Jonna Sundling wins the Ruka mass start at the World Cup

Sweden’s Jonna Sundling took victory in the women’s mass start in Ruka, Finland, the final race of the opening World Cup weekend. The Olympic champion and three‑time reigning individual sprint world champion rebounded after losing the previous day’s sprint to Norway’s Kristine Skistad.

Sundling finished 2.3 seconds ahead of the USA’s Jessie Diggins, with Norway’s Heidi Weng completing the podium at 2.8 seconds. France’s Delphine Claudel, back on the circuit after a year out to heal a stress fracture, placed 13th (+1:38.4) and said the race was encouraging despite a small positioning mistake early on.

The strong Swedish start to the season included Frida Karlsson’s win in Friday’s 10 km. In the overall World Cup standings after Ruka, Moa Ilar leads ahead of Diggins and Finland’s Jasmi Joensuu; Sundling sits eighth. Claudel is 75th overall, while the top Frenchwoman is Léna Quintin in 64th. The World Cup continues next weekend in Trondheim, Norway.