November 24, 2011 – Devon Kershaw’s Bindings – the short solution is to change systems – how many more times do you have to be chasing your skis in the crowd before you realize it is costing you results and money AND your team’s place in the relay.

Northug’s Antics – these immature gestures etc. at the finish line have been identified in the National Football League as taunting and it’s punishable by a penalty in the game when it occurs and a fine from the league. In soccer you get a yellow card. Do you think the FIS could ever come to fining a skier for these kinds of goings on? Maybe a written reprimand would be the way to started.

Canada’s Weekend in Sjujoen (grade D-) – Somehow this  team was not ready for the opening of the World Cup season other than Alex Harvey’s stellar opening blast – a 5th place. Just excellent considering his past early season history.

Half the team – that’s the women – were in another country at other races (non WC) that had been cancelled. This plan didn’t work last year – and didn’t work this year. So, no women in the 10km race and no relay either – because they weren’t there and one of the girls, Dasha Gaiazova, was still in Canada, so they didn’t have four women anyway.

Other then Alex, the rest of the men were not at all representative of what they have shown last year in the 15km special race and when it came to the relay it was nothing but a fiasco with equipment failures and it being not the best team that Canada could put forward. Embarrassing is the best way to put it for this weekend and it leaves very few other options but to go up in the results – hopefully this weekend.

For the men I would like offer this quote from American Andy Newell as it may get you back on track when the few relays that are out there do take place – so that you look like you are representing Canada with your BEST four skiers. Remember these words, as they may give you some direction for the future.

“In the last year or two, we’ve started focusing more on relays,” Newell said. “That’s something that we want to prioritize as a team … because it’s such a huge event and there’s so much pride involved.”

To make a podium run in future Olympics or World Championships, the U.S. men and women decided to field relays and practice in the World Cup. It didn’t matter if they were tired or gearing up for other races – they’d show up and race, said Newell.

The USSTs Weekend in Susjoen (grade B+) – boy, has Kikkan Randall come a long way from 3 years ago – this lady knows how to ski race and now she has all the tools to make it happen. Liz Stephen sure put a good foot forward in her first race of the year – a best ever – what a great way to boost the confidence..
The men definitely got out of the start gate on shaky skis and shaky results – worse than I would have expected. Again, only up is the way they can go.

The relays for both the sexes were very a formidable representation and show that they both can be very good by the time they get to Sochi.

My USST surprise was that Jesse Diggins was at home racing in West Yellowstone.

Talk To You Soon