CROSS-COUNTRY:

Germans surge past Swedes for women’s relay crown

Feb. 22, 2010     ►Photo: Claudia Nystad of Germany (Agence Zoom)

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WHISTLER, B.C. — Claudia Nystad pulled away from Sweden's Anna Haag shortly before the finish Monday to give Germany the gold medal in the women's cross-country team sprint at the Vancouver Olympics.

Nystad went past Haag as they entered the ski stadium for the final time and pulled away on the final sprint.

The German team of Nystad and Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle finished in 18 minutes, 3.7 seconds for the gold. The Swedish team of Haag and Charlotte Kalla was 0.6 seconds behind for the silver medal, and Russian duo Irina Khazova and Natalia Korosteleva won bronze after coming in 4 seconds back.

"It was a great race and we worked very well together," Nystad said.

The American duo of Kikkan Randall and Caitlin Compton placed sixth, and Canadians Sara Renner and Dasha Gaiazova placed seventh.

The freestyle event features a relay with two members on every team taking turns going three laps each around a 1.4-kilometer course.

Kalla, who won the 10 km freestyle race last week, started for the Swedes and pushed the pace on all three of her laps but couldn't shake off Sachenbacher-Stehle or Khazova.

That meant Haag, Nystad and Korosteleva started the final lap within a second of each other, and the Swede did her best to create some distance from her rivals. Although she shook off the Russian, Haag couldn't answer when Nystad made her move shortly before the finish.

"I decided to just try everything, give it all I've got," Nystad said. "I had no feelings, just a plan."

Italy finished fourth and Norway fifth.

It was the second silver medal of the games for Haag, who was also second in the 15 km pursuit.

"We really went for the gold, but we are really satisfied with silver," Haag said. "In the beginning of the last few meters I thought 'maybe I can take it,' but there wasn't enough distance left. (Nystad) was too strong today."

The spring-like weather at Whistler Olympic Park continued Monday with temperatures around 50 F (9 C), leading to the unusual sight of some European fans lining the course in short sleeved-shirts — or no shirt at all.  SRC

Whistler women's Olympic cross-country sprint relay results