While the winter takes time to arrive in Europe, North America has been blessed by Mother Nature with temperatures below 0°C and lots of snow. The Canadian resort Lake Louise got 50cm of fresh snow in the last 48 hours!

Ten days before the World Cup in Ruka (FIN) the preparations in the far north are going according to plan.

With the Olympic cycle culminating in their „home“ Olympic Winter Games in Sochi now finished, the Russian Nordic Combined team entered into a new era.

A classic sprint in Beitostolen and a distance free technique event in Muonio wrapped up three days of competitions in both locations.

The first snow control of the winter starts with a very positive report: winter has arrived at the Finnish venue of Ruka.

Last winter’s shooting star Jarl Riiber has taken his first national title. At the Norwegian championships held in Oslo and Beitostølen, 18-year-old Riiber held team veteran Haavard Klemetsen at bay and finished first, 14.4 seconds ahead of his teammate.

Kerttu Niskanen and Sami Jauhojarvi led the way in Muonio, Finland on day two in the classic distance competitions while Therese Johaug and Martin Johnsrud Sundby were fastest in Beitostolen, Norway.

Alexey Poltoranin and Mona-Liisa Nousiainen (formerly Malvalehto) have won the 1.2km classic sprints in Muonio, Finland. Complete results can be found at: www.skimuonio.fi

It has been exactly 235 days since the legendary World Cup final in Planica. 235 days to reflect on what was probably the most spectacular final in history of the World Cup.

On Thursday 12th December the International Olympic Committee President, Vice Presidents, Director General and Management of the Games and Sport Departments met with the seven International Winter Sports Federations to address the implementation of the Olympic Agenda 2020 Recommendations in the context of Candidates for the Games in 2026.