There are eight days until the start of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season in Gällivare, however, the sharp racing season is about to kick off already this weekend.
All across Northern Europe the season gets underway with first FIS competitions that will feature international appearances.
Norwegian Opening in Beitostoelen
The competition program for Norwegian and some international athletes kicks off already this weekend with the traditional Norwegian Opening in Beitostoelen. The program starts on Friday with 15 km free, classical sprint is scheduled on Saturday and Sunday will feature 15 km classic.
Complete Norwegian team is in place with the biggest stars Marit Bjoergen, Therese Johaug, Petter Northug. Norway's biggest men's star Petter Northug will be competing for the first time since the World Cup in Nove Mesto on February 12, 2012.
The French Cross-Country team is also in Beitostoelen and ready to start in the first competitions of the winter. "The moment we have been getting ready for six months is here. Ski conditions are exactly as we like them, powder snow, blue skies and beautiful landscape," Maurice Manificat wrote on his blog.
Check out the latest news at: http://www.beitoworldcup.com/beitosprinten
Swedish Opener in Bruksvallarna
Swedish Cross-Country squad has been getting ready for the new season this week in its traditional training resort, Bruksvallarna. The team had volume and speed training sessions on the program and tomorrow the first competition test is to take place. The competition schedule starts already on Friday with 5 km C Ladies/10 km C Men. Saturday's program includes 10 km F ladies and 15 km F. On Sunday the FIS competitions in Bruksvallarna will come to an end with sprint free.
The start list in Bruksvallarna is packed with big names of Cross-Country skiing with the complete teams Sweden and Canada. Slovenian ladies with Katja Visnar or Vesna Fabjan will be on the start line on Friday. Also other skiers from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Norway or Slovakia will be competing.
Live on Eurosport and Eurosport 2
You can follow first competitions of the season LIVE on Eurosport already this weekend. On Saturday, switch on your TV and tune in on Eurosport 1 at 11:30 CET for the 15 km Free Men, right after at 12:45 CET the program continues with 10 km F ladies. On Sunday, the Cross-Country program starts at 12:30 CET on Eurosport 2 with Sprint Free Ladies and Men.
You can see the detailed Eurosport transmission schedule on: http://tv.eurosport.de/tvschedule.shtml
Finnish Cup Continues in Muonio
Top Finnish skiers with Sami Jauhojaervi, Matti Heikkinen or Aino Kaisa Saarinen will take part in the FIS competitions in Muonio that are scheduled from Friday to Sunday. Classical sprint opens the program on Friday. Classical distance competitions over 5 and 10 km are scheduled on Saturday. On Sunday the program concedes with 10/15 km F.
Find out more at: http://www.skimuonio.fi/fi/main_fi.php
Pre-World Cup in Gällivare
The organising committee of Gällivare has prepared a pre-World Cup FIS competitions to check that everything is ready for the grand World Cup season opening. One competition will be held on Sunday, November 17. 10 km F ladies and 15 km F men are on the schedule.
The Swiss team has been training in Kiruna this week and only positive reports are coming from the north of Sweden, ideal snow conditions, perfect weather and cold temperatures. ""There are some 20 kilometres of groomed Cross-Country courses in Kiruna. I have been doing every day longer workouts, I skied about two and a half hours at once. The closer the first competitions come, the more I speed up ", Dario Cologna says.
Read more at: http://www.worldcupgellivare.com
Includes contributions by http://mauricemanificat.over-blog.com, swiss-ski.com, langrenn.com
