Justyna Kowalczyk has full recovered after the FIS Tour de Ski, skipped the sprint weekend in Milano and sprinted to victory in Saturday's sprint in Otepää.
Otepää is the favourite World Cup resort of the Polish ace and the record if successes has grown bigger again. Kowalczyk has won already four times the distance competitions but never a sprint, until today.
Kowalczyk qualified with the second fastest time behind Marit Bjoergen, who were lucky to go forward from the semifinal being one of the lucky losers. Kowalczyk went all the way through to the finals without problems.
In the final heat she was very skiing in front, dictating the tempo. Before the long finishing straight Kowalczyk gained a small advantage, which was big enough to strongly attacking Marit Bjoergen. Russia's sprint specialist Natalia Matveeva finished third.
The current sprint World Cup leader Kikkan Randall of USA went out in the semifinals but she is still holding the lead.
Justyna Kowalczyk POL
I like Otepää very much. I feel like home here it's an amazing place for me. My shape has been very good. After Tour de Ski I was only resting in my bed. Now I'm feeling better and better.
Marit Bjoergen NOR
My feeling was was good. Last week I felt little bit tired. My prologue was good as well as the heats but Kowalczyk was better today. I was little bit worried when I was third in the semifinal but I got a lucky loser spot. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's race. Last year it was very good for me. I expect to be fighting again with Justyna. Let's who is stronger tomorrow."
Natalia Matveeva RUS
I'm very hap with my third place. I planned to be in top three today. My skis were very good today. My next big goal is the sprint in Moscow. I come from there and I would like to be on the podium again.
