+ Will there even be any competition?
It is not entirely certain and the reason is paradoxically winter. It is cold in Gällivare, where the Swedish premiere is being held this year – so cold that there is a risk that the competition weekend will have to be cancelled. The Swedish Ski Association's cold limit for competition is minus 17 degrees, and Friday's sprint in particular is in the danger zone. The competition jury will decide what will happen early on competition day.
I don't think the entire competition weekend will be canceled, something will be run, said Oscar Säfström Niemi, press officer at Sportevent Gällivare, to NSD on Tuesday.
+ Who is broadcasting?
The Swedish premiere will be broadcast live on SVT1 and SVT Play Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
+ This is what the competition schedule looks like (preliminary times)
Friday, November 21: sprint (classic), women and men.
08.45: qualifying.
11.30: final session.
Saturday, November 22: 10 km, individual start (k).
10:00: men.
12:00: ladies.
Sunday, November 23: 10 km, individual start (freestyle).
10:00: men.
12:00: ladies.
+ Are the national team stars in place?
Most of the Swedish national team skaters will start at Hellnerstadion in Gällivare as usual, including Ebba Andersson, Frida Karlsson and Jonna Sundling.
19-year-old rising star Alvar Myhlback, who sensationally won Vasaloppet earlier this year, will also be competing. However, Myhlback has made it clear that he will continue to focus on long-distance races this winter and not on either the World Cup or the Olympics in February.
+ Many countries represented
It's not just Swedish skaters who have made their way to Gällivare to kick off the season. Around 70 international skaters will be on the starting line, according to Mats Eklund, event manager for the premiere. Japan is coming on its own with a squad of just over 30 skaters.
"We currently have over 70 foreign skaters from eight to nine different national teams," Eklund tells NSD.
+ Where are the Norwegians?
Norway has its own premiere to focus on, in Beitostølen. Kristine Stavås Skistad, Heidi Weng, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Harald Østberg Amundsen are four of the Norwegian stars making their season debut this weekend.
They also face international competition in the form of Katerina Janatová from the Czech Republic on the women's side, and Richard Jouve, France, and Mika Vermeulen, Austria, on the men's side.
One missing is Ingvild Flugstad Østberg. The 35-year-old Norwegian, who has both Olympic and World Championship medals, has struggled with health problems in recent years and has not competed since the spring of 2023, but is still aiming for a comeback.
