Alex Harvey crosses the finish line placing forth in the men's freestyle team really at the Whistler Olympic Park February 22, 2010. John Lehmann/Globe and MailJOHN LEHMANN/The Globe and Mail
Former junior cross-country skiing standout Alex Harvey has grown into Canada's top cross-country sprinter.
On Friday, the 22-year-old from St-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Que., led Canada in a World Cup race at Kuusamo, Finland with a ninth-place finish in a classic-ski sprint race.
The 22-year-old Harvey, who clocked the ninth fastest qualification time around the 1.4-kilometre course to advance to the head-to-head heats with the fastest 30 athletes, had a run at the medals, but came up short in the semifinal heat.
Riding fast skis, Harvey bolted out of the start and got in front of the pack where he controlled the pace in the semifinals, but ran out of gas down the finishing stretch.
"A little surprised with today actually because the classic sprint is usually not my best," said Harvey, who said the team quickly put last weekend's disappointing World Cup opener behind them and focused on Finland. "Each summer I try to work on every aspect of skiing to help me with being an overall strong skier. I did a lot of work on my power that is needed for these types of sprints. I did surprise myself a bit, but I'm happy."
Harvey won two bronze medals as a World Cup rookie. Then, playing a critical role on one of the most talented Canadian's men's teams ever, Harvey had a strong performance in his Olympic debut where he posted two top-10 finishes.
"The Olympics at home was the biggest sporting event I'm sure I will ever compete in. It is an event when everyone in the world is at their very best so for us to be able to perform the way we did at that time gives us lots of confidence to know we can compete with the best when everyone is in their top shape," said Harvey. "The success we had at the Olympics, along with the fact the World Championships are in Oslo this year which is the mecca for cross-country skiing, have motivated us to get back out here and compete. We are definitely heading in the right direction."
Three other Canadian men joined Harvey in the round of 30. Two-time Olympian, Devon Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont., finished in 16th spot. Toronto's Len Valjas was 29th in his first World Cup sprint competition. After advancing to the heats, Valjas rounded the challenging Kuusamo layout in the fastest heat of the opening round. Olympian, Stefan Kuhn of Canmore, Alta., was 30th.
John Kristian Dahl, of Norway, captured the first men's sprint title of the season. Alexey Poltoranin, of Kazakhstan, was second, while Finland's Sami Jauhojaervi rounded out the men's podium in the bronze medal position.
Meanwhile, Daria Gaiazova was the lone Canadian to qualify for the heats in the women's race around the 1.2-kilometre track. The Banff, Alta. resident's quest for the podium came to a halt in the round of 30, putting her in 24th place.
Norway's Marit Bjoergen was the fastest woman all day winning the qualifier and the gold medal on Friday. Bjoergen was joined on the podium by Slovenia's Petra Majdic who finished in second spot, while Norway's Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen grabbed the bronze.
Four other Canadians hit the start line but did not qualify for the heats. Calgary's Brent McMurtry was 50th; George Grey, of Rossland, B.C., was 84th; and Ivan Babikov, of Canmore, Alta., was 109th in men's racing. Chandra Crawford, of Canmore, Alta., was the only other Canadian woman entered and finished 4t5h.
The World Cup continues in Finland on Saturday with a five and 10-kilometre classic-ski race.