Best of the Rest

Fedorov edges Mazdzer:

Russia’s Stepan Fedorov edged the United States’ Chris Mazdzer to win the last luge World Cup event of the season on Sunday.

Fedorov clocked 53.977 with his first run and 53.233 with his second to pip Mazdzer by 0.035 seconds. The American had the fastest second run of 53.221, but it was not enough to make up for his first of 54.024 in wet and windy conditions.

Italy’s Dominik Fischnaller was third, 0.066 behind, ahead of Germany’s Ralf Palik and Austria’s Wolfgang Kindl. (AP)

Johaug leads country:

Therese Johaug of Norway led from the start and outclassed the opposition to complete her 15th cross country World Cup win this season.

Another Norwegian, Heidi Weng, was the only athlete who came anywhere near matching Johaug’s pace from the start, but was still 16.8 seconds behind at the halfway point. She finished one minute, 5.5 seconds behind.

Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg completed a Norwegian triple on the podium, 1:31.9 behind.

Johaug also won the women’s 15K skiathlon race Saturday.

The 27-year-old increased her overall World Cup lead to 234 points over Oestberg.

Johaug took her maiden World Cup win in the same event four years earlier. (AP)

Vaultier, Samkova win:

Two years after both won gold at the Sochi Olympics, France’s Pierre Vaultier and Eva Samkova of the Czech Republic enjoyed more success in Russia on Sunday with victories in a round of the snowboardcross World Cup.

Vaultier took his second consecutive win after victory in Feldberg last month, winning the big final from fastfinishing Canadian Christopher Robanske and Spain’s Lucas Eguibar, who had qualified fastest Saturday.

That puts Vaultier into the overall standings lead, 480 points ahead of previous leader Nikolai Olyunin of Russia, who failed to make it past Sunday’s quarterfinals following a fall. Alessandro Haemmerle of Austria, who had been third in the standings before Sunday’s round, also failed to reach the semifinals.

Samkova dominated all weekend in the women’s event at the Sunny Valley resort, qualifying fastest on Saturday then taking the win Sunday ahead of Belle Brockhoff of Australia, with third place going to Italy’s Michela Moioli. (AP)

Sundby spearheads:

World Cup leader Martin Johnsrud Sundby, 31, skied a tactically clever race to win the 15 by 15 skiathlon, classic and free styles Sunday at the Lahti Ski Games.

Johnsrud Sundby finished in one hour, 10 minutes, 3 seconds leading a Norwegian five-man sweep. Finn Haagen Krogh took second, 4.9 seconds behind, and Hans Christer Holund third, eight seconds back. Didrik Toenseth and Niklas Dyrhaug finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Earlier, Therese Johaug of Norway led from the start to outclass the opposition and complete her 15th cross country World Cup win this season. (AP)