Liberec, Czech Republic  - Ola Vigen Hattestad lived up to his top billing in a Norwegian one-two finish and Arianna Follis of Italy won the women's race for world titles in the cross-country skiing sprint on Tuesday.

Hattestad, 26, won the men's final over 1.6 kilometres in snowy and foggy conditions in 3 minutes 0.8 seconds.

Compatriot Johan Kjoelstad placed second and Nikolay Morilov of Russia was third ahead of Swiss World Cup leader Dario Cologna, who missed out on the podium.

Hattestad won his first big title and underlined his dominance this season in which he won five of the six World Cup sprints he competed in and came second in the other.

Hattestad described his win as "unbelievable," but conceded to nerves in the run-up because of his success.

"I have never been as nervous as this morning. There was pressure. But I managed to keep my focus, tried to think positive and to stay cool," he said.

Kjoelstad called the one-two finish "important" for the cross-country power Norway and will now team up on Wednesday with Hattestad as a top medal contender in the team sprint.

"We hope to be in good shape and fight for a medal," said Hattestad.

Earlier, Follis, 31, skied strong in all rounds and then handily won the 1.3km final in 2:39.3 minutes for her first big title as well.

Kikkan Randall added the stunning US showing at the worlds with a silver and Pirjo Muranen of Finland got bronze, returning to the podium eight years after winning the inaugural sprint in 2001.

Follis came to Liberec with three big events bronze medals - over 10km at the 2007 worlds and in the relay at the 2005 worlds and 2006 Olympics - and is now the first sprint world champion from her country.

"It is incredible and a little strange," said Follis, adding that as an all-rounder she doesn't do any special sprint training.

Randall won the first women's cross-country medal for the US at the Nordic worlds and got the team's fifth overall medal in Liberec after golds for Nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick (two), ski jumper Lindsey Van and a bronze for Nordic combined skier Bill Demong.

The US tops the medal table and has now doubled its overall medal count of previously five to 10 from the 1924-2007 worlds within six days.

"Who would have thought that," said Randall. "There is lots of excitement in the team. It has been a long process and we have steadily become better."

US ski team Nordic director John Farra told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa: "This is fantastic. It is so important to us and a validation of our work."

Top favourite Petra Majdic of Slovenia, like Hattstad a five-time season winner, crashed out in the women's quarter-finals and defending champion Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen of Norway didn't even survive the morning qualifying round.

The men's holder Jens Arne Svartedal of Norway went out in the quarter-finals.

The world championships continue with team sprints for men and women on Wednesday. (dpa)