CROSS-COUNTRY:
Canada's Kershaw wins Stage 5 of Tour de Ski
TOBLACH, Italy — Competing on the world’s best cross-country ski circuit for nearly a decade, Canada’s Devon Kershaw achieved his dream by winning a skate-ski sprint race at the prestigious Tour de Ski in Toblach, Italy, on Wednesday.
The 28-year-old Kershaw, who was forced to settle for the silver medal on the weekend in Germany after being edged out at the finish line by an inch, got some redemption on the field loaded with the top skiers in the world in Italy by winning the fifth stage of the eight-race Tour de Ski for his first World Cup victory.
“I’m thrilled. I’m more than thrilled. I absolutely cannot believe it,” said Kershaw while being taken to doping control minutes following his victory. “Justin (Wadsworth, head coach) kept telling me all year to be patient and the win would come. I wanted to believe him and I just kept staying with the plan. This is just unreal.”
Unreal is an understatement. The two-time Olympian from Sudbury, Ont., has shocked the world over the last week after racking up one gold and two silver medals in five races on the Tour de Ski, doubling his career medal total, to put him in second spot overall. He finished second in a 15-kilometre classic race and the classic-sprint to go along with his golden skate-sprint Wednesday.
“I had the best skis in the world today. Our technicians are the best in the business and are the key to these podium results,” said Kershaw, who came within a fraction of a second of reaching the Olympic podium in 2010 when he finished fourth in the 50-kilometre event. “My goal coming into the tour was to have two really good races and I already have three. I have never been so concerned with the overall title, I just want to have some good results because this event is such a long haul.”
Kershaw qualified in 14th spot for the round of 30 head-to-head heats where the top-two athletes in each heat move on to the next round. Kershaw won his quarter-final heat, and earned a spot in the finals after being determined one of two lucky losers in the semifinals. The top-two fastest times outside of the top-two athletes in each semifinal also advance to the grand final.
Kershaw tucked into fifth spot with tour leader Dario Cologna, of Switzerland, as Norway’s Petter Northug and Sweden’s Simon Oestensen took the early lead. The fiery Canuck made his first move on the biggest climb of the 1.3-kilometre track where he moved into the front of the pack and opened a 10-metre gap. With Cologna pressing on the stretch to the finish, Kershaw would not be beat this time around a he came out on the bright side of the photo finish.
Cologna finished in second, while Northug grabbed the bronze.
The boyfriend to Canadian Olympic sprint champ, Chandra Crawford of Canmore, Alta., Kershaw’s victory makes him only the third Canadian male to win a World Cup race in cross-country skiing. The legendary Pierre Harvey, father of 22-year-old Alex Harvey of St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., who finished 14th on Wednesday, won two World Cup races in 1987 and 1988. Ivan Babikov, of Canmore, Alta., who finished 52nd and did not qualify for the heats Wednesday, won the final stage of the Tour de Ski in 2009.
“I have a lot of confidence right now, but success starts with leadership,” said Kershaw. “Justin has been a key leader for us all season. He has taught me to be patient and today that patience paid off in the way the races unfolded. The old Devon would have went crazy to be in fifth spot in that final today. He has changed me as a skier and I am just so happy for our entire team right now.”
After experiencing several coaching changes over the last Olympic quadrennial, Cross Country Canada recruited Wadsworth, who is the husband of two-time Olympic medallist Beckie Scott, from the American program to guide the Canadian troops back to the international podium. A rookie head coach, Wadsworth has instilled passion and spirit into the Canadian troops while motivating them to podium results. He has also helped lead Chandra Crawford and Dasha Gaiazova to a World Cup bronze medal finish in the team relay earlier this season in Dusseldorf, Germany.
The ultimate grind in high-performance sport, the 10-day Tour de Ski, which has the top cross-country ski athletes in the world competing in eight races at five venues in Germany and Italy, has been bittersweet for Canada’s Kershaw.
Five of the six medals throughout his career have come at the tour. He won a bronze medal in a sprint race at the 2006 tour stop in Munich, Germany and a bronze in the 15-kilometre classic race in the second stage of the 2009 Tour de Ski to go along with this back-to-back silver medals and a gold this week. Kershaw’s first World Cup medal came days following the 2006 Olympic Winter Games where he won the bronze in Borlaenge, Sweden.
But in his four previous attempts at completing the epic test of endurance, Kershaw has been forced to withdraw two years with sickness.
“Tomorrow is a different day and it will be a really difficult race,” said Kershaw. “I have three races to go. I knew I was capable of these results, but I have surpassed my expectations. Anything can happen out here. You can get sick and it is all done so I’m not focusing on the overall. Tomorrow is a new day and I have to try and remain focused.”
Skiers will hit the start line on Thursday for a 35-kilometre point-to-point cross-country skate-ski race. A handicap start, with athletes starting time-behind-the-leader based on tour’s standings, the top Nordic athletes will ski from Cortina back to Toblach.
S-Magazine
Tour de Ski Day 5 results
Top-5 Men and Canadian Results:
1. Devon Kershaw, Sudbury, Ont., CAN; 2. Dario Cologna, SUI; 3. Petter Northug, NOR: 4. Marcus Hellner, SWE; 5. Simen Oestensen, SWE.
Canadian Results:
14. Alex Harvey, St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que.; 52. Ivan Babikov, Canmore, Alta.
S-MAGAZINE
S-Magazine is Canada's leading winter publication. This high-end feature and event monthly publication blends feature articles with snowsports news in a well-balanced format ...
Created and Maintained by WSI