January 16, 2009 (Whistler, BC) – Hello ski friends, I must say that today was an awesome day. The weather here is brilliant, the skiing perfect, and our final day of work before Friday’s first races at the 2009 FIS World Cup Festival for cross-country, Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping. I was so thrilled to work with my old friend Pierre Harvey – we’ve known it each for years, and this was really his first PA gig and he did very well. I’m doing the English and Pierre the French for all Nordic events.

Also saw lotsa old friends today. It’s such a reunion, and one of the things I just love about our sport. Honestly, I was in heaven.

Today interviews included a chance to talk shop with Vegard Ulvang, the legendary Norwegian skier, who is the creative brains behind the Tour de Ski. He told me exclusively today (Thursday) that there’s a very cool event in the works – working title Tour of the Rockies – to be held a year or two following the 2010 Games. Transit would be by train, and yes I’d dig being there. Something to think about. After our preparations for the announcing I looked around for skiers to chat with and visited with some Nordic Combined friends.

Bill Demong, US Nordic Combined star, ” I am so excited to be back in North America, we are going home next week to train, we are all a bit tired and need a break. The venue here is perfect. I love the course, John [Aalberg] did a great job on the course design…it will help separate the better skiers in the hills. This year I am still mainly focused on the Nordic Combined World Championships, and I will take a bit of time to focus.

USA Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett told me, “We had a camp here last April, and we love the course and terrain. This is what we have expected this season for my guys, even though we had tough preparation for jumping with lack of snow for training. We are so pleased with the Continental Cup skiers too and expect good results at the World Juniors as well. We are all impressed with Todd Lodwick and how quickly he has improved. We thought that he might be top 15 returning to the world cup, but it has been amazing.” Lodwick placed second at his first return to competition.

Jason Lamy Chappus of France, a terrific young man spoke at the venue. “I discovered Nordic Combined when I moved from Montana back to the Jura region of France – Chappus has dual citizenship USA-France – we’ve had some great results back in 1992 and that tradition is continuing again in France. I expect big things here. This year has been great, the last two years have I have been on the podium a lot.”

Super Mario Stecher, Austrian Nordic Combined star told me, “I am getting old – I’m 31 – but I have come back well from major surgery on my knee and my knee doesn’t hurt, so I am coming very close to jumping at the level where I used to be, and that’s good to see.” Stecher, who has won many world cup victories, was a gold medalist in Turin in team Nordic Combined. His first world cup race was in 1993. He told me that Felix Gottwald is writing a book on his career with the Austrian Nordic Combined team.

OK, I am rushing off for dinner with famed announcer Kjell Erik Kristiansen and Pierre. As they say in the blogs, I’m running but I’m trying. I’ll have more for you tomorrow dear friends…

Onward…