The Madona Roller Ski World Cup starts this week in Latvia. Thirteen countries have confirmed participation. The complete program is available here.

The first roller skiing World Cup in Latvia was held in 2004 in Priekuli, and this year, Madona is set to host the tenth consecutive World Cup stage. Set to start on July 17, the stage is set for athletes from around the globe to embark on a fierce quest for glory in the Madona World Cup on roller skis. 

The Madona Roller Ski World Cup program features a series of races that will captivate fans and challenge athletes. On Wednesday, July 17, the competition will commence with the individual start race in freestyle technique, featuring a 15-kilometer course for men, 10km for women and junior men, and 7.5km for junior women.

The team sprint in classic technique will take place on Thursday, July 18. The excitement continues Saturday, July 20, with the 200-meter freestyle sprint for all athletes. 

Finally, on Sunday, July 21, the event will culminate with the mass start race in freestyle technique. Athletes will battle it out over a 20-kilometer course for men, women, and junior men, while junior women will face a challenging 15-kilometer course.

Also Read – Calendar: Roller Ski World Cup and World Championships 2024

The story continues below.

According to the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), athletes from 13 countries have signed up for the roller ski competitions at the “Smeceres sils” track and the streets of Madona city. 

Confirmed countries 

• Ukraine
• Sweden
• Portugal
• Norway
• Lithuania
• Latvia
• Kyrgyzstan
• Kazakhstan
• Italy
• Germany
• Estonia
• Croatia
• Armenia

“On the first day of the competition, freestyle individual start races will be held on the “Smeceres sils” track, with juniors competing on 7.5km and 10km courses, while elite athletes will compete on 10km and 15km courses, respectively. On Thursday, the classic team sprint will take place at the same location. Friday will be a rest day, but on Saturday, the most popular event among spectators, the 200-meter sprint, will take place on one of the main streets of Madona – Raiņa Street. The competition will conclude on Sunday with a mass start in the city streets, where men and elite women will race a 20km distance, and junior women will race 15km,” says the LOC.

“It is gratifying that together with the team, we are hosting the World Cup stage in Madona for the tenth time. During this time, we have also hosted the World Championships. I still believe it is a good addition for skiers to train and gain competition experience in the summer. At the same time, from an organizational aspect, it provides good experience in organizing international competitions, where the international federation sets certain requirements. These events allow us to think about even larger events in the winter,” says Gunārs Ikaunieks, the competition organizer and head of the “Smeceres sils” track.

Video Teaser for the Madona Roller Ski World Cup 

Program for the Madona Roller Ski World Cup

Wednesday, July 17

• 15km Interval Start Free – Men
• 10km Interval Start Free – Women
• 10km Interval Start Free – Junior Men
• 7.5km Interval Start Free – Junior Women

Thursday, July 18

• 1.4km Team Sprint Qualification Classic – Junior Men
• 1.4km Team Sprint Qualification Classic – Men
• 1.4km Team Sprint Qualification Classic – Junior Women
• 1.4km Team Sprint Qualification Classic – Women

• 2×4.2km Team Sprint Classic – Men
• 2×4.2km Team Sprint Classic – Women
• 2×4.2km Team Sprint Classic – Junior Men
• 2×4.2km Team Sprint Classic – Junior Women

Saturday, July 20  

• Sprint Qualification Free – Men
• Sprint Qualification Free – Women
• Sprint Qualification Free – Junior Men
• Sprint Qualification Free – Junior Women

• Sprint Final Free – Men
• Sprint Final Free – Women
• Sprint Final Free – Junior Men
• Sprint Final Free – Junior Women

Sunday, July 21

• 20km Mass Start Free – Men
• 20km Mass Start Free – Women
• 20km Mass Start Free – Junior Men
• 15km Mass Start Free – Junior Women

For a comprehensive Madona Roller Ski World Cup events calendar, click here.

The Roller Ski Guide 2024

In addition to the thrilling competitions, we invite you to delve into our comprehensive Roller Ski Guide 2024.

Read More: The Roller Ski Guide 2024

ProXCskiing.com has produced a guide for your roller ski season. Here, you get help choosing the right roller skis, whether a beginner or a more experienced roller skier.

The guide has been developed in collaboration with eight of the most famous brands. They have had the opportunity to select three pairs of roller skis from their range that they recommend for training at different levels. We go through classic roller skis recommended for beginners, classic roller skis for experienced skiers, and roller skis for skating.

Also Read: The Big Roller Ski Test