Midway, UT – Over 430 U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association cross country athletes from around the nation are testing their skills on the 2002 Olympic trails as Soldier Hollow near Midway, Utah, is playing host to the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championship.

The weeklong Championships began today and feature additional racing on Friday and Sunday, as well as Tuesday of next week. Action opened with classic sprints today at the Championships which are the final domestic qualifier for the World Championship Team that will compete in Val di Fiemme, Italy in February, and also count towards valuable SuperTour points. The Championships will also be final selection events for U23 World Championships, FIS Junior World Championships and U18 Scandinavian Championships.

SuperTour leaders Erik and Sadie Bjornsen, from Winthrop, Wash., will be among the favorites. Sadie Bjornsen is returning from a successful performance in Canada with World Cup points in both sprint in Quebec City and distance in Canmore. Also among the favorites will be Skyler Davis, coming off a personal best in Canmore, and three-time U.S. champion Tad Elliott, of Durango, Colo.

It’s the second major nordic event held at Soldier Hollow in two weeks, following the FIS Nordic Combined Continental Cup. One of the most noted cross country venues in the nation, Soldier Hollow last held the U.S. Championships in 2006.