At the World Nordic Championships in Oslo, Andrew Musgrave from Aberdeenshire became the first British cross-country skier ever to gain a top 30 place in a World event.

Musgrave, who had previously considered himself better at distance races, has had a series of good sprints over the last month and yesterday finished 26th in the timetrial thereby securing himself a place in the quarter-final heats. No British skier has ever reached this level in a World class event.

In the quarter-final he found himself up against four previous World Cup winners but was well in contention all the way round the gruelling course and still in the pack on the return to the arena. He finished only 5 seconds behind the winner, Marcus Hellner from Sweden who went on to win the gold medal in the finals. 

The World Championships are taking place at the home of skiing, Holmenkollen, on the edge of Oslo. The first day was sold out and tens of thousands of spectators streamed up the hillside all morning in a solid mass of Norwegian red jackets.

The opening event was the sprint race which starts with a timetrial over the 1.5km course after which the fastest 30 skiers go through to head-to-head heats.