Elena Valbe made cross-country history Saturday, completing a first-ever sweep of five races in the same World Nordic Ski Championships.
The 28-year-old Russian will probably always remember her record-haul of five golds. She's likely to forget the financial rewards, at least from Russia."I will get nothing from the Russian Ski Federation," Valbe said. "But I will get $3,000 for each win from our Olympic committee."
Like most other Russian skiers, Valbe earns most of her money from sponsors and lucrative exhibition races in the Nordic countries.
Valbe capped the week by by winning the 30-kilometer classical-style race.
"It's a great feeling to be part of ski history. I'm overwhelmed," Valbe told the crowd of 45,200 that included Norway's King Harald V.
Earlier, Valbe won the 15K freestyle, the 5K classical, the 10K classical and was a member of Russia's winning foursome in the 4 X 5K mixed-style relay. She was awarded the 5K victory after fellow Russian Lyubov Egorova, a six-time Olympic champion, tested positive for drugs and was banned from all competition.
Japan's Masahiko Harada won the large hill ski jumping competition after jumps of 124 and 128 meters for 252.1 points. He finished 7.2 points ahead of Dieter Thoma of Germany. Sylvain Freiholz of Switzerland, 40th in the World Cup overall standings coming into the championships, was a surprising bronze medalist.
The last female racer to win all events at stake in the same worlds was Galina Kulakova of the Soviet Union, who won the 5K and 10K individual races and the relay in the 1974 worlds at Falun, Sweden.
Valbe led throughout the final, posting the fastest split times at all checkpoints. She completed the women's longest and most grueling event, that had a total climb of 1,094 meters, in 1 hour, 23 minutes, 04.9 seconds.
Stefania Belmondo of Italy finished second, 28.3 seconds off Valbe's pace. Third went to Norway's Marit Mikkelsplass, 1:50.8 back.
Belmondo, the 1992 Olympic champion and '93 world champion at 30K, won her fourth silver in these championships.
Nina Kemppel was the top American, placing 27th, 7:27.7 behind. Suzanne King was 46th, 11:17.7 back.