Cross-country skiing at the 2006 Winter Olympics – Men's team sprint
Encyclopedia
The Men's team sprint cross-country skiing
competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Turin
, Italy
, was held on 14 February, at Pragelato
. This was the first time the team sprint was contested in the Winter Olympics. Each race featured teams of two, with each skier completing 3 laps of a 1325 metre course.
Norway, with Tore Ruud Hofstad
and Tor Arne Hetland
, had won the competition at the 2005 Nordic skiing World Championship, the only time it had been skied in the World Championship prior to the Turin games, but that was in free technique. The most recent team sprint event in classic technique had been in Canmore
, Canada
, on 18 December 2004. Jens Arne Svartedal
and Eldar Rønning
won that race for Norway's first team. However, despite this good Norwegian record, it was the Sweden's Thobias Fredriksson
and Björn Lind
who pipped Norway to the title.
Semifinal 1
Semifinal 2
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, was held on 14 February, at Pragelato
Pragelato
Pragelato is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km west of Turin, in the upper Val Chisone. The name Pragelato, meaning ‘icy meadow’, has been derived from the harsh climate and the fact that the ground is covered with ice for long periods...
. This was the first time the team sprint was contested in the Winter Olympics. Each race featured teams of two, with each skier completing 3 laps of a 1325 metre course.
Norway, with Tore Ruud Hofstad
Tore Ruud Hofstad
Tore Ruud Hofstad is a Norwegian cross-country skier who competed from 1998 to 2010. A freestyle specialist, Hofstad is best noted as a member of the Norwegian relay team during three successful FIS Nordic World Ski Championship campaigns...
and Tor Arne Hetland
Tor Arne Hetland
Tor Arne Hetland is a professional Norwegian cross-country skier.Hetland was born in Stavanger. He now lives in Trondheim and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and...
, had won the competition at the 2005 Nordic skiing World Championship, the only time it had been skied in the World Championship prior to the Turin games, but that was in free technique. The most recent team sprint event in classic technique had been in Canmore
Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is a town in Alberta, Canada, located approximately west of the City of Calgary near the southeast boundary of Banff National Park. It is located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rockies. The town shares a border with Kananaskis Country to the west and south and the Municipal District of...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, on 18 December 2004. Jens Arne Svartedal
Jens Arne Svartedal
Jens Arne Svartedal is a Norwegian cross country skier who has competed since 1996. He represents Trøsken IL from Sarpsborg in Norway. His greatest achievement is winning the individual sprint gold medal at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo...
and Eldar Rønning
Eldar Rønning
Eldar Rønning is a Norwegian cross-country skier. He skis with the Skogn IL club, in Nord-Trøndelag. He's 178 cm tall and weighs 73 kg . He skis with Rossignol boots and skis, and Rottefella bindings.In 2004/05, he achieved three podium finishes in World Cup Sprint events, including a win at Reit...
won that race for Norway's first team. However, despite this good Norwegian record, it was the Sweden's Thobias Fredriksson
Thobias Fredriksson
Thobias Fredriksson is a Swedish cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. He won two medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin with a gold in the team sprint and a bronze in the individual sprint events.Fredriksson also won two medals in the individual sprint events at the FIS Nordic...
and Björn Lind
Björn Lind
Björn Lind is a Swedish cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won gold medals in both the Individual and Team sprint events at Turin in 2006....
who pipped Norway to the title.
Semifinals
Fifteen teams were entered in the two semifinals, with the top five in each advancing to the final.Semifinal 1
| Rank | Country | Athletes | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thobias Fredriksson Thobias Fredriksson Thobias Fredriksson is a Swedish cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. He won two medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin with a gold in the team sprint and a bronze in the individual sprint events.Fredriksson also won two medals in the individual sprint events at the FIS Nordic... Björn Lind Björn Lind Björn Lind is a Swedish cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won gold medals in both the Individual and Team sprint events at Turin in 2006.... |
17:34.0 | Q | |
| 2 | Dušan Kožíšek Dusan Kozisek Dušan Kožíšek is a Czech cross country skier who has been competing since 2002. He won a bronze medal in the team sprint at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf and finished 38th in the individual sprint in those same games... Martin Koukal Martin Koukal Martin Koukal is a Czech cross country skier and mountaineer who has been competing since 1996. He won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with gold in 50 km and a bronze in the team sprint... |
17:34.9 | Q | |
| 3 | Martin Bajčičák Martin Bajcicák Martin Bajčičák is a Slovakian cross country skier who has been competing since 1994. His best finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was fourth in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit in 2005.... Ivan Bátory Ivan Bátory Ivan Bátory is a Slovak cross-country skier who has competed at the international senior level of cross-country skiing since 1993... |
17:36.1 | Q | |
| 4 | Keijo Kurttila Lauri Pyykonen Lauri Pyykönen Lauri Pyykönen is a Finnish cross country skier who competed from 1998 to 2008. His best World Cup finish was second twice, both in sprint events with one each in 2002 and in 2003.... |
17:39.2 | Q | |
| 5 | Nikolay Chebotko Nikolay Chebotko Nikolay Chebotko is a Kazakhstani cross country skier who has competed since 2000. His best individual World Cup finish was seventh in a sprint event in Germany in 2006.... Yevgeniy Koschevoy |
17:42.6 | Q | |
| 6 | Katsuhito Ebisawa Katsuhito Ebisawa is a Japanese cross country skier who has competed since 1995. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he earned his best career and individual finishes at Nagano in 1998 with a seventh in the 4 x 10 km relay and 21st in the 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit, respectively.Ebisawa's best finish at the FIS... Yuichi Onda Yuichi Onda is a Japanese cross-country skier who has competed since 1999. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of 12th in the team sprint event at Turin in 2006 while his best individual finish was 17th in the individual sprint event at Vancouver four years later.Onda's best finish at... |
17:46.6 | ||
| 7 | Priit Barusk Anti Saarepuu Anti Saarepuu Anti Saarepuu is an Estonian cross-country skier who has competed since 2003. He competed at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. He represents Estonia at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver... |
18:07.4 | ||
| 8 | Nejc Brodar Joze Mehle |
18:34.4 | ||
| 9 | Ivan Bilosyuk Vitaly Martsyv |
18:50.4 | ||
| 10 | Tian Ye Tian Ye Tian Ye is a Chinese cross-country skier and biathlete.He participated as a cross-country skier at the 2006 Winter Olympics in the classical 15 kilometre race , in the... Li Geiliang |
18:57.4 | ||
| 11 | Zsolt Antal Mihai Galiceanu |
18:04.3 | ||
| 12 | Sebahattin Oğlago Sebahattin Oglago Sabahattin Oğlago is a Turkish cross-country skier who has competed since 2002. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he earned his best finish of 22nd in the team sprint at Turin in 2006 while his best individual finish was 60th in the individual sprint event at Salt Lake City four years... Muhammet Kızılarslan Muhammet Kizilarslan Muhammet Kızılarslan is an Olympic skier competing in the cross-country discipline.Born 1986 in Sungurlu, a town in the province of Çorum, Turkey, Kızılarslan started skiing in Ankara, where he lives now. He entered the Turkish national ski team in 2003... |
19:46.5 | ||
| Sergei Dolidovich Sergei Dolidovich Sergei Dolidovich is a Belarusian cross country skier who has competed since 1994. His lone World Cup victory was in a 60 km event in Finland in 2001.... Alexander Lasutkin |
DNS |
Semifinal 2
| Rank | Country | Athletes | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jens Arne Svartedal Jens Arne Svartedal Jens Arne Svartedal is a Norwegian cross country skier who has competed since 1996. He represents Trøsken IL from Sarpsborg in Norway. His greatest achievement is winning the individual sprint gold medal at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo... Tor Arne Hetland Tor Arne Hetland Tor Arne Hetland is a professional Norwegian cross-country skier.Hetland was born in Stavanger. He now lives in Trondheim and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and... |
17:22.1 | Q | |
| 2 | Ivan Alypov Ivan Alypov Ivan Vladimirovich Alypov is a Russian cross-country skier who has competed since 2002. He won the bronze medal in the Team Sprint event at the 2006 Winter Olympics at Turin.... Vassili Rotchev |
17:22.2 | Q | |
| 3 | Jens Filbrich Jens Filbrich Jens Filbrich is a German cross-country skier who has been competing since 1998. He won two medals in the 4 x 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics with a silver in 2006 and a bronze in 2002... Andreas Schlütter Andreas Schlütter Andreas Schlütter is a German cross-country skier who has been competing since 1993. He won 2 medals in the 4 × 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics with a silver in 2006 and a bronze in 2002... |
17:22.6 | Q | |
| 4 | Freddy Schwienbacher Giorgio Di Centa Giorgio Di Centa Giorgio Di Centa is an Italian cross country skier who won two gold medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics, including the individual 50 km freestyle race... |
17:26.2 | Q | |
| 5 | Maciej Kreczmer Maciej Kreczmer Maciej Kreczmer is a Polish cross country skier who has competed since 1999. His best individual finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was 17th in the sprint event in 2005 while his best overall finish was fifth in the team sprint event in 2007.Kreczmer's best individual finish at the... Janusz Krężelok Janusz Krezelok Janusz Adam Krężelok is a Polish cross country skier who has competed since 1994. His best individual finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was a seventh in the individual sprint in 2005 while his best overall finish was fifth in the team sprint event in 2007.Krężelok's best individual... |
17:27.1 | Q | |
| 6 | Devon Kershaw Devon Kershaw Devon Kershaw is a Canadian cross country skier who has been competing since 2000. Growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, he split his time between several sports before choosing to focus on his skiing career.-Early life and career:... George Grey George Grey (skier) George Grey is a Canadian cross-country skier.Grey made his World Cup debut in 2001, with his best finish coming in early 2009, when he teamed with Alex Harvey to win a bronze medal in the team sprint. His best individual performance thus far is 16th place, which he achieved at Canmore in 2005 and... |
17:31.2 | ||
| 7 | Chris Cook Andrew Newell Andrew Newell Andrew "Andy" Newell is an American cross country skier who has been competing on the international level since 2001.- Career :... |
17:54.9 | ||
| 8 | Reto Burgermeister Reto Burgermeister Reto Burgermeister is a Swiss cross country skier who has competed since 1994. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he finished sixth in the 4 x 10 km relay at Nagano in 1998 overall and ninth in the 15 km at Salt Lake City in 2002.... Christoph Eigenmann Christoph Eigenmann Christoph Eigenmann is a Swiss cross country skier who has competed since 1998. His best World Cup finish was second in a sprint event in China in 2006.... |
18:00.5 | ||
| 9 | Johannes Eder Johannes Eder Johannes Eder is an Austrian cross country skier who has been competing since 1998. His best finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was 4th in the 15 km event at Sapporo in 2007.... Juergen Pinter |
18:12.2 | ||
| 10 | Choi Im-Heon Park Byung Joo |
19:40.0 | ||
| 11 | Damir Jurčević Denis Klobučar |
19.43.1 | ||
| Hovhannes Sargsyan Edmond Khachatryan |
DNF |
Final
The top three teams separated themselves from the pack fairly easily, with Sweden finishing just 0.6 seconds ahead of Norway to take the gold medal.| Rank | Country | Athletes | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Thobias Fredriksson Thobias Fredriksson Thobias Fredriksson is a Swedish cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. He won two medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin with a gold in the team sprint and a bronze in the individual sprint events.Fredriksson also won two medals in the individual sprint events at the FIS Nordic... Björn Lind Björn Lind Björn Lind is a Swedish cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, he won gold medals in both the Individual and Team sprint events at Turin in 2006.... |
17:02.9 | |
 |
Jens Arne Svartedal Jens Arne Svartedal Jens Arne Svartedal is a Norwegian cross country skier who has competed since 1996. He represents Trøsken IL from Sarpsborg in Norway. His greatest achievement is winning the individual sprint gold medal at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo... Tor Arne Hetland Tor Arne Hetland Tor Arne Hetland is a professional Norwegian cross-country skier.Hetland was born in Stavanger. He now lives in Trondheim and is with the Byåsen IL ski club there. Hetland is and... |
17:03.5 | |
 |
Ivan Alypov Ivan Alypov Ivan Vladimirovich Alypov is a Russian cross-country skier who has competed since 2002. He won the bronze medal in the Team Sprint event at the 2006 Winter Olympics at Turin.... Vassili Rotchev |
17:05.4 | |
| 4 | Jens Filbrich Jens Filbrich Jens Filbrich is a German cross-country skier who has been competing since 1998. He won two medals in the 4 x 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics with a silver in 2006 and a bronze in 2002... Andreas Schlütter Andreas Schlütter Andreas Schlütter is a German cross-country skier who has been competing since 1993. He won 2 medals in the 4 × 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics with a silver in 2006 and a bronze in 2002... |
17:14.0 | |
| 5 | Keijo Kurttila Lauri Pyykonen Lauri Pyykönen Lauri Pyykönen is a Finnish cross country skier who competed from 1998 to 2008. His best World Cup finish was second twice, both in sprint events with one each in 2002 and in 2003.... |
17:21.5 | |
| 6 | Nikolay Chebotko Nikolay Chebotko Nikolay Chebotko is a Kazakhstani cross country skier who has competed since 2000. His best individual World Cup finish was seventh in a sprint event in Germany in 2006.... Yevgeniy Koschevoy |
17:25.1 | |
| 7 | Maciej Kreczmer Maciej Kreczmer Maciej Kreczmer is a Polish cross country skier who has competed since 1999. His best individual finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was 17th in the sprint event in 2005 while his best overall finish was fifth in the team sprint event in 2007.Kreczmer's best individual finish at the... Janusz Krężelok Janusz Krezelok Janusz Adam Krężelok is a Polish cross country skier who has competed since 1994. His best individual finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was a seventh in the individual sprint in 2005 while his best overall finish was fifth in the team sprint event in 2007.Krężelok's best individual... |
17:26.3 | |
| 8 | Martin Bajčičák Martin Bajcicák Martin Bajčičák is a Slovakian cross country skier who has been competing since 1994. His best finish at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships was fourth in the 15 km + 15 km double pursuit in 2005.... Ivan Bátory Ivan Bátory Ivan Bátory is a Slovak cross-country skier who has competed at the international senior level of cross-country skiing since 1993... |
18:30.9 | |
| 9 | Freddy Schwienbacher Giorgio Di Centa Giorgio Di Centa Giorgio Di Centa is an Italian cross country skier who won two gold medals at the 2006 Winter Olympics, including the individual 50 km freestyle race... |
18:31.3 | |
| 10 | Dušan Kožíšek Dusan Kozisek Dušan Kožíšek is a Czech cross country skier who has been competing since 2002. He won a bronze medal in the team sprint at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf and finished 38th in the individual sprint in those same games... Martin Koukal Martin Koukal Martin Koukal is a Czech cross country skier and mountaineer who has been competing since 1996. He won two medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships with gold in 50 km and a bronze in the team sprint... |
18:49.6 |