August 14, 2008 – While the focus of the sports world is on the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, the Roller Skiing athletes are fighting for World Cup points and the Cross-Country athletes are preparing for the upcoming season.

In the 2008 FIS Roller Skiing World Cup, three stages have taken place in the last two months, beginning in Piglio (ITA) in June, followed by Markkleeberg/Leipzig (GER) and then Oroslavje (SLO) last weekend. The Italian team, led by the runner ups of the 2007 World Cup Mateja Bogatec and Emanuele Sbabo, has been the most successful team until now with a total of eight World Cup victories while the Russians with the veteran Igor Glushov claimed the top of the podium five times. Norway, France and Slovenia each have taken one victory in the eight races so far.

In each event, several FIS Cross-Country World Cup athletes such as Pietro Piller Cottrer, Arianna Follis (both ITA), Seraina Mischol (SUI) or Dusan Kozisek (CZE), competed to support their national teams and to prepare for the 2008/2009 winter season.

There are ten races left in the 2008 Roller Skiing World Cup during three competition weekends. The series will continue in Schmallenberg (GER) the upcoming weekend followed by competitions in the Italian region of Cesana/Sestriere/Pragelato/Turin and the finals in Thessaloniki (GRE).

On 16th August, the famous Saku Suverull competitions will be carried out in the traditional World Cup town of Otepää in Estonia. This invitational Roller Skiing event will feature both 2007/2008 overall World Cup winners Virpi Kuitunen (FIN) and Lukas Bauer (CZE) as well as several other top names and former champions. The weekend will include a sprint and an interval start race. Over 60 men and more than 30 women from 14 nations will test their shape at this summer highlight event. Please click here for more information.