La Clusaz, France - Petter Northug and Kristin Stoermer Steira led a Norwegian win sweep Saturday as a cross country skiing World Cup got underway in France. The U.S. Ski Team's Kris Freeman (Andover, NH) was the sole representative for the states, finishing 43rd in the 30K freestyle mass start.
"It started out poorly for Kris. He got tripped and spun right out of the mass start," said U.S. Ski Team Cross Country Coach Justin Wadsworth. "It was not a bad race, it was a good effort on his part. It was just hard to move up through the field. It was a really tough day for him."

Dario Cologna of Switzerland followed Northug, finishing second and Russia's Alexander Legkov was third.

In the women's 15K freestyle mass start, Aino-Kaisa Saarinen of Finland came in at second followed by Norwegian Therese Johaug in third. No U.S. women competed.

The World Cup in France continues today with men's and women's team events.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
VIESSMANN CROSS COUNTRY FIS WORLD CUP
La Clusaz, France - Dec. 6, 2008

Men's 30K Freestyle Mass start
1. Petter Northug, Norway, 1:19:26.5
2. Dario Cologna, Switzerland, 1:19:26.8
3. Alexander Legkov, Russia, 1:19:28.5
4. Giorgio DiCenta, Italy, 1:19:28.5
5. Tord Asle Gjerdalen, Norway, 1:19:32.4

Women's 15K Freestyle Mass Start
1. Kristin Stoermer Steira, Norway, 42:56.0
2. Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Finland, 43:09.0
3. Therese Johaug, Norway, 43:10.0
4. Valentina Scevchenko, Ukraine, 43:12.7
5. Marianna Longa, Italy, 43:14.0