the freestyle event in Livigno on January 22, 2023, with Emma Ribom and Sundling coming in second.

There are other strong contenders, including Julia Kern and Jessie Diggins. Kern finished third for the United States in the women’s World Cup freestyle team sprint in Livigno earlier this season (together with Rosie Brennan at that time). The United States (Jessica Diggins and Kikkan Randall) won the women’s freestyle team sprint event at the World Championships in Val di Fiemme in 2013. Diggins also won bronze in the team sprint at the World Championships in 2017 (classic style).

Norway has won three team sprint events at the World Championships, including two in the freestyle event. They are looking for their first women’s team sprint world title since Heidi Weng, and Invild Flugstad Østberg won it.

Finally, Germany won the gold medal in the women’s team sprint classic style at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and their best team sprint result at World Championships is a silver medal in the freestyle team sprint event in Sapporo in 2007.

Men’s Team Sprint – Preview

Also, on Sunday, February 26, 2023, the men’s team sprint freestyle event will occur, and Norway is considered the leading team. Here is what you should know about the event. 

Norway has won a record five world titles in men’s team sprint events, with three in freestyle. No other nation has won more than one world title in team sprint freestyle.

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo has been a member of all four teams that have won the team sprint at the previous four World Championships and Olympic Winter Games combined. Erik Valnes was his partner at the World Championships in 2021 (freestyle) and Winter Olympic Games in 2022 (classic). 

Klæbo can be the first man to win three world titles in team sprint events. Nikita Kriukov (2 Golds, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze) and Federico Pellegrino (1 Silver, 2 Bronzes) are the only men with more than two World Championship medals in the team sprint.

Other potential contenders include Renaud Jay and Richard Jouve of France, who won the only World Cup team sprint event this season in Livigno on January 22. They won ahead of Italy (2nd) and Switzerland (3rd). France has yet to earn its first World Championships medal in a men’s team sprint event. Italy won the team sprint world title in 2007 (freestyle).

Federico Pellegrino (3) can equal Nikita Kriukov (4) on a record of four World Championships medals in the team sprint event. Pellegrino has won 17 individual sprint events in the World Cup, including 16 in freestyle and one in classic. In the team sprint event at the World Championships, he has won more medals in the classic style (2) than in the freestyle (1).

Sweden has won one World Championships medal in men’s team sprints event, silver in 2013 (freestyle), while Finland claimed three World Championships medals in the men’s team sprint, including silver in 2021. Only Russia and Italy have won gold, silver, and bronze in the men’s team sprint.

Planica, Slovenia, is the place for this winter season’s World Championships, with ten competitions in 12 days and the last race being the men’s cross-country skiing 50km mass start race on March 5, 2023.

February 26, Sunday

• 11:30 Women/Men Team Sprint qualification, freestyle
• 13:30 Women/Men Team Sprint finals, freestyle

Start lists, details, and results you can find here

Women’s Start List

Men’s Start List

See below the complete program for the World Championships in Planica, Slovenia. *subject to changes

FACTS Planica World Championships Season 2022/2023

• When: Tuesday, February 21 to Sunday, March 5, 2023 
• Who: Elite national skiers
• Where: Planica, Slovenia
• What: FIS Cross-Country World Championships in Planica, Slovenia

Planica 2023 – Cross-Country Skiing Complete Program

February 21, Tuesday

• 20:23 Opening Ceremony, Planica Nordic Park Kranjska Gora

February 22, Wednesday

• 12:00 Women’s Qualification race, 5km freestyle
• 13:30 Men’s Qualification race, 10km freestyle

Start lists, details, and results you can find here

February 23, Thursday

• 12:00 Women/Men Sprint qualification, classic
• 14:30 Women/Men Sprint finals, classic

Start lists, details, and results you can find here

February 24, Friday

• 15:30 Men’s Skiathlon, 15/15km

Start list, details, and results you can find here

February 25, Saturday

• 14:00 Women’s Skiathlon, 7.5km/7.5km

Start list, details, and results you can find here

February 26, Sunday

• 11:30 Women/Men Team Sprint qualification, freestyle
• 13:30 Women/Men Team Sprint finals, freestyle

Start lists, details, and results you can find here

February 27, Monday 

• Day Off

February 28, Tuesday

• 12:30 Women’s Individual, 10km freestyle

Start list, details, and results you can find here

March 1, Wednesday

• 12:30 Men’s Individual, 15km freestyle

Start list, details, and results you can find here

March 2, Thursday 

• 12:30 Women’s Relay, 4x5km classic/freestyle

Start list, details, and results you can find here

March 3, Friday

• 12:30 Men’s Relay, 4x10km classic/freestyle

Start list, details, and results you can find here

March 4, Saturday

• 12:00 Women’s Mass Start, 30km classic

Start list, details, and results you can find here

March 5, Sunday

• 12:00 Men’s Mass Start, 50km classic
• After the competition – Medal and Closing Ceremony

Start list, details, and results you can find here

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