The National Cups started at Horni Slavkov. The organizers from Banik Sokolov and Ekonom Prague organized the first two rounds of Cup A (nationwide) and Cup B (Bohemia), which were at the same time the 2nd and the 3rd rounds, resp., of the elite Continental Cup; two classic distance ("long" as defined by IOF) courses were prepared for all the classes. The terrain was very difficult both days (see photo) and the competition got still rougher due to an adverse weather - cold, rain and sometimes even snow.