BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Alaskan skiers Lars Flora and Kikkan Randall battled their way through continuous snowfall Saturday to win their first U.S. title during the opening sprint races at the national cross-country championships.

Flora, of Anchorage, held off fast-charging Carl Swenson, a 1994 Olympian from Boulder, Colo., to win the men's sprint championship. Torin Koos of Leavenworth, Wash., was third.

The victory was worth $1,200 and strengthened Flora's bid for a spot on the Olympic Team, which will be finalized a few days after the Chevy Truck U.S. championships conclude Jan. 13.

Swenson, who surged over the final 100 meters, and Flora each lunged at the finish line, thrusting one ski forward, and officials said Flora edged the ex-Dartmouth College ski captain.

Randall, also of Anchorage -- whose aunt, Betsy Haines, was a 1980 Olympian and uncle, Chris Haines, was a 1976 Olympic skier -- blew past Tessa Benoit of South Pomfret, Vt., in the final uphill and the last 150 meters.

"I knew that was my chance, so I let it rip going into that hill," Randall said. Benoit was caught by surprise and said, "I didn't expect that speed. I kinda rocked back when she came by me."

The snowfall created problems for the timing crew, forcing several delays and pushing back the finish of the races until just before dark.

Here are the untimed results of the freestyle sprints, with eight skiers making the finals:

MEN
1. Lars Flora, Anchorage, Alaska; 2. Carl Swenson, Boulder, Colo.; 3. Torin Koos, Leavenworth, Wash.; 4. Chris Cook, Rhinelander, Wis.; 5. Patrick Casey, Hailey, Idaho; 6. Colin Mahood, Bend, Ore.; 7. David Chamberlain, Bethel, Maine; 8. Andrew Newell, Bennington, Vt.

WOMEN
1. Kikkan Randall, Anchorage, Alaska; 2. Tessa Benoit, South Pomfret, Vt.; 3. Barb Jones, Bozeman, Mont.; 4. Kristina Joder, Landgrove, Vt.; 5. Karin Camenisch, Germany; 6. Aelin Peterson, Fairbanks, Alaska; 7. Brooke Baughmann, Ketchum, Idaho; 8. Maria Wik, Sweden