CROSS COUNTRY SKIING Preview: Klaebo and Nilsson defend seasonal Sprint leads in Lahti

Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (Photo: Steffen Proessdorf via Wikipedia)

The next-to-last stop prior to the World Nordic Championships in Seefeld (AUT) is a Sprint festival in Lahti (FIN), with an Freestyle individual event on Saturday and a Classical team event on Sunday.

There have been seven men’s Sprint events so far this season, and Norway’s Johannes Klaebo, the overall World Cup leader, has won four of them, including four of the last five. He has the seasonal Sprint lead as well, with 404 points, ahead of Sindre Bjoernestad Skar (NOR: 281) and Eirik Brandsdal (NOR: 269).

Besides Klaebo, Russian Alexander Bolshunov, Italy’s Federico Pellegrino and Skar have won Sprints this season.

The women’s Sprint standings show Sweden’s Olympic Champion, Stina Nilsson as the leader, with 426 points, well ahead of teammate Maja Dahlqvist (SWE: 280) and defending World Cup champ Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR: 263). Of the seven women’s Sprints, Nilsson has won four, with Yulia Belorukova (RUS), Jonna Sundling (SWE) and and Falla the winners of the others.

Last season, Pellegrino and Alexey Poltoranin (KAZ) won the men’s Sprints, and Falla and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski won the women’s events.

Look for results here.