30 km mass start: Here are the top favourites – who takes the gold?

Posted by Jan Kocbach, 04 Mar 2011@6:00

The long, tough 30 km mass start race finishing the World Championships in Oslo for the women skiers might just be the race where Marit Bjørgen (NOR) is beaten. It has been a long week for Bjørgen, and Kowalczyk (POL), Johaug (NOR), Størmer Steira (NOR), Kalla (SWE) and the  rest of the start field are surely hungry to beat the queen of Holmenkollen in their last chance.

Here are the biggest favourites:

  • After the last week in Holmenkollen with 4 gold medals so far, Marit Bjørgen is surely still the big favourite. Can she repeat the record 5 gold medal of Jelena Välbe from Trondheim 1997? Still, Bjørgen has shown some signs of getting tired – and a 30 km race at the end of a championship is mentally demanding.
  • Justyna Kowalczyk got very close to Bjørgen at the 10 km classic, and had a very good second leg in the relay for Poland. The 30 km free technique with mass start is a good discipline for the Polish skier – she won the gold medal at the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 in this discipline ahead of Marit Bjørgen.
  • Kristin Størmer Steira has the 30 km free as one of her best disciplines – finishing 2nd on this discipline  in the World Cup races in Holmenkollen last winter, 1.2 seconds behind Bjørgen. The course is tough enough to make it possible for Steira to decide the race ahead of the final sprint –  if her shape is good enough. Størmer Steira did a good 3rd leg for Norway in the relay on Thursday – and showed that this might just go her way…
  • Therese Johaug can be very strong on the 30 km – the 30 km (although classic style) was were Johaug made her big breakthrough at the World Champs in Japan back in 2007 with a bronze medal.  Johaug is surely a medal aspirant, but gold might be a bit too far up?
  • This has not been Charlotte Kalla’s championships, but the strong Swede with free technique as her speciality is one of the women who can win the 30 km race in Holmenkollen.

There are a few more who might be in for a fight for the medals. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen does not have the 30 km free technique as her favourite discipline, but should still be counted among the medal favourites. Anna Haag, Arianna Follis, Marianna Longa and Nicole Fessel can also be included among the skiers fighting for a medal.

Below you see the top 10 in the last 30 km races in the World Cup, World Champs and Olympics to help you identify your favourites.

13.03.2010: 30 km Free Mass start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. BJOERGEN Marit 1:24:10.8
2. STEIRA Kristin Stoermer 1:24:12.0
3. JOHAUG Therese 1:24:18.8
4. KALLA Charlotte 1:25:00.2
5. SACHENBACHER -STEHLE Evi 1:25:37.3
6. ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa 1:25:38.0
7. HAAG Anna 1:25:41.8
8. LAURENT PHILIPPOT Karine 1:25:45.4
9. SKOFTERUD Vibeke W 1:25:51.1
10. NOVIKOVA Valentina 1:26:26.6
27.02.2010: 30 km Classic Mass start, Whistler Olympic Park, CAN

Full results

1. KOWALCZYK Justyna 1:30:33.7
2. BJOERGEN Marit 1:30:34.0
3. SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa 1:31:38.7
4. SACHENBACHER -STEHLE Evi 1:31:52.9
5. ISHIDA Masako 1:31:56.5
6. KALLA Charlotte 1:31:57.6
7. JOHAUG Therese 1:32:01.3
8. STEIRA Kristin Stoermer 1:32:04.4
9. OLSSON Anna 1:33:00.3
10. LAURENT PHILIPPOT Karine 1:33:11.4
14.03.2009: 30 km Classic Mass start, Trondheim, NOR

Full results

1. MAJDIC Petra 1:25:22.2
2. KOWALCZYK Justyna 1:25:33.9
3. ISHIDA Masako 1:25:34.2
4. STEIRA Kristin Stoermer 1:25:34.5
5. SACHENBACHER -STEHLE Evi 1:25:44.1
6. LONGA Marianna 1:25:52.1
7. JOHAUG Therese 1:25:56.1
8. ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa 1:25:58.7
9. SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa 1:26:12.1
10. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:26:17.9
28.02.2009: 30 km Free Mass start, Liberec, CZE

Full results

1. KOWALCZYK Justyna 1:16:10.6
2. MEDVEDEVA Evgenia 1:16:19.4
3. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:16:19.9
4. JOHAUG Therese 1:16:20.5
5. STEIRA Kristin Stoermer 1:16:21.9
6. ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa 1:16:22.8
7. SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa 1:16:27.1
8. FOLLIS Arianna 1:16:41.7
9. LONGA Marianna 1:16:57.5
10. MURANEN Pirjo 1:17:24.1
08.03.2008: 30 km Free Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:24:14.9
2. KALLA Charlotte 1:24:29.4
3. NYSTAD Claudia 1:24:33.9
4. JOHAUG Therese 1:24:35.5
5. BJOERGEN Marit 1:24:57.6
6. ROPONEN Riitta-Liisa 1:25:14.0
7. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:25:28.7
8. SAARINEN Aino- Kaisa 1:25:46.1
9. SACHENBACHER STEHLE Evi 1:25:51.7
10. VALBUSA Sabina 1:26:00.3
17.03.2007: 30 km Classic Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1:23:55.7
2. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:24:26.3
3. MAJDIC Petra 1:24:44.3
4. KUENZEL- NYSTAD Claudia 1:25:22.5
5. ROPONEN Riitta Liisa 1:25:27.9
6. LONGA Marianna 1:25:54.6
7. NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1:26:04.1
8. SMIGUN Kristina 1:26:12.7
9. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:26:22.4
10. BJOERGEN Marit 1:26:41.5
03.03.2007: 30 km Classic Mass start, Sapporo, JPN

Full results

1. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:29:47.1
2. STEIRA Kristin Stoermer 1:29:54.0
3. JOHAUG Therese 1:31:09.9
4. SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1:31:30.1
5. MAJDIC Petra 1:32:04.5
6. SMIGUN Kristina 1:32:19.4
7. NESTERENKO Lada 1:32:37.9
8. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:32:54.1
9. BJOERGEN Marit 1:33:15.0
10. SACHENBACHER STEHLE Evi 1:33:31.5
11.03.2006: 30 km Free Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. TCHEPALOVA Julija 1:18:44.1
2. NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1:19:01.3
3. SACHENBACHER STEHLE Evi 1:19:57.0
4. SCOTT Beckie 1:20:36.9
5. VALBUSA Sabina 1:20:43.1
6. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:21:38.0
7. SMIGUN Kristina 1:21:45.5
8. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:22:02.6
9. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:22:22.5
10. TAFJORD Ann-Eli 1:22:29.5
24.02.2006: 30 km Free Mass start, Pragelato Plan, ITA

Full results

1. NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1:22:25.4
2. TCHEPALOVA Julija 1:22:26.8
3. KOWALCZYK Justyna 1:22:27.5
4. STEIRA STOERMER Kristin 1:22:40.8
5. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:23:00.8
6. KUENZEL Claudia 1:23:02.1
7. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:23:07.9
8. SMIGUN Kristina 1:23:22.5
9. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:23:28.5
10. VALBUSA Sabina 1:23:37.6
12.03.2005: 30 km Classic Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. BJOERGEN Marit 1:23:58.1
2. NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1:24:25.7
3. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:24:34.4
4. TCHEPALOVA Julija 1:25:42.5
5. SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1:26:09.9
6. KUENZEL Claudia 1:26:27.9
7. KURKINA Larisa 1:26:42.3
8. BARANOVA- MASOLKINA Natalia 1:26:58.6
9. SACHENBACHER Evi 1:27:14.5
10. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:27:33.6
26.02.2005: 30 km Classic Mass start, Oberstdorf, GER

Full results

1. BJOERGEN Marit 1:27:05.8
2. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:27:14.7
3. BARANOVA- MASOLKINA Natalia 1:27:16.1
4. SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1:27:21.7
5. KURKINA Larisa 1:27:22.4
6. KUENZEL Claudia 1:27:22.7
7. NEUMANNOVA Katerina 1:27:23.4
8. JATSKAJA Oxana 1:28:20.5
9. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:28:25.3
10. TCHEPALOVA Julija 1:28:50.3
28.02.2004: 30 km Free Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. TCHEPALOVA Julija 1:16:22.8
2. VALBUSA Sabina 1:17:22.7
3. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:17:34.9
4. NAGEJKINA Svetlana 1:18:08.4
5. SACHENBACHER Evi 1:18:18.8
6. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:18:20.5
7. KURKINA Larisa 1:18:23.9
8. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:19:03.8
9. VORONTSOVA Ekaterina 1:19:07.2
10. STEIRA STOERMER Kristin 1:19:23.9
08.03.2003: 30 km Classic Interval start, Oslo, NOR

Full results

1. SKARI Bente 1:21:45.4
2. VILJANMAA Annmari 1:23:52.8
3. SAARINEN Aino Kaisa 1:24:51.9
4. MAJDIC Petra 1:25:01.7
5. KUITUNEN Virpi 1:25:08.5
6. SACHENBACHER Evi 1:25:34.7
7. SMIGUN Kristina 1:25:55.6
8. WIGERNAES Ine 1:26:34.9
9. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:26:42.4
10. BAUER Viola 1:26:44.4
28.02.2003: 30 km Free Interval start, Val di Fiemme, ITA

Full results

1. SAVIALOVA Olga 1:14:29.8
2. BURUKINA Elena 1:14:45.1
3. SMIGUN Kristina 1:14:56.7
4. PARUZZI Gabriella 1:15:02.5
5. VALBUSA Sabina 1:15:34.1
6. SACHENBACHER Evi 1:15:35.6
7. SHEVCHENKO Valentina 1:15:57.4
8. GAVRILJUK Nina 1:17:03.6
9. SCOTT Beckie 1:17:35.2
10. ZJATIKOVA Natalya 1:17:44.5

2 Comments

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March 4, 2011 @ 14:47

[...] Preview: 30 km women [...]

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Pingback by Johaug | WorldofXC Blog » 30 km mass start: Here are the top favourites | Hardywise

March 5, 2011 @ 13:37

[...] at the World Champs in Japan back in 2007 with a bronze medal. Johaug is surely a medal aspirant, http://worldofxc.com/blog/2011/03/04/30-km-mass-start-here-are-the-top-favourites-who-takes-the-gold... March 5th, 2011 | Category: [...]

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