Tag Archive | "blogbio"

Holly’s Bio

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HOMETOWN St-Ferreol, Quebec
AGE 22
TEAM Canadian National Ski Team (Senior World Cup Team)
CLUB Club Nordique Mont Ste-Anne
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 7th (4x10km Relay)
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 4th (Team Sprint Free)
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 9th (30km Pursuit)
  • 2009 World Cup Trondheim, Norway, 3rd (50km Classic)
  • 2009 World Cup Whistler, BC, 3rd (Team Sprint)
  • 2009 Nordic Worlds Liberec, Czech Republic, 5th (4x10km Team Relay)
  • 2009 U23 Nordic Worlds Praz de Lys Sommand, France, 4th (30km Pursuit)
  • 2008 Junior World Championships Malles, Italy 2nd (10km Classic)
  • 2007 Junior World Championships Taravisio, Italy 3rd (10km Skate)
ABOUT Alex Harvey has grown up on skiis and bikes, he doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t ski. His home town in St-Ferreol nearby Mont Sainte Anne meant there was great skiing, riding, and hiking right outside his door fostering an opportune environment for him to develop into the athlete that he is today. Alex continues to live and base his training out of Mont Sainte Anne, through the Pierre Harvey National Training Center, under the guidance of coach, Louis Bouchard.Since landing Canada’s second-ever Junior Nordic Worlds medal with the bronze in 10km skate at Taravisio, Italy in 2007 Harvey has continued to turn heads. Last year, as a first year senior, Alex was on the podium in third at two World Cups first in Whistler, BC in the Team Sprint with George Gray and later in Trondheim, Norway in the men’s 50km classic. Alex’s father, the legendary Pierre Harvey, is well known as a cyclist and xc skier having attended four Olympic Games putting Canada in the international limelight numerous times.For some it might be hard to live up to such a famous Dad, but Alex is up to the challenge making a name of his own. He has become one of Canada’s top cross-country skiers and as one of the younger skiers on the race scene looks to have a promising career ahead of him.Outside of xc skiing Harvey is studying Law part-time through the University of Laval. He believes that the focus necessary to be an endurance athlete has helped him have success in his studies as well.

Reese’s Bio

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HOMETOWN Fairbanks, Alaska (currently living and training in Anchorage)
AGE 22
TEAM APU Nordic Ski Center – Elite Team
CLUB Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks
NOTABLE RESULTS • 2011 U23 Nordic Worlds, Otepaa, Estonia, 24th (Classic Sprint)
• 2010 U.S. Nationals, 3rd, Anchorage, AK (Classic Sprint)
• 2010 Youngest U.S. male with WCup experience  (Canmore 2010)
ABOUT Skis were just a tool for Reese to learn how to walk an it’s been non-stop skiing action ever since! As a youngster, Reese was extremely active in nearly every sport possible. In the winter time, he split his time between skiing the park with his buddies, and cross-country skiing (which was, of course, way less cool).

An endless slew of high-intensity summer sports such as bike racing, competitive swimming, soccer, and running left him in pretty good shape come winter race season, and the thrill of actually being fast on Nordic skis began to take over. Despite continuing to swim competitively through high-school, Reese was one of first kids in the region to train year-round specifically for xc skiing.

It must have paid off, as he surprised himself by making the 2008 U.S. World Junior Team. That trip ignited a fire to try and become one of the best, a fire that continues to burn brighter and brighter. Reese’s philosophy is to keep it fun. No matter the situation, he strives to inspire people to get in shape and have a good time.

Whether it’s a grueling workout, building and hitting jumps, or coaching young skiers at camps and clinics, Reese believes that that hard work and enjoyment can, and should, go together. He is now dedicated to reaching the highest levels of our sport and is working towards making future World Championship and Olympic teams to represent the United States. Reese wants to use these opportunities to inspire the next generation of young athletes.

Sadie Bjornsen

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HOMETOWN Mazama, Washington
AGE 21
TEAM APUNSC, US Ski Team
CLUB
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2011 US National Championships, Rumford, ME, 1st (10km Classic)
  • 2011 US National Championships, Rumford, ME, 3rd (Classic Sprint)
  • 2011 US National Championships, Rumford, ME, 3rd (Freestyle Sprints)
  • 2011 Haywood NorAm Sovereign Lake, BC, 2nd (Classic Sprint)
  • 2011 Haywood NorAm Rossland, BC, 1st (Freestyle Sprint
  • 2011 Haywood NorAm Rossland, BC, 2nd (10km Classic)
  • Junior National Champion 4x
ABOUT I am currently racing for Alaska Pacific University out of Anchorage alongside the strongest women’s team in the US. Last year I made the switch from Methow Olympic Development Team in my hometown to racing at APU and attending school in a quest to attain my bachelors degree in Accounting. I couldn’t be happier where I am. The team atmosphere within the APU team is incredible. The excitement, enthusiasm, drive and team moral is what has truly helped me reach new levels this year. It is fun to turn an individual sport into a team effort that allows everyone to rise up and push each other. 

I began skiing as a very young child when I got sick of getting too cold riding up the chair lifts alpine skiing. I decided it seemed like a better idea to “ski up” and then ski down as well. When Olympic athlete, Laura McCabe, became my neighbor, I was set on becoming an Olympian one day. Growing up in an athletic family with two siblings close in age, my competitive nature was developed at a very young age. Since I was about 5-years-old I have been competing in all types of sports – mountain biking, swimming, running, and skiing.

I really love Nordic skiing because I love testing my mind and body to see how hard I can push. After putting in so much hard work through the off season, it is such a rewarding feeling to be able to test my capacity and new skills through the racing season. I think the places that I get to go, and the people I meet, are what truly make this journey magical.

Last year I made a big jump in my racing career starting at my first FIS World Cups, and then went on to race at the Nordic World Championships in Olso, Norway. I look forward to getting in some solid training during the summer with my teammate and one of the most talented skiers on the circuit, Kikkan Randall. It will be fun to see how things develop from here.

Jessie Diggins’s Bio

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HOMETOWN Afton, Minnesota
AGE 20
TEAM Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC)
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2011 Junior World Championships, Otepaa, Estonia, 7th (5km Skate)
  • 2011 US XC Nationals, Rumford, Maine, 1st (1.4km Freestyle Sprint)
  • 2010 Haywood NorAm Mini-Tour, Rossland, BC, 1st (Overall)
  • 2010 Haywood NorAm Mini-Tour, Rossland, BC, 1st (5km Skate)
ABOUT I’ve decided to give Nordic skiing everything I’ve got, so I am currently taking a year off in between high school and college to train full time with the CXC Elite team. My plans are to attend NMU in the fall of 2011. Am I nervous about taking the chance and postponing my education? Absolutely! But I’m also excited to see what happens.

My family and friends give me the best support any athlete could ever dream of. My parents and little sister (and dogs!) are always there for me and back me up 100%. My coaches and teammates are fun to be around and provide help and encouragement. Without them, I’d be nowhere!

I love to ski because I love the lifestyle. I like to work hard, to train as much as possible and to push myself to the limit. Sometimes it’s hard, but it is also the most rewarding thing I know; I always feel better after a workout, no matter what. I also like to travel to new places, meet awesome people and make new friends on the road. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming year of training and racing across the United States.

So far, everything is going well, and I’ll keep updating!

Luke Devon Kershaw

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HOMETOWN Sudbury, ON (lives in Canmore, AB)
AGE 28
TEAM Canadian National Ski Team, World Cup Team
CLUB Ona-Wa-Su
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 4th (Team Sprint)
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 7th (4x10km Relay)
  • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 5th (50km Classic)
  • 2009 World Cup, Oberhof, GER, 3rd (15km Classic)
  • 2009 Nordic World Ski Championships, Liberec, CZE, 5th (4x10km Relay)
  • 2009 World Cup, Davos, SUI, 9th (15km Free
  • 2008 World Cup, Oberhof, GER, 3rd (15km Classic)
  • 2008 World Cup, Prague, CZE, 1st (Sprint Qualification)
  • 2007 World Cup, Sapporo, JAP, 6th (Team Sprint)
  • 2006 Olympic Games, Pragelato Plan, ITA, 11th (Team Sprint)
  • 2006 World Cup, Munich, GER, 2nd (Sprint)
ABOUT Devon Kershaw grew up in Sudbury, a mining and industry town in Northern Ontario known more for it’s giant coinage (Sudbury is home to the world’s largest Canadian 10 cent nickel) than producing world-class athletes, though it still claims many of those as well. Kershaw grew up outdoors, and was very active in a whole host of sports, playing hockey, volleyball, badminton, tennis, and running competitively during his early years.It was with the Laurentian Nordic Ski Club that the seeds of an internationally competitive cross-country ski racer were planted. While with the club he represented Canada at three World Junior Championships (2000, 2001, 2002) and won 18 National Junior Medals.

Kershaw currently lives in Canmore, Alberta and trains with the National Ski Team as a member of the World Cup Team. In 2006 he started turning heads when he became the first Canadian to medal in a sprint event winning bronze in Borlange, Sweden. Since then he has added many more medals and accolades to his name.

As well as being one of North America’s fastest cross-country ski racers, Kershaw is also a connoisseur of fine food and fine music. Italian is his favorite dish, and Neil Young, Wilco, Beck, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Radiohead among his favourite musicians.

Kershaw is also an active ambassador of Share the Road Canada, a charity which advocates for better road safety and cyclist -driver interactions. This work holds a special importance to Kershaw, whose girlfriend Sophie Manarin, herself a promising member of Canada’s Junior National Team, was killed in a cycling accident in 2001.

When not out training, Kershaw can be found cooking, shooting photography, reading, playing guitar, fly-fishing and mountain biking in the mountain playground that is Canmore, Alberta.

Craftsbury Green Racing Project

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Craftsbury Green Racing Project
Hometown: Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury Common, Vermont
Inception: Spring 2009
Team members and previous affiliations:
– Matt Briggs (Colby College, Cambridge Sports Union)
– Ollie Burruss (Harvard University, Cambridge Sports Union)
– Hannah Dreissigacker (Dartmouth College, Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club)
– Lauren Jacobs (Skibec, Bates College, Gould Academy)
– Chelsea Little (Dartmouth College, Ford Sayre)
– Tim Reynolds (Middlebury College, Green Mountain Valley School)
– Coach: Pepa Miloucheva (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club)

The Craftsbury Green Racing Project was founded in the spring of 2009 to further the mission of the now non- profit Craftsbury Outdoor Center: “To support and promote participation and excellence in lifelong sports with a special focus on rowing and Nordic skiing; to use and teach sustainable practices; and to protect and manage the surrounding land, lake and trails.”

All of this sounds abstract, but after only a few months, the team is very real and already going strong. Comprised of recent graduates from the best ski programs around the East, the team includes NCAA qualifiers and one All- American, several former captains of college teams, and up- and- coming skiers who, with some success in their pockets, are looking forward to much more now that they are training full- time with coach Pepa Miloucheva.

While joining the Green Racing Projects means that many of the athletes will be adjusting to changes, one thing remains the same for all them: an unwavering determination to ski fast. The team’s early season plans include the western SuperTour races and U.S. Nationals in Anchorage in January. Chelsea Little, a former columnist with the White River Junction, VT based Valley News, will be writing updates on the CGRP’s activities at skitrax.com.

Torin’s Bio

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HOMETOWN Leavenworth, WA
AGE 28
TEAM US Ski Team (World Cup)
CLUB Leavenworth Winter Sports Club
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2008 Canmore, AB World Cup 11th (Skate Sprint)
  • 2008 Canadian XC Nationals 2nd (50km classic)
  • 2007 World Cup Otepae, Estonia 3rd (Classic Sprint)
  • 2007 Nordic World Championships 22nd (Classic Sprint)
  • 2002 and 2006 Olympian
  • 2001-2007 Nordic World Championships US Team Member
ABOUT Two-time Olympian Torin Koos is the son of former U.S. biathlon skier and began skiing early while growing up in Washington state. Racing “was a natural progression” while he skied and ran cross-country, plus track and field for the University of Utah and. In 2001 Koos was given a World Cup start when another athlete got sick and he hasn’t looked back – making the most of his debut he placed 12th in a sprint. Since then he hasn’t missed an Olympics or Nordic World Championships becoming the first U.S. Ski Team racer fully committed to sprinting.

With 19 top 20 finishes in 2007/2008, two of which were second place performances at the U.S. and Canadian XC Nationals, Koos is ready to take on the world as this Nordic World Championship season begins. According to US Cross Country Head Coach Pete Vordenberg, Koos took his strength training to the limits in 2008 adding to his preparation for victory in the future.

Tim’s Bio

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HOMETOWN Paul Smiths, NY (resides in Lake Placid, NY)
AGE 26
TEAM US Biathlon National Team
CLUB Lake Placid Ski Club
NOTABLE RESULTS
  • 2008 Biathlon World Cup Holmenkollen, Norway, 7th (Pursuit)
  • 2008 Biathlon World Championships, 8th (Sprint)
  • 2007 Biathlon World Cup Pokljuka, Slovenia 6th, (Mass Start)
  • 2007 World Biathlon Championships, 7th (Individual Start)
  • 2006 Olympian – Torino, Italy.
  • 5-time US National Biathlon Champion
ABOUT A 2006 Olympian Burke fulfilled his life-long dream by making the USA’s Olympic Biathlon team while winning the Pursuit format and placing second in two other competitions at the TD Banknorth Festival at Fort Kent.

According to Burke, one of the best things to happen to him in 2006 was “leading the Olympic relay” out of the stadium after team mate Jay Hakkinen’s dominating first leg. In 2004 and 2005Burke qualified for the Biathlon World Championships and competed in front of a hometown crowd at 2004 Lake Placid World Cup, finishing 43rd in pursuit.

After training for past three seasons in Fort Kent, Maine, Burke, a leader on the US Biathon team, has relocated and is now based out of Lake Placid, NY as he prepares for the 2008/09 season.

Lowell’s Bio

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HOMETOWN Lake Placid, NY
AGE 27
TEAM U.S. National Biathlon Team
CLUB NYSEF Nordic
NOTABLE RESULTS
    • 2008 World Cup, South Korea, 11th (12.5km Pursuit)
    • 2007 Biathlon World Cup, Germany, 7th (4×7.5km Relay)
    • 2006 U.S. Olympic Trials, 1st (10km Sprint)
    • 2004 NCAA Nordic Championships, 2nd (10km Skate )
    • 2003 NCAA Nordic Championships, 2nd (10km Skate)
      ABOUT North Carolina is not known for producing many Nordic-sport athletes and Bailey only spent a few years of childhood there before his family moved to Old Forge, NY. It was in this rural upstate New York town where he first put on a pair of skis. During Bailey’s middle and high school years, he divided his time between skiing, soccer, and tennis. Except for a brief experiment with Nordic Combined, Bailey stuck to cross-country skiing in the winter and eventually took on the sport full-time by his junior year of high school.

      At that point Bailey had competed at regional and national junior events and the U.S. Biathlon Team invited him to a recruitment training camp in Lake Placid. There he spent three summer weeks getting to know the sport of biathlon and the people involved. In 1999, during his senior year of high school, Bailey qualified for the Junior Biathlon World Championship Team.

      Since then he has spent the better part of a decade competing internationally and training in a variety of different locations. Bailey was a member of three Junior Biathlon World Championship Teams, two World University Games Teams, two Senior Biathlon World Championship Teams, three NCAA ski cha

      Haley’s Bio

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      Haley Johnsonhometown : Lake Placid, NY
      Age: 27
      Team: US National Biathlon Team
      Club: Lake Placid Ski Club, USBA
      Website: haleykaralars.com
      Major Results:

      • 2008 Biathlon Europa Cup, Slovakia, 12th (Sprint)
      • 2008 Biathlon Europa Cup, Slovakia, 17th (Pursuit)
      • 2008 Biathlon World Championships, 52nd (Sprint)
      • 2008 Biathlon World Championships, 53rd (Pursuit)

      Growing up in Lake Placid, NY Johnson started skiing early and developed a passion for competitive alpine skiing. During high school she was encouraged to give Nordic skiing a try and was inspired her to spend her senior year at the National Sports Academy (Lake Placid) in Torsby, Sweden doing biathlon and going to school.
      Taking a break from biathlon, Johnson went on to race for Bates College, ME and represented them twice at NCAA’s before returning to biathlon with the Maine Winter Sports Center for the next four years with the MWSC and the US Biathlon Development team. She also helped to make skiing more accessible to school children with events such as the IPC Paralympic Nordic Worlds and international Biathlon World Cups and Junior Championships.

      Johnson is based back in Lake Placid and training with the National Biathlon Team and also working with the 6th grade at her old elementary school and while away connects via a blog. Motivation comes from the community and her siblings, Kara and Lars avid competitive freestyle mogul skiers.

      Drew’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN Red Deer, Alberta (resides in Canmore)
      AGE 26
      TEAM Canadian National Ski Team (Sr.World Cup Team)
      CLUB Rocky Mountain Racers Ski Club
      NOTABLE RESULTS
      • 2008 World Cup, Canmore, AB, 12th (sprint)
      • 2007 Nordic World Championships, Sapporo, Japan, 6th (team sprint)
      • 2006 Olympic Games, Torino, Italy, 31st (sprint)
      • 2009 – U23 30km Pursuit, Praz de Lys Sommand, France, 4th
      • 2004 U23 Nordic World Championships, Soldier Hollow, USA, 1st (sprint)
      ABOUT Goldsack first started skiing at six years old when he was encouraged by his first coach and Grade 5 school teacher, Bob Vanderwater, to join the Jackrabbit Ski League. As a youngster, he loved skiing from the start. The opportunities to travel with friends and family, as well as play outside in the snow kept him involved over the years. Today, racing against the best in the world is what Goldsack loves most about the sport.

      The 2003-04 season was a major step forward in hsi pursuit of excellence as he took his first steps on the World Cup circuit. He continued to build on that experience during the 2004-05 season with a career best finish placing 21st at the Nordic World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany and returned to the World Cup circuit.Goldsack impressed during his Olympic debut in 2006, recording a strong 31st-place sprint result.He took another major leap up the ladder of success at the 2007 Nordic World Championships in Sapporo, Japan finishing 6th in the team sprint event.The highlight of his 2007-08 season was a 12th place finish in the sprint at the Canmore World Cup.

      After his athletic career, he plans to resume his schooling and is looking at a career in the film industry or invest- ment banking.In his free time, he enjoys actively resting, alpine skiing (hucking in the terrain park), alpine touring, fishing, working on his car, sport climbing, windsurfing, playing squash, badminton and soccer.

      Alberta World Cup Academy’s Bio

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      Adele’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN Freeport, Maine
      AGE 20
      TEAM University of Colorado Ski (in Jan. 2011)
      CLUB Maine Coast Nordic
      NOTABLE RESULTS
      • 2009 US XC Distance Nationals, Fairbanks, Alaska, 3rd (5km Classic)
      • 2009 Nordic Junior Worlds, France, 30th (10km Pursuit)
      • 2009 US XC Nationals, Anchorage, Alaska, 11th (Classic Sprint)
      • 2009 Junior Olympics, Truckee, California, 2nd (5km Classic)
      • 2008 Junior Olympics, Anchorage, Alaska, 3rd (5km Skate)
      ABOUT Adele Espy was born and raised on the coast of Maine, where she lived with her parents, Lynne and Jay, her older sister, Hannah, her younger brother, Josh, and her cat and dog, Milo and Blue. She spent her summers in the mountains of northern New Hampshire. While growing up she had three major passions, fiddling (Bluegrass and Irish), cross-country running, and cross-country skiing.

      She started recreational cross-country and alpine skiing with her family when she was a toddler, but did not Nordic ski race until she was 13 years old. As a young child her favourite part of alpine skiing was the hot chocolate at the top of the mountain. Cross-country was not a favourite pastime either. Before she began racing her family would coax her along the cross-country ski trails with bribes, such as M&Ms and hard candy. That all changed in 7th grade when the Merriconeag Waldorf School she attended through 8th grade started a Nordic ski club. Before her first race she did not think of herself as having a competitive nature, nevertheless, her teammates convinced her to ski the first race and that opened up a whole new world to her.

      Adele raced for her middle school, her high school, Waynflete School in Portland, and for her club, Maine Coast Nordic (MCN), coached by Morgan. From 2007 to 2009 she was also coached independently by Dick Taylor and Marty Hall. She worked with eleven different coaches over the six-year period, including two cross-country running coaches. Adele ran cross-country through high school and was a two-time state champion. She qualified for the New England Championships three times and ran her fastest 5km cross-country time in 19:00.

      In 2009 Adele raced at US Nationals for the first time and qualified for the Junior World Championships in Praz de Lys, France, where she placed 30th in her first international race, a 10km Pursuit. She placed 2nd at the 2009 Junior Olympics in Truckee, California in a 5km Classical race and helped her relay team win the Older Junior 3×5km Classical race. The Sun Valley Olympic Development Team took her under their wing at the 2009 Distance National in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she raced her best result so far, 3rd in the 5km Classical race.

      Adele thrives on racing and loves to push through intense pain! She hopes to bring her ski racing to the highest level of competition in years to come.

      Liz’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN East Montpelier, Vermont
      AGE 21
      TEAM US Ski Team, Continental Cup Team
      CLUB Burke Mountain Academy
      NOTABLE RESULTS
      • 2010 Olympic Games Vancouver
      • 2009 US Nationals, Fairbanks, AK, 1st (7.5km Pursuit and 30km Classic)
      • 2009 Nordic Worlds, Liberec, Czech Republic, 15th (15km Pursuit)
      • 2009 U23 Nordic Worlds, France 4th (15km Pursuit)
      • 2009 World Cup, Whistler, BC 4th (Team Sprint)
      • 2008 U23 Nordic World Championships, 3rd (10km skate)
      • 2007 Junior Nordic World Championships, 7th (5km skate)
      • 2006 US XC Championships, 1st (tie 10km classic)
      • 2006 Junior Nordic World Championships, 6th (pursuit)
      ABOUT Liz Stephen was an alpine racer and a pretty good cross-country runner when she enrolled in the Burke Mountain Academy. She has started skiing early and was a promising alpine racer but her passion for alpine faded as she learned to love cross-country skiing after someone suggested that she try it as a cross-training sport for running during the off season. Stephen crossed over to xc skiing as a sophomore (Winter 2002) just as Matt Whitcomb was rebooting the BMA Nordic program.

      High energy and a quick study, alpine’s loss was cross-country’s gain as Stephen learnt how to “run” away from other skiers. In 2004, she was the J1 10km xc ski classic champion at the JOs and a couple of days before she turned 19, she tied for her first U.S. xc ski championship title in the 10km. “I just go out and ski and what happens happens,” says Stephen. “I wanted skiing to complement my running but instead my running is now complementing my skiing.”

      Johnny’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN Steamboat Springs, CO
      AGE 29
      TEAM U.S. Nordic Compbined Ski Team (World Cup)
      CLUB Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club
      NOTABLE RESULTS
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 2nd (NH/10km)
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 2nd (Team 4x5km)
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 2nd (LH/10km)
      • 2010 World Cup, Oberhof, GER, 1st (Gundersen HS140/10.0km)
      • 2007 World Cup, Kuusamo, FIN, 2nd (Gundersen HS142/15.0km)
      • 2003 World Championships, Val di Fiemme, ITA, 1st (Sprint K120/7.5km)
      ABOUT Johnny Spillane was born and raised in Steamboat Springs, CO where he started skiing at the age of two and began jumping by age 11. It’s no surprise that he developed an interest in skiing at an early age, living just a few blocks from Steamboat’s Howelsen Hill. Growing up Spillane did not have to look far for a role model – US Nordic Combined Head Coach Dave Jarrett, who at the time was competing, was a neighbour of the Spillanes. Steamboat Springs is also the home of many Olympians in all ski disciplines, providing Spillane with the venues, the environment and the inspiration to excel.

      Spillane went on to be part of a Junior World Championships gold-medal team and became the first American skier to win gold at the Nordic World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy in 2003. In 2002 at the Salt Lake City Games he was part of the 5th place US Nordic Combined 4x5km relay team, and at the 2006 Torino Games, he had his career best individual Olympic result with a 10th place finish in the Ncombined 7.5km sprint event.

      Spillane marked the history books for his sport again in 2010, becoming the first American to earn a Nordic combined silver medal at the Olympics in the Normal Hill/10km event. He went on to collect three total silvers at the 2010 Games thanks to his performances in the large, normal and team events.

      Outside of skiing Spillane can be found reading and cooking, apparently he is the best cook on the team. When Spillane gets a chance he enjoys spending his time fly-fishing, and during the summer months he works part-time as a fly- fishing guide, something that he would like to extend after his Nordic Combined career.

      Perianne’s Bio

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      36_singleComing Soon.

      Alex’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN St-Ferreol, Quebec
      AGE 22
      TEAM Canadian National Ski Team (Senior World Cup Team)
      CLUB Club Nordique Mont Ste-Anne
      NOTABLE RESULTS
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 7th (4x10km Relay)
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 4th (Team Sprint Free)
      • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC, 9th (30km Pursuit)
      • 2009 World Cup Trondheim, Norway, 3rd (50km Classic)
      • 2009 World Cup Whistler, BC, 3rd (Team Sprint)
      • 2009 Nordic Worlds Liberec, Czech Republic, 5th (4x10km Team Relay)
      • 2009 U23 Nordic Worlds Praz de Lys Sommand, France, 4th (30km Pursuit)
      • 2008 Junior World Championships Malles, Italy 2nd (10km Classic)
      • 2007 Junior World Championships Taravisio, Italy 3rd (10km Skate)
      ABOUT Alex Harvey has grown up on skiis and bikes, he doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t ski. His home town in St-Ferreol nearby Mont Sainte Anne meant there was great skiing, riding, and hiking right outside his door fostering an opportune environment for him to develop into the athlete that he is today. Alex continues to live and base his training out of Mont Sainte Anne, through the Pierre Harvey National Training Center, under the guidance of coach, Louis Bouchard.Since landing Canada’s second-ever Junior Nordic Worlds medal with the bronze in 10km skate at Taravisio, Italy in 2007 Harvey has continued to turn heads. Last year, as a first year senior, Alex was on the podium in third at two World Cups first in Whistler, BC in the Team Sprint with George Gray and later in Trondheim, Norway in the men’s 50km classic. Alex’s father, the legendary Pierre Harvey, is well known as a cyclist and xc skier having attended four Olympic Games putting Canada in the international limelight numerous times.

      For some it might be hard to live up to such a famous Dad, but Alex is up to the challenge making a name of his own. He has become one of Canada’s top cross-country skiers and as one of the younger skiers on the race scene looks to have a promising career ahead of him.

      Outside of xc skiing Harvey is studying Law part-time through the University of Laval. He believes that the focus necessary to be an endurance athlete has helped him have success in his studies as well.

      Caitlin’s Bio

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      Hometown: New York City, NY
      Age: 27
      Team: Central Cross Country (CXC) Regional Development Team
      Club: CXC
      Major Results:

      • 2008 US XC Championships, 1st (5km skate)
      • 2008 US XC Championships, 3rd (skate sprint)
      • 2008 Biathlon World Championships, 37th (Individual 15km)
      • 2006/2007 Super Tour Champion, 1st overall
      • 2002 NCAA All-American XC skier

      Born in New York City Compton learned to ski on weekend trips to Vermont with her family. They moved to Vermont when she was nine and Caitlin became active in many sports including Alpine ski racing. She started cross-country running in high school and made the switch from Alpine to Nordic skiing during her sophomore year. She attended Northern Michigan University on multiple sport scholarships and was an All American in both cross-country running and Nordic skiing several times.

      Compton currently lives and trains in Minneapolis enjoying the best of both worlds in a city with an amazing park system that allows outstanding training in both summer and winter. She is a member of the Central Cross Country Ski Team (CXC) and an athlete on the roster of In the Arena. Her goals this season are to qualify for the 2009 Whistler XC World Cup and to race at the 2009 Nordic World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.

      Kikkan’s Bio

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      HOMETOWN Anchorage, Alaska
      AGE 25
      TEAM U.S. XC Ski Team (World Cup)
      CLUB Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center
      NOTABLE RESULTS
        • 2010 World Cup, Oslo, Norway 2nd (Skate Sprint)
        • 2010 Olympic Games, Whistler, BC 8th (Classic Sprint)
        • 2010 US Nationals, Ft. Kent, Maine, 1st (30km Skate)
        • 2009 Nordic Worlds, Liberec, Czech Republic 2nd (Skate Sprint)
        • 2008 World Cup Sprint Standings 15th Overa
        • 2009 Nordic Worlds, Liberec, Czech Republic 2nd (Skate Sprint)
        • 2007 World Cup, Rybinsk, Russia 1st (Skate Sprint)
        • 2006 World Cup, Borlange Sprint 5th (Skate Sprint)
        • 2006 Olympics, Torino, Italy, 9th (Skate Sprint)
        • 2006 Olympics, Torino, Italy, 10th (Skate Team Sprint)
          ABOUT Born in Salt Lake City, Kikkan Randall is one of the few athletes who can say she made her Olympic debut in her birthplace – she was a member of the 2002 U.S. Olympic XC Ski Team at the Salt Lake City Games. Her family moved to Alaska soon after Randall’s birth where she became a promising cross-country runner. She added “serious” cross-country skiing as a counter-seasonal training vehicle and developed into a champion skier. With her sprint race win in Rybinsk, Russia in Dec. 2007 Randall became the first US woman to win an XC ski World Cup.

          Her road to the top of the podium began in Jan. 2006 when she stormed through the U.S. XC Ski championships, winning three titles, including her first two distance gold medals. At the 2006 Torino Olympics she teamed up with Wendy Wagner to grab a top-10 in the inaugural Team Sprint and then placed 9th in the Sprint – the all-time best U.S. women’s Olympic xc ski performance. Later, at a World Cup sprint in Borlange, Sweden she was 5th and in Jan. 2007 in Rybinsk she was on the podium in 3rd.

          She recently married Canadian skier and SkiTrax writer Jeff Ellis and the newlyweds live in Anchorage. Nicknamed “Kikkanimal” Randall blends classes at Alaska Pacific University (APU) with her training and racing aiming for a business degree. “It’s in my blood,” says Randall who has become women’s team leader, a role she relishes. “I think I’ve got some things I can help these younger girls with.” For more on Kikkan Randall check out her blog. http://www.kikkan.com.

          Stephan’s Bio

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          KuhnHometown: Canmore, Alberta
          Age: 28
          Team: Canadian National Ski Team (Sr. Development Team)
          Cluc: Canmore Nordic Ski Club
          Major Results:

          • 2008 Haywood NorAm Canada Cup, 1st overall
          • 2008 Canadian XC Nationals, 1st (10km classic)
          • 2008 Canadian XC Nationals, 3rd (classic sprint)
          • 2008 FIS Race, 1st (classic sprint)
          • 2008 Alberta World Cup, 31st (skate sprint)

          Kuhn’s cross-country skiing career began when he was 10 years old with the Canmore Nordic Jackrabbits, where he trained and raced, and learned that hard work equals a faster athlete (most of the time). He continued his development with his coach (his father) and his big break came when he joined the Canadian Junior Worlds XC ski team and raced at the Junior XC Worlds with one of his best friends/rival, George Grey. Being handed a silver medal by Gunde Svan (one of his heroes) at the pre-World Cup championships at Silver Star, in Vernon, B.C. is one of his greatest memories.

          Thinking of a post-ski career Kuhn took a part-time job in Banff as an apprentice chef. His first year skiing as a senior was very demanding with working and racing and that season culminated with a 2nd place finish at the Canadian XC Championships in the 10km classic. This would be his last race for three years as he decided to work full-time to become a chef.

          After travelling the world with an amazing woman (now his wife Erin) Kuhn rediscovered his love for xc skiing and began again in Edmonton with his friend and great resource, Jack Cook, who helped him rebuild. After a constructive first year back in the xc scene, Kuhn won the 2008 NorAm men’s title. He is thankful for the support of X-C.com race team and is currently a key member of the 2008 Canadian national ski team, poised to climb the ranks at the World Cup level.

          James’s Bio

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          James Southam DSC01780.2Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
          Age: 30
          Team: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center – Elite Team
          Club: APUNSC
          Major Results:

          • 2008 Tour of Anchorage, 1st (50km skate )
          • 2006 US National XC Championships, 1st (10km skate)
          • 2005 US National XC Championships, 1st (10km skate)
          • 2006 US XC Olympian Torino, Italy
          • 2005, 2007 Nordic Worlds US XC Team member
          • James was born and raised in Anchorage, AK in 1978 where he started skiing as a freshman at Dimond High School. After high school he spent a year racing for the University of Nevada followed by a year at Western State College before eventually moving back to Anchorage where he graduated from Alaska Pacific University in 2004.

            While racing collegiately he never qualified for NCAA’s and didn’t win a race at any level until he was 25 years old. After graduating from APU he started racing for Team Rossignol where he won two US National XC Championships and garnered six US Championship medals. He also represented the USA at the 2006 Olympics in Torino, Italy and at the 2005 and 2007 Nordic World Championships in Obertsdorff, Germany and Sapporo, Japan respectively.

            The 2008-09 season brings some big changes for Southam, his first year fully back with the APU program under Erik Flora – a switch to Atomic skis, and a new baby that James and his wife Anne are expecting this fall.