THE OLYMPICS / WINTER GAMES AT ALBERTVILLE : NOTES

Nancy Fiddler of Crowley Lake had a strenuous 36th birthday Friday. She skied 30 kilometers.

Fiddler finished 29th among 57 competitors in the women’s 30K freestyle cross-country race, a new Olympic event, at Les Saisies. Her finish was the best for the United States in any of the five women’s cross-country races.

“It was hard, but you just have to hang in there and keep plugging up those hills,” she said. “I gave it my best. I’m just thrashed.”

Stefania Belmondo of Italy led from start to finish, beating the Unified Team’s Lyubov Egorova, winner of three golds and two silver medals here. Egorova’s teammate, Elena Valbe, finished third.