The 2008/2009 World Cup season gets under way this weekend in Gaellivare, Sweden with a 10/15km Freestyle on Saturday and the traditional 4×5 and 4x10km relays on Sunday. All races will be available to watch on Universal Sports (formerly WCSN). The schedule can be found here. All video on Universal Sports is currently available for free – no paid subscription is necessary.
Kris Freeman is currently the only scheduled starter in the 15km free, according to US coaches. The US men will then field a team in the 4x10km relay. With just four skiers in Europe, all will participate, making a team of Freeman, Chris Cook, Andy Newell, and Torin Koos (note: this is not necessarily the team's running order). The later three are primarily sprinters, though both Cook and Newell raced one of the 15km FIS races in Muonio last weekend, and Koos posted strong results at US Distance Nationals last spring.
Says Newell, “The focus will be on the relay in Sweden. We will for sure start and I think the team is looking strong and we want to show everyone what we can do.”