Sprint star Sundling goes the distance for maiden Mass Start win

Sweden's Jonna Sundling proved she is not just a one-trick pony, by claiming the 20km Mass Start Freestyle in Ruka, Finland on Sunday as the opening weekend of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup 2026/26 season came to a close.

The world and Olympic sprint champion, who came second in the shortest format on Saturday, claimed just the second distance victory of her World Cup career, the previous one having come in the 10km Free in Minneapolis, USA, in February.

But the win in Ruka shouldn't have come as a complete surprise: she came second in the same race last season, behind Jessie Diggins (USA). This time the orders were reversed with the Overall World Cup champion of the last two seasons leaving her run just a little too late to top the podium.

"It feels amazing to get my first victory in a Mass Start," Sundling said.

"It was close last year but Jessie won, now we swapped."

With the temperatures already starting to drop by the time the women took to the track, conditions had become increasingly difficult, particularly on the first corner at the bottom of the downhill coming out of the stadium, where Linn Svahn (SWE) fell heavily last season.

Frida Karlsson (SWE), who won the 10K on Friday, set the early pace alongside Ebba Andersson (SWE) and Heidi Weng (NOR). But knowing that a sprint finish would play into her hands, Sundling starting to hunt the leading trio down on the third lap.

By the end of the lap, a group of seven – completed by Karoline Simpson-Larsen, who has never reached a World Cup podium, and Nora Sanness (both NOR), whose only podium was a second place in the 20km Mass Start in Engadin in January of this year - had opened up a 30-second gap on the rest of the field.

But none of them could shake of Sundling, who hit the front before the final uphill, then made her superior power and speed tell. She crossed the line 2.3 seconds ahead of Diggins, who made her made her way through the leading pack during the final lap but lacked the sprint finish of her Swedish rival. Heidi Weng (NOR) was a further half a second back to complete the podium, having pulled clear of Karlsson and Andersson.

"It feels really great to be on the top of the podium," Sundling said.

"I'm really satisfied with the result today and how I feel. I just tried to focus on my technique and do as best as I could.

Diggins, who will hang up her skis for good after this winter, bagged her first podium of the season and a first step towards a third consecutive overall Crystal Globe.

"It was really exciting. To be honest, I was not expecting that," said the 34-year-old, who leaves Ruka as the overall World Cup leader.

"I thought that if I positioned well (she would) maybe get lucky, but my body was tired today. I was yo-yoing out the back and kept clinging to the back of the group with my fingertips. So it was a cool surprise to have like 30 seconds worth of energy, and see if that's enough.

Weng can also be pleased with the start of her season, having made it onto two podiums in as many events in Ruka.

"I'm very happy with the result," said Weng, also 34.

"I was a little bit tired after two laps and I said to myself: 'you can do it'. I was attacking but it was actually very hard out there. It was icy out there and not so easy to balance. The snow was a little bit stacked in parts so it was a little bit difficult."

Weng – with Sundling the only Women's skier with two podiums this season – is fifth in the overall rankings, a Swedish trio of Moa Ilar, Sundling and Karlsson in number two, three and four respectively.

Despite her 10km second place, Weng said she "didn't feel so good in the last week".

"So it's good to know that when Frida (Karlsson) attacked, I had this power in the last few meters. I am in better shaped than I hoped for."

For the full World Cup schedule, click here.

For the full results from Ruka, click here.