Gaiazova, Crawford win bronze for Canada

After battling ankle and leg injuries for most of the last two seasons, things are starting to come together for cross-country skier Chandra Crawford.

The 2006 Olympic champion teamed with fellow Canadian Daria Gaiazova to win World Cup bronze Sunday in the women's sprint relay in Dusseldorf.

"This is a big thing to feel like I'm able to ski again," Crawford said. "And man does it ever feel good to be out there rubbing elbows with those World Cup skiers. Daria and I had a total blast out there."

Crawford, from Canmore, Alta., and Gaiazova, from Banff, Alta., finished third in 10 minutes 43.5 seconds for their first World Cup medal as a team.

Magda Genuin and Arianna Follis of Italy won gold in 10:41.1. Maiken Caspersen Falla and Celine Brun-Lie of Norway took the silver in 10:42.0.

It was Crawford's first World Cup medal in two years and Gaiazova's first-ever appearance on the podium.

"Getting the monkey off the back feels really good," Gaiazova said. "It gives us lots of confidence."

Crawford, who won gold in the sprint at the Torino Olympics, said they took advantage of a chaotic run on the snow.

"There were a lot of crashes and we managed to ski around our fallen competition and hit that podium," Crawford said.

In the men's event, Ola Vigen Hattestad and Anders Gloersen of Norway edged the Swedish pair of Mats Larsson and Emil Joensson by 0.2 seconds.

The Norwegians finished first in 19:56.6. Fabio Pasini and David Hofer of Italy were third in 19:57.6.