Cross-Country Skiing

Merry Christmas to you all. Yes in Sweden  the big day is today December 24, Christmas Eve. 

As every December, the budget for the Italian sports federations has been released, which this year amounts to a total of €344 million. Below is a quick recap.   Funding for Italian Sports Federations – by Sport Total allocation: €303.5m | +4% vs previous year   Football — €35.26m (+0.06%) Acquatics sports — €18.62m (+10.57%) Volleyball — €17.86m (+4.59%) Tennis & Padel — €16.13m (+15.00%) Athletics (Track & Field) — €14.93m (+0.27%) Snow & Sleds Sports — €12.57m (+0.16%) Basketball — €10.40m (+0.16%) Fencing — €10.15m (+0.22%) Gymnastics — €10.10m (+0.14%) Cycling — €9.68m (+0.27%) Judo, Wrestling, Karate & Martial Arts — €8.14m (+0.01%) Ice Sports — €7.68m (+9.99%) Sailing — €7.48m (+15.00%) Rugby — €7.25m (+15.00%) Clay Pigeon Shooting (Trap & Skeet) — €7.20m (+0.09%) Equestrian Sports — €6.34m (+15.00%) Rowing — €6.21m (+0.27%) Boxing — €5.45m (+0.27%) Canoe & Kayak — €5.34m (+0.15%) Roller Sports (including Skateboarding) — €5.28m (+12.17%) Taekwondo — €5.22m (+0.14%) Baseball & Softball — €5.04m (+0.08%) Weightlifting — €4.95m (+0.20%) Archery — €4.84m (+0.62%) Motorcycling — €4.84m (+0.27%) Golf — €4.65m (+0.27%) Sport Fishing & Underwater Activities — €4.28m (+0.27%) Modern Pentathlon — €4.91m (+0.14%) Shooting Sports (Pistol & Rifle) — €4.07m (+0.19%) Triathlon — €3.77m (+15.00%) Bocce — €3.59m (+0.27%) Table Tennis — €3.57m (+0.26%) Surfing, Water Ski & Wakeboard — €3.51m (+15.00%) Sport Climbing — €3.17m (+15.00%) Handball — €3.01m (+0.01%) Field Hockey — €2.92m (+0.13%) Badminton — €2.68m (0.00) DanceSport & Musical Sports — €2.38m (+0.27%) Powerboating — €2.01m (0.00) Squash — €1.57m (+15%) Hunting Disciplines — €1.56m (+0.27%) Billiards & Bowling — €1.20m (+15.00%) Combat Sports (Kickboxing, MuayThai, Savate, Shoot Boxe & Sambo) — €0.82m (+15.00%) American Football — €0.51m (+75.00%) Cricket — €0.50m (+75.00%) Chess — €0.45m (+15.00%) Traditional Games & Sports — €0.42m (+15.00%) Equestrian Tourism & TREC — €0.37m (+15.00%) Bridge — €0.35m (+15.00%) Draughts (Checkers) — €0.34m (+15.00%) Orienteering — €0.30m (+15.00%) Wushu Kung Fu — €0.30m (+15.00%) Tamburello — €0.28m (+15.00%) Practical Shooting — €0.24m (+15.00%) Pallapugno — €0.21m (+15.00%) Fixed-Seat Rowing — €0.19m (+15.00%) Twirling — €0.14m (+15.00%) Rafting — €0.12m (+15.00%)   “Out-of-Scope” FSN Contributions Total allocation: €9m | +0% vs previous year     Automobile Club of Italy (Motorsport & Mobility) — €1.21m (0%) Aero Club of Italy (Aviation Sports) — €1.42m (0%) Italian University Sports Centre — €1.83m (0%) Italian Timekeepers Federation — €1.62m (0%) Italian Sports Medicine Federation — €2.92m (0%)   Funding for Sports Promotion Associations (EPS) Total allocation: €20.05m | +3.38% vs previous year     Contributions to “Meritorious” Sports Associations (AB) Total allocation: €1.02m | +2.3% vs previous year     Funding for Military & Police Sports Groups (GSMC) Total allocation: €4.42m | +3.38% vs previous year     State Police Sports Group — €1.00m (+3.38%) Financial Police Sports Group — €0.77m (+3.38%) Army Sports Group — €0.70m (+3.38%) Carabinieri Sports Group — €0.65m (+3.38%) Air Force Sports Group — €0.46m (+3.38%) Penitentiary Police Sports Group — €0.42m (+3.38%) Navy Sports Group — €0.24m (+3.38%) Firefighters Sports Group — €0.17m (+3.38%)  

Updated Quota Projections at Christmas Break   Numbers in parenthesis represent the quota change for that NOC since the last update in September.   Africa (7 nations)    Benin: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Eritrea: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Guinea-Bissau: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Kenya: 2 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Madagascar: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Morocco: 2 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Nigeria: 1 (0) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  South Africa: 5 (+2) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Freestyle Skiing - 1, Skeleton - 1)   Americas (12 nations)    Argentina: 8 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Cross-Country Skiing - 4, Luge - 1)  Bolivia: 1 (0) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Brazil: 11 (-5) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Biathlon - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Skeleton - 1, Snowboarding - 2)  Canada: 203 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 10, Biathlon - 8, Bobsleigh - 12, Cross-Country Skiing - 11, Curling - 11, Figure Skating - 12, Freestyle Skiing - 32, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 7, Short Track - 10, Skeleton - 4, Ski Jumping - 4, Snowboarding - 19, Speed Skating - 15)  Chile: 4 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Freestyle Skiing - 1)  Colombia: 1 (-1) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)    Ecuador: 1 (NEW) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Haiti: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Jamaica: 9 (+8) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Bobsleigh - 8)  Mexico: 5 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2, Figure Skating - 1)  Puerto Rico: 1 (0) (Skeleton - 1)  Trinidad and Tobago: 6 (+4) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Bobsleigh - 4)  United States: 227 (+9) (Alpine Skiing - 17, Biathlon - 8, Bobsleigh - 14, Cross-Country Skiing - 15, Curling - 11, Figure Skating - 16, Freestyle Skiing - 32, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 11, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 8, Skeleton - 3, Ski Jumping - 6, Ski Mountaineering - 2, Snowboarding - 22, Speed Skating - 12)  Uruguay: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)    Venezuela: 1 (NEW) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)   Asia (18 nations)    China: 124 (+7) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 3, Bobsleigh - 12, Cross-Country Skiing - 6, Curling - 10, Figure Skating - 6, Freestyle Skiing - 23, Luge - 5, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 10, Skeleton - 5, Ski Jumping - 4, Ski Mountaineering - 2, Snowboarding - 18, Speed Skating - 16)  Hong Kong: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Short Track - 1)  India: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Iran: 4 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Japan: 124 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Curling - 5, Figure Skating - 12, Freestyle Skiing - 19, Ice Hockey - 23, Luge - 1, Nordic Combined - 3, Short Track - 9, Skeleton - 2, Ski Jumping - 8, Snowboarding - 19, Speed Skating - 14)  Kazakhstan: 35 (-7) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Figure Skating - 2, Freestyle Skiing - 10, Nordic Combined - 1, Short Track - 4, Ski Jumping - 2, Speed Skating - 5)  Kyrgyzstan: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Lebanon: 3 (+2) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Malaysia: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Mongolia: 3 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Philippines: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Saudi Arabia: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Singapore: 1 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  South Korea: 72 (+10) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 2, Bobsleigh - 10, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Curling - 7, Figure Skating - 6, Freestyle Skiing - 6, Luge - 1, Short Track - 10, Skeleton - 4, Snowboarding - 12, Speed Skating - 9)  Taiwan: 8 (+2) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Bobsleigh - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2, Figure Skating - 1, Speed Skating - 1)  Thailand: 3 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  United Arab Emirates: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Uzbekistan: 4 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Figure Skating - 2, Short Track - 1)   Europe (47 nations)    Albania: 4 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 4)  Andorra: 7 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Cross-Country Skiing - 3)  Armenia: 5 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Figure Skating - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Austria: 112 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 22, Biathlon - 9, Bobsleigh - 10, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Figure Skating - 1, Freestyle Skiing - 14, Luge - 11, Nordic Combined - 3, Short Track - 1, Skeleton - 3, Ski Jumping - 8, Ski Mountaineering - 2, Snowboarding - 17, Speed Skating - 4)  Azerbaijan: 1 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Figure Skating - 1)  Belgium: 31 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Biathlon - 8, Bobsleigh - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Figure Skating - 2, Short Track - 6, Skeleton - 1, Ski Mountaineering - 1, Snowboarding - 1, Speed Skating - 6)  Bosnia and Herzegovina: 6 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Cross-Country Skiing - 2, Luge - 1)  Bulgaria: 20 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Biathlon - 8, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Figure Skating - 1, Ski Jumping - 1, Snowboarding - 4)  Croatia: 13 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 6, Biathlon - 3, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Short Track - 1)  Cyprus: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Czech Republic: 110 (-11) (Alpine Skiing - 5, Biathlon - 10, Cross-Country Skiing - 11, Curling - 7, Figure Skating - 4, Freestyle Skiing - 5, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 1, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 1, Skeleton - 1, Ski Jumping - 4, Snowboarding - 9, Speed Skating - 3)  Denmark: 41 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 3, Bobsleigh - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Curling - 5, Ice Hockey - 25, Skeleton - 1, Speed Skating - 3)  Estonia: 31 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 8, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Curling - 2, Figure Skating - 2, Freestyle Skiing - 3, Nordic Combined - 2, Skeleton - 1, Ski Jumping - 2, Snowboarding - 1, Speed Skating - 1)  Finland: 100 (-2) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Biathlon - 10, Cross-Country Skiing - 15, Figure Skating - 5, Freestyle Skiing - 8, Ice Hockey - 48, Nordic Combined - 2, Ski Jumping - 6, Snowboarding - 2)  France: 158 (+6) (Alpine Skiing - 15, Biathlon - 12, Bobsleigh - 6, Cross-Country Skiing - 14, Figure Skating - 9, Freestyle Skiing - 19, Ice Hockey - 48, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 6, Skeleton - 1, Ski Jumping - 6, Ski Mountaineering - 4, Snowboarding - 10, Speed Skating - 6)  Georgia: 8 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Figure Skating - 6)  Germany: 189 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 11, Biathlon - 11, Bobsleigh - 18, Cross-Country Skiing - 13, Curling - 5, Figure Skating - 6, Freestyle Skiing - 13, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 12, Nordic Combined - 3, Skeleton - 6, Ski Jumping - 8, Ski Mountaineering - 3, Snowboarding - 19, Speed Skating - 13)  Great Britain: 59 (+3) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Biathlon - 2, Bobsleigh - 9, Cross-Country Skiing - 4, Curling - 10, Figure Skating - 8, Freestyle Skiing - 8, Short Track - 3, Skeleton - 5, Snowboarding - 5, Speed Skating - 1)  Greece: 5 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 3)  Hungary: 16 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 4, Figure Skating - 2, Short Track - 6, Snowboarding - 1, Speed Skating - 1)  Iceland: 4 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Ireland: 6 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2, Freestyle Skiing - 2)  Israel: 9 (+5) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Bobsleigh - 4, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Figure Skating - 1, Skeleton - 1)  Italy: 187 (-4) (Alpine Skiing - 20, Biathlon - 10, Bobsleigh - 8, Cross-Country Skiing - 12, Curling - 10, Figure Skating - 9, Freestyle Skiing - 9, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 11, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 10, Skeleton - 3, Ski Jumping - 7, Ski Mountaineering - 3, Snowboarding - 16, Speed Skating - 9)  Kosovo: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Latvia: 67 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Biathlon - 8, Bobsleigh - 8, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Figure Skating - 2, Ice Hockey - 25, Luge - 10, Short Track - 2, Skeleton - 2)  Liechtenstein: 8 (+4) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Bobsleigh - 4, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Lithuania: 17 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 8, Cross-Country Skiing - 4, Figure Skating - 3)  Luxembourg: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2)  Malta: 1 (0) (Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Moldova: 5 (+1) (Biathlon - 3, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Monaco: 1 (-4) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Montenegro: 2 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 1, Cross-Country Skiing - 1)  Netherlands: 42 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Bobsleigh - 4, Figure Skating - 2, Nordic Combined - 1, Short Track - 10, Skeleton - 1, Snowboarding - 4, Speed Skating - 18)  North Macedonia: 4 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Norway: 81 (-9) (Alpine Skiing - 16, Biathlon - 11, Cross-Country Skiing - 16, Curling - 7, Freestyle Skiing - 5, Nordic Combined - 3, Ski Jumping - 7, Ski Mountaineering - 3, Snowboarding - 3, Speed Skating - 10)  Poland: 55 (-5) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Biathlon - 8, Bobsleigh - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Figure Skating - 4, Luge - 5, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 4, Ski Jumping - 5, Ski Mountaineering - 2, Snowboarding - 4, Speed Skating - 9)  Portugal: 4 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 1, Speed Skating - 1)  Romania: 28 (-6) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 6, Bobsleigh - 4, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Figure Skating - 1, Luge - 6, Ski Jumping - 4, Snowboarding - 2)    San Marino: 1 (NEW) (Alpine Skiing - 1)  Serbia: 4 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2)  Slovakia: 54 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Biathlon - 6, Bobsleigh - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Figure Skating - 1, Ice Hockey - 25, Luge - 8, Short Track - 1, Ski Jumping - 1, Ski Mountaineering - 3)  Slovenia: 38 (-3) (Alpine Skiing - 9, Biathlon - 9, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Nordic Combined - 2, Ski Jumping - 7, Snowboarding - 4)  Spain: 19 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Figure Skating - 5, Ski Mountaineering - 4, Snowboarding - 4, Speed Skating - 1)  Sweden: 115 (-1) (Alpine Skiing - 9, Biathlon - 12, Cross-Country Skiing - 16, Curling - 11, Figure Skating - 1, Freestyle Skiing - 15, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 2, Ski Jumping)  Switzerland: 179 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 22, Biathlon - 10, Bobsleigh - 18, Cross-Country Skiing - 12, Curling - 11, Figure Skating - 3, Freestyle Skiing - 21, Ice Hockey - 48, Luge - 1, Nordic Combined - 2, Skeleton - 1, Ski Jumping - 5, Ski Mountaineering - 4, Snowboarding - 18, Speed Skating - 3)  Türkiye: 8 (+1) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 2, Short Track - 2, Ski Jumping - 2)  Ukraine: 44 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Biathlon - 10, Cross-Country Skiing - 6, Figure Skating - 1, Freestyle Skiing - 9, Luge - 8, Nordic Combined - 2, Short Track - 2, Skeleton - 1, Ski Jumping - 2, Snowboarding - 1)   Oceania (3 nations)    Australia: 54 (-3) (Alpine Skiing - 3, Bobsleigh - 4, Cross-Country Skiing - 7, Figure Skating - 4, Freestyle Skiing - 16, Luge - 1, Short Track - 2, Skeleton - 1, Ski Mountaineering - 2, Snowboarding - 14)  New Zealand: 20 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 4, Freestyle Skiing - 10, Snowboarding - 6)  Vanuatu: 1 (0) (Freestyle Skiing - 1)   Other (1 nation)    Individual Neutral Athletes: 17 (0) (Alpine Skiing - 2, Cross-Country Skiing - 3, Figure Skating - 3, Freestyle Skiing - 1, Luge - 2, Short Track - 2, Ski Mountaineering - 1, Speed Skating - 3)    Refugee Olympic Team: 1 (NEW) (Biathlon - 1)

Road to Junior World Championship International Test Matches   Tuesday 23rd December, 2025 ---------------------------------   -   1-3  -   2-13  -   3-7

Decent team, on european level ofc. In a normal tournament would certainly be a Quarterfinal contender.   In a NHL level gonna be, hard slash impossible, to keep the rhythm for the guys though, but definitely a nice roster on a WCh level for sure.   Nice satisfaction for Bellemare, one great last dance for this huge hockey legend. Fully deserved. He and Da Costa + Texier have possibilities to provide something and surprise some defences also in Milano.

Of all the valid points one can make, I'd say someone's mastery of the English language shouldn't really be one on an international forum like this. I think at least 80% of us don't have English as native language, and there's logically going to be a difference in levels.   Again, not disagreeing with the actual contents of what you and people here are saying, but attacking one's language skills (other than an innocent joke here or there, for which this isn't exactly the right place of discussion I assume) feels unnecessary and kind of takes away from the actual content

Yes, a local 56-year old woman who likely became unwell. There were no drugs or alcohol in play.

Team France    Goaltenders:   Julian Junca (HK Dukla Trencin, Slovakia, ) Antoine Keller (HC Ajoie, NL, ) Martin Neckar (SCL Young Tigers U21, Swiss U21-Elit, )   Defencers:   Yohann Auvitu (Black Wings Linz, ICEHL, ) Jules Boscq (HPK, Liiga, ) Enzo Cantagallo (Marseille, Ligue Magnus, ) Florian Chakiachvili (Rouen, Ligue Magnus, ) Pierre Crinon (Grenoble, Ligue Magnus, ) Hugo Gallet (KalPa, Liiga, ) Enzo Guebey (HC Davos, NL, ) Thomas Thiry (HC Ajoie, NL, )   Forwards:   Justin Addamo (Jukurit, Liiga, ) Pierre-Édouard Bellemare (HC Ajoie, NL, ) Charles Bertrand (Sport, Liiga, ) Louie Boudon (Atlanta Gladiators, ECHL, ) Kevin Bozon (HC Ajoie, NL, ) Stéphane da Costa (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, KHL, ) Aurélien Dair (Grenoble, Ligue Magnus, ) Floran Douay (Lausanne HC, NL, ) Dylan Fabre (Ässät, Liiga, ) Jordann Perret (Mountfield HK, Czechia, ) Anthony Rech (Rouen, Ligue Magnus, ) Nicolas Ritz (Angers, Ligue Magnus, ) Alexandre Texier (Montréal Canadiens, NHL, ) Sacha Treille (Grenoble, Ligue Magnus, )