Blowing & Drifting

Forecast: Significant blowing and drifting, with the possibility of heavy accumulation in rural areas.

Holmenkollen Tomorrow

The 50 kilometer classical-style race at the Holmenkollen in Oslo is one of the oldest races on the World Cup circuit, and it's certainly the most prestigious. Norwegians have raced at the Holmenkollen since 1892, and have been staging the 50km race since 1898. Few races can draw royalty (the king of Norway typically attends the race), and few recognize especially great performances with a special prize (the Holmenkollen Medal is periodically bestowed - by the king - on certain worthies). And it's not like the races lack popular support. Not only do thousands line the trails to watch the skiers, the organization that stages the event each year has 50,000 members.

All in all, the Holmenkollen is the event that every cross-country racer longs to win, the event that confirms the stature of the greatest racers and stands on a par with Olympic and World Championship golds.  This year's 50km will be paired, as it has since 1988, with a women's 30km event; both are usually the longest races of each year's World Cup. (The Olympic Games and World Championships always feature 30km and 50km races, too.) The races will be the first time that the "pit stop" is used in competition; this innovation will allow racers to change skis as they come through the stadium, swapping skis with bad wax for new skis with good wax. Though it's anybody's guess as to whether this will provide a competitive advantage (changing skis will require time that might not be recouped on the track, even over 30 or 50 kilometers), it'll be an interesting experiment. If any team benefits, it'll be the Norwegian one, which includes a good number of on-form racers, has home-snow advantage, and is aided by a giant support staff.  The Norwegian racers should accordingly do pretty well, especially on the men's side. My picks:

  men's 50km classical-style, individual start

      1) Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (Norway), 2) Frode Estil (Norway), 3) Mathias Fredriksson (Sweden)

  men's 50km classical-style, individual start

      1) Virpi Kuitunen (Finland), 2) Kristina Smigun (Estonia), 3) Kristin Størmer Steira (Norway)