Day 1 - Individual

A very fast, and icy freestyle track greeted the athletes in Norway for this season's opener. Norwegian biathlete Ronny Andre Hafsaas surprised everyone taking 1^st place. With 28 men within 1 minute of Hafsaas, the season's opener proved that time, and world cup positions, wait for no one.   In the women's event Norwegian Marit Bjoergen scored a decisive victory and let everyone know she is ready, once again.

15kmM - Freestyle

1. Ronny Andre Hafsaas          NOR   34:42.10.

2.Vincet Vittoz,                          FRA    34:42.30

3. Mattia Heikkinen                   FIN     34:48.7

10kmW- Freestyle

1. Marit Bjoergen                    NOR   24:48.3

2. Charlotte Kalla                    SWE    25:18.0

3. Anna Haag                          SWE    25:25.5

Day 2- Relay

With this being the only World Cup relay before the Olympics, every nation, and athlete, wished to make a good impression. Peter Nortung stamped his signature on the men's race, as anchor skier he caught and then dropped the leading Russian and German and Finnish teams.Swedish women's team was anchored by the Charlotte Kalla who made it look easy as she put 15 second on the field in the last 2.5 km.

4*10km M mixed technique relay

1 NORWAY 1:48:50.7

2 RUSSIA 1:48:55.8

3 GERMANY 1:49:02.5

4*5km M mixed technique relay

1 SWEDEN                58:37.1

2 NORWAY               58:53.8

3 FINLAND               58:59.1

Best ever World Cup finishes for 2 athletes on Salomon S-lab skate skis! 

Masako Ishida (Salomon-Skis Boots Bindings) (Japan) had a personal best World Cup skate result placing 22^nd.  For her, a classic specialist, the season will really start in Kuusamo, Finland this weekend.

 
Ben Sim (Salomon-Skis Boots Bindings) (Australia) was extremely pleased with his performance, and that of his skis. His 30^th place, was the first ever World Cup points for an Australian.

 
Ivan Babikov (Salomon-Skis Boots Bindings)  (Canada) placed 28^th - was content with surviving the freestyle and a putting in a solid relay in his first effort of the season.  

"Well, that was first WC race, not great but ok, we just wasn't ready for "ice ring skiing", but there is new day tomorrow, new race...." "skis were great, but my body felt it was still in Canada" http://twitter.com/ivanbabikov

 Charlotte Kalla (Salomon-Boots Bindings) (Sweden) placed 2^nd in Saturday's Freestyle and also anchored the Victorious Swedish Women's relay. 

Justyna Kowalczyk (Salomon-Boots Bindings) (Poland) had a tough time in the individual race falling 2 times during the 10k on the very icy trails but made up for in Sunday's relay with the fastest split or her relay leg.