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Marshall joins World Cup

Salmon Arm cross-country skier struggles with Arctic air

As NorAm leader from last season, Alysson Marshall earned a trip to the early season World Cups in Scandinavia. Arriving in Sweden Nov. 7, she fell victim to jet lag and travel, missing three FIS races in Bruksvallama, Sweden which were to be warm-ups for World Cups. Her first race was World Cups in Gaellivare, Sweden,  100 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle where she came 77th in the 10-km skate. The next day  Canada fielded the first four-woman relay team in years and came in 14th. Marshall was the anchor leg and held onto their 14th position with a photo finish at the finish line against Kazakhstan and Slovenia.

This past weekend was the Triple Ruka World Cup, a three-day mini tour or pursuit held in Kuusamo, Finland. Marshall posted an excellent 38th out of 98 starters in the sprint time trial, just 2.5 seconds from qualifying for the heats. Unfortunately she had wax issues on the steep climbs and lost momentum which cost her a chance to make top 30.  The next day she had trouble  breathing in the cold air, coming in 81st in the five-km skate and dropping out of the final race, the 10-km classic for the same reason.

The next World Cup races were held  in downtown Quebec City Dec. 4/5. These are the first city sprints to be held in North America. Following that, the National Team will return to Canmore Alberta for three more World Cup events.