Cross Country: Steira wins Silver for Norway

Kristin Størmer Steira. Photo: NRK.

Kristin Størmer Steira (27), from Mo i Rana, secured silver for Norway in the women’s pursuit 7.5 km classic + 7.5 km free race at the Nordic World Championships in Liberec on Saturday Feb. 21. Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk won gold.  

Steira had led the race for the last six kilometers, but failed to shake off Kowalczyk, who punished the Norwegian by pushing past her going into the final straight and then pulled away in the sprint.

Kowalczyk finished in 40 minutes, 55.3 seconds to win her first major championship title, after taking silver in Thursday’s opening 10K classical race. Steira was 1.7 seconds behind, while Thursday’s gold medalist Aino Kaisa Saarinen of Finland was third, 8 seconds back.

For Steira it is the fourth World Championships medal, and the third in a pursuit World Championships race. She also won a medal in Oberstdorf and in Sapporo in this competition by finishing third both times.