MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) - Russian skier Natalya Matveyeva finished third in the first round of the World Cup Sprint in Dusseldorf, Germany.
In the final of the 800-meter race, Matveyeva, 19, won bronze, with the gold and silver going to World Cup Spring Queen Marit Bjorgen of Norway and Aino-Kaise Saarinen of Finland, respectively.
Bjorgen is in the lead with 100 points. Matveyeva scored 60 points, while another Russian, Alena Sidko, placed 18th (13 points).