After the Gällivare weekend, the Cross-Country family will be moving west to the North of Finland.
The FIS Nordic Opening, a joint World Cup weekend for all FIS Nordic disciplines will take place for the ninth time in Kuusamo (FIN) on 26th-28th November. A true season opener for Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined, this long weekend will be the first and only time before the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships that all three Nordic disciplines will compete at the same venue in the same period of time.
Inaugural Ruka Triple
For the first time, a three-day multi-stage event called Ruka Triple will take place in Kuusamo. The schedule for this event includes a classic sprint on Friday, an interval start competition over 5 km (ladies) and 10 km (men) in classical technique on Saturday, and a handicap start over 10km (ladies) and 15 km (men) in free technique. The rules for this event are according to the model of the Tour de Ski and the athletes can only enter for the entire series. More information about the rules is available here: http://www.fis-ski.com/data/document/rules-cc_1011e_all1.pdf
Nordic Village
To entertain the spectators that will attend the first edition of Ruka Triple, the organizers will offer a Nordic Village with a new spirit. In the Village, fans will find a sport shop with equipment used by the Cross-Country stars, a waxing clinic, ski’s &shoe’s presentations and athletes autograph hours. Joulupukki (Santa Claus) will take Christmas wishes from the kids in his small cottage and a SnowKidz track will animate youngsters to ski. The program will be rounded out by live music and food & beverage catering like the famous makkara (special sausage from Finland) as well as souvenir shops. Come and join the unique event in Ruka!
More information: www.nordicopening.com
Starting Times
Friday, 26th November
Ladies/Men:
Sprint Qualification 11:15h (10:15h CET)
Final 12:30h (11:30 CET)
Saturday, 27th November
Ladies: 5km C, Individual start, 12:00h (11:00h CET)
Men: 10 km C, Individual start 13:30h (12:30h CET)
Sunday, 28th November
Women: 10km F, Handicap start, 12:00h (11:00h CET)
Men: 15 km F, Handicap start 13:00h (12:00h CET)
Top three in November 2009
Sprint, classical technique
Ladies
1. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL)
2. Petra Majdic (SLO)
3. Alena Prochazkova (SVK)
Men
1. Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR)
2. Oeystein Pettersen (NOR)
3. Nikita Kriukov (RUS)
Distance race, classical technique
Ladies
1. Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN)
2. Irina Khazova (RUS)
3. Vibeke Skofterud (NOR)
Men
1. Petter Northug (NOR)
2. Maxim Vylegzhanin (RUS)
3. Alexander Legkov (RUS)
