Whitehorse’s Natalie Hynes is in Lahti, Finland, for the FIS World Junior and U23 World Ski Championships from Jan. 20 to 27.
Competing at the under 23 level, the cross-country skier raced in the ladies’ 1.4-kilometre classic sprint, the ladies’ 10-km free race and the ladies’ 15-km classic mass-start race.
Racing started for Hynes with the classic sprint on Jan. 21.
In sprint qualifiers, Hynes finished outside the heats in 55th with a time of three minutes and 53.51 seconds.
Qualifying in first place was Tiril Udnes Weng of Norway with a time of three minutes and 26.52 seconds. Second place went to Sweden’s Johanna Hagstroem in three minutes and 27.66 seconds with third going to Russian skier Aida Bayazitova in three minutes and 29.54 seconds.
The top Canadian in qualifying was Sadie White in 35th position and a time of three minutes and 42.19 seconds.
Moa Lundgren of Sweden won in the finals, while Weng held to finish in second. Bayazitova was third.
After a day off, Hynes was back on the snow for the ladies’ 10-km free race on Jan. 23.
Hynes skied to 49th place with a time of 29 minutes and 40.1 seconds.
First place went to Russian Mariya Istomina with a time of 25 minute and 57.3 seconds. Finland’s Eveliina Piipo was second, finishing in 25 minutes and 59.3 seconds, while Weng was third in 26 minutes and 26.9 seconds.
White was again the top Canadian, this time in 43rd spot and a time of 29 minutes and 12.7 seconds.
On Jan. 25, Hynes raced in the ladies’ 15-km classic mass start race where she finished in 40th.
First place in the race went to Anna Zherebyateva of Russia with a time of 40 minutes and 31.4 seconds. Another Russian, Lidia Durkina, finished second in 40 minutes and 54.9 seconds. Third place was Germany’s Katharina Hennig with a time of 41 minute and 8.9 seconds.
Hynes finished with a time of 44 minutes and 12.3 seconds.
The top Canadian in the field was Hannah Mehain in 31st.
The competition concludes on Jan. 26 with relay competition at the junior level.
Contact John Hopkins-Hill at john.hopkinshill@yukon-news.com