November 18, 2007 (Beitostolen, Norway) – Marit Bjorgen of Norway went 3-for-3, capturing a sprint and two medium-distances races this weekend as World Cup skiers and local race organizers got a good warmup for the resumption of 2007/08 Veissmann FIS Cross-Country World Cup. Norwegians won all six races.

American Kris Freeman – prepping for his first World Cup skiing this season – was 20th in the lone race he entered, finishing 20th on Saturday in the 15km skate race. The men’s field included more than 140 skiers in each of the distance events after “only” 85 were in the sprint.

The Finns and Russians (and Canadians) were training and competing in Finland and other nations (notably Sweden and Germany) were elsewhere, but it was a strong field getting together early to get acclimated before the World Cup season gets going again next Saturday, November 24 on the same trails at Beitostolen Ski Arena.

Sunday Action
Sunday, it was a 5km classic technique race for women, 10km for men. In sunshine with temperatures in the low 30s, 63 women raced – results here after a blockbuster men’s throng of 148 tackled the 5km loop twice – results here. Norway swept both podiums.

Martin Sundby took charge in the last kilometres to win the 10km with a time of 25:29.5, just ahead of Odd-Bjorn Hjelmeset (25:3.31), who had led at the 7km mark. Third place went to Simen Haakon Ostensen (25:36.9). Jens Arne Svartedal of Norway was fourth, another eight seconds back, with Italy’s Pietro Piller Cottrer in fifth place.

Former world and World Cup champion Marit Bjorgen led all the way to win the women’s race in 13:53.1 as Norwegians swept the podium; Vibeke Skofterud was second (14:07.4) and Therese Johaug took third (14:12.5).

USA’s Freeman 20th
On Saturday in a 15km race under cloudy skies, Morten Eilifsen of Norway and Italy’s Olympic 50km gold medalist, Giorgio DiCenta, who trailed by 19.5 seconds at the end of the first of three 5km laps, dueled through the middle of the race and finished in a dead heat at 35:33.4. Officials declared co-winners In third place, it was Norway’s Tord Asle Gjerdalen (35:40.9) – results here.

Austrian Christian Hoffman, a skating specialist, moved up from 25th at 5km to 11th at 10km, and then dropped back to 14th in 36:24.5. Freeman was 27th at the end of the first loop, then 19th and finally 20th with time of 36:37.1.

In the women’s 10K skate Bjorgen took charge early, leading by more than 15 seconds as she headed into the second lap. She breezed to the finish in 25:11.8, almost a half-minute ahead of Arianna Follis of Italy (25:38.5). Vibeke Skofterod of Norway was third in 22:55.1. Click here for race results.

Friday’s Freestyle Sprints
The weekend opened Friday with freestyle sprints over a 1.2K loop and under cloudy skies with temperatures in the upper 30s. Former sprint world champ Bjorgen topped current world champ (and teammate) Astrid Jacobsen in the women’s sprint. Switzerland’s Seraina Mischol was third, Guro Solli of Norway fourth, Norwegian Kari Gjeitnes fifth and Italy’s Magda Genuin completing the final six – find results here.

In the men’s sprint Borre Naess – just ahead of Anders Gloersen with Eldar Roenning in third place -led Norwegian skiers into the first 18 places before Swiss Peter Von Allmen broke the string. Others in the final six: John Kristian Dahl fourth, ex-world and Olympic sprint king Tor Arne Hetland fifth and Johann Kjolstad sixth – find results here.

For complete results visit the Beitostolen World Cup site here.