FIS Roller Skiing World Cup season begins

Wed, Jun  13, 2007 - By FIS

With the warm summer weather persisting in many places, the dry land training and Roller Skiing season is already well underway. The various Roller Skiing national tours (for example, in Germany and France) have held their initial races while the FIS World Cup Roller Skiing 2007 will commence in just a few days.

The season kick-off will be a free technique sprint/uphill race combination in Piglio/Frosinone, near Rome (ITA), on 22nd-23rd June. The circuit will then continue in Villard de Lans (FRA) with another free technique sprint and a mass start distance race on 7th-8th July. A week later, the three-event German weekend is on the schedule, scheduled in Leipzig/Markkleeberg. The second period of the calendar consists of three races in Moscow (RUS) in mid-August. The 2007 World Cup season will conclude in Samsun (TUR) in mid-September.

The highlight of the season will be the FIS Roller Skiing World Championships in Oroslavje (CRO) staged by the experienced World Cup organizers from 29th August – 2nd September. Title competitions will include a prologue in the classical technique, a pursuit race, a free technique sprint as well as a relay for both the ladies and men. 170 participants from 21 nations are expected.

Alfio di Gregorio and Anna Rosa (both ITA) will be defending their 2006 World Cup titles. Their toughest challengers are likely to come from Italy, Ukraine, Sweden and France as well as from Russia.