July 20, 2010 – Norway’s has always been a heavy hitter in the world of xc ski racing. Their athletes won nine medals at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, lead by Peter Northug.   They’re hoping to continue that dominance and here’s a brief  interview with Norwegian Team Manager Åge Skinstad on their progress so far as they train and plan for the upcoming season.
How are you satisfied with the team’s training so far and are you maintaining your schedule?
Åge Skinstad: We’ve managed to keep the schedule we planned in spring. It’s too early to judge the whole training period but I am happy with the first part. We have done a good job so far.

How is the situation on the team – is everyone healthy?
ÅS: I am happy to say that up until today we have not had any big injuries on the team. Of course Kristin (Steira) has an injured heel and has to carry out alternative training workouts. It will take approx. one month until she is fully recovered.

How often do you meet as a whole training group?
ÅS: We’ve had a couple of common team training camps. One took place in Oslo in May and another one in Sognefjellet in June. In July we will meet again in Sandnes.

What about the sprinters and distance skiers – is their training different?
ÅS: Generally the women’s and men’s distance and sprint teams have common training camps but after meeting in Sandnes the sprinters will not focus on high altitude training. All of us will meet again in Norway in September. The following month we plan to go to Val Senales together for 3-4 days. So you can see we are together quite often.

Where did you train in July? And what are your plans for future camps?
ÅS: The month of July was without a regular training camp. The squad will gather for a rollerksi race on July 23-24  and there will be live TV coverage. We’re looking forward going there.

Do you carry out any special workouts for Oslo?
ÅS: Naturally the World Championships is the biggest objective for us next season. Our athletes are motivated to succeed in Oslo. Some racers are running on the World Championships trails and we will have a training camp in Oslo in late September.

Are there any special events coming up in Norway?
ÅS: In October there will be an “open” training camp for juniors 18-20 years. It will take place in Sjusjøen. There were 115 spots available and they were filled within 24 hours. This shows a huge interest in our sport and I am really excited about that.