Monday, 9th January
Nine-dart Smith stuns in London
Last Tuesday the biggest event in darts concluded at Alexandra Palace when Englishman Michael Smith stunned Dutch star and favourite Michael van Gerwen by 7-4 to claim his first PDC World Darts Championship title. At one stage Smith was trailing 3-2, but followed with a run of four straight sets to take control at 6-3. Smith has also become world number one for the first time.
We mentioned in the previous edition of the sensational form of USA's Mikaela Shiffrin. On Tuesday Shiffrin claimed her 81st World Cup in Zagreb in the FIS Alpine Slalom World Cup. Yesterday Shiffrin added another win to equal the record and move alongside compatriot Lindsey Vonn's mark with victory in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Shiffrin is now only four World Cup wins away from the all-time record held by Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark.
The FIS Four Hills Tournament continued last week with Innsbruck, Austria, hosting the Ski Jumping HS142 World Cup. It was success for Poland's Dawid Kubacki. Oberstdorf in Germany was the location for the next stage of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup. Sweden's Frida Karlsson and Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo dominated as they claimed victory in both the 10km Individual Start Classic and the 20km Pursuit Free. Staying in Germany where Garmisch-Partenkirchen hosted the next round of the FIS Men's Alpine World Cup. Gold went to Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen.
The second stop within the same week for the FIS Four Hills Tournament ended in Austria's Bischofshoven. On this occasion victory was claimed by Norway's Halvor Egner Granerud in the Ski Jumping HS142 World Cup. The FIS Nordic Combined World Cup headed to the town of Otepää in southern Estonia for five medal events. With the official result still unconfirmed in the Mass Start HS97 5km, victory in the 10km went to Austria's Johannes Lamparter. Norway's Gyda Westvold Hansen won the Gundersen HS97 5km, with Germany's Julian Schmid victorious in the 10km event. Team gold went to Norway.
Norway's Silje Opseth took gold in the FIS Women's Ski Jumping World Cup in Sapporo, Japan, on Sunday. Six medal events featured at Italy's famous ski resort Val di Fiemme in the FIS Cross-Country World Cup. Norway's Lotta Udnes Weng and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo won the Sprint Final Classic, while the 15km Mass Start Classic titles went to Germany's Katharina Hennig and Klaebo with his second victory. France's Delphine Claudel and Norway's Simen Hegstad Krueger claimed gold in the 10km Mass Start Free. To wrap up the ski events for the week, Switzerland's Adelboden hosted the FIS Men's Alpine World Cup. Giant Slalom victory went to local star Marco Odermatt, while Norway's Lucas Braathen won Slalom gold.
Canada's scored the winning goal in over time against the Czech Republic to lift the trophy at the 2023 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's Junior Championship (IIHF) in Halifax. Over time was also required in the bronze medal match, where USA eventually outscored Sweden. Yesterday was also the start of the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship in Östersund, Sweden.
The International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation World Cup spent the weekend at Winterberg, Germany. Skeleton titles went to the Netherland's Kimberley Bos and Germany's Christopher Grotheer. It was again Germany in Women's Monobob with Laura Nolte claiming gold. Nolte then steered the 2-woman Bobsleigh to victory, with compatriot Johannes Lochner completing the same in the 2-man Bobsleigh. Francesco Friedrich rounded up the medals for Germany by winning the 4-man Bobsleigh for his team.
Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Eritrea’s Rahel Daniel took victory in Milan on Friday at the next World Athletics Cross Country Tour. The USA have won the inaugural United Cup played across three cities in Australia in the lead up to the Australian Open. Italy were beaten 3-0. The Netherland's Shirin van Anrooij and Belgium's Wout van Aert were the elite winners in Zonhoven, Belgium, at the next round of the 2022/2023 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup.
Latvia's Sigulda were hosts to the FIL Luge World Cup over the weekend. Germany's Dajana Eitberger and Latvia's Kristers Aparjods won the women's and men's single seater titles. Latvia won both the women's and men's doubles. The IBU Biathlon World Cup moved to Pokljuka in Slovenia with Sweden's Elvira Oeberg and Norway's Johannes Thingnes Boe claiming early wins in the Sprint. Both athletes then completed the double in the Pursuit. Norway won gold in the Single Mixed Relay, with France claiming the Mixed Relay.
The Netherlands and Norway shared the medals at the ISU European Speed Skating Championships hosted in Hamar, Norway, over the weekend. The AMA Supercross Championship had the opening round on Saturday, with defending champions Eli Tomac and Jett Lawrence continuing their good form by winning the 450SX and 250SX in Anaheim.
Until next time, have a great week in sport.