Gus Schumacher won the junior men's 10km classic cross-country event at the FIS Nordic Junior and Under-23 Cross-Country World Ski Championships ©Getty Images

The United States' Gus Schumacher and Norway's Helene Marie Fossesholm won the respective junior men's 10 kilometres and women's 5km classic cross-country events as action continued today at the International Ski Federation (FIS) Nordic Junior and Under-23 Cross-Country World Ski Championships in German town Oberwiesenthal.

Schumacher clocked a time of 26min 31.7sec to beat home athlete Friedrich Moch to victory by a margin of 4.5 seconds.

With 700 metres remaining, the American had trailed frontrunner Moch by 4.6 seconds.

"I tried to start slowly and was in good shape," Schumacher said.

"I noticed that I was getting closer and closer. 

"It's just incredible and I can't believe I have the gold medal."

Rounding off the podium was Italy's Davide Graz, finishing 6.7 seconds off the pace. 

In the women's 5km, Fossesholm triumphed by a margin of 15.7 seconds over Germany's Lisa Lohmann in a time of 13:49.1.

"It was so great that I won the gold medal today," the Norwegian said.

"Of course that was my clear goal, but it is always something different if you achieve it. 

"I thank the technicians and my sister.

"The feeling is great."

Poland's Izabela Marcisz took the bronze medal, finishing 28.1 seconds back.

Action in Oberwiesenthal is due to continue tomorrow, with the under-23 men's 15km and women's 10km classic cross-country events.