Timetable of weekend competition consists of 1,8 km Sprint C men, 1,4 km Sprint C Ladies, 10 km F ladies, 15 km F men, 5 km C ladies and 10 km C men. Excellent snow conditions welcomed more than 190 athletes from NOR, JPN, ITA, AUS, BLR, GER, RUS, SUI or SVK.In Beitostoelen, Marit Bjoergen dominated the ladies race over 10 km in free technique and won clearly 52,8 seconds ahead from Kristin Steira. Over the 15 km in free technique, Petter Northug took the victory by increasing the speed on the last 5 kilometers. On second place finished Olympic Champion Giorgio Di Centa.

Who’s already in shape?

The past weekend, the World Cup athletes were comparing their current shapes in several FIS races in the North of Europe. In Beitostoelen (NOR), the national opening for the Norwegian Cross-Country skiers and biathletes took place with the added participation of several other nations like France, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland and USA . Impressive there were the performances of Marit Bjoergen (NOR) who claimed victory in the free and classical technique distance races.

A positive surprise was the 4th place of the sprinter Kikkan Randall in the 5 km classic race. "That has to be one of Kikkan's best longer distance races ever and it really bodes well for the upcoming season and reflects well on the training she's done this summer," said US Cross-Country Head Coach Pete Vordenberg.

The Swedish athletes were competing in Bruksvallarna together with some Polish and Canadian athletes in a sprint and in a free technique distance race. It seems that Charlotte Kalla, who won the free technique race, is back in shape as well as Devon Kershaw who showed his strength against the Swedish top athletes.

In Muonio, in northern Finland, several World Cup athletes from Russia, Ukraine, Slovakia and Finland met each other at the traditional pre-World Cup season FIS races. Impressive in these races were the strong performances of the Russian junior world champion Petr Sedov. He was racing the U20 category and won both distance races but with his time in the free technique race he would have finished third in the men's open category too.

Below a summary of the winners from the FIS races in Beitostoelen, Bruksvallarna and Muonio:

Beitostoelen
Sprint classical technique: Petra Majdic (SLO) & John Kristian Dahl (NOR)
Distance race in free technique 10/15 km: Marit Bjoergen (NOR) & Petter Northug (NOR)
Distance race in classical technique 5/10 km: Marit Bjoergen (NOR) & Martin Johnsrud Sundby (NOR)

Bruksvallarna
Sprint race in classical technique : Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) & Emil Joensson (SWE)
Distance race in free technique 10/15 km: Charlotte Kalla (SWE) & Devon Kershaw (CAN)

Muonio
Sprint classical technique: Alena Prochazkova (SVK) & Nikita Kriukov (RUS)
Distance race in free technique 10/15 km: Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) & Sergey Shiriaev (RUS)
Distance race in classical technique 10/15 km: Irina Khazov (RUS) & Sami Jauhojaervi (FIN)

FIScrosscountry.com
Tuesday 17 November 2009

La Sgambeda Classic cross country ski marathon is already a great success

"La Sgambeda", Livigno cross country ski marathon, scheduled on 13 December, is the opening race of FIS Marathon Cup circuit.

On the starting list are confirmed 657 participants. Many are the national and international professional athletes, but many also the usual amateurs, coming from all over the world..

317 have confirmed their participation to La Sgambeda Classic, first edition this year: a successful start, far above the most positive forecast. The 20th edition of La Sgambeda can be celebrated already on Friday 11 December 2009!

Among the men elite national team members of Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Russia and Italy, the athletes who confirmed their participation, we like to mention Jerry Ahrlin (2nd place FIS Marathon Cup 2008/2009), Oskar Svard (2nd place Vasaloppet 2009), Ivanov Alexei (1st place La Transjurasienne 2009), Thomas Alsgaard, Audun Laugaland, Andrè Haugsbo, Olav Utistog Svein, Ander Myrland, Thomas Henriksen. For the Italian team we like to mention Marco Cattaneo, winner of FIS Marathon Cup 2008/09, together with Fabio Santus, Bonaldi Sergio (C.S. Esercito) and Bruno Carrara.
Among the women team members, Jenny Hansson (1° FIS Marathon Cup 2008/2009) and Sandra Hansson (SWE) and Tatjana Mannima (EST).

Not only professional athletes will compete on the 42 km (marathon) or 21,5 km (half-marathon) distance: Livigno will officially open the race season for all cross country ski amateurs.

Registrations are still open, the is 55,00€ until 8 December, late registrations are possible, with an extra charge of 10,00€. Registrations and information in the homepage www.lasgambeda.it.

Contributed by OC La Sgambeda
Monday 23 November 2009

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