May 25, 2012 (Sandes, Norway) – Fans can count US Ski Team stars, FIS World sprint champion Kikkan Randall and teammate Liz Stephen, to be among the elite cross-country skiers on the start line of the famed Skifestivalen Blink in a handful of weeks in and around the town of Sandes, Norway.

This prestigious ski festival, which will attract the world’s top ranked cross-country skiers and biathletes, is set to begin from July 19-21, in the region of Norway’s picturesque Fjord country near Stavanger.

The invitation-only event will feature a variety of roller ski races including a crit, distance and sprint events and a challenging uphill race, ending at Oygardstad, which boasts a similar grade to the grueling Alpe D’Heuz at the Tour. Organizers will provide identical roller skis to all athletes taking part.

“I’m so psyched to take part in this event, that I have only heard about,” Randall said in a telephone interview from the USST Camp in Bend, Oregon.

“It’ll be a new experience, that’s for sure. They’ll be TV, huge crowds, great prizes. The hill climb should be perfect for Liz, too. You know, I think the Europeans get to do this sort of thing a lot, and I am excited that mid-way thru our preparation period that Liz and I will get to compete in this world-class event.”

Following the Skifestivalen Blink competitions, Randall and Stephen are expected to travel to Trondheim for a week of training and then meet other members of the US Team for a camp in Sweden, which will include skiing in the tunnel in Torsby, known as the world’s longest ski tunnel at 1.3km in length.

About the Bend camp, Randall noted that the snow has been great and the team has had fine training commenting… “this has been a great start camp, fun, with really good conditions, just perfect I’d say.”

Among the tough competition will be Norway’s Marit Bjorgen and Therese Johaug and Randall told skitrax.com laughing, “The papers in Norway are saying I’m coming over to take on Bjoergen, it will be fun.”

It’s a big summer for the gifted Randall – no grass will grow under her feet – as she’s off tomorrow for the 48th FIS International Ski Congress in Korea, where she is a member of the Athletes Commission. The Congress will run from May 27th thru June 2nd with a day-visit planned to the site of the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

For more information on the Blink 2012 Festival, check out: www.blinkfestivalen.no