June 16, 2011 – Note that the official abbreviation code for the FIS member National Ski Association in New Zealand, Sports New Zealand, will be changed from NZE to NZL (the same abbreviation as used by the IOC) starting with the 2011/2012 competition season.

June 14, 2011 – The Swiss Cross-Country Ski Team carried out its second training camp last week. After the first get-together in Magglingen, Switzerland, the team went to Passo Stelvio, Italy for some training on the snow.

“The camp in Magglingen was a good one. It is a nice place to train and the conditions for rollerskiing are excellent. The month of May represents the start of a new season and it was nice to have the team together again and really start the training for 2011/12 season. We also made our test program in Magglingen and had meetings with coach team, service team and medical team,” explained head coach of the Swiss team Guri Hetland to fiscrosscounry.com.

After the dry land training and testing the Swiss team went to Italy to carry out trainings on snow. The Swiss team spent the whole week in Passo Stelvio and returned home on Sunday, June 12. “Snow conditions were good and we could ski outside the hotel door. We used the 4,5 km long course, where we had perfect possibilities for endurance and technical training. In the afternoons we mostly went down in the valley for rollerski or running workouts and some intensive trainings,” revealed Hetland who starts her second season with the Swiss team.

“This season the distance athletes and the sprinters will train more together. We now have one World Cup team with 10 athletes; Sprint and Distance, men and women. That means the distance athletes will train more with the sprinters to improve their top-speed and the sprinters will train more with the distance athletes to improve endurance,” claimed Hetland.

Service staff of the Swiss Cross-Country team got a strong reinforcement with the former service man of Petra Majdic. “Gianluca Marcolini will be a good supplement in our team. He is really experienced and he has much knowledge. He will be working close to Dario, but contribute to all the athletes as well,” explained Hetland.

There are more than five months before the FIS Cross-Country World Cup 2011/12 kicks off but all the thoughts and preparations aim at next season. “We are happy about the World Cup calendar for the next season. There are free technique races in the beginning of the season and that is good for our “skate-experts”. We also like 30 km individual start in Davos. It will be great to welcome the Cross-Country family at the traditional race in Davos! Tour de Ski looks good as well. One more competition makes it even tougher, but we like the concept,” said Hetland. Tour de Ski 2012 will be the season highlight and a chance for Dario Cologna to defend the title from last year.

June 14, 2011 – The U.S. Ski Team women are inviting women’s cross country ski teams and summer training groups throughout North America to participate in a video challenge. Rally your team, training group, or summer training camp and send in a video of your summer training experience by July 15, 2011!

Goals:
– Bring together all women ski training in North America for one project
– Emphasize the importance of group training sessions
– Celebrate and generate awareness of the number of women training in North America
– Take a step back to remember what is fun about skiing for you and your team

Video Requirements:
– 3 minutes in length
– Include a brief introduction to the team or training group
– Video should show your group training together
– Humor and hardcore training are encouraged!
– The color pink is recommended

U.S. Ski Team’s Entry:

To submit your video: Upload it to www.youtube.com and title your video “U.S. Ski Team Women’s Video challenge – (team/group name)”, and send the link and a brief description of your training group to xcwomenrock@gmail.com. Keep your link “unlisted” until July 15th. All videos must be submitted by July 15th. The online video festival will begin on July 20th. All videos will be featured on the USSA Nordic Facebook channel.

Prizes will be awarded.

June 13, 2011 – The FIS Cross-Country World Cup calendar for the upcoming season 2011/12 was finalized during the FIS Calendar Conference in Portoroz from 1st to 5th June, and confirmed by the FIS Council at its meeting in Ljubljana on 6th June. 19 World Cup venues are included in the season which will kick off in Beitostoelen, Norway on 19th November. The 6th Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear was confirmed with the dates from 29th December 2011 to 8th January 2012. In the season without a FIS World Championship and Olympic Winter Games, the FIS Tour de Ski will be carried out over 11 days with nine races in two countries.

Other highlights of the calendar include Russia with an event Moscow and the debut of Szklarska Poreba and Poland which will make their World Cup debut. The World Cup races there will be held on Friday and Saturday whilst on Sunday, the FIS World Uphill Trophy will be carried out. This is a unique race with about 3 km uphill and 3,5 km downhill on an alpine downhill slope and will not be a part of the World Cup. In addition, Milano will return to the World Cup calendar in January after having held a sprint for the first time in 1998.

In terms of rules changes, the most important ones include the renaming of the race format pursuit (classic & free technique combined race) to skiathlon in order to distinguish from the handicap races which are a type of a pursuit, too

To increase the excitement for the spectators in future team sprints, only two teams are directly qualified from the semi-final into the final (until now, three made the direct cut). To complete the field of 10 teams in the final, six teams will earn their spots in the final by virtue of their times.

Finally, to always have a field with the leading nations participating in all World Cup competitions, the five best (Ranking Team World Cup 2010/11) according to the gender ranking (Top 5 ladies’ teams: Norway, Sweden, Italy, Finland, Poland and top 5 men’s teams: Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy) have to start in all World Cup competitions during the season 2011/12, except for one FIS World Cup weekend.

June 11, 2011 (Killington, VT) – The Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum is pleased to announce that skier John Morton will be inducted into the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame at this year’s celebrations on October 23, along with fellow famous Vermont skier/snowboarders Greg McClallen, Karen Huntoon Miller, and Preston Leete Smith.

John Morton, a four event skier originally from New Hampshire, skied four years on the Middlebury College ski team. There his aptitude for cross country emerged, first as Eastern Intercollegiate Champion in 1966 and ’68, then as runner up in the 1968 NCAA Championships. A four-year assignment to the U.S. Biathlon Training Center at Fort Richardson, Alaska, was interrupted by a tour of duty in South Vietnam. Upon release from active service in 1972, he taught and coached in Anchorage before returning to Vermont as head coach of men’s skiing at Dartmouth College in 1978. Since then, from his office in Thetford, Vermont, he has developed trails for private landowners, municipalities and schools, resorts, as well as competition venues for major international events such as the World University Games and Biathlon World Cups while writing and commentating on skiing and outdoor recreation.

This year’s Induction ceremony will be on Sunday, October 23, 2011 at the Killington Grand Resort, Killington, Vermont. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by dinner and the Induction Ceremony. Ticket information will be available soon; please check the web site www.vtssm.com for details.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor athletes, special contributors, and pioneers of Vermont skiing and snowboarding who promoted and/or contributed to the sports’ development; to document the histories of Inductees in the Museum’s collection; and to recognize their accomplishments through the Induction ceremony and the Hall of Fame exhibit.

June 10, 2011 – The Central Cross Country Ski Association is offering a variety of Junior and Master/Citizen Open Camps this summer, along with lots of other great events. There’s a CXC camp suitable for every skier. Read on for more details.

CXC Summer 2011 Events

JUNE
– June 17-19 – J3/J2 Regional Development Camp
– June 25 – CXC Coaches Seminar with Inge Braten
– June 24-26 – Technique Clinic with Inge Braten

JULY
– July 6-10 – J3/J2 Regional Development Camp
– July 6-10 – Open Junior Technique Camp
– July 9 – CXC Summer Championships
– July 10 – USSA Level 100 Technique Clinic
– July 16 – Telemark Forest MTB Event
– July 29-31- Open Master/Citizen Skier Technique Camps

AUGUST
– August 12-14 – J3/J2 Regional Development Camp
– August 12-14 – Open Junior Technique Camps
– August 13 – Open Junior One-Day Camp

June 09, 2011 (Hardwood Ski and Bike, ON) – Here are some details about this weekend’s Southern Ontario Training Centre Open Training Camp for athletes of ages 17+. This is the Southern Ontario Training Centre’s inaugural training camp at Hardwood Ski and Bike under the leadership of newly appointed Head Coach, Petr Jakl. In addition to meeting the SOTC coach and learning more about the Centre, participants will engage in a variety of dryland training activities.

Schedule:
June 11
– 9:30 a.m. – Meeting athletes in front of First Aid Station
– 9:45 – 11:45 a.m. – Roller skiing: Warm-up, ski technique drills, specific ski strength, distance skiing, cool-down
– 12:00 – 2:15 p.m. – Lunch, Athletes & parents meeting
– 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. – Running & strength: Warm-up, core strength, plyometric drills, circuit strength training, cool-down
– 6:00 p.m. – BBQ

June 12
– 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Running w/ poles, ski bounding: Warm-up, poles running & bounding drills, interval hills, cool-down
– 12:00 p.m. – Wrap up

Necessary equipment:
All-weather running clothes and shoes, running poles (up to mid-chest), skating roller ski equipment, helmet, gloves, reflective vest, HR monitor, and exercise mat.

Registration:
Contact coach Petr Jakl
Cell: 705 – 331 7995 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 705 – 331 7995 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, E-mail: sotc@hardwoodskiandbike.ca

Note: No fee. Also we are not providing accommodation. Participants are expected to bring their own food and beverages. Transportation to the camp and between the camp stages will be by accompanying adults.

May 16, 2011 – Every year my family runs in the Apple Blossom races at the Carpenter Nature Center in Hastings. It’s a super fun race because it’s beautiful and ends with a run along the blooming apple trees. There is a half marathon, a 10km, a 5km and a kid’s run. The half takes you through a surprising amount of hills…or maybe not, since the Afton area is the rollerskiing mecca of the Twin Cities. Either way, my knees feel like jelly afterward! Still, I’m not complaining because LAST year, I ran the half marathon the morning after prom (unfortunate timing, I know) and I looked like a zombie running on maybe an hour of sleep!

Our vet, Carolyn, is a really good runner and comes to the Apple Blossom every year as well. Last year, she completed her first ever Birkie and plans to come back for more!

This Mom was running the half as well and it was so darn cute because her three boys were fidgiting and jumping up and down waiting just so they could sprint down the finishing stretch with her.

If you’re looking for a early spring running race, this one’s pretty much perfect!

May 16, 2011 – SkiTrax would like to welcome new blogger Sadie Bjoernsen. Check out her latest blog, including lots of photos, and stay tuned for more updates from Sadie.

Springtime!
Mmmm, springtime in Alaska!!!! It’s just too good. Not many places can you Nordic ski all the way into middle of May. This spring I decided I was going to live a little more of a “true Alaskan winter” and spend some more time doing the kind of skiing where gravity is doing most the work. I am super lucky though, many of my friends are really into backcountry skiing, so I was having to hold myself back from going and playing every single day. Trying to stay caught up in school, and fit in some work here and there…. I got a bit behind playing that much. The good news is, for the first time I had a pretty active spring, which means I am not nearly as out of shape as I normally am May 1st. That was my first goal for this year. In staying in shape through the resting period, I don’t loose the first two months just trying to build my fitness back up.

A lot has unfolded and happened in the last month since I have started phasing into my new season. For one, it has now been exactly a year since I joined the “Big Blue APU”. I couldn’t be happier that I joined this squad, and now I managed to convince my brother to jump onto the wagon and ski for APU as well.- so its going to be fun! For the past week we have been training hard in our annual “start up camp” Start up camp normally consists of two-a-days with lots of intervals, lots of skiing hard, and lots of soreness and stiffness.

Last year I was nearly in a wheel chair by the end of the week of training with the new team, so this year I knew what to expect going into it… which is why I tried to bridge my seasons together more by keeping my fitness up during my rest period. But, of course, I still managed to put myself in a world of hurt all week. You know you are doing the right thing when showing up to training is more than just another day of work. It’s amazing, every day, regardless of how wrecked everyone is, everyone is always smiling and ready to throw down when they show up for training. I think thats what makes this training group so successful. The energy within it is always positive, so it’s hard not love it.

Read a nice article Beth wrote in the Alaska Daily News HERE.

The second big thing of my spring is being named to the National Team. I am super pumped about it. I think the National team has something great going on now. With lots of focus on young development, I think they are determine to build from the ground up and make something really happen in the future. It’s also awesome because we have our little rabbit, Kikkan Randall to watch and aim for. Being named to this team means joining in with some of the fastest girls in the country periodically throughout the summer and fall and getting in some good training.

This year, the woman’s National Team, the Canadian woman’s National Team, and some of the top APU ladies are all going to join up for a week of training up at Eagle Glacier. I don’t think those girls know what they are getting in to. I have this feeling they are going to fall in love, and before we know it, everyone is going to want to be moving to Alaska. Anyways, I am super stoked and honored to be representing not only APU now, but also the US. Unfortunately, as always in this sport, there is not much funding out there, so being on the B-Team means covering most of our own costs. So I am still always looking for support.

Which brings me to my last point. For the past month we have been working our butts off planning and putting together an awesome fundraiser for the APU team to cover racing costs for the season. We will be putting on an auction with lots of sweet items including trips to hawaii as well as bikes, skis, artwork and much more.

If you are in the Anchorage area, come out and check out what we are about! More than just a fundraiser, this is also a celebration of all the great successes we have had this year including USSA club of the year, coach of the year and athlete of the year. We are always looking for people to join the family of support and help us reach great levels. So, if you are around Anchorage, the event is May 10th starting at 6:30.

From here until May 20th, I will be training in town and starting up summer school before I take off for Bend, Oregon for my first US Ski Team Camp for 10 days. I think this year I am going to see if I can ski every month of the year. September might get a little tricky, but I am determine to make it happen.

www.sadiebjornsen.blogspot.com

May 14, 2011 – Vacation is over for the Swedish Cross-Country squad. The team travelled to Spain to gather at the first joint training camp in the off-season. However, Charlotte Kalla, Marcus Hellner and Co. are not enjoying spring on the south coast of Spain. Monte Gordo is indeed a tourist paradise, but the place is also ideal training base for skiers during the summer months.

Sweden’s Cross-Country team plans to kick off work to get back into an appropriate pace after a month when most of the athletes took a vacation. “We have here nice and hilly roads suitable for roller skiing and biking and the countryside offers us great trails for running. Our sprint team was here last fall and was very pleased,” commented Swedish head coach Joakim Abrahamsson.

Between training sessions, the head coach is working on putting together all the pieces of the Cross-Country team to gain success both in short and long term. “We have no World Championships next winter and Tour de Ski is going to be our biggest goal. The following years will be filled with hard battles at the 2013 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, in 2014 at the Olympics in Sochi, and finally in 2015 at the home World Championships in Falun. It is important that we prepare goof strategy how we should develop both as individuals and as groups,” explained Abrahamsson and Rikard Grip.

Both Swedish coaches are convinced that the training camp in Monte Gordo will do the team good. “It’s something new and we believe it will inspire the team and rejuvenate the skiers with new energy,” the coaches said.

Cross-Country team at Monte Gordo, Portugal 12-18/5

Men
– Anders Södergren, Östersunds SK
– Johan Olsson, Åsarna IK
– Jens Eriksson, Dala Floda IF
– Emil Jönsson, Årsunda IF
– Teodor Peterson, Åsarna IK
– Robin Bryntesson, Sollefteå SK
– Marcus Hellner, Gellivare Skidallians
– Daniel Richardsson, Hudiksvalls IF

Women
– Ida Ingemarsdotter, Åsarna IK
– Maria Rydqvist, Östersunds SK
– Hanna Falk, Ulricehamns IF
– Hanna Brodin, Åsarna IK
– Sara Lindborg, Östersunds SK
– Magdalena Pajala, Piteå Elit
– Charlotte Kalla, IFK Tärendö
– Anna Haag, IFK Mora SK

May 12, 2011 (Cavalese, Italy) – The traditional debrief by the Oslo 2011 team for the benefit of the upcoming Organizers in Val di Fiemme 2013 took place in Cavalese, the administrative center of Val di Fiemme, on 5th and 6th May. The Norwegian group was led by the Oslo 2011 CEO, Asne Havnelid along with Sports Director John Aalberg and Finance Director Stein Opsal. Delegations from FIS and Falun 2015 (SWE) also attended along with representatives of the European Broadcasting Union, the Fiemme 2013 host broadcaster RAI and EBU’s marketing partner Tridem Sports.

In a candid exchange of their lessons learned, the Oslo 2011 team especially highlighted the challenges of dealing with more than 1.2 million spectators that needed to be transported and managed. They also noted the great efforts by the organizers and the city of Oslo stage the World Championships as eco-friendly as possible, such as using bio-diesel only for all buses. The Oslo 2011 representatives praised the great cooperation from the Fiemme 2013 team for the Casa Trentino Fiemme 2013 in Oslo during the event. Oslo 2011 also looks as though it will be a financial success.

The 6th meeting of the Coordination Group for Fiemme 2013 followed the Oslo 2011 debrief. Since the previous meeting in October, the Fiemme 2013 team took full opportunity of the winter’s World Cup season, especially the 5th FIS Tour de Ski, to further test promotional and organizational concepts such as the South Nordic Festival in Cavalese and the Rampa con i Campioni popular race on Alpe Cermis. The renovation projects at the Cross-Country Ski Center in Lago di Tesero and the Ski Jumping stadium in Predazzo have advanced well and are on schedule for the first tests during the coming winter. Next season, the official test events in all Nordic disciplines, including the first ladies Ski Jumping events are planned in Val di Fiemme. The Fiemme 2013 team also revealed plans for the opening ceremony that will take place in the historical city center of Trento, 60 km from Cavalese, on 20th February 2013.

Sarah Lewis, FIS Secretary General commented: “Every time we return to Val di Fiemme we are newly impressed by the level of preparedness and energy to embark on new initiatives to create a festival spirit at the Championships With less than two years to go, we can already be excited about the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Fiemme in 2013, which will have a special focus on servicing the athletes and teams in many new ways.”

For more information visit www.fiemme2013.com

May 12, 2011 (Park City, UT) – A notice to all USSA Cross Country Coaches – please save the dates of October 21-23 for our 2011 National Coaches’ Education Symposium. Location: USSA Center of Excellence, Park City, UT. We will limit the Symposium attendance to 60 coaches total. All attendees must be a USSA licensed coach. We will also give preference to USSA certified Level 100 coaches. More information will follow in the upcoming months. Hope to see you in October. Contact Chris Grover, XC Head Coach, for more info. cgrover@ussa.org

May 11, 2011 – Professional cross country ski coach Fredrik Auklund, who trains Olympic and World Cup medalist Dario Cologna (SUI), declined the dream job offer of Norwegian XC Team Head Coach, formerly held by Coach Morten Aa Djupvik, who retired unexpectedly at the end of last season. Aukland, a husband and father of two, was not able to commit to the over 200 days of travel that the position required, according to an NRK article. Read the full story HERE.

May 11, 2011 – Martin Koukal decided to leave the Czech national Cross-Country team and will take part in distance races next season.

World Champion in 50 km Free from Val di Fiemme 2003, bronze medalist in team sprint from Oberstdorf 2005 and bronze medal winner in relay from Vancouver 2010 decided to leave the Czech national team in favor of loppets.

32 year-old skier from Nove Mesto na Morave plans to return to World Cup racing in the 2012/13 season to be able to qualify for the World Championships in Val di Fiemme 2013 and Winter Olympic Games in Sochi one year later.

“I’ve been in the World Cup very long time and I feel I need a change. It will be a challenge and I like challenges very much,” said Koukal to the Czech media. “Koukal will take part in at least to training camps with the Czech national team and will race at the World Cup in Nove Mesto. I want to have overview about his shape,” explained Czech head coach Miroslav Petrasek.

May 11, 2011 – Each spring NENSA recognizes an outstanding coach who has made a difference in not only the sport of cross country skiing, but in the lives of the people around them. This year NENSA is pleased to announce Sverre Caldwell, Head Nordic Coach at Stratton Mountain School as our 2011 Coach of the year! Most recently, Sverre has led his group of athletes to multiple medals at this years Junior National’s; In addition to individual top placings, they also won the girls and boys and overall for the Roger Weston Award and the boys and girls and overall Club award!

Sverre’s talents go beyond getting results though, to fulfill an even greater role in the lives of his charges. The wisdom Sverre brings from being immersed in the sport for a long time aids his athletes in every sapect of their lives. He has run the gamut from coaching youngsters all the way up through the National and Olympic team skiers -but has always returned to his true love of coaching juniors. If you had the chance to see his presentation at last years NENSA symposium, then you are aware of the SMS philosophy of “Cradle to Grave”. A unique name but one that captures the philosoply fabulously! He has found a way to motivate all of these age groups, keep them returning home to mentor up and coming skiers, and teaches them the importance of giving back to the sport.

Sverre’s consistency has led to this impressive achievement: He has had a gold medal winner at Junior National’s for the past 15 consecutive years and consistently puts SMS kids onto the Jr and U23 world championship teams. Andy Newell, SMS alum and current USST member sums it up best: “I think Sverre is the greatest coach because he combines experience and leadership with a laid back fun coaching style. Over the years he’s be so successful because he’s always willing to learn and try new things, but at the same time sticks to basics of simple training plans and hard work.” NENSA is proud to present this very deserving coach, with our Coach of the Year award.

May 10, 2011 – Check out this great interview with Swedish cross country skier Marcus Hellner as he reflects on winning Olympic gold in 2010 and Worlds in Oslo this year. He also talks about his off-season activities and plan to win the World Cup overall next season. Read the full Red Bull interview HERE.

May 10, 2011 – The defense team for Andru Veerpalu, the Olympic medal winning cross country skier who tested positive for HGH and retired suddenly on the eve of the 2011 World Championships in Oslo, requested an extension that has been granted by FIS in order to prepare their case, reported ERR News. Veerpalu’s defense stated the 10-day extension will be sufficient. The new deadline is now May 20. This extension does not change Veerpalu’s hearing date on June 5.

Read the ERR News article HERE.

May 10, 2011 – Fourteen women had a most enjoyable ski on Mother’s Day May 8th, 2011. They all met at the Chalet, and then went for an 8Km on the Birches & Alf’s summit with unbelievably conditions that were close to excellent and all had fun. Back at the chalet, excitement was in the air, conversation was rampant and the ladies had quite an enjoyable social with lots of food and sweets. What!! Some were heard to say, they are looking forward to ski on May 24th.

May 10, 2011 – The double Olympic gold medalist Björn Lind has decided to step back from professional skiing. “Björn has been a great team member, a part of Team Exspirit’s successful premier season, his person, knowledge and experiences have been of most importance! Now we can only wish him good luck in his life after skiing!” said David Nilsson, Team Director Team Exspirit.

May 09, 2011 – With May and the traditional start of ski training season upon us, strength training conversations are picking up in pace. Discussions like these are clockwork. They abound every year. Instead of pulling out some new studies on strength, skiing and power, I thought I’d pull out the old training logs and see the multi-year trends I’ve followed through the years.

In April, strength makes up a solid chunk of my training volume. First off, the April training load is lower than the rest of the year. And two, I’m not worried about heavy legs or tired arms affecting my now non-existent specific ski training period. I get into the gym three to four times a week for all-around general strength work.

For one month a year I don’t follow a specific strength plan in the gym. Instead, it’s a little more freeform. My guide is remembering the little conversations I had with myself during the past season. Like, “Oh man, I have the horsepower for a top-end double-pole finish, but the chain from my upper core to my lower body is a little weak. Best to address this early on in next season’s preparation.” And now that the training season for 2012 is upon us, it’s time to act on these thoughts and impressions.

Skiers go into the weight room to turn strength into power, and as the big races approach, to turn this into ski-specific power. As the big races of the season loom ahead, work in the weight room gets more ski specific, and strength drills on skis take on a greater preference.

May, though, is not the time to place the emphasis on such priorities. In May it’s about addressing any lingering physical ailments you might have built up from so much repetitive movements, done over and over, day after day. Spring’s the time to recover. It’s also the time to make sure that the aggravating tendonitis in the elbow or Achilles is a thing of the past.

Once a week, I focus for two hours only on basic physical therapy inspired drills so I don’t spend at least this much time nursing along ailments through the meat-and-potatoes of the race season.

May is also the time to build the foundation of strength. To do this, I focus on four core lifts. Twice a week I head to the gym and do these four lifts as the bulk of my weight room session. More specifically, I do these three-to-four sets of each of these lifts, with twelve-to-fifteen reps a time.

It’s a time for me to get back in touch with proper lifting techniques. To help me with this, I will enlist at least once the helpful eyes of an outsider. I may think I’m lifting from the hips, and keeping my weight back on the heels in my full squats, but sometimes perception has a way in getting in the way of reality. This is where the second pair of eyes from a video camera or your lifting partner comes in handy.

But what to focus on, you ask? Well, I asked the same questions to Zach Wetterford, US Olympic Training Center Lifting Coach (and former US Ski Team Lifting Coach) to get the skinny from someone who thinks about cleans, squats, plyometrics and strength-based plyometrics every day of the week. Here’s the technique pointers Zach has for the “Wetterford Four.”

Dead Lift into Clean

Key Points:

– Remember this is very explosive movement utilizing the hips, legs, back and shoulders.
– Keep the back tight and flat throughout the lift.
– The bar’s trajectory should move only in a vertical plane. Don’t swing it out and around; rather jump it straight up.

Squat

Key Points:

– Look straight ahead, keeping one’s head and chest up – this aligns the spine, protecting it from injury.
– Keep weight equally distributed between both feet.
– Push through one’s feet. Don’t get up on your toes!

Pull Down

Key Points:

– Maintain upper body in upright position, with a slight backward lean from the hips.
– Avoid jerky movements
– Keep shoulders down to stabilize scapula and isolate the lats.

Press

Four Lifts – all Coach Weatherford approved. Just remember to Keep it Simple. Get a coach to get the technique down. Emphasize multi-joint movements. Don’t substitute strength for sport training.

May 06, 2011 – Memberships expire annually on June 30. Click here to save a stamp and renew your membership online. There is no extra charge for using online registration. So get a jump on the season and register early.

Early registration is especially important for those athletes attending summer camps and participating in the southern hemisphere this summer. For more information on renewing your membership online, click here or contact membership@ussa.org.

USSA is still accepting paper applications. To register by mail, fax or email, applications are available in PDF format from the USSA & FIS Applications link on the right-hand side of the homepage.

Memberships expire annually on June 30. Click HERE to save a stamp and renew your membership online. There is no extra charge for using online registration. So get a jump on the season and register early.

Early registration is especially important for those athletes attending summer camps.

For more information on renewing your membership online, click HERE or contact membership@ussa.org.

The USSA is accepting registrations for the 2011-12 membership season. Click HERE to register now.

If you prefer to register via mail, fax or email, applications are available in PDF format from the USSA & FIS Applications link HERE or on the right-hand side of the homepage. Forms are also available by fax or email. Just contact Member Service by email membership@ussa.org to request your application.

May 05, 2011 (Munich, Germany) – A group around 20 highly engaged FIS Cross-Country TV experts, commentators, representatives of the international TV rights holder Infront Sports & Media and FIS timing and data partner Swiss Timing, along with staff from both FIS and FIS Marketing AG gathered in Munich (GER) on Tuesday and Wednesday, 3rd – 4th May, to review the FIS Cross-Country World Cup season from the perspective of TV production. The focus was on further improvements for the upcoming season with special attention being paid to TV production of the different competition formats, the World Cup calendar and integration of the TV experts.

Additional discussions points included general feedback from past season, inputs on various items of carrying out a Cross-Country competition from the television perspective including the use of TV graphics, running order, Tour de Ski winner presentation and international flash interview as well as a news clip service.

“There were many interesting discussions and exchanges of experience. I’m always amazed about the great enthusiasm that our TV Cross-Country experts bring to support us with their ideas and help develop our sport. After the successful implementation of the Broadcasting Manual two years ago, I am happy that we continue to follow up and work on increasing the quality of TV production, which is definitely a key area to help grow the interest in our sport,” commented Vegard Ulvang, Chairman of the FIS Cross-Country Committee.

May 05, 2011 – FIS has received nine applications to be Candidates for the organization of FIS World Championships in 2016 and 2017, including four applicants for the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. By the May 1st 2011 deadline, nine applicants submitted their candidacies as follows:

– One application for the 2016 FIS Ski Flying World Championships submitted by Kulm (AUT)

– Three applications for the 2017 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships submitted by Ǻre (SWE), Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA), and St. Moritz (SUI)

– Four applications for the 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships submitted Lahti (FIN), Oberstdorf (GER), Planica (SLO) and Zakopane (POL)

– One application for combined 2017 FIS Freestyle and Snowboard World Championships submitted by Sierra Nevada (SPA)

“Just weeks after the successful 2011 editions, FIS is happy to witness the continuing interest for the organization of the FIS World Championships. This high number of applications by several nations and world’s premium resorts underlines their importance in the global sports calendar,” commented FIS President Gian Franco Kasper.

The FIS Council will elect the organizers of the 2016/2017 FIS World Championships during the 2012 Congress week in Gangwon Province (KOR) on 31st May 2012. Prior to that, each Candidate, together with its National Ski Association, will prepare its detailed concept by 1st September 2011 based on a specific FIS Questionnaire, containing details such as plans for sports organization, accommodation, transportation, logistics, security, media, communications, marketing, ceremonies, the environment, spectator services and fan experience.

May 04, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The Alberta World Cup Academy (AWCA) is pleased to announce that Chris Jeffries will be the new Head Coach for the 2011-12 season. Chris will be taking over from Mike Cavaliere, who will continue to act as Program Director.

After a successful first year with the team, we are excited to see Chris’ role continue to expand, providing the opportunity to lead and implement the core programming for athletes in the Learning to Compete stage of Canada’s Long Term Athlete Development framework. In addition to AWCA athletes, Chris will also lead the integration of the Alberta Ski Team and the National Talent Squad.

The Alberta World Cup Academy is also pleased to announce that Stefan Kuhn will also be joining the coaching staff for the 2011-12 season. Stefan, a regular World Cup Skier for the past few seasons and 15th in the sprint race at the 2010 Olympics will pass on his knowledge and expertise to our next generation of skiers. The AWCA is fortunate to have Stefan as a coach and mentor for our developing team. In addition to applying his tremendous practical coaching knowledge, Stefan will study the theory of coaching through courses offered at National Coaching Institute in Calgary.

Eric Groeneveld will also be returning to the AWCA for his third year and will have a strong leadership role working with our Alberta Ski Team/National Talent squad athletes. We have been very pleased with Eric’s continued growth and development as a coach and we expect him to continue to develop in a strong leader.

Mike Cavaliere is very pleased with the AWCA program’s progress during the first three years of operation. “This is an exciting time for athlete development in Western Canada, and we are proud to be at the forefront of these efforts. Our goal, from the start, was to create a very positive environment, which encourages athletes to work hard and to dream big dreams. The 2011/12 Academy coaching and support team is allowing us to take further steps in achieving our program goals and continuing to produce superb results.

The AWCA remains loyal to it objectives of athlete development and will continue to use the very best professionals to help us achieve our goals. Continuing with our resource team in 2011/12:

– Rob Soffer – Strength training
– Dr. Jean Armstrong – Medical support
– Hugh Simpson – Physiotherapy support – www.activemotionphysio.ca
– Patrick Moore – Technical Services

May 03, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Cross Country Canada has released its 2011/2012 season National Team and coaching staff roster on the heels of a record-breaking 2010/2011 campaign, which saw Canadian skiers achieve World Cup and World Championship medals. Look for the following list of racers to be making history on the snow next season and for years to come.

Senior World Cup Team
Head Coach: Justin Wadsworth
Coaches: Eric de Nys, Louis Bouchard
– Ivan Babikov – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Chandra Crawford – Canmore Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Dasha Gaiazova – Rocky Mountain Racers, QC
– Alex Harvey – Club Nordique Mont Ste. Anne, QC
– Perianne Jones – Nakkertok Ski Club, ON
– Devon Kershaw – Ona Wa Su, ON
– Len Valjas – Team Hardwood, ON

Senior Development Team
Coaches: Louis Bouchard (CNEPH), Mike Cavaliere (AWCA), Eric Bailey (NDC-TB)
– Jess Cockney – Foothills Nordic/AWCA, AB
– Drew Goldsack – Rocky Mountain Racers/AWCA, AB
– Graeme Killick – Banff Ski Runners/AWCA, AB
– Alysson Marshall – Larch Hills/AWCA, BC
– Brent McMurtry – Foothills Nordic/CNEPH, AB
– Emily Nishikawa – Whitehorse/AWCA, YK
– Graham Nishikawa – Whitehorse/AWCA, YK
– Kevin Sandau – Foothills Nordic/AWCA, AB
– Michael Somppi – Lappe/Thunder Bay NDC, ON
– Frédéric Touchette – Club Nordique Mont Ste. Anne, QC

Junior Team
– Dahria Beatty – Whitehorse, YT
– Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt – Club de ski de fond Fondeurs-Laurentides/CVTC, QC
– Raphael Couturier – Commission de ski Nordique Skibec/CNEPH, QC
– Janelle Greer – Whitehorse/AWCA, YT
– Zach Holland – Banff Ski Runners/AWCA, AB
– Knute Johnsgaard – Whitehorse/CNEPH, YT
– Maya Macissac-Jones – Rocky Mountain Racers, AB
– Alex Mahoney – Rocky Mountain Ski Racers, AB
– Camille Pepin – Club Nordique M.S.A., QC
– Rebecca Reid – Black Jack Nordic/AWCA, BC
– Geoffrey Richards – Black Jack Nordic/CVTC, BC
– Martin Schrama – Banff Ski Runners/CVTC, AB
– Sébastien Townsend – Club Nakkertok Nordique, QC
– Alexis Turgeon – Club de ski de fond Skinouk, QC
– Michelle Workun-Hill – Club Nakkertok Nordique, QC

Para-Nordic World Cup Team
Head Coach: Robin McKeever
– Mark Arendz – Foothills Nordic, AB
– Jody Barber – Bulkley Valley Ski Club, BC
– Colette Bourgonje – Snobuddy Ski Club, SK
– Chris Klebl – Lifesport, AB
– Brian McKeever – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Robin McKeever (guide) – Foothills Nordic Ski Club, AB
– Erik Carleton (guide) – Rocky Mountain Racers, AB

Para-Nordic Development Team
Coaches: Pierre Pomerleau, Robin McKeever
– Sébastien Fortier, Skibec/Hus-ski, QC

** National Development Centre teams will be announced when all information is available**

May 03, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – The National Winter Sports Association is offering financial assistance opportunities aimed at supporting the development of internationally competitive Canadian athletes in cross-country skiing. In order to apply for the available financial assistance, applicants must submit a proposal conforming to the criteria below.

A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Overview:

The “National Winter Sports Association” (NWSA) was established to assist cross-country ski clubs with proven ability to develop competitive skiers, coaches with a long-term development plan and elite individual athletes.

The Association’s funding assistance order of priorities includes:

1. The hiring of full time professional coaches to lead year round athlete development programs. The coach is required to adapt an inclusive approach to Cross Country Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Guide, “Cross-Country Skiing – A Sport for Life.”

2. Advancing the education of professional coaches and cross-country ski racers who want to become professional coaches; this may include assisting them in their education at the National Coaching Institute (NCI) or other career enhancing opportunities.

3. Funding assistance for athletes who have the skill and desire to compete, first for their club and provincial team and then at the National Ski Team level.

4. Funding assistance for Cross Country Canada’s National Development Centres (NDCs).

Funding Assistance Disbursement Framework:

There will be a limited amount of money available for disbursement by the Association in the 2011-12 season. The allocation of funds to clubs and NDCs will be based on the Association’s priorities in alignment with the following:

1. The quality of the club or NDC’s proposed program, the club or NDC’s cross-country facilities and organizational support systems to deliver the program.

2. Funding assistance for career coaching education at the club and NDC level will be based on the coach’s written career development plans.

3. Funding assistance for individual athletes will be based on the published eligibility guidelines and will consider the long term goals and plan leading towards international success.

Club and Coach Eligibility for Funding Assistance:

1. Any nationally affiliated cross-country ski club, National Development Centre (NDC) or coach or potential coach from any Province or Territory in Canada.

2. The club or NDC must demonstrate a commitment to a minimum amount of security for the coach being considered for this financial assistance. This includes a minimum two year commitment with a benefits package that includes a medical and insurance services plan and contribution to an RRSP plan on a matching contribution basis.

3. The club head coach, whether presently employed or your preferred candidate, must have the following credentials:

– NCCP level 3 accreditation or is in the process of acquiring Level 3 accreditation by the end of the season (resume should be attached)

– A comprehensive plan outlining professional development and a career path; this may include advancing their education at the National Coaching Institute (NCI) and other career enhancing opportunities.

4. The club should be a parent supported organization including a cadre of volunteer coaches. An organizational chart should be submitted with the proposal.

5. Submission of a program description and an operational plan including how the club will accelerate the development of talented athletes who have the desire and skills to achieve excellence in the sport.

6. Submission of a financial operational budget for 2011-12 and a budget estimate for the club or NDC program 2011-12, specifying the club’s financial sources and the amount requested from the Association. Additionally, the request can include funding assistance required to send top athletes to essential national and international competitions.

7. Submission of a current list of the club’s Board of Directors, including home addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses; a list of the number of club members and the date your club was incorporated as a non-profit society.

8. Submission of the names and ages of the athletes in your athlete development programs; this includes those athletes at the Learning to Train through Training to Compete stages of LTAD.

Athlete Eligibility and Submission Requirements for Funding Assistance:

1. Any athlete with a CCC and FIS racing license, with the long-term goals of achieving international excellence in cross country skiing, whose primary support structure is a Canadian Club or NDC. Athletes considered should be achieving the expected performance progression for their age based on the International Performance Benchmarks.

2. Submission of past racing history that clearly indicates progression towards international excellence in cross country skiing (can include any relevant information – OWG, WSC, WC, WJC/U23, Nationals, NorAm results, FIS/CPL points, etc)

3. Submission of a long-term development plan (quadrennial 2010-2014) indicating the amount of funding requested for the 2011-12 season and the purpose of the funding based on the gaps identified in the quadrennial plan. This plan should be provided in conjunction with the athlete’s primary coach. Funding will be considered for a number of purposes including but not limited to: specific training camps and National/International racing trips.

4. Submission of a budget for the 2011-12 season clearly indicating expenses related to the athletes racing and training plan and expected sources of funding including sponsorship and provincial carding/support.

Proposal Submission Details:

Submit to: Cross Country Canada
100-1995 Olympic Way
Canmore, Alberta T1W 2T6
Attention: Thomas Holland
Closing Date: May 30th, 2011
Notification of selections: June 30th, 2011
Note: Electronic submissions required.

May 03, 2011 – The sport of cross-country skiing has made a breakthrough into pop culture – our favourite snowy sport was made into a soft rock parody by Tim Heidecker and Davin Wood’s song “Cross Country Skiing.” Read the L.A. Times Music Blog article for lyrics and more about Heidecker and Wood HERE.

April 30, 2011 – FIS will be presenting a cross-country homologation seminar in Falun, Sweden from May 20-22, 2011. The core content will include group works in order to design a venue that will promote the Cross-Country sport in the best way, and thus attract spectators and media to the venue during competitions and TV viewers to switch on their TV equipment.The aim of this seminar is three-fold:

– to provide re-certification to existing Homologation Inspectors,
– to train new FIS and National Homologation Inspectors and
– to provide education to those who design cross-country skiing facilities that will be used for any level of competition.

This seminar is purposely set on the 2015 FIS WSC venue in Falun so that an understanding of the processes of redeveloping trails in order to adapt them to the competition formats that are now included in the WSC Cross-Country program.

Click HERE for more info.

FIS TD Seminar for Roller Skiing
FIS is also hosting a TD Seminar for Roller Skiing June  11-12 in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Deadline for registration is June 5.

For information click HERE.

April 29, 2011 – Canada’s Tyler Mosher, 2009 Para-Snowboard World Champ and 2010 Paralympic XC ski team member, completed three Birkebeiner events this season, and recently finished fourth and sixth at the World Snowboard Federation Para-Snowboard World Cup Tour finale in Lake Louise.

Mosher said that his snowboard results would have been better, had he not spent so much time on XC skis training for the Birkie loppets, and he’s considering tackling another next year. He’s also hoping snowboarding will be named a Paralympic sport for the 2012 Games in Sochi.

Read the article full Whistler Question article HERE.

April 29, 2011 (Norway) – The end of the Cross-Country season is expected to witness 12,000 cross-country skiers at the start in Geilo, Norway for the season-concluding Skarverennet on Saturday, April 30th. For most of the participants, their race time won’t matter as they will enjoy the 38km race, stopping to picnic and enjoy the views.

Yet several World Cup stars are also expected to compete. Leading the way are Norwegian stars Marit Bjoergen, Therese Johaug and Petter Northug along with Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and the Swiss Team head coach Guri Hetland. Last year’s champion Curdin Perl (SUI) will also be challenged by Jean Marc Gaillard, Vincent Vittoz (both FRA) and biathletes Tarjei Boe (NOR) and Michael Roesch (GER).

Warm temperatures and little snow in this part of Norway at this stage of the season have provided a formidable challenge to the organizers. In higher elevations, the tracks are still in a good condition, but in several other locations, snow must be transported and distributed. However, the organizers are determined to carry out the event, claiming that cancellation is not an option!

Read more HERE.

April 28, 2011 – U.S. Ski Team member Kikkan Randall is currently enjoying some well-deserved vacation time in Hawaii after a long competitive XC ski season, which included World Cup medals and a top 10 in the overall World Cup standings. According to Randall’s Twitter feed, she’s not slacking off and sitting on the couch. She has been staying active, spending a lot of time on the bike, as well as canoeing and paddle boarding. She recently cycled up one of Hawaii’s tallest peak, Haleakala at 3, 055m / 10,023 feet.

Follow Randall on Twitter HERE.

April 28, 2011 (Bend, OR) – The Bend Endurance Academy is seeking collegiate skiers and older juniors ages 18-23 who have an interest in spending 3-4 months in Bend, Oregon training with professional coaches and a highly motivated Nordic team. The Academy offers a mix of morning and afternoon practices focusing on strength and agility training, skate and classic rollerskiing, hiking, running and exploring in the Deschutes National Forest. On snow skiing opportunities are available. Practices run Tuesdays-Saturdays from May 31 to August 15th.

The Academy relies on innovative training methods to maximize individual summer training plans and help participants reach their individual fitness and technique goals. The summer Nordic program is designed for individuals looking to succeed at NCAAs, USCSAs, US Nationals, Supertours, Junior Nationals, World Junior/U23s or other individual ski racing goals. The Academy also offers three 5-day camps throughout the summer in various Northwest locations including the very popular Trout Lake Nordic Camp scheduled for July 20-24. Academy camps connect PNSA, Far West, Mid Atlantic, and New England skiers and include current and former J1/World Junior/U23 team members and coaching staff.

Academy staff will do their best to help participants find summer jobs or internships as well as assist with home stay or housing arrangements. Central Oregon Community College offers a range of summer classes. Oregon State University classes are available as well through the Cascades Campus. This is a unique opportunity to catch up on a class, or get ahead for next year.

Contact Ben Husaby with questions: ben@bendenduranceacademy.org or 541-678-3864. Enroll online at www.BendEnduranceAcademy.org

April 27, 2011 – We have met the 2011 Annual Fund Goal, but with 5 days left, a new donor has stepped forward with a really exciting offer: “Every dollar NENSA raises from this point through the drive’s end on Saturday at midnight we will match by depositing $1 each into the Skis for Kids ski lease program and NENSA’s new Athlete Support Fund… we will match up to $10,000 in additional gifts to bring our total to $20,000.”

What is the Skis for Kids program? It offers low-cost lease of skis, boots, and poles to any skier in the region. It has helped get entire clubs started and receives universal praise from club leaders and individuals who have used it.

What is the Athlete Support Fund? It is a fund with a current balance of $5000 that starting this coming season will be available to help support athletes based on dedication to the sport and financial need for training and competition opportunities. There are no admin fees taken from this account and 100% of deposits to this account will go directly to supporting athletes.

There has never been a better time to give to NENSA!

And even if you have already given to this year’s drive, now is the time to consider a second gift. A $50 gift will support NENSA, buy a pair of kids skis, and, give $50 of support directly to an athlete. Wow!

Link HERE to Donate Now or check on progress… (all dollars over $25,000 are toward this match!)

April 17, 2011 (North Bay, ON) – The North Bay Nordic Ski Club is seeking a qualified individual to fill the position of Ski Program Coordinator. The Program Coordinator will oversee all programs delivered by the club, ensuring that high quality ski programs, training and coaching are provided at all levels.This contract position will be a full time seasonal position from October to March inclusive, with part time off-site work through the rest of the year.

Applications will be reviewed immediately and be taken until May 31st, 2011.

More info HERE.

www.northbaynordic.ca

April 16, 2011 (Norman Wells, NT) – Fast and Female hosted its second Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend in the Norman Wells, Northwest Territories on April 8, 9, and 10, 2011. A total of 46 female skiers between the ages of 9 to 19 from nine NT communities were joined by six ambassadors, three instructors, nine chaperones and 10 volunteers for this unique weekend aimed at inspiring and motivating aboriginal girls in cross-country skiing. This year’s event had a special focus on encouraging youth participation in the Sahtu region.

Throughout the weekend, participants had the opportunity to get first-hand instructions both on and off snow from former National Ski Team member and Northwest Territories athlete, Sarah Daitch, and 4-time Olympian, Sharon Firth. Biathlon expert Lindsey Bolivar and former NCAA athlete, Claire Rennie, were also on site with other elite instructors to share their wisdom with the girls.

On Friday, participants gathered for a welcome dinner, a team poster making session, and a leadership workshop for the teens. The younger participants enjoyed a gymnastic lesson compliment of NWT Gymnastics Association.

Saturday’s activities focused on technical cross-country skiing drills, followed by a Zumba dance lesson from Fit 2 the T, and a yoga class. The youth also had a presentation by Olympian Sharon Firth about her journey from the trails of Inuvik to the world stage in cross country skiing.

The weekend-long camp concluded on Sunday with a community ski day and a distance ski challenge to the Norman Wells Ski cabin.

“I learned so many things this weekend,” said Annah Hanthorn, 16 years old. “The camp reminded me how many people have supported me in my sport and helped me learn more on my ski technique. I also learned more yoga moves and even how to Zumba dance. The key ideas I am taking home with me are to encourage others in my sport, to spread the LOVE and to be reminded of the encouraging words I heard from the ambassadors,” she added.

Fast and Female’s programming is intensely focused on working with girls in sports and exposing them to inspiring female athletic role models. In doing so, Fast and Female hopes to increase the retention of girls in sports. As it currently stands, girls are six times more likely to drop out of sports than boys. It is believed that this ratio increases when girls are living in remote communities and face smaller peer groups to support them in their athletic endeavors.

“There is a need for a critical mass of girls to keep the kids skiing together and having fun,” affirmed local event organizer Karen Johnson. “I remember wishing when my girls were in Jackrabbits that enough girls would stay skiing that the kids could flow together into the next level of ski programmingŠ Luckily for me and my girls, that wish has come true.”

“Boys get lots of opportunities to go out for events, but there is very little for girls in the community,” admitted Krista Kerr, a teacher from the Dene community Lutsel K’e. “This event does not require the numbers that team sports do, so it gives girls the chance to participate and travel”.

Jennifer Waterhouse, a teacher from Deline added: “Its always great when the youth in our community get the chance to visit other communities, meet other youth and get exposed to healthy activities. I know the Deline girls had a great time and this weekend has inspired me to build our ski program.”

Thanks to the support of many sponsors, participation to the event was free, including travel, accommodation and food. The small group of participants was selected on the basis of personal merit, motivation and athletic commitment.

In fact, the 2011 Fast and Female Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend was made possible thanks to valuable event-specific partners such as First Air, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, the NWT Ski Division, the Colville Lake School Board, the Sport North Federation, the Norman Wells RCMP, the Jokabeca Foundation at The Calgary Foundation, Sorpotimist International, and the Ski North Program. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, Clarins Canada, Cold-FX, and Cross-Country Canada – also provided valuable resources to make this event possible.

“I take great pride in the fact that there are no financial barriers for girls to take part in this event,” added Daitch. “This is especially important for girls from isolated communities. The sponsors who contributed to this event have changed lives and we are greatly thankful for their support.”

Subsequent to this most recent Fast and Female event, the growing organization concludes a busy winter season which saw nine events and a reach of 875 girls across Canada and the United States.

In the coming weeks, Fast and Female will be announcing its event schedule for the Spring and Summer.

April 16, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Cross Country Canada (CCC), the National Sport Organization for cross-country skiing in Canada, is currently seeking to fill the position of Coaching Development Coordinator (CDC). The national office is located in Canmore, Alberta. It is required that the successful candidate work out of this office.

General Responsibilities
This Coordinator position is designed to support CCC’s coaching development system up to the international level. Coaching development is fundamental to CCC’s ability to improve the capacity and productivity of the various components of the sport system that facilitate athlete development.

A successful candidate should possess:
– a solid understanding of CCC’s Long Term Athlete Development Guide (Cross-Country skiing – A Sport for Life);
– NCCP training in cross-country skiing;
– the ability to prioritize tasks and achieve high standards and timeliness of all work products;
– all standard Microsoft office software understanding and have website content management skills;
– current NCCP (new system) Learning Facilitator training in cross-country skiing (preferred); and
– polished communication in written and oral form in English (essential) and French (preferred).

The Coaching Development Coordinator will be provided with employee benefits in accordance with the standard benefits provided for CCC employees. The starting salary will depend on the qualifications and experience he or she brings to this position.

Please click on Job description for more information. Applications should be in the form of a letter of application, with CV and three references, submitted by e-mail to:

Cross Country Canada/Ski de fond Canada
c/o Cathy Sturgeon
Director – Administration and Communication
csturgeon@cccski.com

Deadline to receive applications and references is April 29th, 2011.
Cross Country Canada would like to fill this position by the middle of May.
CCC is an equal opportunity employer. This position is financially supported in part by Sport Canada.

April 15, 2011 – Mati Alaver, Estonian Ski Team coach, has refused to accept the job of Russian Ski Team Coach offered by the Russian Ski Federation according to ERR News. Alaver states that his priority is to help prove that Estonian skier Andrus Veerpalu is not guilty of doping despite his B Sample positive test for HGH on April 6.

The Estonian coach added that if Veerpalu is cleared, he will continue his position with the Estonian Team. But Russian Ski Federation President, Yelena Vyalbe, is trying to recruit Alavar, who coached Veerpalu a 2x Olympic and 2x World Champion, along with world championship bronze medalist, Jaak Mae.

Vyalbe, a former cross-country skier herself, with three Olympic gold medals to her name, maintains her confidence in Veerpalu’s innocence and Alavar’s integrity as a coach.

Read the ERR News articles HERE and HERE.
Read previous coverage about the Veerpalu case HERE and HERE.

April 15, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – Nakkertok Ski Club and the Nakkertok Racing Program has an opening for a full-time coach starting in the spring of 2011. This position is focused on developing our Midget and Juvenile skiers on their path towards excellence. and is one of the three core coaching positions for the Nakkertok Racing Program,

The lead Training to Train Coach will design and deliver an effective program in collaboration with a number of volunteer coaches and the lead coaches of the other programs. In this role the successful candidate will work towards creating an environment that is fun, keeps kids in skiing and puts them on a path towards being a competitive cross country skier. Candidates must have effective organizational and communication skills to coordinate a program of up to 70 skiers and 15 volunteer coaches.

The position is based in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and reports to the Racing Director and Racing Program Committee.

Term: Full-time. The hours of work will vary from week to week but an average of 38 hours per week is expected with travel in the winter months on weekends.

General Responsibilities:
The Nakkertok Racing Program uses a collaborative coaching model with professional and volunteer coaches working together as a team. Regular communication and collaboration with other coaching staff both professional and volunteer is expected.

– Develop an overall season plan with other coaches, identifying dates and locations of camps, key activities, coach development sessions, training sessions, trips and the competition calendar.
– Establish regular, timely and effective communications using web tools to athletes and parents.
– Organize and chair regular monthly volunteer coach meetings and development activities.
– Work with volunteer coaches to plan and deliver Stage 1, 2 and 3 practices. Develop and provide T2T volunteer coaches with practice plans for each training session 48 hours in advance of each session.
– For year round program athletes, meet annually to review the program and athlete goals; prepare (with support from the LTC / T2C coach and interested volunteer coaches) generic periodized training programs and monitor and communicate at least monthly with athletes maintaining an internet training log.
– Quebec provincial races, as established by the Racing Program Committee.

Qualifications:
Mandatory:
– NCCP CCI-LTT, or equivalent, working towards CCI-TTT
– Proven ability to motivate younger athletes
– Excellent interpersonal and organizational expertise
– Unrestricted class G driver’s licence (or equivalent) and access to a vehicle

Knowledge of:
– Technological tools used to support coaching: internet based coaching and monitoring programs, heart rate monitor use and analysis, video analysis
– Ability to use internet –based communications tools and social media
– Yearly training plan preparation
– Cross country skiing technique development and analysis
– Waxing Expertise: Ability to accurately test skis and suggest appropriate waxes and covers; coordinating and working with a team to quickly and efficiently wax skis for a large number of skis for provincial and national level races.

As a full-time employee, the compensation package for this position will be based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate.

Applications should be in the form of a letter of application with CV and three references, submitted by e-mail no later than April 27th, 2011 to:

Nakkertok Ski Club
c/o Jennifer Tomlinson
Director – Racing Program
tomlinson@rogers.com (This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Detailed job description HERE.

April 14, 2011 (Quebec City, QC) – Canmore, Alberta’s Devon Kershaw was announced Tellement Sport’s Male Athlete of the Year after the Canadian XC ski star logged a breakthrough season in which he won his first ever World Cup event during the FIS Tour de Ski. Kershaw was among a strong line-up of Canadian male athletes, including team mate and 2011 U23 Sprint World Champ, Alex Harvey. Click HERE to view the video (in French).

April 14, 2011 (Canmore, AB) – Walt Disney once said ‘if you can dream it, you can do it’. I’m not sure he was referring to a trip around the world, becoming dogsledders, salt mine workers, or alpine racers, but on Mar 4, the Canmore Nordic Ski Club Track Attack skiers did just all those things and more.

The day started with some face painting in the team room where four teams emerged – Team Moustache ‐ with great looking moustaches I might add; Team Whiskers – the cutest group of puppies around with long black whiskers; Team Snowflake – with very fashionable snowflakes on their faces (including one unibrow); and Team Polar Bear – wearing great looking bears. Thrown in there were a few painted flags on faces and well, you can probably picture it, these kids were ready for action.

There were three events that the teams competed in – the Yukon Quest Dog Sled Challenge; the Siberian Salt Mine Relay; and the Holmenkollen Downhill Quest. The dog sled challenge saw the kids become puppies (they sure loved to bark) and complete a team pursuit race, complete with pit stop, gear change and technique change. The Salt Mine Relay was lots of fun and saw the kids complete a continuous relay where every skier on each team completed a leg of diagonal striding, double poling, and step doubling poling. The downhill quest was a terrain park downhill sprint tournament complete with timing, heats, roller coaster bumps, and speed. Events were timed and great prizes were awarded for team spirit, an aggregate award based on results and technique, and participation awards from Cross Country Canada. Polar Cup(cakes) and lots of cookies, snacks, and hot chocolate were enjoyed by all – thanks to our fabulous parents for contributing those. Thanks also to parents and coaches who did the organizing and help guide the around the world adventure.

The energy and imagination of the event matched the enthusiasm and smiling faces of the kids having fun on skis.

The ski tournament is becoming an integral and important event in the yearly calendar of the Canmore Nordic Track Attack skiers. Last year’s Ski Rodeo and this year’s Polar Cup are going to be hard to top. But something tells me that the world may need to be saved in 2012 by a group of strong, fit, skiing superheroes! No need to worry, I have a feeling that a group of 50+ superheroes will arrive just in time at next years event!

Results HERE.

April 12, 2011 – The Coastal Nordic Ski Club (CNSC), a nonprofit organization located in southern Maine, is seeking a Head Coach for the Maine Coast Nordic (MCN) Ski Team. MCN currently has over 25 athletes representing several southern Maine towns and school systems. MCN has been training on a regular basis throughout last Summer, Fall & Winter under the previous MCN coach Jordi St.John.

The Maine Coast Nordic (MCN) Ski Team was formed in 2004 as a vehicle to support and encourage aspiring youth skiers in Southern Maine with year-round coaching and training opportunities supplemental to existing school programs. The position also includes oversight of our very successful Bill Koch Youth Ski League program from early January to mid-March. The BKYSL program had 90 skiers this past winter.

The MCN and Bill Koch programs in southern Maine have grown significantly over the last several years. This is a unique opportunity for a person with a strong Nordic skiing background to positively influence a wide range of highly motivated young athletes while also helping shape the program for the future.

Please email a letter of interest and resume by May 6th to Mike Pratico at mpratico@maine.rr.com.

April 12, 2011 (Chelsea, QC) – Check out this video of exciting race action with spills and thrills from the 1st Annual Nordix Fortune Cup Cross Country Ski Cross and Super Sprint, presented by XCZone, Madshus, and Natural Fitness Lab at Camp Fortune on Saturday.

April 12, 2011 (Whitehorse, YT) – The Racing Rocks Whitehorse School Challenge on March 30 was a great success this year! We had 145 students participating between grades 4 and 7 (2001-1998) from eight different schools in the city.

There were over 35 volunteers to pull off such a incredible day and their enthusiasm was spread to all the participants. It was a sunny warm day and there was a lot of laughter and fun in the sun!

After the buses arrived there was a short introduction and orientation for the day. The students were pre-assigned to teams defined by bib colours. Each team had a leader who distributed the CCC tshirts (which received many glowing complements). There were 12 different stations set up around the stadium including terrain park relays, obstacle courses, hockey, lacrosse, scooter baseball, slalom, tug-of-war, parachute, downhill races, berm tricks, para-nordic sit ski and a skills relay. Each station had a leader to model and explain the game or activity. There was music playing throughout the morning, announcing for the relays, snacks served at half time and local media present interviewing kids / taking pictures.

At noon the students skied up to the chalet for a gourmet lunch put on by some excellent volunteers and a slide show of the morning activities. We then had a local elite athlete engage the students in a talk about active living, goal setting and the importance of healthy choices and being involved with sport. He was a very captivating and motivating speaker for all ages.

The afternoon was filled with sprint races (“The Mad Dash”) in the stadium. The races were professionally set up and we had members of the Yukon Ski Team, as well as members from the National Ski Team model the different distances and demonstrate the spirit of racing to the elementary age students. It was a lot of fun and awards were presented immediately afterwards.

The day ended much too quickly with sun burnt smiling faces on the exhausted students. The success of the event directly corresponded to the great sponsorship by Cross Country Canada (the t-shirts were a big hit!), Cross Country Yukon’s support and the amazing committed volunteers from the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club. Thank you to all for yet another successful Racing Rocks School Challenge event!

April 11, 2011 (Rovaniemi, Finland) – Here are more great photos from this past weekend’s 2011 Tour de Barents won by Petra Majdic (SLO) and Jean-Marc Gaillard (FRA). The event featured amazing racing with Gaillard winning the tour by only 0.2s over teammate Maurice Manificat. The tour also held an emotional and historical component, as it marked the retirement of Slovenian star Majdic, along with Pirjo Muranen (FIN) and Jaak Mae (EST).

Read more HERE.

April 08, 2011 (Planegg, Germany) – ‘After the season is before the season’ was the motto for more than 20 representatives of the organizing committees, representatives of Infront Sports & Media as well as FIS and FIS Marketing AG who conducted a debrief on the fifth edition of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski performance by Craft Sportswear in Planegg, Germany on April 1.

A detailed review, including results from surveys with different stakeholder groups and discussions on several topics like marketing & promotion, accommodation and logistics, was held to make sure that improvements will be effected so that the next edition of the Tour will be even more successful than the last one.

“The Tour de Ski had his fifth birthday this year and the “child” keeps growing and developing. We can be proud of the TV ratings, amazing online interest and the number of spectators on site, but we also realize that we still have space to improve further. The Tour de Ski already delivers high value to the sport of Cross-Country Skiing – it is the premium product after the Olympic Games and the FIS World Championships. But to achieve the status of a premium brand we have to continue to work closely together with the National Ski Associations and local organizers.

At the same time, the FIS Cross-Country Committee and the Sub-Committees have the task to develop the Tour rules further and make a logistically easy and interesting Tour calendar,” explained Jürg Capol, FIS Cross-Country Race Director. “Especially next year, when the Tour de Ski is the main highlight in the Cross-Country season, the Tour Organizers and the FIS Cross-Country Committee will work hard to make the Tour even more attractive.”

April 08, 2011 (Jyväskylä, Finland) – World Champion Matti Heikkinen has made Salomon’s complete ski, boot, and binding system his choice. The 27-year-old Heikkinen has chosen to become a Salomon complete athlete in what should be the peak years of his career. Heikkinen states, “Salomon as a company shows today the greatest potential to develop the near perfect equipment which is necessary to achieve my goals.”

At the recently completed 2011 World Ski Championships in Oslo, Norway, Matti was crowned World Champion in the 15km Classic. In so doing, Matti brought to Finland its first victory at major competition in over 12 years. This medal complements two bronze medals he won at the 2009 World Championships.

Matti aims to use his World Championship success as a stepping stone for his country and himself to reach much grander skiing goals. He continues to be outspoken advocate for the sport and is working to find ways to build a successful future for Finland in the sport. Personally, he believes the change to Salomon will aid him to become a more consistent figure on the World Cup podium in 2012 with continued success at the 2013 World Championships in Fiemme, Italy the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia and the 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.

Salomon’s Racing Services Director, Bertrand Regard, is pleased and excited that Matti has found Salomon’s complete system his best choice. Regard states, “We are pleased that more and more World Cup skiers are seeking out Salomon for their ski, boot and bindings needs. If you do the same thing you get the same result. If you wish to make improvement, change is not only good, it is necessary!”

Salomon, as the Nordic brand that develops each and every aspect of the development, integration and production of its skis, boots, and bindings is uniquely capable of rapidly developing and delivering the state-of-the-art concepts and technologies. An endless list of advancements in its boots and bindings since 1979 has delivered a comenserate endless list of Olympic, World Championship, and WorldCup success by athletes selecting its product. And in just seven years since the inception of its first racing ski, Salomon has developed and delivered three complete generations of WorldCup winning skis, an impressive feet.

We at Salomon are already preparing for the 2011-2112 World Cup season just 210 days away. We are excited to see what the changes by Matti’s and all of the athletes will deliver as we continue to rapidly bring our advancements in the technology to the sport so all skiers can better glide through winter.

Fallow all Salomon Nordic action at SalomonRacing.com and Facebook/Salomon-Nordic.

April 07, 2011 (Golden, BC) – Check out this video featuring a wide range of cross country skiing opportunities in beautiful Golden, BC as well as great post-skiing options. Keith and Heather Nicol recently visited and happened to be there for their popular Huckleberry Loppet. If you are looking for a great place to stay check out the Cedar House Chalets. Also look for an article on skiing in Golden in an upcoming issue of SkiTrax Magazine.

April 07, 2011 (Auburn, NH) – Fischer Skis and Swix Sport announced they are sponsoring the participation of U.S. Ski Team members, Fischer ski and Swix pole athletes Kikkan Randall, Kris Freeman and Andy Newell at the 2011 Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA) Annual Conference at the Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, April 12-14. The three Olympians’ participation offers conference attendees as well as local Masters and Juniors Nordic enthusiasts the rare opportunity to meet and ski with the best cross country racers the U.S. has to offer.

On Wednesday, April 13, the three Fischer/Swix athletes will join CCSAA members and guests for dinner at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, Lake Tahoe. Immediately following, they will showcase World Cup race footage and share first-hand accounts of the recent competition.

On Thursday, April 14, the three will join conference attendees as they ski the 14km groomed Nordic trail from Northstar to the Tahoe Cross Country Center in the morning. That afternoon, Kikkan, Kris and Andy will host clinics open to both Masters and Junior skiers at the Northstar trails. Visit the Cross Country Ski Areas Association Web site for details on this special opportunity HERE.

“We are very excited to grant our friends at the CCSAA conference unique access to these World Cup athletes,” said Peter Ashley, vice president, Nordic Division, Fischer Skis U.S. “Exposure to this level of athlete is rare off the race circuit, and now junior racers and conference attendees alike will enjoy time with them as they share tips on technique and recount recent season highlights and record wins.”

Fischer Skis dominated the 2011 World Championships, taking 71% of ski medals and 32% of the boot medals. Kikkan Randall finished tenth in the Overall World Cup, and her third place finish in the sprint overall rankings is the best finish ever by a U.S. Nordic sprint athlete.

Andy Newell capped off his World Cup season with a fifth place finish in the final World Cup Sprint event held in Stockholm, Sweden, and has finished within the top ten sprint overall rankings five times in his career.

Kris Freeman had numerous top ten finishes in World Cup distance events this season and will begin the World Cup season next year in the prestigious World Cup Red Group, reserved for the top thirty racers in the world.

April 06, 2011 (Bend, OR) – Mt. Bachelor, known for immense snow pack and one of the longest Alpine ski seasons, will be offering North America’s longest Nordic ski season this year with a commitment to keep groomed operations open through June 20, 2011. With strategic natural attributes such as the highest resort peak in the Cascades, not to mention a possible record breaking season for snowfall with 564″ to date and 2’+ forecasted this week, Mt. Bachelor is in a unique position to offer Nordic skiing and grooming later than any other Nordic Center on the continent.

Sue Foster, Nordic Center Manager exclaims, “We’re really excited to host some of the world’s best Nordic athletes at Mt. Bachelor with training by the US and Canadian Ski Teams, in addition to continuing our grooming for the general public through our spring and summer pass options!”

The Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center will offer two ‘Camp Blocks’ following its regular winter season of operations; Camp Block #1 held from May 22-June 1, 2011, and Camp Block #2 held June 10-20, 2011. Skiers will have access to 10-15 km of groomed trails during either Camp Block for only $50 per person. Current winter Nordic pass holders will need to purchase Camp Block passes to access the Nordic Trails after May 21, 2011. The Nordic Center Lodge will be open with waxing facilities and restrooms for guests.

The extended Nordic ski season through June 20th will offer local enthusiasts and visiting athletes the unique opportunity to train in Central Oregon with multi-sport opportunities including trail running, mountain and road biking, kayaking and numerous lodging options, restaurants and craft breweries in the base communities of Bend and Sunriver, 20 miles from Mt. Bachelor.

www.mtbachelor.com

April 05, 2011 (Sun Valley, ID) – Following the conclusion of the World Cup racing season, I made one last stop over in Sun Valley, Idaho for the final domestic races of the winter. With five races in 7 days, it was a busy couple of weeks.

The first race was the 30km US National Championship. It was a challenging mass-start race of four laps around a tough 7.2km loop. I took the lead halfway through the race and despite some gnarly cramps in the final 10km managed to take my 16th US National title. The next four races were contested as a mini-tour, with cumulative times and an overall champion.

In the opening race, the 2.8km skate prologue, I skied to a 16 second victory in just over seven minutes. The second race of the tour was a 10km classic mass-start with some cash bonuses up for grabs. I skied from the front once again, taking all four preems and held off some strong challengers in the last kilometers for another victory. After a day off we were back at it with classic sprints. The sun was hot and the snow was slow but I felt great and skied to the win. I did manage to get a wicked sunburn on my arms in the process. The final race was a 4km skate hill climb up Dollar Mountain. I started with over a minute lead, but pitted myself against the clock and skied all out to take the stage victory and the overall. In total I won six golden belt buckles over the course of the week. It was the perfect end to my best season to date.

Before leaving Sun Valley I got to help lead an awesome Fast and Female ski day, enjoying ski drills, dancing, yoga and healthy eating with over 70 girls. Now the season is over and it’s officially time for some R&R. Enjoy spring everyone!

Quote of the Day:
“To get to the end of the season and still feel strong in back to back races is a good feeling. But now, I am ready for vacation!”

What’s Coming Up:
VACATION!!

For more news and photos check out the new www.kikkan.com

The Full Story – Season Wrap up from Sun Valley
The 2010-2011 ski season has now come to a close with the final domestic races in Sun Valley, ID. Here’s a little update on how it went…

US National 30km Classic Championships
The first races contested in Sun Valley were the 50km and 30km US National Championship races. The men went first on Saturday, and endured some gnarly weather through seven laps of a challenging course. Thankfully, the weather dramatically improved for the women’s race on Sunday.

The race was mass-start with the women skiing four laps. My fellow US teammate Morgan Arritola led much of the first two laps, setting a brisk opening pace that quickly strung out the field. I took over at the end of the 2nd lap, initially planning on only leading for a few kilometers. However, the lead pack was now down to just five skiers and no one else was willing to lead.

Towards the end of the third lap, Maria Graenings (a Swedish skier skiing for University of Utah) and I began to pull away. Going into the final lap I began to feel twinges in my arms and hips of cramps coming on. I took several Coke feeds to try and stave off the cramps, but through the lap my muscles began locking up more and more.

I kept pushing the pace as Maria was still right on my tails and amazingly, junior standout Jessie Diggins was only 10 seconds behind. Up the last two climbs my arms and hips were cramping like crazy but I was still able to keep my tempo up. Heading up the “South Bench” climb in the last 2km, I was finally able to shake Maria and get a gap of 10 seconds which I held until the finish. With only one shot at a US National title this season, I was happy to take the win.For the next hour, I fought off continuing cramps and even my fingers wanted to curl up into my palms.

We got a rest day following the 30km, to prepare for the start of the SuperTour Finals 4-stage mini-tour.

2.8km Skate Prologue
With my hips and triceps still sore from the cramping, I was glad to switch to skating for the start of the mini-tour. At just under 3km, the prologue event is a challenging event to pace, especially with the altitude factor of 6600 ft.

I was the last woman to start. I used the opening kilometer on the flats to build into my pace and carried good momentum into the main stair-step climb called “Hammer.” When I hit the base of the hill I got a split that I was in the lead by 2 seconds. As I made my way up the steps, I focused on keeping a good rhythm. I got splits that my lead was increasing. The hill was tough for sure, but I came over the top quicker and feeling better than I had anticipated.

Legs definitely a little stiff, I managed to hang on around a tight, technical turn at the bottom, which was tough to navigate in the flat light conditions. I hammered the rest of the way up and over the final hill and drove hard into the finish. The race was over in less than eight minutes. When the results came in, I took the win by 16 seconds and took the lead in the overall mini-tour standings. If only all races were just seven minutes!

Two down, three to go.

10km Classic mass-start
Right away the next day we contested a 10km classic mass-start race. The men raced first and by the time we raced, the sun was coming out and the temperature was just starting to change. I opted to go on some stiffer skis for better glide.

For this race there were four preems of $100 each up for grabs at intermediate points along the course. We would be racing 3 laps of 3.3km. From the gun, I found myself at the front of the pack and even though we started at a pretty relaxed pace, no one else wanted to lead. So I settled into a good rhythm over the first lap. As we approached the first preem line, I expected some racers to come up along side and sprint for the bonus. But no one challenged and I took it. Heading into the 2nd lap, I kept the pressure on over the flats and skied with quick tempo up the climbs. For the 2nd preem at 5km, again no one challenged and I took it.

By the end of the 2nd lap I had started to open up a small gap on a couple chasers. I was still feeling good and determined to keep the pace honest. When I hit the main climb however, the effort finally started to set in. The sun had come out so my skis no longer had solid kick, and I was definitely fighting off fatigue.

The chasers were coming hard but I managed to hang on to my lead and cross the finish line for the win. I immediately collapsed into the snow and lay there for a few minutes. Man it felt good!

Three down, two to go

There was one more rest day before the final two stages of the mini-tour, which I spent scoping out the hill climb course, hanging in town with friends and doing some shopping at the Lululemon showroom run by my good buddy Kate Whitcomb.

1.5km Classic Sprint
The Sun Valley I remembered from my first trip here 11 years ago finally showed up for the sprint with icy, frozen tracks in the morning and then turning to slow slush by early afternoon. To keep the tracks intact as long as possible, no one was allowed on course except for the coaches. So I did my warm-up without a course preview and didn’t really get a chance to completely test my skis before the start. I just had to trust our wax guys and go for it!

This time I was the first racer on course. The tracks were fast and icy. I double-poled aggressively around most of the course and then hit the climb. My skis were a little bit slick and I really had to pull with my arms to make it up and over. I almost lost my balance coming around the final turn, but made it safely to the finish. I was immediately frustrated with the way I had skied the uphill but it was good enough to head on to the quarterfinals as the top qualifier.

By the time the heats started two hours later, the icy tracks had turned to slush and it was faster to ski outside the tracks. I won both my quarterfinal and semifinals by always making a strong move on the uphill. The sun was beating down and it felt hot!

Just before the final, our wax team decided to make a last minute switch from klister skis to Zeros to try to improve the glide in the slow snow. I just had to cross my fingers that it would work!

I decided to try and take the lead from the gun and push the pace the whole way. Double-poling through the slush, I could feel the others on my tails. When I hit the climb I just started running as fast as I could go. I kept pushing all the way to the line and crossed in first. I turned around to see my roommate for the week, Chandra Crawford coming in right behind me. High five!

We then watched the men’s final and soaked up a little more sun. It finally felt like spring!

Four down, one to go!

4km Skate Hill Climb
And then finally it was down to the last race of the mini-tour, and of the season, the skate hill climb up Dollar Mountain. While I enjoyed a big lead over 2nd place, I still wanted to race all out and end the season knowing I gave it everything I had. We didn’t get to enjoy the sun like the previous day, but that might have been a good thing because the trail stayed relatively firm and fast. The men raced first.

My strategy for the race was to start off controlled, build momentum into the base of the main climb and then maintain tempo up the climb and over the final rolling bench at the top. I executed the plan well coming into the long grind and was surprised to still be feeling pretty strong halfway up. Approaching the last 50m of the saddle however, the full-body burn set in. It took extreme focus and internal coaxing to keep fighting the fatigue. Everyone was screaming and cheering and then at last the finish was in sight. Those last few meters weren’t particularly pretty, but I made it to the line and dropped down onto the snow. As I lay there, chest heaving, I could finally smile and enjoy the conclusion of the season.

The finish area was pure carnage as the bodies of spent skiers lay everywhere. My APU teammate, Kate Fitzgerald, had pushed herself so hard that she had to be escorted down on a sled! Chandra (who had skied the race in a Lady Gaga outfit) and I enjoyed some sweet tele turns to get back down the mountain. I realized that I am ready to ski downhill for a while!

The awards wrapped up just as the rain started to fall. A big thank you goes out to Rick Kappala and the SVSEF team for putting on some great races! The rest of the day was dedicated to celebrating – first with my APU team, and then with everyone – a wonderful and memorable season.

To cap off my stay in Sun Valley, I got to help lead a Fast and Female event on Sunday. We had 23 ambassadors (including 7 Olympians) leading 70 girls ages 7-19 through ski drills, dancing, yoga and inspirational stories. The sun was out, the stoke was high, and everyone left with a big smile. It was a great way to wrap up the season!

Now I’m on my way to Whistler with Chandra to participate in a Lululemon Ambassador Summit. It’s going to be a fun couple of days of inspiration and personal development before I head back to Alaska.

In the next few weeks there will be a lot of reflection and evaluation about the season, and of course planning for next year. But for now it’s time to kick back, relax and have fun!

It’s been really fun to be able to share this season with you. Thank you for all the encouragement and support! I wish you all a happy spring and cheers to going for broke again next year!

Cheers,

Kikkan