December 09, 2011 (Sovereign Lake, BC) – Many of the continent’s top skiers have gathered this weekend at  Sovereign Lake near the mountain resort of Silver Star, in Vernon, BC, for the first races of the season for the 2011-12 Haywood NorAm and Teck Sprint Series, which are being hosted at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre.

This weekend features a classic double-header, with classic sprints on Saturday and an interval start classic distance race on Sunday. US SuperTour leaders Jessie Diggins and Michael Sinnott will be on the start line along with most of the members of Canada’s Senior Development Team, including Kevin Sandau and Alysson Marshall, fresh back from some early season racing at the World Cup in Norway and Finland.

The strong fields include former US Olympians Torin Koos and Morgan Arittola who will both contest the races as well. Joining the elite racers will be hundreds of the top juniors from across Canada and the United States.

SkiTrax caught up the USST’s Diggins, Koos and Kate Fitzgerald (APU) during today’s official training day. Check out the vids as  Jessie Diggins reveals her Canadian roots… Sorry for the delay – the Fitzgerald interview is good to go. – ed.