February 20, 2013 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Kikkan Randall is the most successful US female skier of all time.  She is the current World Cup overall sprint leader, and will be starting her 7th FIS Nordic World Ski Championships this week.  FIS spoke with her in Val di Fiemme, three days before the competitions begin.

Sprint Cup leader Kikkan Randall (USA) © Nordic Focus

What will you focus on for the upcoming World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy?
Kikkan Randall: I am mostly looking forward to both of the team events, the sprint relay and the 4x5km relay.  I also think the classic sprint and the 10k freestyle could be good races for me.

Will you skip any competitions in Val di Fiemme?
KR: I plan to skip just the Skiathlon, since it falls the day before the team sprint.

The US women’s team is currently ranked 4th in the FIS Nations Cup standings.  The relay team was on the podium in Gallivare at the start of the season.  Is a relay podium a priority for the team in VdF?
KR: The US women’s team has been having a really strong season and for the first time we are coming into a major championships with confidence for the team events.  We know that when everyone on the team puts together a strong performance we can be in the hunt for the podium.  We know we have a real chance and that has us very excited!

What are some of the keys to the success of the women’s team?
KR: Fun and camaraderie are our secrets.  We put special attention towards working together as a team and we make sure to focus on the positive and have fun together.

You raced in Val di Fiemme during the 2003 World Championships.  What are your memories from that time?
KR: Hard to believe that 10 years has gone by so fast!  I remember beautiful sunny days with cold hard tracks.  I remember good crowds and lots of enthusiasm everywhere I went around the valley.  I remember going to the awards ceremony to see Kris Freeman receive his award for 4th place in the 15k classic race, which was an incredibly momentous occasion for our team at the time.  I was also out cheering on course when American Johnny Spillane won the gold medal in the Nordic Combined.  At that point, Americans were never really competitive and I remember how ground-breaking it was to see him win!

10 years later you are now back in VdF and are the veteran on the US women’s team.  What advice can you pass along to the younger members of your team?
KR: I guess the best advice I can give to my teammates is to relax and enjoy the championships.  The training is already done.   Now it’s time to rest up, follow your normal routine and just go out and race.  Take a few moments to appreciate the journey and the situation you’re in.  Then, no matter what the result, you get to walk away from this experience with a smile.