10:18. The world junior and U23 cross-country skiing championships opened this Monday on the slopes of Schilpario, an Italian resort nestling in the Lombardy region. At mid-morning, the junior athletes got the ball rolling with the classic sprint qualifications.
Ranked as one of the day’s favourites, the Norwegians came out on top. Led by Iselin Bjervig Drivenes, who won the first heat by a margin of more than 2 seconds over her compatriot Malin Hoelsveen, the Scandinavian team managed to place its four cross-country skiers among the day’s top four. Behind the leading duo, Milla Grosber Andreassen and Nora Christine Hansen completed the top 4.
A full house for the French cross-country skiers too. A solid leader on the FESA Cup circuit, Margot Tirloy was the first of them to finish the prologue in tenth place. Annette Coupat followed closely in thirteenth place, as did Daphné Patois, seventeenth on the line. Twenty-fifth at the finish, Anouchka Neuville from Haut-Savoy also made it through to the quarter-finals.
Read also
- The full programme for the Junior and U23 World Championships in Schilpario from 3 to 9 February
- The French selection for the Junior and U23 World Championships in Schilpario
