Gallivare, Sweden – The U.S. Ski Team’s Kris Freeman, of Andover, N.H., opened the 2010 FIS Cross Country World Cup cracking into the top 10 in a 15k freestyle event Saturday in Sweden. Freeman finished ninth while Kikkan Randall, of Anchorage, Alaska led the U.S. women in 19th. Then on Sunday, Norway won the women’s 4x5k relay while Sweden clinched the win in the men’s 4x10k.nIn Saturday’s World Cup competition, Sweden’s Marcus Hellner was an easy winner in the men’s race as was Norway’s Marit Bjoergen in the women’s 10k.

“This is the best start to the World Cup season in the ten years I’ve been with the Team and certainly the best start in Gallivare in the 10/15k,” said U.S. Ski Team Head Cross Country Coach Chris Grover. “We had three athletes take World Cup points in this race, which has traditionally been a tough one for us.”

Freeman put forth a solid effort Saturday placing ninth in the World Cup opener in Gallivare. Just 30 seconds behind Hellner, who crossed the line in 32:26.00, Freeman displayed he’s skiing fast as the 2010-11 World Cup season commenced.

Aspen, Colo.’s Noah Hoffman had a good performance finishing just shy of the top 30 in 31st on Saturday, two tenths from scoring World Cup points. However, Hoffman took an early lead in the 15k, driving the field from around the 7k mark.

In the women’s freestyle 10k on Saturday, Randall was in front for the U.S. landing inside the top 20 in 19th. Bjoergen took home the first win of the season with a time of 23:84.40. Joining Randall inside the top 30 was teammate Liz Stephen, of East Montpelier, Vt., in 25th, who showed she’s on the rebound from a tough 2010 season.

In Sunday’s men’s race, Sweden took home the victory in the 4x10k relay with an overall time of 1:29:56.30. Andy Newell, of Shaftsbury, Vt., led off for the U.S., finishing 10th on the first leg 15 seconds behind the leaders, handing off to Freeman. Freeman rocketed through the field with the third fastest leg time, putting the Americans into a strong fifth position.

“Kris skied a really fast classic leg,” said U.S. Ski Team Cross Country Coach Pete Vordenberg. “Next weekend we are going to one of the best venues for him. This shows that he’s definitely in shape and ready to go for a really good finish in Kuusamo.”

Hoffman took over for the U.S. on the third leg continuing a solid weekend for the young skier, dropping only one spot to sixth. The U.S.’s anchor leg, Chris Cook of Rhinelander, Wisc., crossed the line for a combined time of 1:33:35.90 in 17th.

Olympic champ Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland took the opening leg lead for the women on Sunday, but it was all Norway after that as the Norwegians took an easy victory in 50:16.00, nearly 30 seconds ahead of second place Sweden. Ida Sargent, of Orleans, Vt., skied the first leg before tagging Randall, who posted the fourth fastest time, 13:18.30, in the second leg picked up four places.

“Kikkan is picking up a step ahead of where she left off last year,” said Vordenberg.

Fairfield, Idaho’s Morgan Arritola took over for the U.S. on the third leg tagging Stephen for the anchor leg of the race. It was an exciting finish for the U.S. as Stephen, who showed a solid performance with the seventh fastest leg time of 12:24.70, crossed the line for a photo finish with Japan just ahead to move the U.S. up four spots on her segment to 13th with a time of 53:09.20.

“It’s really cool for Liz to have some good races because last year was really tough,” said Vordenberg. “It’s kind of a relief for her to see the skier that she was last year is not the skier that she really is. She can be really fast.”

The World Cup circuit’s next stop is Kuusamo, Finland Nov. 26-28 with a three-event weekend including the opening sprints of the year.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
World Cup
Gallivare, Sweden

November 20, 2010
Men’s Freestyle 15k
1. Marcus Hellner, Sweden, 32:26.00
2. Dario Cologna, Switzerland, 32:37.40
3. Daniel Rickardsson, Sweden, 32:46.1
4. Chris Andre Jespersen, Norway, 32:48.00
5. Petr Sedov, Russia 32:50.70

November 20, 2010
Women’s Freestyle 10k

1. Marit Bjoergen, Norway, 23:84.40
2. Charlotte Kalla, Sweden, 24:29.50
3. Arianna Follis, Italy, 24:39.80
4. Kristin Stoermer Steira, Norway 24:46.50
5. Marthe Kristoffersen, Norway 24:47.20

November 21, 2010
Men’s Classic 4x10k Mixed Technique Relay
1. Sweden, 1:29:56.30
2. Russia I, 1:29:57.10
3. Norway I, 1:30:44.20
4. Switzerland, 1:31:00.40
5. Russia II, 1:31:31.90

November 21, 2010
Women’s Classic 4x5k Mixed Technique Relay
1. Norway, 50:16.00
2. Sweden, 50:42.80
3. Italy, 51:12.22
4. Germany, 51:13.80
5. Finland, 51:24.33