Following a suspension from international competition, Russian cross-country skiers returned to the World Cup circuit in Switzerland this weekend, competing under a neutral flag.The event in Engadine marked the first World Cup appearance for many of these athletes since the 2022 ban, bringing both anticipation and scrutiny to the slopes. Saturday’s sprint qualifiers proved a challenging start for the team, with several athletes falling short of advancement to the next round.
A disappointing day unfolded for Russian cross-country skiers competing under a neutral flag at the World Cup event in Switzerland. Several athletes struggled in Saturday’s sprint qualifiers, marking their return to the international circuit after a lengthy ban.
Natalia Nepryaeva finished nearly ten seconds behind sprint winner Jonna Sundling of Sweden.
Nepryaeva placed 39th overall and will miss out on the quarterfinal rounds later Saturday.
Norway’s Mathilde Myhrvold showcased impressive speed in the freestyle sprint, securing the second-fastest qualifying time. She trailed Sundling by 1.97 seconds and finished just ahead of Sweden’s Maja Dahlqvist by four-tenths of a second.
Kristine Stavås Skistad, a pre-competition favorite, was 4.99 seconds slower than Sundling but comfortably advanced to the quarterfinals.
Milla Grosberghaugen Andreassen, Lotta Udnes Weng, and Ingrid Bergene Aabrekk also qualified for the next stage of the competition.
Ane Appelkvist Stenseth experienced a setback, failing to advance after finishing 10.84 seconds behind Sundling.
Savilij Korostelev also faced difficulties in the men’s sprint qualifiers, finishing well outside the qualifying positions.
