Fischer Skis congratulates Kikkan Randall

Thu, Mar  8, 2012 - By Holly Wolfe

Fischer Ski Athlete Kikkan Randall Makes History as the First American Woman to Win the Nordic Skiing World Cup Sprint

Lifelong Fischer Skier Adds to Legacy of Firsts for Women in Nordic Ski Racing

AUBURN, N.H. — March 7, 2012 — Fischer Sports, the world’s leading cross country ski manufacturer, today announced that Fischer ski athlete and U.S. Ski Team member Kikkan Randall made history as the first American woman to win the FIS Cross Country World Cup sprint title. The 29-year-old native of Anchorage, Alaska, and lifelong Fischer skier, clinched the title with an eleventh-place finish in Drammen, Norway. She is currently ranked fourth in the 2012 World Cup overall standings. In 2011, Randall placed third in the World Cup sprint. Her title is the first by an American cross country skier since Bill Koch won the overall in 1982.

“This season has proven to be my best to date, and I’m so excited to have captured the sprint,” said Kikkan Randall, Fischer ski athlete and 2012 Nordic Skiing World Cup sprint winner. “I have relied on Fischer all of my race career, and I always feel confident that my skis will allow me to compete with the best in the world.”

Randall enjoyed a strong start to this season, placing fourth in the opening World Cup sprint in Kuusamo, Finland, and winning the next two World Cup sprint races. She was consistent in her results throughout January, skiing well in the World Cup Tour de Ski and placing tenth overall, which is the best U.S. finish in the history of the event. In early February, Randall had to sit out some World Cup distance races due to illness, but continued to compete in the sprint events and gained valuable World Cup sprint points. Randall enters the final sprint race with 628 points, a 135-point lead over the second place finisher. Her season-long point lead makes Randall unbeatable going into the final sprint next week in Stockholm.

The three-time Olympian, who began cross country skiing at the age of six, has achieved many firsts along her way to today’s World Cup success. Randall’s record of American firsts in Nordic skiing includes first World Cup women’s podium, first World Cup women’s victory, first World Championship women’s medal, first Olympic women’s top ten and first World Cup Overall women’s discipline leader. In the 2010 Winter Olympics she placed eighth in the women’s sprint, the best ever American women’s finish.

For more information on Kikkan Randall visit www.Kikkan.com. A complete list of Randall’s race results can be found at www.fis-ski.com.