The overall winner of last year’s Sprint World Cup received a hefty fine after the World Cup sprint in Canmore on Saturday evening.

It was Kristine Stavås Skistad who won the World Cup sprint in Canmore Saturday evening. Close behind followed last year’s overall winner of the Sprint World Cup, Maja Dahlqvist in second place, and Linn Svahn in third. That podium place cost Dahlqvist more than just effort and sweat: She was fined over 3000 Norwegian Krones.

According to Langrenn.com, the reason is that Maja Dahlqvist forgot to wear her transponder/timekeeping chip in the quarterfinals. This resulted in her time not being recorded in the results. The 28-year-old explains that a lot went wrong for her on Saturday.

“I noticed it. Johanna (Hagström) barely had a start number, and I had no chip. I was a bit distracted. But the more distracted I become, the better it usually goes for me in the race. I also took Anders Svanebo’s (the Swedish national team’s waxing chief) bag when I was going to the start. Nothing went right today,” Dahlqvist told Expressen about the chaotic day that ended with a fine.

Despite the fine, Dahlqvist still came out ahead after the sprint: The prize money for second place is well over 120,000 Norwegian Krones.

“I didn’t notice it until I finished. But I’d rather take a fine than a yellow card. I don’t think this has happened (to me) before, but it feels like it could have,” says the Swede, adding:

“On such a day, I actually don’t care at all.”

Maja Dahlqvist won the overall Sprint World Cup last year, controversially after a dramatic World Cup finale in Lahti where a teammate was disqualified. This season has been more challenging. She is currently in seventh place overall in the Sprint World Cup and has only been on the podium twice in the World Cup: In the freestyle sprint in Goms at the end of January and now in Canmore.

See below the complete program with facts and information links for the World Cup in Canmore, Canada.

FACTS Canmore World Cup Season 2023/2024

• When: Friday, February 9, to Tuesday, February 13, 2024 
• Who: Elite national skiers – women and men
• Where: Canmore, Canada
• What: FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Canmore, Canada

PROGRAM

Friday, February 9: 15km Mass Start Freestyle (More details can be found here)

• 18:40 CET: 15km Mass Start F, Women
• 20:45 CET: 15km Mass Start F, Men

Saturday, February 10: Sprint Freestyle (More details can be found here)

• 18:30 CET: Sprint Qualification F, Women
• 19:04 CET: Sprint Qualification F, Men
• 21:00 CET: Sprint Final F, Women
• 21:30 CET: Sprint Final F, Men

Sunday, February 11: 20km Mass Start Classic (More details can be found here)

• 18:00 CET: 20km Mass Start C, Women
• 20:15 CET: 20km Mass Start C, Men

Tuesday, February 13: Sprint Classic (More details can be found here)

• 17:00 CET: Qualification C, Men
• 17:00 CET: Qualification C, Women
• 19:30 CET: Sprint Final C, Men
• 19:30 CET: Sprint Final C, Women

Read More: World Cup calendar for the 2023/2024 Winter Season