Norway's Marit Bjoergen might have ousted World Cup leader Justyna Kowalczyk for the gold medal in the women's sprint classic final -- but the 15 km pursuit is an entirely different race. A race that Kowalczyk won on this very Whistler course during a World Cup stop last January.
The women's 15km pursuit (7.5 classic + 7.5 free) competition gets under way at 4 p.m. ET on Friday. Here is a look at the competition:
The Contenders
Norway's Marit Bjoergen might have ousted World Cup leader Justyna Kowalczyk for the gold medal in the women's sprint classic final -- but the 15 km pursuit is an entirely different race. A race that Kowalczyk won on this very Whistler course during a World Cup stop last January.
With Slovenia's Petra Madjic out of the picture due to a rib injury sustained on Wednesday, the 27-year-old from Poland has a clear path to the podium. But Bjoergen is unpredictable and could claim her third medal of the Olympics on Friday.
The Top Five
1. Justyna Kowalczyk, POL, 1595
2. Petra Majdic, SLO, 1191
3. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen, FIN, 909
4. Arianna Folis, ITA, 707
5. Kristin Stoermer Steira, NOR, 585
Canadian Medal Hopes
The top three in the 15km pursuit is all but locked up. And there is very little chance that Sara Renner of Golden, B.C., could beat out most of the same competition she faced in the classic. However, Renner finished sixth in the pursuit on the Whistler course, so there is a chance she could come from behind.
The Dark Horse
Finland's Aino-Kaisa Saarinen faltered in the sprint event, finishing a disappointing 13th. But she sits in third place in World Cup standings, and has consistently finished in the top three so far this season, including a victory on home soil in Finland.
