Cross country ski races

Racing in the Vasa week [MWray]Discover the world of cross country ski racing and you'll find events to suit you, from local club races through popular marathons, to elite racing culminating in the World Championships and Olympic Games. And of course there's biathlon too although entry to the sport is easier if you're in the armed forces.

Popular races

You pay your money and take your choice - anyone who thinks they can ski the distance in the required technique within the time limit can enter. Popular in this context means 'carried out by the general public'.

There's a huge choice of races, from club sprints to marathons over 100 km, that take place in ski-ing countries.

Worldloppet series

Many Club members compete in this series of the 15 most prestigious popular races from Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Debbie finishing the Konig Ludwig Lauf [M Wray]Races are categorised as long distance, between 42 km and 90 km, and short distance, between 17 and 45 km. Some are run in classic technique, others in free technique - most competitors skate but it's perfectly legitimate to ski classic. Complete at least 10 of the 15 races and you can become a Worldloppet Master.

Read more about Club members' achievements in the article, Skiers from a Snowless City, by Paddy Field, our current Chairman, on the Worldloppet website.

See the BBC's article on the Engadin Skimarathon, 'The ski marathon open to everyone', including the famous British architect, Sir Norman Foster, who has competed 16 times.

The Worldloppet Ski Federation is an international sports federation of cross-country skiing marathons. Founded in 1978 in Uppsala, Sweden, it aims to promote the sport of cross-country skiing through the ski races around the world.

Check out the Club's ski trip to the 2009 Tartu and Finlandia Worldloppets.

Euroloppet series

Fifteen races, spread over nine central European and Scandinavian countries offer a good alternative challenge. Under the Euroloppet system, your passport lasts for 10 years, with your first award [Euroloppet racer] after completion of 3 races, and you get the title Euroloppet Champion after you've done 8 short or long races.

Masters World Cup

Hilary racing in Kiruna [P Field]An annual meeting open to skiers over 30 which attracts keen Club skiers and former national team members organised by the World Masters Cross Country Ski Association - find out more from the British association, BMCCSA.

The 2009 Masters World Cup takes place in Autrans, France.

FIS Marathon Cup

This series is run jointly by the FIS and Worldloppet Ski Federation. It aims to improve the status of long distance competitions by attracting elite racers, and to increase media and spectator interest in long distance racing.

The popular La Sgambeda race in Livigno opens the series and is followed by 9 more races.

LRNSC has organised three trips to Livigno for this race - see pictures and read more about our 2008 trip here.

Elite racing

Elite biathlon racers [IBU]Top level racing has its own set qualifying rules and regulations - see the FIS and International Biathlon Union websites for more details and racing programmes.

The British Championships take place in Ruhpolding in January/February - see the 2010 results.

The next Winter Olympics take place in Vancouver in 2010.

Eurosport covers cross country ski-racing and has news, calendar and standings on its website for cross country and biathlon.  Channel 4 usually has some late night coverage too.