The Women's sprint cross-country skiing

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 22 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...

.

Emilie Öhrstig was the defending World Champion, but she won in the classical style, and the last free style sprint in the World Championships (in 2003) was won by Marit Bjørgen

Marit Bjørgen

Marit Bjørgen is a Norwegian cross country skier and triple olympic champion from Midtre Gauldal, Norway. Bjørgen is the most successful sprinter in Cross-Country World Cup history, with twenty-four victories. She is ranked first in the all-time Cross-Country World Cup rankings with forty-eight...

. Julija Tchepalova

Julija Tchepalova

Yuliya Chepalova is a Russian cross-country skier.-Early and current personal life:Daughter of a cross-country skiing coach, Chepalova started to ski as soon as she began to walk...

 is defending Olympic champion. The most recent free style sprint event in the World Cup, however, was won by the Russian Alena Sidko

Alena Sidko

Alyona Viktorovna Sidko is a Russian cross-country skier who has competed since 2000.Sidko won a bronze medal in the Individual Sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She also won a bronze in the Team sprint at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf and had her best...

 at 30 December 2005.

Qualifying

Sixty-six skiers completed the 1.1 kilometre course in the qualifying portion of the event, with the top thirty advancing to the quarterfinals.

Rank	Name	Country	Time	Notes
1	Beckie Scott Beckie Scott Rebecca "Beckie" Scott, MSM is a retired Canadian cross-country skiing athlete and as of February 23, 2006, an International Olympic Committee member by virtue of being elected to the IOC Athlete's Commission along with Saku Koivu....		2:12.45	Q
2	Arianna Follis Arianna Follis Arianna Follis is an Italian cross country skier who started competing in 1995. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned a bronze medal in the 4 x 5 km at Turin in 2006....		2:12.90	Q
3	Lina Andersson Lina Andersson Lina Andersson is a Swedish cross country skier who has competed since 1998. She won a gold medal in the Team sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and also finished 11th in the Individual sprint in those same games.Andersson also won three medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships...		2:13.29	Q
4	Claudia Kuenzel		2:13.64	Q
5	Alena Sidko Alena Sidko Alyona Viktorovna Sidko is a Russian cross-country skier who has competed since 2000.Sidko won a bronze medal in the Individual Sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. She also won a bronze in the Team sprint at the 2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf and had her best...		2:14.54	Q
6	Petra Majdič Petra Majdic Petra Majdič is a Slovenian former cross-country skier. Her best results came in classic style races. She won twenty-four World Cup races, twenty in sprint races, but she also won a marathon in Trondheim in 2009...		2:14.62	Q
7	Virpi Kuitunen Virpi Kuitunen Virpi Katriina Sarasvuo is a Finnish cross country skier who competed from 1995 to 2010. She won a bronze medal in the team sprint event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and earned her best individual finish of fifth in the individual sprint event in those same games...		2:14.83	Q
8	Chandra Crawford Chandra Crawford Chandra Crawford is a Canadian cross-country skier who has competed since 2001 at the age of 16. Prior to this, she was a biathlete for five years. She was born in Canmore, Alberta, Canada....		2:15.06	Q
9	Sara Renner Sara Renner Sara Renner is a Canadian cross-country skier who competed from 1994 to 2010. With Beckie Scott, she won the silver medal in the team sprint event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and earned her best individual finish of 8th in the 10 km classical event in those same games...		2:15.37	Q
10	Kikkan Randall Kikkan Randall Kikkan Randall is an American cross-country skier from Anchorage, Alaska. She is the niece of former cross-country skiing Olympians Betsy Haines and her brother, Chris Haines...		2:15.63	Q
11	Aino Kaisa Saarinen Aino Kaisa Saarinen Aino-Kaisa Saarinen is a Finnish cross country skier who has competed since 1998...		2:15.75	Q
12	Anna Dahlberg Anna Dahlberg Anna Olsson is a Swedish cross-country skier who competed from 1996 to 2010. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she won a gold medal in the team sprint at Turin in 2006.Olsson also won a silver medal in the team sprint event at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec...		2:15.91	Q
13	Ella Gjømle Ella Gjømle Ella Gjømle is a cross country skier from Stathelle, Bamble, Norway. She competes for Lyn ski club, Oslo.- Results :Gjømle competed in the 2005 World Championship in Oberstdorf, finishing 9th at the Sprint competition...		2:16.02	Q
14	Manuela Henkel Manuela Henkel Manuela Henkel is a German cross-country skier who has competed since 1994. She won a gold medal in the 4 x 5 km at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Her best individual finish was 12th in the Individual sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin...		2:16.04	Q
15	Madoka Natsumi Madoka Natsumi Madoka Natsumi is a Japanese cross country skier who has competed since 1995. She earned the best individual finish of the host nation Japan at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo with a fifth place finish in the women's sprint event which was also her best individual finish at...		2:16.30	Q
16	Viktoria Lopatina Viktoria Lopatina Viktoria Lopatina is a Belarusian cross country skier who has been compteing since 2000. She finished sixth in the team sprint at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo and earned her best individual finish of 23rd in the sprint event at the 2003 championships in Val di...		2:16.36	Q
17	Marit Bjørgen Marit Bjørgen Marit Bjørgen is a Norwegian cross country skier and triple olympic champion from Midtre Gauldal, Norway. Bjørgen is the most successful sprinter in Cross-Country World Cup history, with twenty-four victories. She is ranked first in the all-time Cross-Country World Cup rankings with forty-eight...		2:16.38	Q
18	Magda Genuin Magda Genuin Magda Genuin is an Italian cross country skier who has been competing since 1997. She finished sixth in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo and earned her best individual finish of 12th in the 10 km event at those same championships.Genuin's best individual...		2:16.41	Q
19	Britta Norgren Britta Norgren Britta Johanna Helena Johansson Norgren is a Swedish cross country skier who has been competed since 2002. She won a bronze medal in the 4 x 5 km at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2009 in Liberec...		2:16.43	Q
20	Olga Moskalenko-Rotcheva		2:16.43	Q
21	Emelie Öhrstig Emelie Öhrstig thumb|[[Lina Andersson]] and Emelie Öhrstig in [[Piteå]] after the [[2005 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships|2005 Oberstdorf]]Emelie Öhrstig is a Swedish cross-country skier who won a gold medal at the 2005 Nordic World Ski Championships...		2:16.75	Q
22	Julija Tchepalova Julija Tchepalova Yuliya Chepalova is a Russian cross-country skier.-Early and current personal life:Daughter of a cross-country skiing coach, Chepalova started to ski as soon as she began to walk...		2:16.90	Q
23	Hilde G. Pedersen		2:17.17	Q
24	Kati Venalainen		2:17.29	Q
25	Natalia Matveeva		2:17.73	Q
26	Laurence Rochat Laurence Rochat Laurence Rochat is a Swiss cross-country skier who has competed since 1996. She won a bronze medal in the 4 x 5km relay at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and had her best individual finish with a 15th place in the Individual sprint at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.Rochat's best...		2:17.73	Q
27	Alena Prochazkova Alena Procházková Alena Procházková is a Slovak cross country skier who has competed since 2002. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 18th in the individual sprint event at Vancouver in 2010....		2:17.75	Q
28	Nobuko Fukuda Nobuko Fukuda is a Japanese cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of eighth in the team sprint at Turin in 2006...		2:17.82	Q
29	Olga Vasiljonok Olga Vasiljonok Olga Vasiljonok is a Belarusian cross country skier who has been competing since 2000. She finished sixth in the team sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo and earned her best individual finish of 17th in the individual sprint event at the 2009 championships in...		2:18.12	Q
30	Stefanie Boehler		2:18.14	Q
31	Nicole Fessel Nicole Fessel Nicole Fessel is a German cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Her best World Cup finish was second twice...		2:18.35
32	Seraina Mischol Seraina Mischol Seraina Mischol is a Swiss skier competing in cross country skiing.-External links:*...		2:18.83
33	Barbara Moriggl		2:19.12
34	Aurelie Perrillat		2:19.28
35	Wendy Kay Wagner		2:19.71
36	Vita Jakimchuk Vita Jakimchuk Vita Jakimchuk is a Ukrainian cross-country skier who has competed since 1998. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of eighth in the 4 x 5 km relay at Turin in 2006 and had her best individual finish of 22nd in the 30 km event at those same games.Jakimchuk's...		2:19.92
37	Irina Terentjeva Irina Terentjeva Irina Terentjeva is a Lithuanian cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 37th in the individual sprint event at Turin in 2006....		2:20.08
38	Elena Kolomina Elena Kolomina Elena Kolomina is a Kazakhstani cross country skier who has been competing since 1998. She finished fifth in the team sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo and had her best individual finish of 21st in the sprint event at the 2001 championships in Lahti.Kolomina's best...		2:20.28
38	Lindsey Williams		2:20.28
40	Vesna Fabjan Vesna Fabjan Vesna Fabjan is a Slovenian cross country skier who has competed since 2001. Competing in two Winter Olympics, her best finish was 11th in the team sprint at Vancouver in 2010 while her best individual finish was 23rd in the individual sprint event at those same games.Fabjan's best finish at the...		2:20.34
41	Tatjana Mannima Tatjana Mannima Tatjana Mannima is an Estonian cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 17th in the 4 x 5 km at Turin at 2006 while her best individual finish was 41st both in the individual sprint and 30 km events at those same...		2:20.44
42	Elina Hietamaeki		2:20.49
43	Marina Malets Lisogor		2:20.79
44	Justyna Kowalczyk Justyna Kowalczyk Justyna Kowalczyk is a Polish cross country skier who has been competing since 2000.Kowalczyk is an Olympic Champion, a double World Champion and a triple winner of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup...		2:21.19
45	Natalya Issachenko		2:21.22
46	Oxana Jatskaja Oxana Jatskaja Oxana Yatskaya is a Kazakhstani cross country skier who has been competing since 1995. She finish fifth in the team sprint at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 in Sapporo and earned her best individual finish of eighth in the 30 km event at the 2005 championships in...		2:22.12
47	Emilie Vina Émilie Vina Émilie Vina is a French cross-country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of ninth in the 4 x 5 km relay at Turin in 2006 and had her best individual finish of 47th in the indiivdual sprint event at those same games.Vina's best finish at...		2:22.42
48	Kaili Sirge		2:22.42
49	Amanda Ammar Amanda Ammar Amanda Ammar is a Canadian cross-country skier.Ammar made her World Cup debut in 2005. Her best finish to date came in that year, when she teamed with Perianne Jones to finish 17th in the team sprint in Canmore...		2:22.78
50	Eva Nyvltova Eva Nývltová Eva Nývltová; born 6 February 1986 in Trutnov, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech cross country skier who has competed at top-level since 2005. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 13th in the 4 x 5 km relay at Vancouver in 2010 while earning her best individual finish of 33rd in...		2:22.86
51	Ekaterina Rudakova Bulauka		2:23.19
52	Esther Bottomley Esther Bottomley Esther Bottomley is an Australian cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 50th in the individual sprint event at Vancouver in 2010....		2:23.55
53	Katarina Garajova		2:23.98
54	Piret Pormeister		2:24.67
55	Elodie Bourgeois Pin		2:24.77
56	Man Dandan Man Dandan Man Dandan is a Chinese cross country skier who has competed since 2006. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 17th in the team sprint event at Vancouver in 2010 and earned her best individual finish of 51st in the individual sprint event at the same games.Man's best...		2:25.16
57	Song Bo		2:27.07
58	Maja Kezele		2:27.16
59	Monika Gyorgy Monika Gyorgy Monika Gyorgy is a Romanian cross country skier who has competed since 2000. Competing in two Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 43rd in the 10 km event at Vancouver in 2010....		2:27.53
60	Daria Starostina		2:27.58
61	Jia Yuping		2:30.03
62	Elena Gorohova		2:31.61
63	Kelime Aydin Kelime Aydin Kelime Aydın Çetinkaya is a Turkish cross country skier who has competed since 2001. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 49th in the 30 km event at Turin in 2006....		2:33.33
64	Lee Chae-Won Lee Chae-Won Lee Chae-Won is a South Korean cross country skier who has competed since 1999. Competing in three Winter Olympics, she earned her best finish of 52nd in the individual sprint event at Salt Lake City in 2002....		2:35.47
65	Liu Liming		2:35.76
66	Panagiota Tsakiri		2:43.28

Quarterfinals

There were five quarterfinal races, each with six skiers. The top two in each heat advanced to the semifinals.

Quarterfinal 1

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	1		2:16.6	Q
2	10		2:17.8	Q
3	20		2:18.4
4	30		2:18.5
5	21		2:19.9
6	11		2:20.7

Quarterfinal 2

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	4		2:15.5	Q
2	7		2:16.2	Q
3	14		2:16.4
4	17		2:16.8
5	27		2:17.9
6	24		2:18.1

Quarterfinal 3

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	5		2:17.7	Q
2	6		2:17.7	Q
3	26		2:18.9
4	15		2:19.9
5	16		2:24.8
6	25		2:31.4

Quarterfinal 4

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	12		2:14.3	Q
2	2		2:14.7	Q
3	19		2:15.0
4	9		2:15.6
5	29		2:16.6
6	22		2:16.6

Quarterfinal 5

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	8		2:14.2	Q
2	13		2:15.7	Q
3	3		2:16.0
4	18		2:17.9
5	28		2:18.2
6	23		2:19.1

Semifinals

There were two semifinal races, each with five skiers. The top two in each semifinal advanced to the A Final, to compete for the top four places, while the third and fourth placed finishers advanced to the B Final, for places five through eight.

Semifinal 1

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	4		2:15.5	Q
2	1		2:15.8	Q
3	7		2:16.3
4	6		2:18.7
5	10		2:19.1

Semifinal 2

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result	Notes
1	8		2:13.4	Q
2	5		2:15.1	Q
3	2		2:16.2
4	13		2:16.4
5	12		2:18.9

Finals

Chandra Crawford

Chandra Crawford

Chandra Crawford is a Canadian cross-country skier who has competed since 2001 at the age of 16. Prior to this, she was a biathlete for five years. She was born in Canmore, Alberta, Canada....

 finished 0.7 seconds ahead of Claudia Kuenzel to win the Olympic gold medal in the women's cross-country sprint.

Final A

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result
	8		2:12.3
	4		2:13.0
	5		2:13.2
4	1		2:14.7

Final B

Rank	Seed	Athlete	Result
1	7		2:18.1
2	13		2:18.2
3	2		2:20.3
4	6		2:21.5