President of the Norwegian Ski Federation, Erik Røste, told FIS, “Based on the difficult time we are in, the uncertainty and the consequences associated with Covid-19, the Norwegian Ski Association believes that it is not right to arrange the World Cup in Lillehammer now. We would rather work on finding new dates in consultation with FIS and the local organizer later this winter, and at the same time look at the possibility of arranging more national competitions for top sports.”
The Lillehammer World Cups were scheduled for Dec. 4-6 and included cross-country, ski jumping, and nordic combined events. The World Cup schedule, as configured in light of the pandemic, has “reserve” weekends set aside for possible rescheduling. For now, however, the Lillehammer races have not been rescheduled. The World Cup begins in Finland on Nov. 27. The Ruka World Cup series includes three races; a classic sprint, 10k/15k classic, and final 10k/15k freestyle pursuit.
Worldloppet News
The Worldloppet organization has developed a virtual race format to engage cross-country skiers this winter. The virtual series was designed to motivate athletes during the pandemic and foster a sense of community. Many Worldloppet races are expected to be impacted by travel restrictions and cancellations.
Athletes who compete in seven virtual races from seven different countries becomes a “Virtual Racer”. According to a Worldloppet press release, the virtual races do not count towards a racer’s Worldloppet Passport. You can find more information about Worldloppet races and Worldloppet virtualized races here.