By Inge Scheve
Thursday, the 24-year-old Norwegian was second in the sprint at the IBU-Cup in Arber (GER). On Saturday, he capped off the two-race weekend with first place, his ninth (!) victory for the season.
With five races remaining this season, Botn is now leading the overall IBU-Cup by nearly 200 points, despite missing a full round of racing in the beginning of January in order to try his game on the World Cup. On the women’s side, Madshus racer Jenny Enodd (NOR) is leading the overall IBU-Cup.
This week, the IBU World Championships are taking place in Nove Mesto (CZE) starting Wednesday. What’s happening when and who to watch? We got you covered:
Here is all you need to know about the 2024 IBU World Championships
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While the cross-country World Cup took a week off from racing to allow the skiers to travel for the upcoming races in North America, the Norwegian Cup featured a 3-race weekend with an unusually stacked field.
Hedda Østberg Amundsen didn’t waste the opportunity. After two solid skate races on Friday and Saturday, the 25-year-old twin sister of Word Cup leader Harald Østberg Amundsen won the 20-kilometer classic race on Sunday.
“That was really fun. I knew early that I had a good day. I had a lot of energy and felt strong from the start, so I was able to power through all the four laps,” Østberg Amundsen says.
This was her second victory for the season, and following a strong podium finish at the prestigious Scandinavian Cup in January. Now she is focusing on the national championships coming up in a couple of weeks.
“I hope to do well there, and be able to race a few more World Cup races toward the end of the season.”
Speaking of the World Cup: The next four races take place in Canmore (CAN) from February 9 to 13, and on February 17 and 18, the World Cup returns to the USA for the first time in more than 20 years.
Check out what’s on tap for the events in Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Bringing the World Cup back to the USA: “It will be a giant party”
Photo by: Nordic Focus