NORDIC SKI RACING -- Rookie national team member Sadie Bjornsen of Winthrop, Wash., teamed with Alaskan Kikkan Randall to make history for U.S. Women cross-country ski racing by finishing second in the sprint relay at the World Cup finals yesterday in Dusseldorf, Germany.

It’s the first time U.S women have won medals in a sprint relay. 

The U.S. Ski Association says the previous best for U.S. women was a fourth-place finish in a January 2009 Olympic test event at Whistler Olympic Park. 

Norway’s Mari Eide and Maiken Caspersen Falla edged the U.S. team by 1.6 seconds.

Randall says in the team announcement that the relay medal topped her individual victory on Saturday as she won the freestyle sprint, her fourth career gold in World Cup sprint.

Bjornsen says she now understands why skiers come back year after year. 

Incidentally, in 2003, at the age of 13, Bjornsen became the youngest women's champion at the annual 10K Langlauf on Mount Spokane.