After giving way to the World Cup and the final battles for Olympic team berths, the NORBA series is back this weekend with round No. 6 at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint, Idaho. Pro racing kicks off Saturday with cross-country and mountain cross action. The downhill and short track will be contested Sunday.

This being an Olympic year, some of the regular NORBA series contenders have been off chasing UCI points elsewhere and that has opened the door for some new — and old — faces at the top of the overall standings. Former national champion and 2000 Olympian Travis Brown (Trek-Volkswagen) is leading the men’s cross-country standings, while Shonny Vanlandingham (Luna) brings a slight lead over 2003 series champ Jimena Florit (RLX Ralph Lauren). Florit is headed to Athens in August after receiving a last-minute start spot last week.

In the short track Canadian Chris Sheppard (Haro-adidas) is out in front after five of seven races, while Czech rider Katerina Hanusova (Luna) leads the women’s STXC standings.

Over on the gravity side of the ledger a pair of Americans, Eric Carter (Mongoose-Hyundai) and Jill Kintner (Yeti), are atop the mountain cross standings, while reigning world champion Greg Minnaar (Team G-Cross Honda) and Chilean Bernaditta Pizzaro (Red Bull) lead the downhill standings. American Kathy Pruitt (Luna) is second to Pizarro and is coming off a big win at the Mount Snow NORBA back in mid June. Carter is the top American in the men’s DH, sitting sixth.

Check back to VeloNews.com for updates throughout the weekend. Here’s the complete schedule.

Saturday, July 31
7-10 a.m. Expert/Single Speed XC Finals
7-8:45 a.m. Beg/Sport / Hardtail DH Practice
9-11 a.m. Pro DH Practice
10:30 a.m. Pro Men, Women, U23 and Legends XC Final
11:15-1:30 p.m. Expert/Jr Expert DH Practice
1 p.m. Super “D” Practice
2 p.m. Shimano Kids Race
2 p.m. Expert/Jr Expert/Sport/Beg / Hardtail DH Finals
3:30 p.m. Pro/Semi-Pro - JrX MX Practice
4 p.m. Super D Finals
4:30 p.m. Pro/Semi-Pro - JrX MX Finals
6:30 p.m. Daily Awards Ceremony
Sunday, August 1
7 a.m. Marathon - National Series Finals
7:30-9:30 a.m. Beg/Sport/Tandems XC Finals
8-10 a.m. Pro/Semi-Pro DH Practice
10 a.m.-noon Semi-Pro/Expert/Jr Expert/Open Women Short Track Finals
10:30 a.m. Pro Men & Women DH Qualifier
12 :45 p.m. Pro Short Track Practice
1:00 p.m. Pro Women Short Track Finals
12:30 p.m. Semi-Pro DH Finals
1:30 p.m. Pro Men Short Track Finals
2 p.m. Pro Women & Legends DH Finals
2:30 p.m. Pro Men & Legends DH Finals
4p.m. Daily Awards Ceremony