There was a Swedish-Norwegian showdown in the women's World Cup sprint in Drammen.
In the end, the race and the victory were between Sundling and Skistad. Sundling was clearly strongest, 0.77 seconds ahead of Skistad at the finish.
Linn Svahn impressed most initially. The Swedish Olympic gold medalist was fastest in qualifying and then won the quarter-final with a powerful sprint, after previously being involved in a mass crash.
In the semifinals, Svahn's race turned tactical and slow until the finish, costing her a place in the final. She came third in the heat, behind Skistad and Sundling, and her time was far too slow to have a chance of advancing as a "lucky loser".
In the final, the order was reversed for Sundling and Skistad. For Sundling it was her second straight sprint victory in the World Cup, after also winning in Lahti five days earlier.
Johanna Hagström, the other Swede in the final, finished fourth, nearly a second and a half behind Swiss third-place Nadine Fähndrich.
