February 18, 2011 – Like most readers, we cannot wait for this weekend. That’s because as we reach for the final countdown to the Oslo World’s, we have but one last weekend of world cup racing before the start of the big show. And this weekend will provide a likely preview to how the worlds may unfold.

Drammen…

Drammen, Norway, just saying the word conjures up exciting images. More than 246 athletes are expected to be entered in this final tune up to Oslo. Drammen will host two days of racing with a 10km and 15km CL race for men and women Saturday and free technique sprints on Sunday.

Cold temperatures have been the order of the last few days and the courses are reported to be in superb condition. So all eyes will be trained on the Konnerud Ski stadium just a few kilometers outside of town.

What, will they see?

Well for one thing the hosts will be casting an eye towards the likes of Marit Bjoergen and Petter Northug, as the top-ranked pair  will carry the hopes of Norway and are top picks for medals at the Oslo Worlds. Both are so fit, so smart and so powerful that they will seek opportunity at every turn.

SkiTrax spoke with the NSF’s Vidar Lofshus this week who said, “We are all set for the championships. Like always we held a pre-camp for our distances skiers in Seiser Alm, Italy at high altitude. We had great conditions for skiing. Marit and Petter both had a great camp, and are healthy and well prepared for Oslo. Petter was a bit sick prior to the camp, however this will not affect his performances in Oslo. Our sprinters have been training in Beitstolen and have been competing against the US Team.”

Of course, the usual talented cast of contenders will include skiers like Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), Petra Majdic (SLO) and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) for the women and Dario Cologna (SUI), Lukas Bauer (CZE), Alexander Legkov (RUS) and Pietro Piller Cottrer (ITA) for the men. Watch for Swedish skiers like Marcus Hellner and Charlotte Kalla to be strong and ready for Oslo, too. And that’s just a few names of skiers that could do well this weekend.

The Swiss have been training in the Engadin and have had good preparations, as well.

Let’s put in a serious plug for the North Americans, who have put up a bevy of fine results so far this season. It’s possible we could be seeing some top notch results in Drammen and at Oslo’s Holmenkollen.

Head Canadian coach Justin Wadsworth told SkiTrax his charges had some good solid training at Lillehammer and feels that the Drammen races will provide the perfect tune up for Oslo.

They Canucks plan to enter Alex Harvey, Devon Kershaw, Ivan Babikov and George Grey, “…as well as Chandra [Crawford], Peri [Jones], Brooke [Gosling] and Dasha [Gaizova]. For the sprints we will start Devon, Alex, Lenny [Valjas], Phil [Widmer] and Stefan [Kuhn] and for the women Dasha, Chandra and Peri. Everyone is healthy and coming around,” offered Wadsworth.

Alex Harvey commented to us yesterday, “I think Drammen might be bad for me, because I always feel flat after some rest. I did a lot of training the last four weeks and most of it at altitude, so I had to rest the second half of last week and early this week in order to peak well for Worlds. Last year, a week before the Olympics, I was 60th at the Canmore world cup, and I expect the same in Drammen.”

US coach Chris Grover told SkiTrax he plans to ski Sadie Bjornsen, Ida Sargent, Morgan Arritola, Liz Stephen and Holly Brooks in the women’s 10km CL, while the men slated to start in the 15km include Kris Freeman, Tad Elliott, Noah Hoffman and Lars Flora.

For the sprint comps Grover will start Kikkan Randall, Bjornsen, Jessie Diggins and Brooks. The men will be without the services of Torin Koos, sidelined after an injury to his shoulder last Friday, but will have Andy Newell, Simi Hamilton and Flora.
Koos is expected to be fine for Oslo.

Noah of the US Team said he was very excited to head to Oslo. “This will be my first major international competition and will be a great learning experience. I hope to ski my best, yet I will make mistakes, get overwhelmed by the magnitude of the event, and probably struggle at times. I have taken two weeks off of racing in order to get some rest and high quality training in before the event.’

Let the Drammen drama begin.