February 03, 2012 (Moscow) – Moscow is COLD! And racing here is even colder…but apparantly, that’s good news if you’re from team USA! Yesterday’s sprint race was the best race of my life, and it was a great day for the women’s team.

Race day was warm enough to race, but that was about it. The course was the same for both men and women, and the snow was so slow from the cold! It was a flat course punctuated by two short and steep bridges, but long enough that you could blow up too early if you weren’t warmed up enough. So I put in a pretty long and sharp warmup, hoping to ski fast enough to get into the rounds.

That was my goal for the day, so I pushed the qualifier as hard as I could! And somehow, for 3 minutes and 37 seconds, I was the fastest woman in the world. But don’t worry – I didn’t let it go to my head. In fact, when the coaches told me I won the qualifier, I actually thought it was a joke! I refused to believe it, because I didn’t want to get too excited, since I was sure that once they’d fixed the timing mistake I’d be way down the list. But I guess they don’t make mistakes over here! I did a couple backflips on the inside and did my best to prepare for the quarterfinals.

Can I quickly say how amazing our wax techs and equipment are? The new Salomon soft ground skis, with Zach Caldwell’s S1-OX grind (I usually don’t get all nerdy about this, but if you’re interested…that’s the grind of the day) were awesome. I’ve gotten so much help and support this year from all over, and it makes all the difference come race day. So thanks guys!

I think I must have been on cloud nine all day…it was just so exciting! So many North Americans made it to the heats, and there was so much positive energy buzzing around it was hard to stay in race mode. But after falling so many times in Milan, I wanted to stay out of trouble and stay on my feet, so I got out to the front as soon as I could. In hindsight, it might not have been a super good idea to lead the quarterfinal since there was a headwind and it sapped a lot of energy. But it allowed me to set the pace and ski my own race, which was super cool.

In the semifinal, I got to experience one the coolest feelings ever. For much of the race, Kikkan, Ida and I were skiing in the front! USA was 1-2-3 and it was amazing to be a part of that. Kikk and I lunged at the line with a Russian and I squeaked my way into the A final. For the final, I was so tired after treating each round like it was my last (because I thought, each time, that it would be!) so by the time the gun went off my arms and legs felt like jelly.

I tried so hard to keep up in the final 100 meters but couldn’t get my limbs to cooperate and ran out of energy. However, I was still psyched out of my mind with 6th place! It was a good day all around for top-30 results as Kikk got 7th, Ida finished 12, Dasha got 22nd and Perri got 24th. Women’s results are linked HERE. Results from the Men’s race are linked here: Devon placed 3rd, Alex got 9th, Lenny finished 12th and Andy got 22nd.

Right after the race, we walked back to our hotel and started packing up. The distance crew  joined the Norwegians on a bus and drove the 8 hours overnight to Rybinsk, Russia. Dragging my bag through the snow to our cabin at 4:00AM in -18*C definitely didn’t make my top-10 favorite moments, but travel is part of the job/life and you just have to get over it. On the plus side, we’ve got the girls team all together again, in a house!

It’s such a great atmosphere, I couldn’t ever ask for more. It only takes one person to shatter team chemistry, but to have a team where everyone truly supports each other and will always have each other’s backs…that’s something special, and it takes input from the whole team to make it happen. Which is why I feel so lucky to be on this one.

A few notes on racing in Moscow/the World Cup in general:

• Training with an air-warmer in is crazy. It’s a little like breathing through a straw…you’re fine until you think about it, then you freak out because you think you’re not getting enough air since spit and water are frozen all over the end. So, so gross.
• The cameras are EVERYWHERE. You start jumping around, dancing or do anything un-professional…and they will find you, and put you on the big screen. It took me a while to figure this out, while my teammates laughed as I was bouncing around the start pen.
• It is very hard to figure out just what exactly the Russian tv crews are asking you in the interviews. I think I gave one of the worst interviews in my life because I had absolutely no idea what the man was saying!
• When Moscow pumps out MJ over the speakers during your warmup, it’s pretty awesome. When a singing, dancing crew gets up on the stage and starts belting out songs in Russian, it gets even better.
• The shuttles to the venue are, on average, 30 minutes late. So plan to catch a 12:00 bus for a 2:25 race, and then you’ll probably make it on time!

One of the coolest parts about racing over here is that even through we’re so far from home, we’re all feeling the love! Thanks so much to everyone for being so supportive through the internet and phone calls…the cheering really makes a difference. We wanted to give a shout-out to everyone back home and “reenact” yesterday’s sprint for you. Edited by the one and only Kikkan: USST Moscow Shout Out

And here’s another video put together by Newell while we were in Seiser Alm, Italy training. Kikkan and Simi took footage via camera and head cams, and you can see just HOW FAST we were sledding! Pretty fun stuff. Sledding with the US Ski Team

Tomorrow we race the 10km skate in Rybinsk, and Sunday we race a 15km pursuit. Hopefully it warms up enough to be legal racing temperatures!

February 02, 2012 (Moscow, Russia) – Canada’s Devon Kershaw grabbed a bronze medal in today’s cold and windy World Cup 1.5km Sprint in Moscow after topping the qualifications with superb skiing. Fifth-place qualifier Teodor Peterson (SWE) pulled out all the stops to snap up his first World Cup win, with Anders Gloeersen (NOR) wearing the #10 bib powering to second.

The mostly flat course winds itself around the famous Luzhniki Olympic Stadium in Moscow. A total of eight North Americans advanced to the heats in the men’s and women’s competitions today – read more about the qualifications HERE.

The result marked Kershaw’s second podium in as many weekend’s as he attempted to bring home Canada’s first WCup sprint gold medal. “My goal today was to just get to the front in each heat and I thought that would be the key to winning,” said Kershaw of Sudbury, Ont. in a team release. “My body is shocking me everyday. It was a long cold day, but I felt great again and it was a super solid race today.”

In the quarterfinals, Kershaw handily won his heat, skiing at the front the entire race and pulling away over the second hill for the win. Alex Harvey (CAN) also skied well, finishing second in his heat, with American Andy Newell in fifth. Len Valjas (CAN) was leading his quarterfinal, only to be nipped by Norway’s Eirik Bransdal at the finish as both advanced to the semis.

Kershaw placed a prophetic second to Peterson in the semis, despite sharing the lead with teammate Harvey for most of the distance until Harvey faded to wind up fifth and ended up 9th overall. Fellow Canuck Valjas finished sixth in his semi final and did not advance claiming 12th.

Kershaw looked strong in the final, skiing solidly in third and fourth positions. He made his move on the final hill with a powerful attack, but couldn’t hold off the storming Scandinavians, Peterson and Gloeersen, and had to settle for third.

“You should never be disappointed with a podium at a World Cup, but I am a little disappointed because I really felt like I was going to win,” added Kershaw, who also won a bronze medal last week in the 15-kilometre classic ski race last week in Otepaa, Estonia, his first race since placing fourth overall in the grueling Tour de Ski.

Looking at the big picture Kershaw was philosophical about his back-to-back podiums – one distance, one sprint. “It (these results) is crazy. The body is so good right now and I just always seem to be in that zone when the race is on. Sometimes you can be your own worst enemy, but right now I just feel like racing is a sanctuary for me and I feel so present.”

The world’s XC ski powerhouses take to the snow in Rybinsk, Russia this weekend, Feb. 4-5, for the distance races for the next round of FIS World Cup competitions.

Qualifications HERE.
Final results HERE.

February 02, 2012 (Moscow, Russia) – Twenty-year-old Jessica Diggins (USA) scored sixth today in the 1.5km Women’s Freestyle Sprint in Moscow, her best-ever individual World Cup result. Diggins was on fire qualifying first with a 2.47-second margin and started the final wearing the #1 bib – read more on the qualifications HERE.

“When I heard the results after the qualifier I actually thought it was some sort of joke they were playing on me! And then I did a couple backflips on the inside. Sometimes it all comes together at the right moment and you’re just having a great day,” Diggins told SkiTrax after her race.

Veteran skier, Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) put the power down when it counted in the final to take the win, followed by Natalia Korosteleva (RUS) in second and Anastasia Kotsenko (RUS) third. Diggins, who skied in third and fourth positions for most of the final, couldn’t maintain the blistering pace, and finished sixth. With her victory Kowalczyk takes over the overall WCup lead from Marit Bjoergen (NOR) who did not compete in Moscow but expects to be racing in Rybinsk this weekend.“The final was such an unreal experience for me, I was just so psyched to be there and tried my best to keep up but ran out of energy in the last couple hundred meters. But I was super pumped to be right there, in the fight and maybe someday I’ll be able to hang on longer,” said Diggins.

Diggins was the only North American to qualify for the final. Teammate and WCup Sprint Cup leader, Kikkan Randall, just missed out to finish seventh overall, with Ida Sargent 12th. Daria Gaiazova (CAN) was the top Canuck in 22nd, followed by team mates Perianne Jones in 24th and Chandra Crawford 36th.

“Wasn’t quite what I hoped for myself, but great to see my teammates ski so well,” Randall told SkiTrax. “Jessie looked like she has been doing this for years, skiing so smooth and confident. And great to see Ida get right in the mix as well.” It was an historic finish for the USA as it was the first time three Americans had made the semi finals.

Randall has been under the weather recently and we wondered if she’s 100% or still a little flat after being sick. “I think I’ve rebounded pretty well but I did feel like I was missing my final sprint gear today. I think I was about 95%,” said the Sprint Cup leader.

“It was pretty cold and windy out there!  Just like racing at Kincaid stadium in Anchorage,” quipped Randall.

The qualifying heats were exciting for Diggins, who led her quarterfinal from the start, only to be nipped at the line by Ida Ingemarsdotter (SWE). Randall was in the same boat, leading her quarterfinal, only to be taken at the finish, while Sargent squeaked into her first semis as a Lucky Loser.

Things heated up for the U.S. trio in the semis, with all three contesting the same heat. The Americans led for most of the semi, with Diggins taking the win, and Russia’s Korosteleva nipping Randall for second. Sargent finished sixth.

“In the semifinal I had a moment where I realized that USA was going 1-2-3 and I was just so excited to be there and be in that moment, making some history go down,” said Diggins.

Was Randall  surprised that Korostaleva nipped her at the line? “I knew she was coming on strong and I was having trouble digging into my sprint gear. I didn’t come off the bridge as strong as I wanted too and I think that cost me some momentum.  I gave it what I had but I didn’t quite have enough to the line today. Frustrating for sure to be so close,” she confided.

Diggins is stoked for her next chance to compete with the world’s best at this weekend’s FIS World Cup events in Rybinsk, Russia, Feb. 4-5. “I don’t have any big strategies for Rybinsk… just to go as fast as I can, and do my best.”

Qualifying results HERE.
Final results HERE.
WCup Overall standings HERE.

January 31, 2012 (Brezno-Osrblie, Slovakia) – Russia’s Alexey Volkov only missed one shot in the Men’s 12.5k Pursuit at the IBU Open European Championships that run Jan. 27-Feb. 2 in Slovakia to secure the win in a time of 31:48.0, +16.2 faster than second place, Serhiy Semenov (UKR). Daniel Bohm (GER) finished a further +2.3 back for the bronze medal. The top three only received one shooting penalty each.

The race within the race, however, was headlined by USA’s Leif Nordgren, who stormed from a 45th-place starting position to finish a phenomenal 21st, logging a time of 35:01.6 with only two shooting penalties. Team mate Russell Currier (USA) finished an impressive 24th despite a whopping five penalties. Mark Johnson (USA) finished 44th with two missed shots and a time of 37:39.9. No Canadian men competed.

Results HERE.

January 30, 2012 (Bad Ischl, Austria) – Many European and Scandinavian nations have been holding their national championships during the current break in World Cup action. This past weekend it was Austria’s turn, with the competition being held at a small resort near Bad Ischl. On Saturday, a small contingent of American and Canadian skiers showed up for the classic distances races and quickly wore out their welcome, after stealing all but one podium position from their Austrian counterparts.

In the women’s 5km classic race, Canada’s Chandra Crawford took the victory, with the USA’s Liz Stephen and Ida Sargent joining her on the podium for 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

In the men’s 10km event, the USA’s Kris Freeman won by a margin of over 30 seconds. Teammates Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton finished in third and fifth respectively. Johannes Duerr was the only Austrian to make it onto the podium that day, taking second place behind Freeman.

After nearly sweeping both the men’s and women’s podiums, the North Americans packed up and headed out to catch flights to Russia, where the World Cup resumes this weekend. No doubt the Austrian hosts, not to mention the athletes, were glad to see the back of them.

Read Ida Sargent’s blog post about the races with more photos HERE.
Women’s 5km classic results HERE.
Men’s 10km classic results HERE.

January 30, 2012 (Cable, WI) – Canada’s Mark Arendz came up just shy in his bid to win his fifth IPC Biathlon World Cup medal of the season after finishing fourth in the men’s 12.5-kilometre race on Sunday in Cable, Wisconsin, while Sean Halsted landed the top U.S. result with an eighth-place finish.

The 21-year-old Arendz, who snagged the bronze medal in Saturday’s 20-kilometre race, skied a consistent 12.5 kilometres and shot clean in each of his four stops on the range to finish one spot off the podium with a time of 38:55.0.

“It turned out to be a ‘What can you do’ kind of day,” said Arendz. Yesterday there were an number of mistakes that kept adding up but today everything was bang on. I was back in the proper mindset and had all cylinders burning and was ready to go. I was very happy with the skiing effort.”

Arendz, of Springton, P.E.I. had one of his best days ever on the range with shots hitting the target dead centre.

“The shooting felt as natural as a ski stride, it flowed harmoniously with the skiing,” said Arendz. “Nothing went wrong today, it just wasn’t my day. I was happier with my race today, finishing fourth, than I was of my race yesterday.”

Russian athletes grabbed the top-two spots on the podium. Kirill Mikhaylov finished on top with a time of 37:24.0, while Vladislav Lekomtev was second at 38:08.3. Norway’s Nils-Erik Ulset rounded out the podium in third at 38:40.7.

Ottawa’s Margarita Gorbounova and her guide of Brian Berry, of Thunder Bay, Ont., were the only other Canadians to suit up on Sunday, finishing seventh in the women’s 10-kilometre visually impaired category with a time of 55:37.4.

U.S. Athletes Crack Top 10 in Long-course
A sub-par performance Saturday during the biathlon short-course was all the motivation sit-skier and Air Force veteran Sean Halsted (Spokane, Wash.) needed to break into the top 10 finishers in the long-course biathlon today during the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing World Cup at the Telemark Lodge in Cable, Wis.

“My performance yesterday wasn’t up to what I had hoped,” said Halsted, who had placed 13th with only 50 percent accuracy on the shooting range. Today he hit 17 of his 20 shots and covered the 12.5-kilometer course in 49 minutes, 47 seconds to finish eighth.

Navy SEAL Lt. Dan Cnossen (Topeka, Kan.) rallied from misses during his first two rounds of shooting to shoot flawlessly the rest of the race and finish 10th in 50:15 in the sit-ski division. He connected on 18 of his 20 shots.

“I knew if I didn’t bring it together, the race was going to go downhill fast,” he said.

Roman Petushkov of Russia, who won Saturday’s shot-course biathlon, repeated as sit-ski champion in 44:51, despite missing four shots on the day. For each missed target, athletes had to ski a 150-meter penalty loop, which added to their times.

Kelly Underkofler (St. Paul, Minn.) continued her strong showing in the shooting range, connecting on 19 of her 20 shots, just missing the podium with her fourth-place finish in the women’s standing division in 50:32. Finland’s Maija Jarvela claimed her second biathlon gold of the competition, finishing in 40:54 over the 10 km. women’s course.

“I felt good and shot well, so I’m happy with how I did today,” Underkofler said.

Sarah Edwards (Winter Park, Colo.) placed fifth in the women’s sit-ski division in 1:29:31. German Anja Wicker improved on her second-place finish from the day before to win in 50:18.

Russians continued to dominate the visually-impaired division. Lysova Mikhalina led a quartet of top Russian finishers in the women’s race, shooting flawlessly and finishing in 37:33. Russians claimed the top two spots on the men’s side, led by Nikolay Polukhin in 37:42. Visually-impaired athletes shoot with specialized guns fitted with lasers on their sites that emit audio feedback as the shooter’s aim closes in on a screen target.

Russian Kirill Mikhaylov won the men’s standing division in 37:24.

Athletes conclude the Wisconsin-portion of the competition Monday with middle distance races. Races start at 10 a.m. with sit-skiers skiing 5 km and standing and visually-impaired athletes skiing 10 km.

Competition concludes Feb. 1-2 at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis, where athletes will compete in a sprint and middle distance race. Races begin at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 1 and 10 a.m. Feb. 2.

It’s the first time the United States has hosted a major Paralympic Nordic ski event in seven years.

Results HERE.

January 30, 2012 – The largest Nordic ski event in the east, the 31st Annual Craftsbury Marathon, took place on Sunday. Hundreds of participants of all ages challenged themselves on 25km and 50km classic routes that traversed the spectacular Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.

Ada Peters finished first in the women’s 25k competition, with Steven Mangan grabbing top honours in the 25k men’s event. In the 50k distance, it was Clare Egan (GRP) who came out on top in the women’s race, and Nils Koons (Rossignol) secured victory over the men’s field.

The 2012 edition of the TD Bank Craftsbury Marathon was a blend of old and new. Typifying this was the return of the new “old” course: the point to point! The Center partnered with Highland Lodge to bring back the popular point to point course traversing some of the most scenic ski terrain in New England. Extensive trail work has vastly improved the trail, removing bumps, sharp corners, steep chutes, and poor drainage on the connector. The trail work also allowed grooming of the entire course this year with Craftsbury’s team of PistenBullys.

Overall results HERE.
Age group results HERE.

Results (brief)

25km Women
1. Ada Peters
2. Julia Harrison
3. Karina Packer

25km Men
1. Steven Mangan
2. Silas Talbot
3. Hans Halvorsen

50km Women
1. Clare Egan
2. Sage Morrison
3. Robyn Anderson

50km Men
1. Nils Koons
2. Eli Enman
3. Scott Lacy

January 29, 2012 (Lake Elmo, Minnesota) – The final day of Tour De Twin Cities SuperTour competition played out as expected: Matt Liebsch (Team Strongheart/Team Birkie) and Caitlin Gregg (CXC) skied away from their respective fields, and Liebsch and Jennie Bender (CXC) held on to win the overall titles.

The race at Green Acres was a skate pursuit with starts determined based on Saturday’s classic event. The race loop was slightly extended from the prior day with the addition of a generally flat lap around a field. This made the loop 3.1 kilometers, so women raced five laps for their 15-kilometer event, while the men completed seven for 20 kilometers. Once again, the course proved surprisingly hard. Tour winner Bender called the course, “…repeated abuse. You hit a wall and then you still have to work the flats after.”

What Bender so aptly described was the fact that Green Acres is essentially several farm fields connected by one significant ridge. Racers start on flat fields, climb the ridge the tubing hill is built on, and then ski a flat plateau some distance before descending the ridge. The ridge is not very long, but is extremely steep, requiring high tempo V1 skiing up, and providing little rest on the way down.

Gregg found the course to her advantage. “My plan was to play to my strengths. There was a lot of steep V1 climbing, which is one of my strengths. I tried to be smooth and relaxed on the flats and then really work the climbs.”

Starting third, 23 seconds behind Bender and 15 behind Rosie Brennan (APUNSC/Rossignol), Gregg had some time to make up. She made up that time and more, passing Bender and Brennan early in lap 2, and taking off on her own. Knowing that she aimed to catch and pass the two, Gregg planned to complete a “very deliberate” fast pass, which she did successfully. Neither Brennan nor Bender caught even a momentary ride from Gregg as she went by. Gregg went on to win the pursuit and post the fastest women’s skate time by almost two minutes.

In the race for second, Brennan made up her 8-second starting deficit on Bender and passed her on lap 2. Bender, with her mind set on the overall classification, was able to grab Brennan’s draft and hang on for the entire race. “It was a survival race for me,” explained Bender. Brennan outsprinted Bender at the line, posting the second fastest skate time. Bender’s skate time was good for third.

Gregg said she “felt much better today, than yesterday.” With a win in the Seeley Hills Classic marathon the weekend before the Tour, Gregg says she feels like she’s in marathon shape. “Today, I just felt like I could keep going all day.” She’ll be testing that form at next week’s Boulder Mountain Tour and then the City of Lakes Loppet.

Men’s Race
For a while, the men’s race looked like it was going to be large pack affair. A lead pack of five formed on lap one, grew to six for lap two, and then eight on lap three. On lap 4, knowing the pack was continuing to expand, Liebsch attacked and only Bryan Cook (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) could respond. Then Cook dropped off the pace on the lap’s biggest climb, and Liebsch put 10 seconds on him over the next lap.

Laps 6 and 7 saw Liebsch well off the front and gaining, while the battle for second came down to Cook and Brenton Knight (APUNSC). Knight had made up a lot of ground to contend for the podium; he started the pursuit in 10th, 36 seconds behind.

Liebsch crossed the line 42 seconds up on Knight. With energy to spare, Liebsch celebrated by skidding a 360 after the line, and then stayed in the pen congratulating other finishers. For his part, Knight skied the fastest time of the day, bettering Liebsch’s time by 3 seconds.

Cook held on for third in the pursuit, 46 seconds off the pace. Samuel Naney (Methow Olympic Development), who started ninth, moved up to fourth by skiing the third fastest time of the day.

With the race over, the top-6 in the overall classification got a “payday.” Bender and Liebsch took home $3,000 each for their wins.

Bender expressed her appreciation for the big payout. “With all the travel I do in the winter, I can’t have a regular job. This is the job. I know this is the biggest payday I have ever had!”

Liebsch is grateful for the money, which “gives me some breathing room.” Liebsch made sure to point out the sacrifices that his family has made to keep him skiing. With a degree in engineering, Liebsch could take home a good paycheck in the professional world, and “I wouldn’t have to be the best engineer to earn that paycheck.”

Matt credits his community for making it “financially feasible to continue training and racing.” This fall, Liebsch and community members revived Team Birkie, the Twin Cities based development program Steve Gaskill founded in the 90s. Today’s Team Birkie provides masters access to elite-level support and coaching by Liebsch. In turn, these masters give some financial and logistical support for Liebsch. He says, “They are a huge part of why I am skiing so well.” Matt explains their support, as well payouts at events like the Tour, “take the financial burden off my shoulders.”

Women’s 15km results HERE.
Men’s 20km results HERE.

January 29, 2012 (Bartlett, NH) – On the opening day of the University of New Hampshire Carnival (Jan. 27), both the Dartmouth men’s and women’s Nordic teams pulled the rug out from underneath UVM, sweeping the men’s podium and winning the women’s classic sprint as well.

With the giant slalom cancelled due to unfavorable racing conditions, Dartmouth double poled its way to the top of the carnival leader board with 274 points. The University of Vermont currently sits second with 219, and Middlebury is third with 171. Host institution UNH is in a heated tie for fourth place with Bates.

The Dartmouth men went 1-2-3 in the final sprint with defending NCAA champion Sam Tarling leading the pack. Tarling’s title is in the freestyle event, so perhaps it was not so curious to see him racing on skate skis for the classic sprint. He commented, “I used skate skis today because it’s a long, flat finish and a mostly flat course. I felt great, my skate skis were really fast, and I had good energy all day.” He was joined on the podium by Bates Carnival 10k classic winner Eric Packer and  Gordon Vermeer.

The strength of the Dartmouth men’s Nordic team is undeniable this year, and Tarling added, “We have eight guys who can be in the top 5. We had to leave people off the carnival team who could be scoring for us, so we’re pretty confident.” Harvard’s Chris Stock also made the final and finished fourth.

While the women’s race was more hotly contested between Dartmouth and UVM, the Big Green’s Sophie Caldwell led the charge and had the race all but locked up heading into the final straightaway. Cruising through a wintry mix of steady precipitation and across the finish line, she was followed in alternating fashion by UVM’s Caitlin Patterson, Dartmouth’s Annie Hart, Catamount Lucy Garrec, her teammate and sister Isabel Caldwell, and Vermont’s Anja Gruber.

To further illustrate the dominance of these two teams, the first non-Dartmouth or UVM skier to place was Bowdoin’s Kaitlynn Miller in ninth. Elizabeth Guiney of UNH was tenth and her Wildcat teammate Annika Taylor was eleventh.

Alpine racing resumes tomorrow (Jan. 28) with slaloms at Attitash Mountain Resort while the Nordics race freestyle at Jackson XC.

Women’s XC Day 1
Men’s XC Day 1

Team scores at the conclusion of Day 1 Nordic races of UNH Carnival:
Dartmouth College – 274
University of Vermont – 219
Middlebury College – 171
Bates College – 132
University of New Hampshire – 132
Williams College – 121
Harvard University – 119
Colby College – 105
St. Lawrence University – 99
Universite’ Laval – 96
Bowdoin College – 90
University of Maine – Presque Isle – 43
St. Michael’s College – 36

Day 2 – Dartmouth’s Sophie Caldwell claims her second victory

With results from the slalom races counting doubly towards overall scores at the UNH Carnival, Vermont secured its second win of the season on Saturday (Jan. 28) by accumulating 1,021 points to Dartmouth’s 873. The University of New Hampshire, who had been in a heated tie for fourth place heading into Saturday’s races, clawed its way into third on the performances of its alpine and women’s Nordic squads, tallying 710 points in total.

Dartmouth’s Sophie Caldwell claimed her second victory of the carnival weekend and maintained her podium streak in the mass start women’s 15k freestyle. Teammate Erika Flowers was third, and UVM’s Caitlin Patterson split the Big Green by crossing the line in second. Elizabeth Guiney of UNH was the top non-Dartmouth/UVM finisher in tenth, and she led her team to a third place result.

In the men’s 20k freestyle race, Eric Packer and Sam Tarling of Dartmouth took first and third, respectively, while UVM’s Franz Bernstein finished second. Patrick Johnson of Middlebury–a familiar podium name–was fourth.

With the cancellation of the giant slalom races due to unfavorable racing conditions on Friday, Saturday’s slalom contests carried doubled weight in team scoring for the carnival. Slick conditions at the gates contrasted the sugary berms that developed below, and many athletes struggled to put two clean runs together. UVM once again swept the men’s podium and took first and second in the women’s race as well. On the fourth and fifth place finishes of Zach Clayton and Sam Coffey, UNH scored second as a team in the men’s event.

Tim Kelley, defending NCAA slalom champion and slalom race winner for the second weekend in a row, trailed his teammate Kevin Drury after the first run. But Kelley had a plan, “After slipping, it looked like the track was better after the sugar was [skied] off. I knew it was going to be hard [for second run], so I just attacked it.” Teammate Kate Ryley asserted it was actually the Kanye West pump-up music Kelley listened to on the lift before his run that ensured the win.

Jonathan Nordbotten (left), Tim Kelley (center), and Bobby Farrell (right) complete the podium sweep in the men’s slalom

Ryley herself found the second step of the podium behind fellow Catamount Elli Terwiel who, along with Kelley, is now two-for-two in EISA slalom races this season. Williams Eph Laurel Carter claimed third to break up a near UVM podium sweep in the women’s race as well.

EISA racing moves to Stowe, Vt. on Friday (Feb. 3) for the UVM Carnival.

Women’s XC Day 2
Men’s XC Day 2

Team scores at the conclusion of the UNH Carnival:
University of Vermont – 1021
Dartmouth College – 873
University of New Hampshire – 710
Middlebury College – 639
Williams College – 604
Colby College – 516
Bates College – 435
St. Lawrence University – 396
Harvard University – 316
St. Michael’s College – 226
Bowdoin College – 158
Plymouth State University – 98
Boston College – 74
University of Maine – Presque Isle – 66
Colby-Sawyer College – 60

January 26, 2012 (Minneapolis, MN) – Skiers have reached the midpoint of the 5-stage Tour De Twin Cities. On Wednesday evening, racers contested a prologue skate sprint under the lights at Wirth Park. The 1.4 kilometer course started on the high point of Wirth, gradually descended 60 feet, and then climbed back to the top.

With temperatures sitting right around 32 degrees, the man-made snow transformed to the point of being lightning fast. From the side of the course, it was apparent that some athletes were struggling to find the line between skiing with power versus slipping into a frantic tempo. The results confirmed a fast course: the top four male athletes finished within the same second, and the top three women were split by only one second.

The men’s race saw three new athletes on the podium. Tim Reynolds (Craftsbury Green Racing Team) took the win and the $250 bonus awarded to the sprint winner. Second and third went to Patrick O’Brien (Craftsbury) and Mark Iverson (APUNSC). Just 8 tenths of a second out of the win, and 1 hundredth of a second behind Iverson. Samuel Naney (Methow Olympic Development/Madshus) was oh-so-close to the podium in fourth.

On the women’s side, Jennie Bender (CXC) recorded the win and claimed the $250 bonus. With the overall victory in mind, Bender says, “I am in a little bit better position for this weekend.” Second place went to Lauren Fritz (APUNSC), and Caitlin Gregg (CXC) was third.

This was the last Minneapolis event of the Tour, as the races move to the St. Paul area for next weekend’s final events. With three races complete, Team Strong Heart’s Matt Liebsch (fifth in the sprint) has a solid lead in the overall classification with Sylvan Ellefson  (SSC Vail) 19 points behind. After her win, Jennie Bender has the lead in the overall classification by just 4 points over Caitlin Gregg.

January 25, 2012 (Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN) – The first-ever Tour de Twin Cities kicked off on Saturday with the classic individual start races. The inaugural Tour, also part of the USSA SuperTour series, consists of five races at two venues in the “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul.  At each of the races, skiers earn points towards an overall ranking and a total of $7,900 in prize money per gender.

Like so much of the United States, Minnesota is suffering from a snow drought and had less than an inch of snow on the ground for the start of competition. Fortunately, race directors had a low-snow plan for the Wirth Park venue – a 3-kilometer man-made snow loop with sufficient climbing, descending, and cornering for an international caliber race. Women did two laps and men did three, for a total of six and nine kilometers, respectively.

With Jessie Diggins – virtually undefeated on U.S. soil this season – in Europe competing in World Cups, the other ladies of the SuperTour had a chance to shine. Diggins’ teammate, Jennie Bender, who now makes her home in the Twin Cities as part of CXC, seized the opportunity, for her first SuperTour win of the season.  “I made sure to really work the transitions. Classic is my strong technique so I was gearing for a win to gain points towards next weekend.”

Rosie Brennan (APUNSC/Rossignol) finished second, ten seconds back. Caitlin Gregg, of CXC and Minneapolis, earned the bronze.

In the men’s competition, Matt Liebsch (Team Strong Heart) won by the narrowest of margins, 4-tenths of a second over Team Homegrown’s Sylvan Ellefson (SSC Vail). Liebsch had the opportunity to capitalize on the crowd’s energy. Since he was raised in the northern portion of the Twin Cities, and skied for the University of Minnesota Ski Club, Liebsch was the emotional favorite. CXC’s Karl Nygren, who also grew up in the Twin Cities, did his hometown proud by finishing third.

Day 2 – 10/15km Skate Individual Start
On Sunday, the second day of the Tour De Twin Cities, it was another case of hometown favorites making good. The individual start skate event utilized the 3-kilometer man-made snow loop at Minneapolis’ Wirth Park.  In order to keep the traffic under control and minimize lap counting, race distances were cut from 20 to 15 kilometers for men and 15 to 10 kilometers for women.

Local hero Liebsch started the day with a target on his back after winning day one by less than a second over Ellefson. Despite the pressure, Liebsch came up on top again, this time beating out Tad Elliott (USST /Team Homegrown) by 12 seconds. Ellefson failed to avenge his day one loss, and instead skied to third. Notably, Brian Gregg of CXC, finished fourth for the second day in a row earning valuable points towards the overall tour classification.

Overall it was a solid day of racing for the Greggs, who live near the venue, as Caitlin, Brian’s better half, showed poise weaving through the lap traffic, to earn the women’s victory by over 15 seconds. Though happy with her win, she really delighted in competing at home: “Racing in front of a home town, on courses right out your door is always a ‘winning situation.’ No matter how I finished, I was psyched to be a part of an event that brought the community together either through racing, organizing, volunteering or spectating! It was a beautiful weekend to be a skier in Minneapolis!”

Chelsea Holmes (Sun Valley SEF), who finished just off the podium on day one, had a better result, finishing second behind Gregg. Maria Stuber, a long-time Midwestern competitor, now racing for Craftsbury, skied to third.

Results

Day 1 Women’s 6km CL HERE.
Day 1 Men’s 9km CL HERE.

Day 2 Women’s 10km FR HERE.
Day 2 Men’s 15km FR HERE.

USSA SuperTour Standings HERE.

January 25, 2012 – The western collegiate RMSIA series kicked off in Steamboat Springs at the Hawelsen Hill Nordic Center with the Colorado Spencer Nelson Memorial Invitational on Jan. 13-14 and then moved on to Tabernash, Colo. at Devil’s Thumb Ranch for the Denver Invitational competitions Jan. 20-21. Here’s a wrap up as Utah is out front with the next event in Alaska.

Utah Extends Lead At CU Invitational
Friday, January 13, 2012

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Utah extended its lead over the host Colorado Buffaloes to 64 points after the start of the Nordic season Friday here with the freestyle races at the Hawelsen Hill Nordic Center as part of the University of Colorado Spencer Nelson Memorial Invitational.

Utah earned the top two spots and three in the top five to score 136 points in the men’s 10K freestyle race and after the Buffaloes countered by winning the women’s race, although not by as big of a margin, the Utes look in good shape to win the event with one day remaining.

Utah has scored 702 points to the Buffaloes 638, who then hold an 80 point advantage over third place Denver (558). There the scoreboard tightens up, as the Pioneers hold just 10 points over fourth place New Mexico (548) with Alaska Anchorage just another 22 points back with 526. Sixth place Montana State was nearly as impressive as the Utes Friday and scored a combined 224 points to stand at an even 500.

In two drastically different set of results, in the women’s race six of the seven Nordic teams each put a skier in the top six, whereas in the men’s race, Utah and Montana State each put three racers in the top six.

Utah’s Didrik Smith won the men’s interval start race in a time of 24:40.1. His teammate, Miles Havlick, finished just over a second back at 24:41.4. Montana State then took spots 3-4 with Michael Schallinger earning the final podium spot in a time of 24:51.9 while teammate Tyler Reinking was a few seconds back at 24:59.1 Utah’s Tom Smith rounded out the top five in a time of 25:13.5 while the Bobcats’ David Norris was his squad’s third finisher in a time of 25:48.8.

Utah scored 136 points, just six away from a perfect score, while Montana State put up an impressive 122 points. The Buffaloes were third in the race some 32 points back at 90.

Colorado’s Joanne Reid won the women’s race by almost 10 seconds and was the only skier under the 15 minute mark, as she finished the 5K race in a time of 14:52.5. Alaska Anchorage’s Jaime Brogna took second in a time of 15:01.9 with New Mexico’s Linn Klaesson also hitting the podium with a time of 15:05.4. Montana State’s Jessica Yeaton finished fourth in a time of 15:17.7 with Utah’s Rose Kemp in fifth (15:21.4) and Denver’s Kate Dolan (15:32.9) taking sixth, giving each of the six NCAA teams in the RMISA one finisher in the top six.

The Buffaloes won the race by a narrow margin, earning 108 points to edge out both Alaska Anchorage and Montana State, who also hit triple figures at 102 points.

The CU Invitational concludes Saturday with the 10K women’s and 15K men’s classical races at Hawelsen Hill. Meanwhile in alpine action, the Denver Invitational gets underway with the giant slalom races at Winter Park.

Results HERE. 

Utah Wins CU Invitational; Takes Lead At DU Invitational
Saturday, January 14, 2012

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS & WINTER PARK, Colo. – The University of Utah had a great all-around day, doing enough in Nordic action at Steamboat Springs to hang on to win the University of Colorado/Spencer Nelson Memorial Invitational, and then throwing yet another great alpine day in the books to lead the Denver Invitational at the conclusion of the giant slalom events.

The host Buffaloes put pressure on Utah in an attempted comeback, but it fell short although CU chipped 40 points off the lead Utah possessed through six events. Utah finished with 896 points to the Buffs total of 872. Alaska Anchorage surged to third with 741 points, followed by Denver with 732 points. Montana State edged out New Mexico by a point (707-706) for fifth place and then associate RMISA members Westminster College (293), Wyoming (183) and Colorado Mountain College (87) round out the standings.

The CU men won the 15K classical race, racking up 122 points off the strength of a 3-4-6 finish. In the women’s 10K classical race, the Buffaloes scored 112 points, second to Alaska Anchorage’s amazing performance of 130 points which included a 1-2 finish. Utah had a solid performance on the men’s side with 105 points, good for third behind CU and Montana State, and then finished fifth in the men’s race, although just four points out of third in a cluster in the middle of the pack.

Indeed, the story of the day on the CU Invitational front was that of Alaska Anchorage and Montana State. The Seawolves surged into third place to finish ahead of Denver by nine points while Montana State finished out a strong Nordic performance that allowed the Bobcats to edge out New Mexico for fifth place. Montana State racked up 431 points on the Nordic side, just one point behind leader and host Colorado (432).

Jamie Brogna won the women’s race in a time of 31:53.0 with teammate Laura Rombach taking second in 32:22.4. CU then finished 3-4 with Joanne Reid (32:35.1) and Eliska Hajkova (32:42.2) followed by Utah’s Rose Kemp, who rounded out the top five in a time of 32:45.5.

Montana State’s David Norris won the men’s race in a time of 40:14.6, who edged out Utah’s Miles Havlick in a sprint at the end by just four-tenths of a second (40:15.0). Like the women’s race, CU finished 3-4 with Rune Oedegaard taking third in 40:32.8 and Vegard Kjoelhamar four seconds back at 40:36.8. Montana State’s Tyler Reinking rounded out the top five in a time of 40:43.2.

Meanwhile while the Nordic teams wrapped up the CU Invitational, the alpine teams got the next meet, the Denver Invitational, underway at Winter Park with giant slalom races. Utah won both races, racking up an impressive 133 points in the women’s race and 107 in the men’s race.

With 240 points, Utah leads Colorado by 21, which finished second in both races and has 219 points. Alaska Anchorage is third with 192 points while the host Pioneers are fourth with 184 points.

Much like the team standings, the Utes won both races with the Buffaloes finishing as a runner up in both races. In the women’s race, Tii-Maria Romar won in a time of 1:58.91 while Shane McLean was the only other skier under two minutes with 1:59.60. Utah and Colorado then continued the see-saw standings as the Utes Jamie DuPratt took third (2:00.73) with CU’s Erika Ghent fourth (2:00.89) and Utah’s Julie Bordeau rounded out the top five with a time of 2:01.01.

On the men’s side, Utah’s Nick Cohee won the race in a time of 1:56.01 with Colorado’s Adam Zika taking second (1:56.31). New Mexico’s Armin Triendl also hit the podium in a time of 1:56.56 while Westminster College’s Petter Brenna taking fourth (1:56.91), edging out Denver’s Espen Lysdahl, just three-hundredths back at 1:56.94. All five skiers were within a second.

Next up for the Denver Invitational will be the slalom races on Sunday at Winter Park with action beginning at 9:30 a.m. MT. The DU meet will conclude next week at Devil’s Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colo., with Nordic action.

Results HERE.

Utes Extend Lead At Denver Invitational
Friday, January 20, 2012

TABERNASH, Colo. – The University of Utah ski team had three podium finishers in Friday’s classical races to extend its lead here at Devil’s Thumb Ranch through six races in the Denver Invitational. Parker Tyler won the women’s race while Miles Havlick took second and Didrik Smith third in the men’s race to all but ensure the Utes of a second title in as many western meets this season.

With their performances, the Utes extended a 27 point lead over second place Colorado to a 72 point lead with Saturday’s freestyle races closing out the Denver Invitational and the first third of the season.

Through the six events, Utah has compiled 694 points to the Buffaloes 622. Host Denver is in third place with 570 points while Alaska Anchorage and New Mexico are both over the 500-point plateau with 553 and 534, respectively. Montana State sits sixth with 459 points.

The Pioneers opened the day winning the 5K interval start women’s race with 118 points, barely beating out Alaska Anchorage, who compiled 117 while the Utes were right there with 112.

The women’s race individually was much closer than the men’s race. Tyler’s winning time of 21:57.1 was the only sub-22 minute mark but the podium winners were all within 5.8 seconds. DU won the race on the strength of a 2-3 finish by Kate Dolan (22:01.8) and Makayla Cappel (22:02.5). Alaska Anchorage’s second place finish was on the strength of a 4-5-6 finish as Jaime Brogna took fourth in 22:16.2, Steffi Hiemer fifth in 22:18.4 and Laura Rombach sixth in 22:42.6. The top 10 racers were all within a minute.

Unlike the women’s race both in terms of both team scoring and individual times, the men’s race was much more one-sided. The Utes ran away with the race, finishing 2-3-7 to compile 126 points, 11 ahead of second place Colorado, who was paced by Rune Oedegaard, who won the race by 32.8 seconds.

Oedegaard’s winning time of 32:52.7 was about a half-minute ahead of the two Utes in second and third, Miles Havlick (37:26.5) and Didrik Smith (32:29.2). Those two were about 30 seconds ahead of fourth place Lasse Moelgaard (37:52.9) and fifth place Tyler Reinking (37:54.7).

The Nordic teams are back in action here Saturday morning beginning with the men’s 15K freestyle race, set for a mass start at 9 a.m. MT, followed by the 10K women’s race, also a mass start, set for 10:30 a.m.

Results HERE.

Utah Wins Denver Invitational
Saturday, January 21, 2012 – by Curtis Snyder, RMISA

TABERNASH, Colo. – The University of Utah continued its western dominance Saturday by winning the 2012 Denver Invitational here at Devil’s Thumb Ranch, the Utes second win in as many meets this season.

Neither Utah team won its race as the meet concluded with the 10K women’s and 15K men’s freestyle races, both with a mass start, but the men still accumulated 124 points, enabling the team to reach the impressive 900-point plateau for the meet, a feat only accomplished eight times since the scoring system changed three years ago.

Colorado edged out Utah on the men’s side behind Rune Oedegaard’s win, his second straight as he swept the men’s Nordic races. He’s the first skier this season to sweep races in the RMISA, both alpine and Nordic, and the first men’s Nordic skier to sweep races since former Buff Matt Gelso accomplished the feat in the midst of a five-race win streak at the 2010 RMISA Championships.

Oedegaard’s winning time was 48:14.5 and he edged out a pair of Utah skiers by less than five seconds. Didrik Smith was second in 48:18.6 and Miles Havlick third in 48:19.2 Montana State’s Tyler Reinking took fourth in 48:27.8 while the Buffs Vegard Kjoelhamar rounded out the top five in a time of 48:48.0.

CU’s edged out Utah by two points, 126-124, on the strength of finishing 1-5-6 vs. the Utes’ 2-3-8.

In women’s action, Alaska Anchorage’s Jaime Bronga won her second race of the year, out sprinting Colorado’s Eliska Hajkova at the finish to win with a time of 36:59.5 to Hajkova’s 37:05.1. The Seawolves dominated the race, racking up 133 points on the strength of a 1-3-5 finish. Laura Rombach also hit the podium in a time of 37:23.6 while New Mexico’s Clara Chauvet edged out Steffi Hiemer for fourth place.

The Seawolves surged into third place past the host Pioneers on the strength of the women’s race. Utah’s 902 points won the meet by 57 as the Buffaloes remained in second with 845. The Seawolves finished with 770 points, just 18 points ahead of Denver’s total of 752. New Mexico also hit the 700-point plateau with 705.

Next up on the RMISA schedule is a trip to Alaska for a pair of meets. A total of eight races will take place between February 6-11 (Feb. 8-11 for alpine action). The first of each race will be calculated in the Alaska Anchorage Invitational while the second race of each discipline will be the Seawolf Invitational.

The last time the RMISA went to Alaska was in 2009 for a double meet when the Seawolves won one and the Buffaloes the other.

Results HERE.

January 24, 2012 – I MADE IT! Ten years from now I can just picture myself laughing, in reflection: “Remember the time when I raced the entire Tour de Ski with a broken wrist after falling on Christmas Day?!” 

I can even chuckle at this feat now, as I stare at my computer over a cup of coffee.  The dust has finally settled. I have a while before another race attempt.  Rob is on a plane home (I hope to see him in April!) I am away from the team for the first time since flying to Europe mid-November.

Yep. While the Canadian men’s team is lying on the beach in the Canary Islands I opted for my own version of R & R. Months ago I remembered getting an email from my friend Kathy announcing that she and her husband were selling everything and moving to Italy. Back in the day I got to know Bill & Kathy when I coached their two kids at West High School.  Since then Kathy has been a member of my women’s group back in Anchorage.  Part way through the Tour I was able to track down some contact info for them (with some help!) and they agreed to let me crash out at their house for a while.

I’ve only been here a few hours but it was incredible to sleep in & walk downstairs and make what I want for breakfast, when I want it. When opening their cupboards I find familiar things like Life Cereal, Organic Valley Milk & El Paso Taco Shells.  This funny mixture of Italian and American is a result of Kathy’s job working as a school nurse on the Aviano Military Base.  They have access to the commissary grocery store where I suppose, they feel the need to offer American things to the Americans working here.

Kathy & Bill are some of the most gracious, kind people I know I am so grateful to have a “home away from home” here in Italy. There is no snow here in Aviano but funny enough, Kathy brought her roller skis from Alaska so I might take a spin on those later this week!  (You’ve gotta love those Alaska girls!)  It’s been really fun so far to take a peek into their new lives and I am incredibly thankful that they’ve accommodated me so much.

It’s been fun to bit** about the aspects of Europe that are tough – for example, the inability to get anything done. Here in Italy everything is “Domani, Domani” which means, “tomorrow, tomorrow!”  When living life on the road (such as I am) you must become accustomed to a lack of productivity. For example, it may take all flipping day to figure out how and where to do a load of laundry.  Back home in the states, laundry would be one of 101 things you might get done any given day. They can relate to bad Internet, the ten hour time difference, and the difficulty of staying in touch with loved ones back at home.

Enough about laundry & ravioli and back to the Tour!!

Each day I had to put my ego aside and accept that my results weren’t what they had been earlier this season.  Each day I questioned myself, trying to figure out if I was doing the right thing. Was I hurting myself by continuing to race? Was turning in sub-par results adding or taking away from my case? All I knew was that I love to race, I have worked my butt off to be over here, racing in Europe. I knew that there were many, many other ski racers who would have loved to be in my position. There were also countless people back at home who had gone above and beyond to help me be here, racing the Tour.

Early on, even before I had my proper diagnosis I knew that I would finish the Tour if it killed me. I owed it to myself, my family & friends, my coaches, and my teammates.  My visual through all of this is one of those little sea snails that hooks onto a rock and won’t let go, despite the crashing waves on it’s back. Even though there were some significant odds against me, I got back on the starting line each and everyday.

In the Oberstdorf pursuit I had a bit of bad luck…. I had a great start to the race & my skis were good. Then, literally one minute into the race the group went down a big downhill with a turn at the bottom. All the girls in front of me start “power-plowing” (snow plowing) like mad and I felt like I was going to smash into them. I quickly busted out a snow plow too – but it was too quick. I caught an edge and went down really, really hard. I got up quick but lost all my momentum and the entire field was gone. I was absolutely dead last by 100 meters. I then spent the rest of the race trying to catch the entire field that had one another to work with and draft off of.

This picture doesn’t quite do my legs justice but needless to say, they were bruised. Liz said I had “alpine bruises!”

Some days I would look at the results, and some days I would simply walk away from the finish line, choosing to reflect on my race via technique, feeling, and subjective analysis.  The objective number, place, and time back doesn’t always help.  I looked at each race as a learning opportunity. I learned a ton about new venues, new formats, and my competitors. Each time someone passed me I would take a mental note of what they were doing differently.  The last venue, at Val di Fiemme, is also the site of the 2013 World Championships. While I’m not particularly proud of my individual performance there, I have now raced the course where a new World Champion will be named next year. I now have an intimate and personal knowledge of the hills and how to prepare to take them on next winter.

Cross Country skiing, and really most sports are full of competitive people, people who do each and every little thing in their power to “win” the race or come out on top. While we might not like to dwell on this fact, our goal is to beat our competitors and often a good race necessitates having one’s name above that of their competitors on the results sheet.

Throughout this whole ordeal, one of my friends sent me a few emails outlining some important facts.  First, he told me, “Holly, you are more than your results.”  While this is an incredibly simple point, sometimes it’s easy to forget. I’ve found myself, and seen some of my teammates fall into a pattern of self worth being directly tied to their placing in races.  Did I score World Cup points today or not? Did I have a personal best today or not? Especially for our team (USA) that has what I’ve called the “proximity disadvantage” (the inability to go home and rest) this can really plague us and if you’re not careful, it can be a downward spiral.

So. I am more than my results and so are my teammates. We are human and not everything is perfect all the time.

Second, he sent me a link to a speech given by John Wooden, perhaps the most articulate 92 year old on the face of the planet. (Wooden is a retired UCLA basketball coach and professor.)  In his speech, Wooden outlines his version of success which he pointedly admits is much different than the Mariam Webster Dictionary definition:

(You can see his whole, 18-minute speech here if you’re interested) 

I thought about that for quite a spell, and I wanted to come up with my own definition. I thought that might help. And I knew how Mr. Webster defined it: as the accumulation of material possessions or the attainment of a position of power or prestige, or something of that sort — worthy accomplishments perhaps, but in my opinion not necessarily indicative of success. So I wanted to come up with something of my own.

And I recalled — I was raised on a small farm in Southern Indiana and Dad tried to teach me and my brothers that you should never try to be better than someone else. I’m sure at the time he did that, I didn’t — it didn’t — well, somewhere, I guess in the hidden recesses of mind, it popped out years later.Never try to be better than someone else, always learn from others. Never cease trying to be the best you can be — that’s under your control. If you get too engrossed and involved and concerned in regard to the things over which you have no control, it will adversely affect the things over which you have control. 

From those things, and one other perhaps, I coined my own definition of success, which is: peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do the best of which you’re capable. I believe that’s true. If you make the effort to do the best of which you’re capable, to try and improve the situation that exists for you, I think that’s success. And I don’t think others can judge that. I think it’s like character and reputation. Your reputation is what you are perceived to be; your character is what you really are. And I think that character is much more important than what you are perceived to be. You’d hope they’d both be good,but they won’t necessarily be the same. Well, that was my idea that I was going to try to get across to the youngsters.

This notion became my second mantra of the Tour.  My goal was to be the best and do the best that I could do, without comparing myself to others.  Now this is much, much harder than it sounds because like I said before, the essence of sports in many people’s mind is what page your name falls on for results; or what step of the podium you stand on.  However, without doing better than some of my competitors, I wouldn’t be here in Europe, having the opportunities that I’ve had.  Sports aren’t a big “Kumbaya” where everyone holds hands and tries to cross the finish line for a tie – not even in the slightest. The difference is, however, that when you focus on having a good race for yourself, and do the best that you can do, the results and improvement will come. I believe what John Wooden is saying is that if you focus on what others are doing, rather than trying to improve your own “game” it will work against those measures of success.  Instead, if you focus on improving your striding, or your mental game during races, the good results will fall in your lap. Not without effort, of course, but the point being, focus on what you can do, rather than being upset that you cannot do what others have done.

In my specific case moving forward, I need not focus on the races that I’m missing and the World Cup points that my competitors are accumulating but rather, what kind of productive PT can I do for my wrist to heel my injury & how I can stay in shape while doing so.

What is my plan now? My plan consists of skipping the next couple race weekends. As much as it pains me to opt out of racing opportunities, I know the priority needs to be on getting better; on healing.  A couple weeks ago I had a quote about how every single second in a race is important; that even wiping the snot off your face could cost a place on the results sheet.  The reality is, every decrement in performance, whether it’s 1% or 10% will result in a quick slip down the results list.  Therefore, my plan is to skip the sprints in Milan this weekend, the classic double header in Oteppa, Estonia next weekend, and the city sprint in Moscow.  Most likely, my next world cup starts will be in early February in Rybinsk, Russia.  There is a 10k mass start skate race and a 15k pursuit. Following Russia I hope to race in the Czech Republic & Poland as well.

Until later & thanks so much for all the support!

Love,

Holly 🙂

PS. I had one day after the Tour to spend with Rob before his departure.  Considering I am here in Europe November – March it’s tough missing loved ones.  My mom actually inspired and treated us to this wonderful “date.”  We took the gondola up Latemar, a big ski area and took the Alpine slide, had lunch, etc.  We were celebrating New Years, Valentine’s Day & his birthday since I won’t see him again until spring 🙁

(Thanks Mom!)

January 24, 2012 (Rumford, ME) – The EISA season kicked off with the Bates Carnival from Jan. 20-21. The alpine races were  contested at Sunday River in Newry, Maine, while the Nordic events were held at Black Mountain in Rumford, Maine.

Day 1
EISA schools patiently awaited the start of Carnival races over the past few weeks. When racing finally kicked off today (Jan. 20) with the Bates College Carnival at Sunday River and Black Mountain in Maine, the University of Vermont could not be thwarted.

On the opening day of the Bates Carnival, Vermont didn’t just fire the missiles; they launched the nukes. Of a total twelve podium spots up for grabs, Catamount racers locked up eight and scored a head-turning 531 points.

Lucy Garrec (UVM) won the women’s 5km freestyle race and was joined on the podium by teammate Caitlin Patterson. It was Garrec’s first collegiate freestyle victory, and after the race she noted, “I felt like the [5km freestyle] course suited me and allowed me to be light and quick.” Sophie Caldwell of Dartmouth finished third. The Bates women made an impressive move into third place with solid results from Beth Taylor, sixth, and Hallie Grossman, eleventh.

The Big Green retaliated in the men’s 10km freestyle race when Sam Tarling took second, Eric Packer third, and Gordon Vermeer fourth for Dartmouth. Race winner Patrick Johnson has returned to his Middlebury team with evidenced strength this season, and Vermont’s Franz Bernstein found the podium in third.

Day 2
Led by a second alpine podium sweep in the men’s races on Saturday (Jan. 21), the University of Vermont extended its convincing lead to take a noteworthy win at the Bates Carnival. The Catamounts once again broke the 1000-point mark, tallying 1004 total points over runner-up Dartmouth who posted 837. Middlebury was third with 699.

Two areas of weakness for the Catamounts were capitalized upon by other teams. In the men’s 10k classic at Black Mountain, Eric Packer of Dartmouth timed his decisive break perfectly in the final kilometer to secure the victory. He noted that his coach’s specific training plan leading into the season was beneficial, “Ruff [Patterson] frequently had us do head-to-head intervals to mimic the chaos of mass start racing, and that type of workout really paid off today in the hectic, short distance mass start.” He was flanked on the podium by Vermont’s Franz Bernstein in second and Middlebury standout Patrick Johnson in third.

The women’s 10k classic leader board developed predictably with UVM and Dartmouth duking it out in alternating fashion. Vermont’s Caitlin Patterson returned to her familiar spot in the winner’s column while fellow Catamounts Amy Glen and Lucy Garrec finished second and fourth, respectively. Dartmouth’s Sophie Caldwell snagged third and the Big Green placed its other two scoring racers, Anne Hart and Isabel Caldwell, well inside the top 10.

EISA action continues Jan. 27-28 with the University of New Hampshire Carnival at Attitash Mountain Resort and the Jackson XC Center.

Final team scores at the conclusion of the Bates Carnival:
University of Vermont – 1004
Dartmouth College – 837
Middlebury College – 699

Results HERE.
Full breakdown of team scores available HERE.

January 23, 2012 – The other day, while I was at the CBC filming the highlight show on the Tour de Ski, I was asked by Scott Russell if I thought that this generation of male racers was the best in Canadian history. At the time I replied that this group of Devon Kershaw, Alex Harvey, Ivan Babikov, Len Valjas and others were at least as good as the group that was led by Pierre Harvey and included Yves Bilodeau, Al Pilcher, Alain Masson, Wayne Dustin and Dany Bouchard.

After the results of the Tour de Ski and the stunning, gutsy 3rd place by Devon Kershaw that followed the 4th place by Alex Harvey in Otepaa I now think that this group is better.

While it seems that you can have good results in sprint races when you are young, doing well in men’s distance racing on the World Cup is the hardest thing to do in xc ski racing. It takes talent, years and years of commitment to training and a strong national program to create these results.

It starts, I think, with a strong national program that can find, develop and support international skiers. Canadian NST head Tom Holland and the rest of the staff at Cross Country Canada have worked tirelessly for years to create this program. They continue to have great coaching and support staff in place led by Justin Wadsworth and a strong training center system with strong coaches that can develop our talented skiers. As well, CCC supports a system of strong clubs that are capable of finding, developing and producing great skiers. While the Canadian women’s program is starting to rebound the American women’s team keeps getting better and better.

In addition to the expertise and hard work of the professional staff and volunteers a strong system also needs the resources and funding to run programs and fund teams. This is a Catch 22 in that in order to receive funding you need results internationally. The Canadian men’s Team has achieved those results consistently over the past few years (before that it was the women’s team led by Beckie Scott, Sara Renner and Chandra Crawford) and as a result they receive good funding from Sport Canada, Own the Podium and sponsors. Of course, this could always be better and CCC is working hard to raise more funds. The USST has little government funding and must rely solely on sponsors and USOC funding so they struggle more to find these resources.

Having strong organizing committees that are willing to risk hosting World Cups is also essential. As well as giving our skiers home field advantage, races in North American also expose the next level of skier to the highest level of racing. This helps those that are fortunate enough to race and others who are able to watch the racing live or on TV. Next season there will be two World Cups in Canada – one at Canmore and the other on the streets of Quebec City. These races should be televised in Canada and the US.

This also highlights an area that needs growth in Canada and the US. There is no consistent source of TV or internet coverage of xc ski racing that can be seen unless you watch pirated webcasts very early in the morning. In order to create xc ski racing heroes for our kids they need to be able to see the top skiers from North America and the rest of the world racing every week the same way aspiring football, basketball and hockey players can see the best in the world playing on TV almost every night during their seasons.

This increased visual coverage will also bring more sponsors and money to the sport. Imagine what would happen if more business and corporate CEO’s and Marketing Directors could see Devon, Alex, Kikkan Randall and the other top xc skiers on a weekly basis throughout the winter. They would be much more likely to spend their marketing dollars on a sport and athletes that they see more often.

It is a pleasure now to report on the results of the North American skiers who race on the World Cup. Every week and every race has someone near the top of the field. In looking at the developing skiers I can also see many strong young male and female skiers like Jessie Diggins (an amazing 18th on Sunday) who will make their mark in years to come. Of course, there is room for improvement in any system and as the old saying goes “if you are not improving then you will be left behind”. Kudos go to the leaders in Canada and US for their vision and hard work. Kudos also go to the skiers and coaches who make it all happen.

It is time for North Americans to stop thinking that we are inferior in xc skiing to Scandinavians and other Europeans. We have the systems and the skiers to compete with the best in the world. Right now Kikkan Randall is 4th overall and the leader in the women’s sprint World Cup. Devon Kershaw is 5th overall on the men’s World Cup and Alex Harvey is 8th. With increased media coverage and resources this system can produce more and more top skiers in the future so that both programs can increase their depth.

Remember when I stated before Xmas that Petter Northug and Marit Bjoergen had the overall World Cup sewed up for the season? Well, there is a reason why I am 250th in the SkiTrax World Cup fantasy pool and why I don’t gamble on horses! Dario Cologna has taken a big lead in the men’s standings and with Northug now missing World Cups to train for and race in World Loppet races it looks like Cologna is the one to beat for the men. He has 1,474 points to 1,181 for Northug and 843 for Marcus Hellner who is 3rd.

Watching Justina Kowalczyk power her way up the big hill on the course in Otepaa on Sunday leads me to believe that she has a great chance to beat Bjoergen. She is only 62 points behind Bjoergen now and has been getting closer every week. Kowalczyk is the defending overall champion and she has shown that she can ski fast all year long. She is on snow for over 340 days a year and has trained this year to win the Tour de Ski and the overall cup. Bjoergen has trained with the same goals so it will be fun to see who comes out on top. As in the men’s race there is really no one else who is close enough to have a chance to beat these two skiers.

There is a one week break on the World Cup this weekend. Many nations hold their National Championships during this break. Petter Northug will race on Thursday in the Norwegian Championships and then will travel to Italy to race in the Marcialonga Marathon cup race. This is the first of three marathons that he will race this year. It is 70km long and he will try to do it double poling the whole distance. This has become the standard in most of the classic marathon races. He is also planning on double poling the 90km Vasaloppet in Sweden in March.

Many of the North American skiers are training in Ramsau, Austria before travelling to Russia for the World Cups starting with a sprint race in Moscow on February 2nd. I hope that you have great skiing where you are and you get out and enjoy your winter.

January 22, 2012 (Otepaa, Estonia) – It was a great day for Canada’s Devon Kershaw in Otepaa with a bronze medal performance in the men’s 15km classic and yet another podium for the Canadian team in as many days. In fact it was Kershaw’s best-ever distance result in a non-Tour de Ski World Cup commented Justin Wadsworth, Canadian Head Coach.

The Sudbury skier was in the zone and lead at both intermediate splits on the Otepaa course, arguably one of the toughest cross-country ski courses on the circuit. But in the last portion of the race he was overtaken by Lukas Bauer (CZE) who surged near the end, and eventual winner Dario Cologna (SUI).

“I went out really hard today. I went for the win and I don’t regret it,” said Kershaw in a team release. “It has been a hard couple of weeks for me personally and I didn’t know what to expect coming off the Tour. Today I was able to mentally switch off the brain and focus on skiing which felt amazing.”

“The climbs out here are are relentless and punishing. They are so long which we don’t normally ski,” added Kershaw. “The Estonians know how to set up a course to ensure the strongest man wins.”

This was his first weekend of racing since his remarkable fourth overall at the grueling nine-stage Tour de Ski that ended Jan. 8. The team jetted to the Canary Islands for a break after the Tour which may become more popular with WCup skiers given Kershaw’s medal performance today and his teammate, Alex Harvey’s 4th place in the CL sprints yesterday.

Harvey finished 19th for a solid effort and was followed by the USA’s Kris Freeman (USA), the top American in 22nd place – his best distance result so far this season. Noah Hoffman (USA) also had a strong day scoring points and a personal best World Cup classic distance result, with a 26th-place finish (he was 25th in the pursuit in Whistler at the pre-Olympics).

“The race today felt really good. I went out focused on starting under control. The course was incredibly difficult, possibly the hardest I’ve ever raced on, but more than that I didn’t want to repeat my mistakes from the 15km at US Nationals,” Hoffman explained to SkiTrax post-race. “I executed that part of my plan pretty well. I also had great skis and good energy. I was happy with the way things went. I’m looking forward to building on this result for the rest of the season.”

Canada’s Len Valjas crossed the line in 31st just out of the points coming close to his best-ever World Cup finish in a distance event which was 29th in Kuusamo.

With today’s result Kershaw is now 5th overall in the World Cup ranking while Harvey sits eighth overall. Harvey was impressed with his teammate’s skiing saying, “Just so everybody knows Devon Kershaw is the man. Third place in Otepaa but special mention for gutsiest skiing!”

For Kershaw his stellar day didn’t quite erase his disappointment at placing fourth at the Tour de Ski but he’s stoked with the Canadian team’s overall performance season

“Finishing fourth has been tough to take and it was at the Tour. It is heartbreaking, but that is the thing about cross-country skiing – there is always more,” said Kershaw. “The biggest factor for me is that I’m now feeling much stronger and more comfortable every race because of the people I’m surrounded by on our team.

“We have had an athlete in the top-five at every World Cup stop this year, which I think is a credit to the athletes we have on this team, and the support from our wax techs and coaches. Mentally it is so good for me.”

Results HERE.
Results detail HERE.
World Cup Overall HERE.

January 22, 2012 (Antholz, ITA) – It was a challenging yet satisfying day for Belarus biathlete, Darya Domracheva, who used her superior skiing and fine shooting late in the race to overtake the leaders and blast through to take the win in the women’s Mass Start race in Antholz, Italy. In second was Anastasiya Kuzmina of Slovakia with Germany’s Magdalena Neuner completing the podium in third.

Conditions were near perfect as the sky was bright blue and the snow was fast with very little wind to interfere with shooting.  However, race winner Domracheva struggled in the shooting range the first round by missing two targets that set her back to 26th position at 50 seconds behind the leaders.

As Neuner and Kuzmina established themselves as the main contenders the Belarus did not give up as she skied and shot herself back into contention. At the final standing session it was Neuner who cracked first missing two shots while Kuzmina suffered one miss. Domracheva arrived soon after and shot clean to take over the lead and skied to victory.

The lone North American in today’s race was USA’s Susan Dunklee shot well in her first prone session and then missed two targets. She recovered well with clean shooting in the first standing round but faltered with three misses on her final time at the range finishing in 27th position.

Domracheva knew her competitors had missed some targets but… “It was just a fight between me and my targets, nobody more,” she said at the post-race press conference.  “I had a very good feeling today. I think Antholz is a very good place for me.”

Full results HERE.

January 22, 2012 (Obertilliach, AUT) – Fabio Santus (ITA) won this year’s 38th edition of the Dolomitenlauf – it was his third consecutive win however the final podium was decided in a photo finish as second-placed Aliaksei Ivanou (BLR) was fighting very hard to get his foot over the line before the Italian.

Tim Tscharnke of Germany grabbed third in his first FIS Marathon Cup race. Even though the sun was shining over the 38th edition of the Dolomitenlauf, the conditions weren’t easy. At some parts it was very soft and at other parts, especially the areas in the shade, it was almost icy. In total over 1,200 racers started the 42km skating race and enjoyed the race in the winter wonder land of Obertilliach (AUT).

On the women’s side, it was Valentina Shevchenko who set the pace at the front right from the start and never gave up on her lead. Second-placed Seraina Boner (SUI) stayed in a group of women who worked together the whole way until the finish. Joined her Swiss compatriote on the podium in third was Selina Gasparin, who normally raced with a rifle on her back as a biathlete.

Santus is the new leader of the FIS Marathon Cup for the men while Sara Svendsen (NOR) and Shevchenko (UKR) are tied for the lead in the women’s ranking. With his victory today Santus has 104 points as the new FIS Marathon Cup leader . Behind him, the winner of the Jizerská Padesatka and second at yesterday’s classic race, Stanislav Rezac (CZE) is second overall with 100 points. Third is Jimmie Johnsson (SWE), second at the Jizerská Padesatka two weeks ago.

On the women’s side, there are now two leaders: Sara Svendsen (NOR), who won the Jizerská Padesatka (CZE) and Valentina Shevchenko (UKR), winner of today, have both 100 points. 2nd is Jenny Hansson (SWE) with 92 points and 3rd Stephanie Santer (ITA) with 86 points.

For the results of the elite athletes HERE.
Full results will be put online as soon as possible HERE.

The statements of the best three:

Fabio Santus (ITA): I had a very good race today! The track was very good, but the conditions were quite difficult as they changed between soft snow in the sun and cold snow in the shade. My skis weren’t very good in the sunny parts, however they were fast in the shade! The last kilometre was very fast and it was such a close fight with Aliaksei for the victory! I didn’t think that I could win today when I woke up this morning as there were so many big names on the starting list. It was clear from the beginning that it would be a tough fight. My next race is the Marcialonga, but this race is in classic style and I am not such a strong classic skier, so let’s see how it will go!

Aliaksei Ivanou (BLR): The last kilometres were very hard – there were many fights with the Italians. They were behaving as a team and I was alone in the front. There were many contacts, like in a Sprint race. I really hoped to be on the podium today – I was very close last year with only 2s to the podium – I really wanted this podium. Skating is my speciality and I felt very good. I also had great skis and I have to thank my team for a great support. This podium is also really good for the whole team! There were many strong athletes on the start today and I didn’t know if I would be capable of fighting with Fabio – so I am very happy with the outcome!

Tim Tscharnke (GER): I am really happy with this podium. It was my first FIS Marathon Cup race and I just came from Seiser Alm out of the training, so I didn’t exactly know what to expect. My coach wanted a fast endurance training for me and decided that I should start in this race. It was a great experience. I thought that I might be able to be on the podium today as I feel very good at the moment, however to come right out of the training is not the perfect preparation for such a race. I really liked the race track – it’s beautiful!

Valentina Shevchenko (UKR): I am very happy about this victory! It was a hard race and the conditions were changing from one spot to the other: One time, it was very soft and then it was almost icy! I really hoped to win today. I always received the time the others were behind so I pushed hard to stay in front. There were many very good racers at the start today, so it wasn’t easy to win, so I am even happier for my victory!

Seraina Boner (SUI): It was very nice to race today, even though it was very hard as the conditions changed so much under the race. One time you had soft snow where the sun was shining, and then it was very hard and almost icy when you came into the shade. Valentina was gone straight away from the start so I found myself in a group with several other women and we stayed and worked together until the end. I am happy that I could finish second. I was injured the last weeks so I wasn’t sure in what form I am in at the moment.

Selina Gasparin (SUI): I really enjoyed skiing today. I didn’t qualify for today’s Mass Start event in the IBU Biathlon World Cup in Antholz, so I thought, why not taking part in this race! I only raced the Engadin Marathon before, which is mostly downhill, so it was a real challenge for me to time the drinking and eating during the race. The race course was very demanding and at a certain point I wasn’t sure anymore where I was, but I just kept on skiing. I was in a group together with several women which is also not so normal, but we worked together very well! I am very happy with this third place and I will certainly race in such a competition again if it will fit in my calender!

Pictures from the race HERE.

More information on the race: Dolomitenlauf: In general HERE.

Track information HERE.

Next FIS Marathon Cup: January 29 – Marcialonga (ITA), 70km classic

January 22, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – When the dust settled it was Alysson Marshall (Larch Hills) and Foothills Nordic’s Jesse Cockney topping the fields in the 1.2/1.4km freestyle Teck Sprints on Day 2 at the Haywood NorAm Western Championships. Warmer temperatures at  -7 degrees greeted skiers at the Canmore Nordic Centre as the qualifications started the day – check out the video clips below.

Rocky Mountain’s Andrea Dupont was the top qualifier for the women followed by Foothills’ Heidi Widmer with Marshall in third. Widmer’s bro Phil lead the men’s qualifications with Cockney close behind in second follow by Ontario’s Harry Seaton (Harwood) in third.

Marshall was unstoppable as she advanced to the final with Widmer and Dupont along with Marlis Kromm, Emily Nishikawa and Heather Mehain. The Larch Hills skier snagged the win as Widmer took second and Kromm third.

In the men’s heats Cockney, who is gearing up for the U23 World sprint champs, won both his quarter and semi final heats and triumphed in the final over Widmer in second and Friday’s winner, Brent McMurtry (Foothills), in third.

Marte Haakenstad Braaten of Rocky Mtn. Racers won the Junior Women’s race over Allanah MacLean (Walden) and Camille Pepin (Mont-Ste-Anne) who were in a photo-finish for 2nd and 3rd. Dahria Beatty (Whitehorse), the fastest junior qualifier, raced as a senior.

Sebastien Dandurand (Altius), a Nordic combined skier, took the win in the junior men’s race and was followed closely by Skinouk’s Alexis Turgeon and Simon Lapointe the top junior in the men’s qualifications.

The junior men’s race was won by Nordic combined skier Sebastien Dandurand from Altius followed closely by Alexis Turgeon and Simon Lapointe of Skinouk.

Women’s Qualifications HERE.
Men’s Qualifications HERE.
Final Heat results HERE.

January 21, 2012 (Seefeld, AUT) – The USA landed on the podium with a historic third place finish in the Olympic-level Cross-Country/Biathlon Mixed Team Relay event on Saturday at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

Germany, the pre-race favourites lead from the start and never looked back, taking home the gold as Russia came from behind just edging out the USA by half a second for the silver.

The US team of Anna Kubek/biathlete (Duluth, MN), Heather Mooney/xc skier (Peru, VT), Sean Doherty/biathlete (Conway, NH) and Paddy Caldwell/xc skier earned the USA its first biathlon/cross-country ski medal at the new Youth Olympic Games. Kubek and Mooney kept the team competitive but it was Doherty who put them in contention. Caldwell, the anchor, was in a see-saw battle with Russia’s Alexander Selyaninov and held his own for the bronze as Selyaninov took the silver by a mere 0.5s.

By coincidence, Vermont’s Bill Koch won the USA its first Olympic cross-country ski medal at the 1976 Games in Innsbruck winning silver in the men’s 30km classic.

The Canadian team of Danielle Vrielink/biathlete (Calgary, AB), Maya MacIssac-Jones/xc skier (Athabasca, AB), Stuart Harden/biathlete (Calgary, AB) and Matthew Saurette/xc skier (Edmonton, AB) finished 13th out of 24 countries.

Youth Olympic Games Cross-Country/Biathlon Mixed Team Relay Report
SEEFELD, Jan 21 – Pre-race favourite Germany made light work of the heavy snow as it stormed to the Gold medal in the first Olympic-level Cross-Country/Biathlon Mixed Team Relay event on Saturday.

Russia claimed the Silver medal and the USA took Bronze, in what was a surprise podium placing.

Biathlete Franziska Preuss (GER) completed an impressive first leg, missing only one shot in the standing round and skiing well, to put the Germans into a comfortable lead that they would not surrender. Her team eventually crossed the finish line in 1 hour, 4 minutes and 23.4 seconds, to take a well-deserved Gold medal.

Speaking after the first leg, PREUSS admitted she was more than happy with race conditions. “I like it very much when it’s snowing during a race,” she said. “The conditions today suit me.”

The win gave PREUSS her third Gold medal of the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games, having grabbed top spot in the Women’s 6 km Sprint, and the Biathlon Mixed Relay. It is a feat the German admits she cannot yet begin to comprehend. “I can’t really believe it at the moment,” she said. “I’m hoping that next week I’ll realise that I’ve won three Gold medals here.”

The battle for the Silver medal proved far more dramatic, with the USA at one point looking as if it could upstage the Russians, who have a stronger tradition across these disciplines. In the end, Alexander Selyaninov (RUS) was able to power across the line just 0.5s ahead of Patrick Caldwell (USA), with a time of 1:05:22.5, to secure the Silver.

The Bronze medal, however, remains a remarkable achievement for the USA. Speaking after the race, an elated CALDWELL, who started his anchor leg with the US in second place, described the tension he felt knowing Russia’s powerhouse Cross-Country skier SELYANINOV was just behind him.

“I knew he was there, coming right for me, and he overtook me in my first lap, so I just jumped right in behind him and tried to keep up,” CALDWELL said.

“We were going back and forth, but he got me in the end. He was just too strong.” CALDWELL was quick to praise the efforts of his teammates, particularly third runner Sean DOHERTY (USA), who put CALDWELL “in a great position for the final leg of the race” by skiing and shooting well, to take the US from ninth place to second.

After a poor start from the Russian team, with Uliana KAYSHEVA (RUS) finishing the first leg in 14th place, the rest of her team had work to do in making up ground.

KAYSHEVA admitted the pressure got to her. “Being disqualified on Thursday [when KAYSHEVA left the track during the Biathlon Mixed Relay, costing Russia the Silver medal] affected me,” she said. “Physically I was ok, but not mentally.”

Skiing after KAYSHEVA, Anastasia SEDOVA was able to put Russia in fifth place overall, thanks to the fastest Ladies’ Cross-Country leg of the day, in an impressive time of 9:57.9. Ivan GALUSHKIN (RUS) then produced an excellent leg to put Russia in third. It all came down to SELYANINOV, who was blunt about his performance. “I did what I had to do,” he said.

Norway, with a strong tradition across these disciplines, finished in a surprising ninth place. The Norwegians were in second place after the second leg but third runner Kristian Andre AALERUD shot poorly and they could not recover in the last leg.

Read more on the YOG at SMS Nordic.
Full results HERE.

January 21, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – We caught up with Friday’s 5/10km CL winners, Brent McMurtry and Emily Nishikawa, at the Haywood NorAm Western Championships in Canmore for their take on the course, conditions and their races…report results HERE.

Emily Nishikawa

Brent McMurtry

January 20, 2012 (Antholz-Anterselva, ITA) – Sweden’s Fredrik Lindstrom took full advantage of the ideal racing conditions with fresh snow and little wind to claim win his first ever IBU World Cup race on Friday with clean shooting. The USA’s Tim Burke had a strong showing as the top North American missing two shots on his way to 12th.

Second place on the podium went to Russia’s Evgeniy Garanichev while France’s Martin Fourcade rounded out the final podium spot in 3rd. Lindstrom’s previous best result was 5th in Oberhof, Germany earlier this season.

“To be on top today, you needed both fast skis or good shooting,”  exclaimed an elated 22-year-old Lindstrom on Biathlonworld.com. “I had a great feeling on the track today, and of course with clean shooting it was a top performance from me”.

US biathlete Jay Hakkinen followed Burke in 22nd with Canada’s Jean Philippe Leguellec in 27th, Scott Perras in 29th, and Brendan Green in 34th spot.  Lowell Bailey (USA) place 36th while Russell Currier was 43rd.  Rounding out the North Americans was Canada’s Nathan Smith in 47th and USA’s Dusan Simocko in 79th place.

Next up for the Antholz World Cup is the men’s & women’s mass start events, along with the men’s and women’s relay.

Full results HERE.

January 20, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Brent McMurtry and Emily Nishikawa cranked up the heat on a frigid afternoon at the Canmore Nordic Centre by winning gold in the men’s and women’s classic-ski races on Friday.

The 25-year-old McMurtry, who represented Canada at the 2010 Olympics, kicked into top gear out off the start and never looked back while bolting around the 10-kilometre course at the world-leading Canmore Nordic Centre. The Calgarian stomped the field while posting a time of 27 minutes, 33.7 seconds in 15 below temperatures.

“I just started hard and focused on skiing smooth and staying strong,” said McMurtry, who admitted to altering his pre-race training due to extremely cold temperatures rolling through Alberta’s Bow Valley Corridor which kept him inside this week. “My whole goal today was to push hard. It was working good for the first two laps andthen I just held on in the final lap.”

Calgary’s Kevin Sandau clocked a silver-medal time of 27:55.1, while Brian McKeever’s guide, Erik Carleton of Canmore, Alta., rounded out the men’s podium in third at 27:59.5.

Meanwhile, Emily Nishikawa took advantage of her roots growing up in the cold Whitehorse winters to win the women’s five-kilometre classic-ski race. The 22-year-old set the time to beat at 16:09.2.

“I was able to push hard today, but it was a real lung burner,” said Nishikawa. “I’m definitely used to this weather growing up in the Yukon, but the cold is always a lot harder on your lungs and takes up more energy.”

Nishikawa was one of 16young Canadian athletes, including five from Whitehorse, recently named to Canada’s Junior and Under-23 World Championship Team that will compete in Erzurum, Turkey, February 19-26.

“It was nice to be named to the team and put that behind us,” said Nishikawa. “I’m just now focusing on getting ready to have good results in Turkey.”

Ottawa’s Alana Thomas finished five seconds back of Nishikawa in second spot at 16:14.6. Alysson Marshall, of Salmon Arm, B.C., skied to the bronze with a time of 16:15.0.

The Haywood NorAm’s continue on Saturday in Canmore, Alta., with the Teck Sprint races

Women’s results HERE .
Men’s results HERE.
Full results HERE.

Results (brief)

1. Brent McMurtry, Calgary, 27:33.7
2. Kevin Sandau, Calgary, 27:55.1
3. Erik Carleton, Canmore, Alta., 27:59.5
4. David Greer, Whitehorse, 28:07.5
5. Raphael Couturier, Quebec,28:36.0.

Top-Five Women
1. Emily Nishikawa, Whitehorse, 16:09.2
2. Alana Thomas, Ottawa, 16:14.6
3. Alysson Marshall,Salmon Arm, B.C., 16:15.0
4. Brittany Webster, Caledon, Ont., 16:15.6
5. Amanda Ammar, Onoway, Alta., 16:23.1.

January 20, 2012 (Lake Placid, NY) – Following a long illness, Vern Lamb passed away on Jan. 1, 2012 with his family at his side at his home in Lake Placid, N.Y. For many Nordic skiers of a certain era Lamb was “Mr. Lake Placid.” He gave, by his many works, a voice and a face to Lake Placid that many won’t soon forget. He was one of the driving forces in bringing the 1980 Olympic Winter Games to Lake Placid, but also gave so much of himself to junior programs and the youth who wanted to give Nordic skiing a try. He always spoke with a voice of encouragement.

He helped build Lake Placid into what it is today, a thriving centre for athletic development and opportunity. In the late 1960’s and ’70’s, I skied and raced in Lake Placid often, and he was always there running races and events, and I shared a berth on the 1970 Eastern Nordic Team with his son Joe. Lamb and his wife, Winnie, devoted much time to the development of Nordic sports, and their efforts were felt around the nation – and the world. Together they always made you feel welcome. It was always special to race in Lake Placid, with the lore of the 1932 Games so much a part of the community. For many skiers it always felt like the big-time to go there.

In a wonderful tribute in nearby Plattsburgh, N.Y.’s Press-Republican newspaper, Jim McKenna, the longtime president of the Lake Placid Convention and Visitors Bureau, said it right: “He is one of the last in a generation of winter sport icons. Throughout the 1950’s, the ’60’s and most of the ’70’s, business leaders in that generation went around the world on their own dime and became officials of winter sports and learned everything they could about international competition. They were the ones who made the Olympics happen here in 1980.”

Lamb was an International Ski Federation judge for ski jumping and also a member of Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) Board of Directors. He also owned the well-known Lamb Lumber in Lake Placid, and retired in 1991. In later life, he devoted himself to photography, taking superb photographs.

Lamb was honoured for his lifetime work in ski sport by being named to the US Ski and Snowboarding Hall of Fame, and he was also inducted to Lake Placid’s Hall of Fame.

Many will remember Lamb with his Bavarian hat and pipe at the jumps and his wonderful sense of humour, for there was always a twinkle in his eye. His many friends who hold his memory dear will forever miss him, for he inspired a generation and promoted winter sports, especially Nordic sports, with great skill around the world.

He fought hard to bring the 1980 Games to Lake Placid, and in doing so, defied the odds and made global history.

Longtime friend Marty Hall recently paid tribute to Lamb, saying, “I came to Placid numerous times wearing many different hats – skier, coach of U.S. and Canadian teams, clinician, organizer with USSA in the 1960s and with the USST and USEASA, and then again in the late ’70s and early ’80s with USSA. Vern was the boss, the energy and the meeter/greeter, but in such an accommodating way – always seeing the big picture – a man who made things happen, a real builder of Nordic skiing in the U.S. and internationally. I always wondered how he did it all and kept the smile on his face.”

Lamb is survived by his wife, Winnie, sons Tracy, Tom and Joe and daughter Carol, along with nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. His legacy is huge, and so was his heart. He will be missed.

January 18, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – We are excited to announce the winners of the SkiTrax FIS Fantasy Tour de Ski 2012 Contest after the final 9km FR Stage 9 up Alpe Cermis and apologize for the short delay. Team Rob has made up ground in the contest’s final leg to leap ahead of the competition and take home the first prize, a Rossignol Xium WCS2 ski and boot package w/Rottefella Xcelerator skate bindings valued at $1,195, with a grand total of 1,252 points.

The battle was heated, however, with Team alpha super awsome cool dynamite wolf squadron trailing the leader by only one point to score the second prize, a Mont Ste-Anne lodging package valued at $800. The fabulous third-place prize – a choice of Salomon SLab Skate or Classic boots valued at $400/$450 – went to Fasterbutwithmoregriptds, who finished off the contest with 1,248 points.

Congrats to all of the winners and thank you to all the teams for participating in the SkiTrax FIS Fantasy Tour de Ski 2012 Contest!

For the final Contest Standings following the final Stage 9 Alpe Cermis 9km FR click HERE.

SkiTrax FIS Fantasy Tour de Ski 2012 Contest Final Winners

– Rob – Roberto Dallavalle – Croviana, Italy
1st Prize – Rossignol Xium WCS2 skis and boots, Xcelerator skate bindings (value $1,195)

– alpha super awsome cool dynamite wolf squadron – David Greenberg – Durango, CO
2nd Prize – Mont Ste-Anne –  2 nights lodging w/breakfast + 3-day XC gift certificate, tune-up (value $800)

– Fasterbutwithmoregriptds – Tim Haight – Saskatoon, SK
3rd Prize – Salomon SLab Skate or Classic Boots (value $400/$450)

– Team Skibunzov – Cyrus Kangarloo – Kelowna, BC
4th Prize – Marwe 610c Roller Skis (value $349)

– karlos team pl – Karol Daszkiewicz – Gdynia, Poland
5th Prize –  SkiGo Kickwax Package (HF, LF & XC) and Scraper (value $235)

– Flying Oosik – David Smullin – Bend, OR
6th Prize – Sporthill Women’s Glacier Top (value $140)

– lafrasse – Christiane Ruet – Le Grand Bornand, France
7th Prize – Bliz Proflip Visor (value $129)

– Skeila – Sheila Kealey – Ottawa, ON
8th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $120)

– Broken Poles – Jan Rossiter – Ottawa, ON
9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65)

– anty ski team – Andri Milov – Parnu, Estonia
10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $45)

Rest Day Leader Prizes
Jan. 2 – Fresh Air Experience $100 Gift Certificate – anty ski team – Andri Milov – Parnu, Estonia
Jan. 6 – High Peaks Cyclery $100 Gift Certificate – karlos team pl – Karol Daszkiewicz – Gdynia, Poland

Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Rossignol, Mont Ste-Anne, Salomon, Marwe, SkiGo, Sporthill, Bliz, Rottefella, Auclair, Buff, Fresh Air Experience, and High Peaks Cyclery.

SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).

January 17, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – We are excited to announce that over 200 teams have entered the inaugural SkiTrax Fantasy FIS Marathon Cup 2011/12 International Contest and here are the standings after the 50km Jizerská Padesatka in the Czech Republic. Team  jesters has taken the early contest lead with 109 points, followed by TeamDanmark in second with 104 points, and Poiss maraton team in third with 101 points.

View the full contest standings HERE.

The next event on the FIS Marathon Cup calendar is the 60km free technique Dolomitenlauf in Austria on Jan. 22.

FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup Prizes

* 1st Prize – OneWay Premio 10 WCup Skis, Diamond Storm Premio 10 Poles, SNS Premio Pilot Bindings. (value $1,350)
* 2nd Prize – Nipika 4-nights for 2 people in luxurious cabin, including Trail Fees (value up to $1,160)
* 3rd Prize – Alpina ESK Ski Boots (value $449)
* 4th Prize –Halti XC Race Suit Hemmo Set (value $269)
* 5th Prize –  Fischer RCS QF poles  (value $225)
* 6th Prize – Cross Country Canada e-Store Gift Certificate (value $200)
* 7th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $150)
* 8th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $120)
* 9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65)
* 10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $40)

Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including One Way, Nipika, Alpina, Halti, Fischer, Cross Country Canada, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Rottefella, Auclair, and Buff.

SkiTrax is North America’s leading Nordic skiing publication and the official magazine of the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) and Cross Country Canada (CCC).

January 17, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) announced today the twenty women selected to the Most Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity list (MIW) for 2011. The objective of the list is to focus on women who are leaders and role models making a difference on the Canadian or international scene. The women on the MIW are influential women who contributed in a significant way to sport and physical activity in the year 2011.

“CAAWS publishes its Most Influential Women list to celebrate and honour Canadian women who are influencing change in their area of expertise of sport and physical activity,” said CAAWS Executive Director Karin Lofstrom (Ottawa, Ontario). “These leaders share a passion for sport and physical activity—and use it to improve the lives of others. These women are game changers who motivate others to become leaders.”

Every year, the MIW list includes athletes, officials, coaches, politicians, professors, administrators and volunteers. There are some women who have been named to the list several times, such as Paralympian and coach Chantal Petitclerc; and some who are new to the list like Olympic boxing hopeful Mary Spencer, and Karen Rackel who is the first ever women President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association (in its 116 year old history). Nine of the women are making their first appearance on the MIW List, while Olympian Beckie Scott and Paralympian Chantal Petitclerc have each been named to the MIW list 6 times, and Olympian Charmaine Crooks has appeared a record seven times.

The Caaws Most Influential Women List For 2011 is:
(in alphabetical order, profiles and photos at www.caaws.ca)

– Dr Jodi Abbott, Official and volunteer, Skate Canada, (Edmonton, Alberta)
– Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, (Gjoa Haven and Iqaluit, Nunavut)
– Stacey Allaster, Chairman & CEO, Women’s Tennis Association, (St Petersburg, Florida/Welland, Ontario)
– Caroline Assalian, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee, (Ottawa, Ontario)
– Claire Buffone-Blair, President and CEO, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame, (Calgary, AB)
– Canadian Women’s National Soccer Team (2011 team)
– Charmaine Crooks, Board of Directors, Canadian Olympic Committee, (Vancouver, BC)
– Dr Wendy Frisby, Professor, School of Human Kinetics and Chair of Women’s and Gender Studies, University of British Columbia, (Vancouver, BC)
– Wendy Gittens, Executive Director, Wheelchair Basketball Canada, (Ottawa, Ontario)
– Andrea Grantham, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Physical and Health Education Canada, (Ottawa, Ontario)
– Dr. Vicki Harber, Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta, (Edmonton, Alberta)
– Lindsay Hugenholtz, Deputy CEO, 2011 Canada Winter Games, (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
– Clara Hughes, Olympian and advocate, (Winnipeg, Manitoba / Glenn Sutton, Quebec)
– Élaine Lauzon, Director General, Égale Action, (Montreal, Québec)
– Anne Merklinger, Director Summer Sports, Own the Podium, (Ottawa, Ontario)
– Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, ParticipACTION, (Toronto, Ontario)
– Chantal Petitclerc, Spokesperson, volunteer and coach, (Montréal, Québec)
– Karen Rackel, President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, (Edmonton, Alberta)
– Beckie Scott, Olympian and advocate, (Vermillion, Alberta)
– Mary Spencer, Athlete and volunteer, (Windsor, Ontario)

CAAWS also nominates emerging leaders as Ones to Watch. The two outstanding women selected for 2011 are:
Andrea Carey, Director of Operations & Community Engagement, Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence (Victoria, British Columbia); and Alexandra Orlando, Marketing Associate, Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Organizing Committee (Toronto, Ontario). We look forward to following their careers in sport and physical activity. Boxer Mary Spencer was on the Ones to Watch list for 2010 and this year moved up to the MIW list.

The final list was compiled by a CAAWS selection panel, from both public nominations and from contributions from knowledgeable sport and physical activity leaders. The panel reviewed the submissions and based its decision on accomplishment and scope of activities in the 2011 calendar year. This is the 11th year that CAAWS announces its MIW list. Past lists can be found HERE.

January 16, 2012 (Milan, Italy) – It was a historic day for North American’s female skiers at the FIS WCup 6×1.4km free team sprints in Milan on Sunday, with both the U.S. and Canadian squads sharing the podium in the silver and bronze medal positions, respectively. The Swedish duo of Hanna Brodin and Ida Ingemardsdotter scored gold.

This was Jessie Diggins first Team Sprint ever so landing on the podium was uber-special for the Afton, MN native. She suffered two crashes during the competition but dusted herself off, kept her cool, and came back for more.

For Randall it was another brick in the wall as the Sprint WCup leader continues her march toward claiming the Red Leader’s bib for good this season – with six events remaining and a strong lead in the series things are looking up for Randall.

SkiTrax spoke with the U.S. team’s Randall and Diggins after their silver-lined effort and learned how they overcame a fumbled exchange to regain their medal spot. We reached Randall first by email (see below) then caught both in the team car as they jetted out of Milan on their way to Seiser Alm for a break and some training before the upcoming WCup in Otepaa, Estonia this coming weekend – great team pic HERE.

Jessie Diggins

Kikkan Randall

Congrats on an amazing day. How was the start?
Kikkan Randall: The start was good, pretty uneventful. Jessie started near the back but did a good job of getting right in the pack.

How congested was it on the Milan course?
KR: It was definitely pretty narrow, and without any major terrain changes, everyone was going the same speed and it was hard to pass.

How were your skis today and conditions on the track?
KR: Conditions were much firmer and faster than yesterday. Our skis were running really well. We each raced on our two fastest pairs.

You and Jessie have never raced together like this – what kind of prep did you do?
KR: Yeah, we hadn’t raced together before and Jessie had actually never even done a team sprint before. So we talked strategy before the race, Sadie passed along some advice from Ddorf, and we practiced some tags in the warmup.

It’s hard to predict these kinds of races, but did things play out as you expected?
KR: More or less, yes. There was a lot of teams changing places, depending on tags and crashes, etc. We wanted to get in a good position early and then move up through the race.

The exchanges are crucial – can you describe the tension and feeling during the exchanges?
KR: The exchange zone was really close coming off the final turn, so it was always hard to line up for your teammate. Everyone was coming in so fast and together that it was hard to navigate without collisions.

What happened on the crash exchange?
KR: I think another skier cut right in front of Jessie just before the tag. I was already accelerating, thinking we were about to have an awesome tag, when I felt Jessie crash into me. I didn’t feel the hand to body contact though so I had to stop and go backwards toward her. She fell again as we tagged, but we got the right contact this time and I had to charge after the pack, which had already turned the corner.

What was going thru your mind as you tried to catch the pack?
KR: I knew I still had a shot to get back up there, so I chased hard to make up the gap. Just as I got on the back, the pace picked up again and I had to dig one more level.

Jessie really got after it on her final lap and then we nailed the final tag, which shot me into the lead going into the final leg. I didn’t really want to lead, but I tried to keep the pace high to hopefully wear out some of the others.

On the final stretch, did you think you could catch Ingemarsdotter?
KR: She made a good acceleration with 200m to go and got a little gap. I tried to close back up, but the finish stretch was so fast today and my legs were pretty flooded.

Did you know Chandra had moved up so well and was now challenging you?
KR: I didn’t realize it was Chandra coming up until we were meters from the line. Really awesome to see her have such a strong finish. I had to make a big lunge to hold her off.

It’s got to feel good to land another Team Sprint silver and make history with Team Canada?
KR: At our joint camp in Alaska last summer, we talked a lot about getting more North Americans on the podium and so it was great to get the double podium today. It’s really a symbol of how far we’ve come!

January 16, 2012 (Milan, Italy) – Canada’s Perianne Jones and Chandra Crawford won bronze in the women’s 6×1.4km team sprint FIS WCup in Milan on Sunday – their first-ever medal together and Jones’ first time on the WCup podium.

The moment was made even more special by the fact that Jones and Crawford had the honour of sharing the limelight with their American friends, Jessie Diggins and Kikkan Randall, who grabbed the silver medal – a North American first.

But their medal was not a given however, as a crash in the semis by Jones put their spot in the finals in jeopardy. Ten teams of two skiers made it to the final, including the Canuck duo, who worked efficiently together in their exchanges and skied excellently to earn their podium spot.

“This feels great. Today our whole goal was to relax, stay on our feet and kick when it counts,” said 28-year-old Crawford. “It is dynamite to be on the podium with Peri. We are a real team out here and want each other to succeed and it is awesome to share this with her.”

Last season in Dusseldorf Crawford landed on the podium in the team sprint with teammate Daria Gaiazova taking home the bronze. In Saturday’s individual sprint Crawford was 7th and her bronze in Milan on Sunday was her second WCup medal this season, after she won silver in the individual freestyle sprint in Rogla, Slovenia in December.

Jones was 12th in the individual sprint matching her career-best finish on the World Cup earned in Stockholm, Sweden last season. Her first visit to a WCup podium is a dream come true for the Almonte, Ont. skier and SkiTrax caught up with Jones after the team sprint event:

You lead off today – how was the start?
Perianne Jones: The first lap was totally crazy, I crashed in our semi-final, so I was just trying to stay out of trouble and read the rest of the people around me to make sure that didn’t happen again. There were lots of broken poles, and crashing everywhere, but we stayed out of trouble.

Is this is your first Team Sprint with Chandra – what kind of prep did you do?
PJ: Chandra and I have teamed up a few times in Dusseldorf, so this wasn’t our first time racing together, but we just practiced our tags a few times, and chatted briefly, but we have total confidence in each other after training so many hours side by side, so we didn’t talk much just went out and did our thing.

How were your skis today and conditions on the track?
PJ: Skis were amazing today, our techs are the best. The track held up really well too, so it was super fast.

Talk about the congestion on the Milan course and your exchanges.
PJ: We totally nailed the exchanges today, in the semifinal we figured out what worked, and we stayed with it through the final, and were always making up places in the exchanges.

You’ve been making steady solid gains with your skiing – what are you doing differently?
PJ: Nothing drastically different, just building on the fitness I have and being able to handle more training.

This is your first-ever WCup podium – how special is it for you?
PJ: It feels pretty great to hit the podium, it’s been a goal for a long time, and it’s also great to share it with Chandra. We have been teammates for a long time, since we were juniors…and being up there with Kikkan and Jessie was a real bonus.

All the best Peri – we are really proud of you guys.
PJ: Thanks!

January 15, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Predazzo, Italy) – Sarah Hendrickson put up two huge jumps on Sunday to win her fourth World Cup (WC) competition so far this season. She’s also leading the overall WC standings by more than 150 points over reigning World Champion and veteran Daniela Iraschko, of Austria.

And, by the way, she set a new hill record of 108 meters for women on the K95 hill at Val di Fiemme, site of the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships. “I love ski jumping. I just love it so much,” a smiling Hendrickson told reporters after her win.

The 17-year-old from Park City, Utah, is in “The Zone” — that magical place of unwavering confidence and superior performance that elite athletes in every sport strive to be. On Saturday, she bested the field and came from behind in the second round — leaping 107.5 meters — to beat Iraschko, who finished second.

“Now for Sarah, it’s simply amazing because she’s on top of the world and the strongest, but at the same time, she’s relaxed and happy and focused,” said International Coach Paolo Bernardi. “That’s where she needs to stay for the next competitions.”

The U.S. team is leading overall on the World Cup, boosted by Hendrickson’s domination of the top spot, and consistent podium, top-6 and top-10 performances by veterans Lindsey Van and Jessica Jerome. Alissa Johnson hit her mark Sunday finishing 15th and Abby Hughes, who’s been nursing a leg injury, has routinely made the top 25.

Van attributes the success so far to the fact that everyone on the team really loves to ski jump and is supportive of each other. “We all started ski jumping initially to have fun and staying focused on that is what keeps you going,” said Van, currently third in the WC standings behind Hendrickson and Iraschko. “With all we’ve been through in the past 10 years, we really love and appreciate what we do and now we can simply enjoy it.”

U.S. women ski jumpers and their international peers pushed for years to be included in the Olympic Winter Games and met that goal when the International Olympic Committee in April 2011 approved a women’s ski jumping event for the Sochi 2014 Games.

Competition continues next weekend. The women’s World Cup scheduled for Jan. 28-29 in Szczyrk, Poland, was cancelled for technical organizational reasons and the two events will now take place on Jan. 20 and 21 in Zakopane as Continental Cup (COC) competitions. The women will jump on the normal hill on Friday and Saturday at 10:30 am CET. At both COC’s, the prize money of a World Cup will be awarded to the athletes.

“We’re ready for the next competitions,” Hendrickson said. “Our results just show how strong we are and how well we compete. Every day is a new day and we enjoy this so much — we don’t let anything interfere with that.”

Full results HERE.
World Cup Standings HERE.

Results (brief)
Day 2 – Sunday, Jan. 15
Women’s Normal Hill, K95
(with wind system calculation)

1. Sarah Hendrickson, USA, (104.5, 108) 285.9
2. Daniela Iraschko, AUT, (96.5, 105.5) 273.1
3. Ulrike Graessler, GER, (100.0, 98.0) 250.8

6. Lindsey Van, USA, (94.0 97.0) 244.6
8. Jessica Jerome, USA (94.5 94.5) 242.3
15. Alissa Johnson, USA, (95.0 90.5) 227.9
24. Abby Hughes, USA (89.0 90.0) 207.5

Results
Day 1 – Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012
Women’s Normal Hill, K95
(with wind system calculation)

1. Sarah Hendrickson, USA, (105, 107.5) 277.2
2. Daniela Iraschko, AUT, (107.0 103.0) 275.5
3. Anette Sagen, NOR, (95.5 99.5) 248.1

4. Lindsey Van, USA, (103, 93.5) 244.4
6. Jessica Jerome, USA (96.5 94.5) 238.3
22. Abby Hughes, USA (83.5 87.0) 198.1
24. Alissa Johnson, USA (82.0 89.5) 194.1

Notes
• Saturday, Jan. 14 – Sarah Hendrickson set the Val di Fiemme hill record for the women’s World Cup with a jump of 107.5 meters.
• Sunday, Jan. 15 – Hendrickson broke her Saturday record with a jump of 108 meters on Sunday.
• Hendrickson is ranked 1st the World Cup standings; Lindsey Van is 3rd; Jessica Jerome is 9th; Alissa Johnson is 23rd; Abby Hughes is 29th.
• The Visa Women’s Ski Jumping Team leads the World Cup standings followed by Germany and Austria.

January 15, 2012 (Milan, Italy) – Destiny, unexpected drama and superb skiing in the women’s 6×1.4km Team Sprint delivered the first US-CAN WCup podium ever as Americans Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins grabbed the silver and Canada’s Chandra Crawford and Perianne Jones the bronze in downtown Milan on Sunday. Hanna Brodin and Ida Ingemardsdotter took home the gold for Sweden 1.

View postWith ten teams in the final Sweden and Norway were the only nations with two teams qualified. The United States II team with Sadie Bjornsen and Ida Sargent did not advance.

Early on it was Sweden and Norway leading with Russia also in the mix as both United States I and Canada tried to stay out of trouble behind the leaders. But trouble was coming for the US as a mid-race fumble saw Diggins crash hard just as she was tagging Randall who had to ski back a few metres to get tagged.

The Sprint Cup leader scrambled using incredible energy over the next half lap to catch the pack – but she did. Diggins kept the US in the game near the front on the penultimate leg as Canada’s Jones handed off to Crawford in 9th for the final leg. The US had the lead starting the final leg but Sweden 1’s anchor Ingemardsdotter, coming off a strong win the day before, quickly gained on Randall who was spent.

Randall charged ahead but Ingemarsdotter was flying and edged passed her with 200m to go as Crawford put on an incredible burst from behind to move into contention. In an exciting final sprint to the line Randall couldn’t quite catch the Swede and executed a great telemark lunge to hold off Crawford for the silver with Canada scoring the bronze and the two North American teams on the historic podium – as predicted by SkiTrax’s Marty Hall. This was also Diggins and Jones first-ever WCup podium.

Women Team Sprint results HERE.

January 14, 2012 (Milan, Italy) – With four American women on the start line for the FIS WCup freestyle sprints in Milan, Italy on Friday, the Sprint Cup leader, Kikkan Randall, was in good company. Randall is stoked to see the US women’s team blossoming and recently told SkiTrax, “It’s so encouraging to see our team more and more respected and more competitive each year.”

And there’s more to come she added, “There’s incredible momentum right now and still climbing.  We finally have the makings of a real team and we have some big team goals over the next two years!”

Randall herself is blossoming with a stronghold on the Sprint Cup lead with 484 points followed by Natalia Matveeva (RUS) in second with 310 points and Norway’s Maiken Caspersen Falla in third with 276 points. With six of thirteen sprint events remaining the pendulum in swinging in Randall’s favour but she’s still got lots of skiing left to ensure she reels in the big prize.

Last year Randall finished third overall in the Sprint Cup with a very brief stint in the red leader’s jersey. Prior to that she had never been in the top ten so clearly the Alaska native has done her homework and likes the colour red.

While Sunday’s Team Sprint doesn’t count for the individual Cup standings it’s another opportunity for the Americans to strut their stuff. In Dusseldorf Randall and Sadie Bjornsen scored historic silver together and this time with Jessie Diggins the podium is the target once again.

Former US and Canadian Head Coach and SkiTrax columnist, Marty Hall, is bullish on both the Americans and the Canadian duo of Chandra Crawford and Perianne Jones landing on the final podium. Crawford and Gaiazova scored bronze in Dusseldorf last year and Crawford/Jones were 7th there this year.

“Will we see history tomorrow – two NA teams on the podium in the ladies team sprint!. The potential is there!,” posted Hall on our Milan sprint report. The Team Sprints are only hours away so we’ll soon find out – meanwhile here’s Randall take on today’s individual freestyle sprint race in downtown Milan.

How are you feeling overall since the TdS…?
KR: I’ve definitely been feeling pretty wonky all week, kind of like being on an energy rollercoaster.  Slept a lot and just did some light training.  Our team went up to Seiser Alm for the break and it was the perfect place to relax and recover for a few days. Thankfully I had my post-Tour experience from last year to remind me that this week was going to feel this way but I would still be okay to race this weekend.

Talk about the Milan course – similar to Dusseldorf or…?
KR: Kind of similar to Ddorf but twice as long and at least Ddorf has one small hill and more change in elevation. This course was pretty flat which meant you had to be working the whole time.

With no hills does it suit your style of skiing… was it tough to move up ?
KR: With no hills this definitely wasn’t my ideal course.  While the track was mostly narrow there still were a couple of good places to pass and it really tested everyone to see who still had a punch left at the end.  It was satisfying to be strong on a flat course.

Were you expecting a challenge from Ida Ingemarsdotter…?
KR: I didn’t know that she was the one coming up beside me until we were on the finish straight.  I hesitated for a moment in making my final lane choice and I think taking the inside lane that had been skied in more may not have been the right choice.

Can you describe the final as there was no Eurosport coverage…
KR: I got off to an ok start and was able to tuck in behind Maiken who went straight for the lead. Mari Eid was skiing the outside line. I got my glasses knocked off by someone’s pole off the first turn. Everyone started getting antsy off the back stretch on the 2nd lap and I decided I didn’t want to get stuck behind so I accelerated to the outside and made my move for the win.

I was ahead enough to get the inside line on the final corner and got the lead for the straight away. That’s when I hesitated and choose the lane directly ahead. That moment cost me a little bit of momentum and that’s where Ida made up the ground on me.  I fought to get back up on my skis, but couldn’t close that half a stride before the line.  My energy was still good, just a little technical error that cost me the win.  Still psyched with my 2nd place and more points toward the overall sprint cup.

It’s great to see lots of US gals racing w/you…
KR: Really sweet to have a full girls team here and a strong one too!  It was fun to have Jessie [Diggins] in my quarter today, you can tell she’s absorbing everything and really learning a lot.

Who’s your partner in the Team Sprints and now that you know the course any thoughts on your strategy…?
KR: It’s going to be Jessie.  We will try to get ourselves in a good position, try to conserve a little early and then come on strong in the final laps.  If we can stay in a good position and avoid crashes, I feel good about our chances!

Good luck tomorrow.
KR: Thanks

January 14, 2012 (Whistler, BC) – Heidi Widmer (Foothills/ABWC) claimed the Women’s 1.2km FR Teck Sprint victory on Day 2 at the 2012 Haywood NorAM/Trials with Alysson Marshall (Larch Hills/ABWC) in second and Marlis Kromm (Foothills/ABWC) third on the podium.

Widmer qualified second behind Andrea Dupont (Strathcona/NDC Thunder Bay), the fastest in the women’s qualifications. Dupont made the A-Final as well but no one could touch Widmer on the challenging course as snow fell at Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley.

“The course and race tactics were completely different at the Callaghan site than when we trained on the course yesterday. There was significant snowfall overnight and the groomers were working hard to roll the course in preparation for the racing,” Widmer told Trax. “However, this meant that weren’t able to ski the course before the qualifier.”

“I felt really confident with my skis today and my body seemed to have the snap to be able to ski light and relaxed in the new snow. My strategy was to lead the heats and control from the front because it was hard to pass if you weren’t in the main line of the course,” continued Widmer.

“The snow continued off and on throughout the day but everything went to plan, and then some! Being able to watch my bro win afterwards was such a thrill – he makes it look so easy. I was commentating on the race to my mom and brother, who were on speaker phone as they listened in from Banff. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.”

Men’s Race
In the men’s 1.4km Freestyle race it was Philip Widmer (Canmore/AWCA) proving to be untouchable as well as he bested Graham Nishikawa (Whitehorse/ABWC) in second with U23 skier Jesse Cockney (Foothills) taking the final spot on the podium.

Widmer and Nishikawa were the class of the day as the Whitehorse skier qualified fastest with Widmer second. But the Canmore speed king took control in the final when it counted most to earn the victory.

Women’s Qualifications HERE.
Men’s Qualifications HERE.

Women’s Final HERE.
Men’s Final HERE.

January 14, 2012 (Nove Mesto, Czech Republic) – American Russell Currier had a breakthrough race in Nove Mesto after several seasons of struggling on the shooting range. The US biathlete was one of only two competitors to shoot clean to finish in 6th place in the men’s 10k Sprint race – best finish of his World Cup career in just his 2nd World Cup start of the season.

Despite windy conditions Currier shocked several early starters when he crossed the line just 23.2 seconds behind race winner, Emil Hegle Svendson of Norway. Svendson battled the strong winds and blowing snow to take victory missing one shot with a time of 27:13. Finishing right behind the Norwegian were French brothers Simon and Martin Fourcade at 2.7 and 9.6 seconds back respectively.

Currier was on cloud nine as he shared his thoughts in US Biathlon release, “I think today was a very good example of professionalism and organization. The skis were fast, the coaches were there and everybody did their part, and I think that really showed today. All the work we’ve done in the past year came together and worked smoothly, and that was evident with today’s results all around.”

Along with Currier’s outstanding performance his teammate Tim Burke also had a great race finishing11th with two misses. Lowell Bailey was just out of the top twenty placing 21st while Jay Hakkinen was 31st.

“It was great to be part of such a strong team effort today,” said Burke. “Personally, I was very happy to get back on track with a solid result after many sub par performances. I still don’t feel like I am in my best shape, but I hope to save that for World Championships.”

Canadian’s three competitors finished just behind Hakkinen as Brenden Green was 32nd, Jean Philippe Leguellec was 35th, and Scott Perras placed 45th.

Svendson described the windy conditions as very challenging. “You can see from the shooting results that it was weird day,” he told Biathlonworld.co. “You just had to be right with the wind and shoot as normal in prone. It was very difficult in the standing; you could feel the wind pushing you from side-to-side. I am happy with nine out of ten today.”

US Biathlon Men’s National Team Coach Armin Auchentaller was thrilled with Currier and the team’s performance. “Russell Currier had the race of his life today, which coupled with his IBU Cup results this season, prove he is one of the best in the world. We are pleased that all four of our men earned World Cup points today. The focus is now on tomorrow’s Pursuit and we hope for some more good results.”

Full results HERE.

January 14, 2012 (Callaghan Valley, BC) – Skiers enjoyed a break in the action on Friday at the 2012 Haywood NorAm and World Junior/U23 Trials at Whistler Olympic Park in Callaghan Valley, BC. Here’s a look at how most skiers enjoyed the day courtesy of Angus Cockney…

January 12, 2012 (Callaghan Valley, BC) – The 2012 Haywood NorAm and World Junior/U23 Trials kicked off at Whistler Olympic Park in Callaghan Valley, BC, on Friday with the mass start Skiathlon events.

In the Open Women’s 15km race, a group of four women that included U23 skier (AWCA/Whitehorse), Alysson Marshall (AWCA/Larch Hills), Alana Thomas (Nakkertok) and Zoe Roy (Rocky Mountain Racers) broke away from the main pack on the second lap.

The four skied together the remainder of the race and sprinted to the finish, with Emily Nishikawa coming out on top, followed by Marshall and Thomas. Annika Hicks (AWCA/ Canmore Nordic) and Marlis Kromm (Foothills Nordic) placed second and third, respectively, among the U23 women.

In the Open Men’s 30km Skiathlon, a lead group including Brent McMurtry (CNEPH/Foothills), Graham Nishikawa (AWCA/Whitehorse), Kevin Sandau (AWCA/Fooothills) and Graeme Killick (AWCA/Banff Ski Runners) swapped leads throughout the 8-lap race, with Sandau and McMurty finally pulling away in the last lap and battling to the line.

Sandau took the win crossing the line first, a mere half second ahead of McMurtry with Nishikawa claiming third. Killick finished fourth overall and as the top U23. David Greer (CNEPH/Whotehorse) and Jesse Cockney (AWCA/Foothills)  were the second and third U23s to cross the line and were sixth and eighth overall, respectively.

In the Junior Women’s 10km Skiathlon, Whitehorse Nordic’s Dahria Beatty came in first, followed by Anne-Marie Comeau (MSA) and Janelle Greer (Whitehorse).

Skibec’s Raphael Couturier won the Junior Men’s 20km event, followed by Whitehorse Nordic’s Knute Johnsgaard and Alexis Turgeon of Skinouk in third. Couturier dominated with almost a 30-second lead over Johnsgaard. Alex Mahoney from Rocky Mountain Racers, who had been in the top three, took a wrong turn in the stadium and was disqualified in a jury decision leaving the door open for Turgeon.

Full results HERE.

January 12, 2012 (Nove Mesto, Czech Republic) – It was another strong day for Canada as Jean-Philippe Le Guellec and Brendan Green landed top-20 finishes in the men’s 20km individual race in Nove Mesto won by Russia’s Andrei Makoveev who dominated the competition.

Le Guellec, a 26-year-old two-time Olympian from Shannon, Quebec, missed only two shots in four rounds of shooting to claim 17th with a time of 50:18.7 while Green from Hay River, N.W.T. was 19th. Green missed three shots and clocked a time of 50:32.7.

“Today was a pretty good day. We arrived in Europe five days ago, and I’m never sure what to expect with how my body will handle jet lag. It always seems to vary, but today things worked out well,” Green told Biathlon Canada. “The skiing felt tough, but I actually had one of my best skis this season which was sweet, and I was able to match it with decent shooting.”

Makoveev was the only competitor to shoot clean to claim his first World Cup win of the year finishing on top with a time of 47:19, just under a minute ahead of Norwegian star, Emil Hegle Svendsen, in second. Sweden’s Bjorn Ferry landed on the podium in third.

American Lowell Bailey finished in 41st position ahead of Calgary’s Nathan Smith in 56th and the American duo of Tim Burke and Russell Currier who finished in 63rd and 64th respectively. Rounding out the North Americans was Canadian Scott Perras in 66th place and American Jay Hakkinen in 87th.

The Biathlon World Cup continues in Nove Mesto on Friday with the sprint competitions.

Full results HERE.

January 11, 2012 – Participants in Concept2’s 12th Annual Holiday Challenge not only rowed or skied millions of meters between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve, they also helped raise over $31,000 for disaster relief organizations, including one that supports the company’s home state of Vermont in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

Every year, Concept2, the leading manufacturer of rowing machines, hosts a Holiday Challenge, asking its customers worldwide to row or ski either 100K or 200K between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Over 5900 individuals rowed or skied their way to fitness during the challenge while supporting organizations whose mission it is to offer disaster relief to affected people around the world. Nearly 1.3 billion meters were completed.

For every person who completed 100K during the challenge, Concept2 donated $.02 for every kilometer (1000 meters) to one of the following organizations: Vermont Disaster Relief Fund (vt211.org), American Red Cross Disaster Relief-International (redcross.org), Unicef—Emergency Relief Programs (unicef.org). For each kilometer beyond 100k, Concept2 donated an additional $.04.

Participants entered their meters into Concept2’s Online Logbook—a tool that allows participants to track their meters and see the donations accumulate. Throughout the year, rowers can use the Concept2 Online Logbook to monitor their progress, rank their best workouts, and interact in a virtual community.

“Working out for disaster relief was a rewarding way to end 2011, a year scarred with tsunamis, earthquakes, tornados, and flooding” explained Concept2’s Meredith Haff. The Vermont Disaster Relief Fund was the most popular choice amongst athletes. “We are touched that our customers worked so hard to help our neighbors in need. This is a reflection of our customers’ commitment and support.”

Concept2 extends its thanks to all of this year’s Holiday Challenge participants for helping to make this group effort such a success.

January 11, 2012 (Toblach, Italy) – Oh Italy….. I am finally back in connectivity after no Internet for days. There is a theory that Internet is especially sparse in Italy due to some Mafia thing but that has yet to be confirmed. Alas, my apologies for those of you that have checked back only to find my blog without recent updates. It’s been out of my control, for sure! (This also creates a huge back log in correspondence so if I haven’t written you back yet, this is why!)

This afternoon we have our second to last race of the Tour, a 10k classic mass start race at Val di Fiemme. I will make this post brief because I need to get ready but I really want to get something up to let you all know what has been going on.

As I’m sure some of you have seen or read in other publications, I took a slip on the ice Christmas day while running in Ramsau, Austria. It’s taken a while to get a proper diagnosis…. this has included lots of fitful reading on wikipedia, Web MD, and all of those other scary Internet sources where you diagnose yourself and then continue to have nightmares…. However, I was finally able to get both an x-ray and MRI, mid-tour in Oberstdorf, Germany. We were able to deal with an Orthopedic specialist but lots of the medical lingo was lost in translation and there was a fair amount of uncertainty- plus, we were literally trying to get on the road to arrive at the next stage of the Tour. It was quite a debacle of a day but more on that later.

The conclusion from the MRI is/was that I have a non-dislocated fracture of the distal radius bone. They were initially worried about the scaphoid-lunate ligament as well but that appears to be okay which is terrific news.

The second I fell on the ice I knew that something was terribly wrong. My hand was extremely swollen and my range of motion was poor. Christmas was literally 4 days before the beginning of the Tour and it was hard to know what to do. Since then, I have been racing every day, doing my best to compete. While my results have been extremely sub-par, I feel the need to complete the Tour. I’ve worked so hard to get here – and there are so many people who have helped me out along the way. I know there are a handful of other skiers from the US who would have loved to have the start opportunity and I feel the need to represent the US. I often wonder if the decision to keep racing is tough or just plain stupid. I was concerned about the potential of permanent damage to my arm but have been told since that it’s probably just pro-longing my recovery period.

Coming into the Tour my goals included fighting for a top ten stage results and finishing in the top 20 overall. While those goals are completely out of the question now, I continue to race because each time I put a bib on, I learn something valuable. With each stage of the Tour has come another World Cup start, another experience at a new venue, and some pointers and direction towards my results here (hopefully) next year, not to mention later this season.

Also, Val di Fiemme, (where we are now) is the site of the 2013 World Championships so while I’m racing today, I will literally be trying out the course for next year’s Championships. After yesterday’s “inspection ski” I was really psyched – I think the courses suit me well and it gives me a ton of direction for summer and fall training.

I promise a more complete update with tons of pictures soon. In the meantime, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED MY JOURNEY!!!! YOU ALL MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND I WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL! This injury has been especially difficult in that part of me feels like I’ve let some of you down but I’ve been told that I cannot think that way… and I know I can’t. Nonetheless, THANK YOU and I will continue to do my best to represent you all and get some stories and photos as soon as I possibly can!

Cheers!
Holly:)

January 11, 2012 – The Tour de Ski – what a great 11 days for NA Nordic skiing with a plethora of top 10 results and best evers… a shortage of podiums but, c’est la vie. Lots of Swiss Francs are headed back to NA. Liz Stephen and Holly Brooks have to be on cloud 9 with their efforts at this great test of any skier’s limits. Liz’s 8th place up Alpe Cermis is like a bolt of lighting like nothing she’s done before indicating a significant international jump, along with Holly’s perseverance even though it seemed like the Nordic Gods were throwing a few extra hurdles in her way. She was a real pro at how she handled all the extra aggravations – as if there isn’t enough pain all ready. Liz sounded like a kid in the candy store when talking about this Alpe Cermis climbing experience, she loved it – give me more!! Plus this was their 1st crack at this monster – 11 days of sweat, snot and FUN as Liz calls it. The US Women will be a bigger force to deal with next year.

Devon, Kikkan and Alex are among the top ten best skiers in the Nordic world of skiing and that is every day – not just now and then. Babikov is one really tough guy – that is all I’ve got to say. To put the pedal down like he did on Alpe Cermis on the last day has me applauding this feat.

Freeman has me totally befuddled – -not sick, not injured – and no Freeman-type results.

Both teams are still fragile in depth of numbers – minor sickness in this whole group (truly amazing). Both Simi and Andy got sick and abandoned. I think Newell was dead not sick. Hamilton might have been healthy or un-injured for two days as he came to the Tour sick – so it doesn’t count. Kudos to the staff for taking good care of these people – these results would go away fast if a couple of the studs or studettes got sick.

An opportunity missed by the Canadians not having Dasha, Chandra, Perianne and Len as a rookie crew on the TdS to gain the experience it takes to try and make it through these 11 days. It was a lost 11 days for all of them, though they all spent the time in different ways. What was there to lose by putting them into these races? Nothing in my estimation – only gains would have been made and they all would be one year ahead in this TdS experience rather then a year further behind, especially for the women’s program here in Canada.

Yes, they are sprinters, but still far behind as distance skiers and this would have been a huge experience for moving the ladies program forward. This time of the year is for racing not training and they fell farther behind the rest of the racers on the WC circuit. Len, Chandra and Dasha all had excellent results on the early WC to warrant their staying.

So what if they don’t make it all the way through the TdS – 44 men and 28 women from other countries didn’t make it either this year. Also, Brooks and Stephen were rookies, only they didn’t perform like rookies. You can’t have breakthrough results if you’re not there. Well, coaches can also learn.

Disasterous New England/NY – Right now in both of these spots in the east there are the following areas that have man made loops – Farmington, ME, Craftsbury, VT, Rumford, ME, Grafton, VT and there is natural snow with skiing of some merit in Stowe, VT (within the last days) and Fort Kent, ME and the rest of all the centers are looking at a pretty skimpy ground cover, if any. So, for all of these areas to have missed the ski business at Christmas – that money is gone – most likely not to be spent in ski shops, touring centers or other related business. The Nordic business has just come out of a slump period and pre-season sales were the best in some years. The outlook for this week is a storm on Thursday/Friday all through the East – keep your fingers crossed.

More on the Tour de Ski – Like I said above, really exciting, for the most part, but the prime schedule is still is a complete mystery to the watching public be it at the stadium, on TV or all of us geeks watching it on our computers. A lot of the Tour de Ski is designed after the Tour de France but not with the best intent in mind. The TdF does prime, yes, but every day all of the bikers start every stage together, while at the TdS we have pursuit-style starts on some stages where earned time primes accumulate creating time differentials so that starts can be staggered.

For instance when I got on-line and into the women’s 15km Freestyle Skiathlon (Pursuit) race in Toblach, Italy on Jan 5th I was a minute late and the race was under way with two skiers, Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) and Marit Bjoergen (NOR) skiing across this wide open space, and it went on and on… just the two of them. Then after 2.5 minutes of this the camera went back to the start to watch Therese Johaug (NOR) do her start, and ski alone across the same open area and then another minute plus and the 4th skier was off and running. This scenario continued on where it took 5 minutes and 10 seconds to get 10 skiers on course – BORING.

The men’s race was a bit better in that it only took 2 minutes and 47 seconds to get the 10 men on course – BORING again. I went off down stairs in my cellar to work on some skis and came up later to check the results. I love watching cross-country races, but this turned me totally off. The primes have to go, or pay out money for the primes, or have them figured into the results in a different way i.e. post-race but not affecting start times. This race had no meaning to the viewing public and is bad for the sport.

US National Championships – RUMFORD, ME – What would Nordic skiing in the US do all these years with out the efforts of this rural city in mid-northern Maine? What an effort by these people decade after decade – the energy to keep pulling it off. Mother Nature can’t beat them as it tried with the torrential downpour the night before the first race. Bah, humbug – just give us 24 hours and we’ll be rolling the racers out of the start gate – course replenished with new snow were it was needed and the week’s races were underway and finished on time.

It’s only a little club . . . but we do big things.” – Chummy Broomhall (Nordic Icon). I think this says it all – you’ve got to love these guys.

US Cross Country Championships

I think this logo is the cat’s-ass – right on Rumford and the Chisholm Ski Club. Congratulations on a great week of racing.

Tryouts in Rumford – the Nationals served as the tryouts for the U-23 and World Junior Teams and creates quite the interesting selection process in picking the teams and in the skiers picking whether they will be members of the team or stay home so they can qualify for the NCCA Championships. It’s not that the actual NCCA Champs conflict with the World Jrs or the U-23s, but that you are in Europe during the qualifying period, when they have to make their points to qualify for the regional team. What a choice to have to make.

I sure get nervous when I see the words discretionary and pre-qualified – there can’t be any holes in these skier’s resumes – history will tell us what the right choice was.

All the best to you young guys going over, you first timers be sure to ask the repeaters – like Hoffman and Diggins what it is like and what you can expect. They’ve had their share of how tough it is and that might be better spelled – how ROUGH it is!

Talk to you Soon.

January 10, 2012 (Oberstdorf, Germany) – Heavy snowfall and wind during the jumping event and strong snowfall during the cross-country race made for challenging conditions in Oberstdorf at the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup, but the four-man US team comprised of Taylor Fletcher, Johnny Spillane, Bryan Fletcher (all Steamboat Springs, CO) and Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY) moved up three spots after jumping to eighth to finish fifth overall in the team event in Oberstdorf.

Bryan Fletcher laid down another strong cross country performance skiing the second fastest leg in his round. Team Norway ultimately took the win after making up one spot after the jumps.

“Today was an OK day. It was hard on the jump with the changing wind – same old story. There was a massive snow storm during the race which made ski selection difficult. The service guys did a great job anyway. We’re looking forward to tomorrow,” said Dave Jarrett, USSA Nordic Combined Head Coach.

In the individual Gundersen on Day 2, the U.S. Ski Team’s Demong and Spillane punched into the top-15 with 14th and 15th respectively, while teammate Fletcher was 16th. Norway’s Mikko Kokslien took the win.

Spillane had the best jump for the U.S. with 20th and started the race one minute 23 seconds back, just in front of Demong and Fletcher. Fletcher skied the eighth fastest cross-country time, which was the fastest out of the Americans.

“It was a good day today. All three were close to getting the lead pack but just couldn’t close the gap all the way. Jumping was better for Billy and Johnny. Bryan had an awesome trial jump and wanted just a little more in the comp and got a little less. He is solid, though. Good skiing from everyone. Looking forward to Chaux Neuve,” said Jarrett.

Fellow US teammates Nick Hendrickson (Park City, UT) and Taylor Fletcher (Steamboat Springs, CO) did not start after finishing out of the top 50 in the provisional competition round jump.

The weekend competitions were originally scheduled in Schonach, but forced to move earlier this week due to adverse conditions. The World Cup now moves to Chaux-Neuve, France Jan. 14-15 for a pair of large hill individual Gundersen events.

Day 1 Results HERE.
Day 2 Results HERE.

January 08, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey didn’t realize their goals at this year’s Tour de Ski, but what they did do is bring Canada its best-ever result at the Tour along with a silver medal as they continue their march forward to the highest levels of performance and achievement in cross-country skiing. Watching them ski together at the front of the pack on the penultimate 20km classic stage where Harvey podiumed was a testimony to their talent and determination.

Kershaw claimed 4th overall, Canada’s best result at the Tour, Harvey was 12th, while their teammate Ivan Babikov had the 11th fastest time up the final 9km climb up Alpe Cermis, a race Babikov won in 2009. Before heading off to the Canary Islands for a well deserved break they share their thoughts and impressions, along with Head Coach Justin Wadsworth, on the fabled Tour de Ski…

Kershaw-Harvey Teleconference

January 08, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – The US women’s team has been evolving rapidly lead by team leader, Kikkan Randall, who finished 10th overall at the Tour this year, ample proof that her distance skiing is almost as strong as her sprinting.

Following her lead Liz Stephen has been upping her game each year and nailed the 8th best time up Alpe Cermis for a spectacular finish placing 24th overall. Fans may not know that Randall and Stephen still had something in the tank after they recovered from their race up Alpe Cermis as they won a night team sprint race …see Randall’s Training Rap.

The final team member Holly Brooks has been turning heads for some time winning the SuperTour title last season with breakthrough results at early season WCups to earn a trip to the Tour. Brooks is a fighter would not let a broken wrist take her off her path with heart as she completed the Tour as well finishing 39th overall.

We also caught up with Matt Whitcomb, U.S. Ski Team Women’s Cross Country Coach, for his take on the team’s awesome Tour.

Kikkan Randall on finishing 10th overall at the Tour

How were you feeling this morning after eight gruelling days knowing the challenge ahead.
KR: Felt decent this morning. A little groggy and achy but anxious to race the final day.

Did having two teammates with you this year make a difference?
KR: Having teammates definitely made this Tour more enjoyable and helped me stay relaxed.  It’s so encouraging to see our team more and more respected and more competitive each year.

Was Alpe Cermis as tough as you remembered…?
KR: Yep!  Those steep sections really eat your legs up and the “flatter” section with 400m to go was just as hard this year.

Last year you finished 21st this year 10th – that huge improvement has to feel good.
KR: Yes, it was so much fun to be in the fight for top ten places this year. This is always where I’ve felt I was capable of skiing and it has been satisfying to now be getting consistently solid results.

The US women’s program is on the right track – this augurs well for Sochi in 2014.
KR: Yes, incredible momentum right now and still climbing.  We finally have the makings of a real team and we have some big team goals for the next two years!

What happens now for you going forward… ?
KR: On our way to a show team sprint an hr from vdf.  Figured why not pack in one more race and make it 10 in 11 days!  Tomorrow the rest starts! Will take it pretty chill this week to absorb and recover from this big load of racing. Hoping to recharge in time for Milan sprint and team sprint.

—–

Elizabeth Stephen on yesterday’s 10km Classic

How were your skis today – what wax choice did you make?
ES: My skis were great today, though I need to learn how to relax a bit in the race and use the tracks a bit more instead of freaking out and herringboning up the side!  But big improvements from last year with classic, so I have to focus on those strides mostly and then look to improve more in coming races and years.

How were you feeling this morning and what was your strategy today…?
ES: Go hard, try and hang with the pack, enjoy every second of this race and event.  I love mass starts, there is so much that can happen, girls all up in your business, tracks that merge into other tracks with no notice, I just love the craziness of it all.  And above all else, I love to cross country ski race. Two minutes before the race today, Holly pulled us together for a USA cheer and it was just what I needed to calm the pre-race nerves and remember that this is all about loving this moment.  I am doing exactly what I want to be doing and don’t want to be anywhere else in the whole world doing anything else right now – and that is the best feeling in the world.  Win, lose or draw, I am completely invested and excited each day I wake up and realize that I am living this incredible dream.

What were conditions and the course like today out there… ?
ES: PERFECT!  It was classic skiing at it’s finest.  Bomber tracks, not too cold, fast, it was perfect.

How’s your energy with one more stage to go and what’s your strategy for Cermis…?
ES: I am constantly surprised at what the body is able to handle.  Here I am, facing the last of 9 races in 11 days, and it is by far the hardest one of the whole tour, and yet, I can only feel excitement as I think about waking up tomorrow and skiing backwards up a downhill mountain.  I mean, if I ever thought for a second I wasn’t completely nuts, this is a really good reminder at just how weird us Nordis are. The energy seems good, and the strategy is to catch as many people as I possibly can tomorrow.

You’re about to complete your first TdS – how does it feel… ?
ES: Awesome. I am pumped to have finally gotten to do my first one and have a shot at a top-30 finish with a good race tomorrow.  It has been everything I thought it would be, fun, tiring, and completely and totally rewarding.

—–

Holly Brooks talks about the final day and finishing the Tour de Ski

How were you feeling this morning after 8 gruelling days facing the challenge ahead?
HB: Thanks for checking in. It feels really, really good to have finished the race… in fact, I just tweeted, “There should be “finisher” t-shirts for the TDS! FIS could learn something from citizen’s races! Haha!This morning was great – we didn’t have to wait for a 3:45 start!  I was nervous for sure but also excited and anxious to finish up. Liz & I skied down the Alps Cermis the other day so we had a small idea of what to expect.  There was a lot of hurting going on out there and even some granny skating. However, I watched Dario do it as well so that made me feel better 🙂

Does anything come close to Cermis…?
The wave start with the majority of the women’s field was utter chaos. I liken it to a gigantic cat fight.  The entire flat section to the base of the Cermis is 1.5 skaters wide and you can imagine, a bunch of hungry girls vying for position the entire time, broken poles, yelling, etc.  (I would certainly like to give some feedback to organizers to widen the trail) Once we got to the climb things sorted themselves out a bit but my best skis took a gigantic beating – lots of holes and scratches from other girls.  People were attempting to pass on the inside of the uphill switchback corners and skis would get tangled or girls would get their skis caught in the gates.

You’ve watched the Tour and now you’ve completed it – is it as tough as you thought it would be ?
HB: As for toughness of the Tour, it’s about what I expected. Granted, I didn’t ski anywhere near my goal coming into the Tour but my energy level was functional, considering.  Also, for the next two years the Tour will have fewer stages as they are trying to encourage participation during World Champ and Olympic years.

You must feel really proud to have completed your first Tour considering your injury…
HB: Coming into the Tour I was aiming for a top 20 finish overall.  I obviously didn’t come close to that but considering my injury, I’m really happy and proud to have finished.  It’s funny because I think I’ll look back on this experience years from now and laugh: “Remember the Year I did the 9-stage Tour de Ski with a broken wrist?!”  At this level, just about everything has to be perfect if you want to be able to compete.  Even small injuries and sickness can make your results plumet.  Every competitor here is aiming for the best finish possible; everyone is doing everything they can to ski as fast as possible. It takes a good body, a clear mind, a bill of good health, and a huge ability to absorb pain to succeed here.

The US women’s team looks solid which augurs well for Sochi in 2014.
HB: I’m proud of our entire team for fighting through some hard days.  Liz’s climb today was absolutely brilliant and Kikkan put together an amazing set of races.  I’m proud to be a part of this team and yes, I think it speaks positively looking ahead to Sochi. Everyone seems to be improving every year and everyone gets along really well.  Positive team dynamics are crucial and I think we have a good thing going!

What’s the game plan with your wrist and recovery… ?
HB: Now that the Tour is over, I have some rest, recovery, and healing planned.  I have some friends from Anchorage that recently moved to Aviano, one hour North of Venice. I’m going to spend a couple of days with them talking about non ski related things, sleeping in a house rather than a hotel room, and seeing a couple of sights in Europe.  Then, I will head to Ramsau for some rehab and a training camp. I plan to skip Milan, Oteppa & Moscow in hopes that I can be ready to go in time for Rybinsk. Doctors have told me that my injury would usually require a cast for six weeks but I’m crossing my fingers and toes that 3 weeks of really proactive recovery and rehab will be enough to get me back on track.

Thanks Benjamin,
Holly 🙂

—–

Matt Whitcomb U.S. Ski Team Women’s Cross Country Coach

It was a big day for the US Women’s Team at the TdS – can you tell us your thoughts on this year’s Tour?
MW: Today is a great day for the American women. Top 10 for Kikkan and a huge charge from Liz to steal 24th. Holly skied up as well to finish the Tour strong. The results of Kikkan and Liz are remarkable, but I’m particularly happy with Holly. She has toughed out the entire tour with an injury. She’s struggled to lay down results on par with her pre-Tour performances, but has been an incredibly supportive teammate. I think everyone can take a lesson from Holly on how to handle tough times in a team setting. It takes a supportive team to have good individual races, and Holly is not done. She’s beginning a two+ week healing process today. Stay tuned for a lot more from her.

January 08, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Dario Cologna (SUI) was unstoppable as he conquered the Tour de Ski claiming his third title with the 16th best time on the final 9km FR on Stage 9 up Alpe Cermis.

The real race was for the other podium spots as Petter Northug (NOR) was no match for the hard-charging Marcus Hellner (SWE) who had the third best time of the day to grab the silver, but the Norwegian held on for third collapsing across the line.

Devon Kershaw scored Canada’s best-ever result at the Tour finishing 4th. His teammate Alex Harvey, on the podium yesterday on the penultimate stage, yielded some ground today settling for 12th overall. Meanwhile Ivan Babikov, who won his first WCup on Alpe Cermis at the Tour in 2009, earned the 11th fastest time to land in the points at 27th overall.

“I’m exhausted,” said Kershaw. “Today was a little bit disappointing. It’s been a really good tour – a little bit of bad luck here and there – but it is the best finish ever at the Tour.  Fourth place is not something to be super disappointed about but, I’m not going to lie I really wanted the podium today.

“But 500 metres into the hill it was just too much. It was a real battle. Today was a real struggle. I’m better this year but I do believe I can be on the podium here and win this thing one day if everything comes together.”

For Harvey today was a let down as well but now he’s looking ahead as he told us, “This only makes me hungrier as I didn’t realize my goals at the Tour. I’m disappointed but now I look forward to the rest of the season.”

The USA’s Kris Freeman completed his second Tour – and remains the only US male to ever complete it – but he couldn’t match his stellar results from last year on the final stage where he placed 7th. Today the American veteran was just out of the points in 32nd to finish 43rd overall (last year Freeman finished 28th).

The winner of today’s grueling 9km FR stage was Russia’s Alexander Legkov who suffered with the wrong wax yesterday and clawed back some ground to end up 5th overall. France’s Maurice Manificat, who also had a rough day on Saturday, was second on the day and finished just behind former Tour winner, Lukas Bauer (CZE) who has won the Cermis climb as well but was 8th today and 6th overall.

Canadian Head Coach Justin Wadsworth was excited about the team’s efforts and chances but conceded there was some disappointment as they wanted a podium. “We were looking good and it was exciting to see our chances but we’re all a bit disappointed as we hoped for a podium. It’s a great result and our best result, a real testimony to the quality of our team, so for sure we’ll be looking at ways to improve next year.”

For now the Canadian team will head to the warmth of the Canary Islands for some well deserved R&R as they will soon begin preparing for the upcoming WCups.

The crowds were out lining the course in Val di Fiemme giving skiers a taste of what’s to come next season when the 2013 Nordic World Championships will be held here. As another Tour de Ski comes to an end there’s no question that the skiers and the fans have embraced it with passion.

Men’s Final 9km FR Stage results HERE.
Men’s Final 9km FR Stage results detail HERE.
Men’s Final TdS Overall HERE.

January 08, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) stamped the 6th Tour de Ski with a convincing win on the grueling final 9km FR climb up Alpe Cermis pulling away from Marit Bjoergen (NOR) to claim her third consecutive Tour title.

But the real story for Tour fans in North America was Kikkan Randall’s fabulous skiing to claim 10th overall and her teammate Liz Stephen’s gutsy final day nailing the 8th fastest time to surge to 24th overall (from 32nd). Holly Brooks also finished the Tour placing 39th overall, another amazing feat as she has broken bones in her wrist. The US women’s team is coming of age.

Yesterday Randall told SkiTrax, “I’d love to fight to stay in the top 10 and if I have a really good day, I know the top 4 could be within reach. Time to just leave it all out there!”

Randall did just that demonstrating that her distance skills have made a quantum leaps in both classic and skating – last year at her first Tour she finished 21st.

Stephen was also optimistic the day before the final stage telling us, ‘I am constantly surprised at what the body is able to handle. The energy seems good, and the strategy is to catch as many people as I possibly can tomorrow.”

When asked how it feels to almost complete her first TdS she said, “Awesome. I am pumped to have finally gotten to do my first one and have a shot at a top 30 finish with a good race tomorrow. It has been everything I thought it would be, fun, tiring, and completely and totally rewarding.” And rewarded yet again she was.

Brooks injured wrist made for an even tougher Tour for the APU skie who told us she was looking forward to skiing the TdS healthy. “There is always something to learn or take away from each World Cup racing experience. The Tour is an awesome event and I really hope that I’ll get to take it on next year with full health!”

Bjoergen and Norway were denied, but with Therese Johaug winning the final Stage 9 Alpe Cermis 9km FR climb again and landing on the final podium in third, the Norwegians fared well and will undoubtedly be back to try and claim the only remaining spot. But if Kowalczyk is on the start line all contenders will have their work cut out for them.

Full report to follow.

Women’s Final 9km FR Stage results HERE.
Women’s Final 9km FR Stage results detail HERE.
Women’s Final TdS Overall HERE.

January 08, 2012 (Hinterzarten, Germany) – Sarah Hendrickson has now won two out of the three World Cup competitions so far this season after a resounding 30-point victory Sunday over second-place finisher Sara Takanashi, of Japan.

And the U.S. celebration doesn’t stop there. Teammate Jessica Jerome fought back to a decisive third-place after battling unlucky wind and snow conditions on Saturday that cut the competition short after just one round. Lindsey Van finished 7th. Alissa Johnson was 23rd and Abby Hughes was 25th.

“Yesterday was difficult with the weather and I haven’t been here in a couple years,” said Hendrickson, 17. “Today I got in another good training jump and got a feel for the hill. I was super confident after that and knew warming up that I could do it.”

Hendrickson jumped 107.5 and 104.5 meters on the 95K hill. Her first jump set a new ladies record on the HS108 jump. She won the women’s World Cup (WC) opener in Lillehammer on Dec. 3, and claimed the title as the first woman ever to win a WC ski jumping competition. This is the first season the International Ski Federation has held a WC for women.

Jerome jumped 101 meters both rounds Sunday. Last year, Jerome captured a 4th in Hinterzarten and finished 5th overall on the Continental Cup tour. She’s been working on one small technical aspect of her jumping and said she’s getting a handle on it and improving.

“I got a lot of sleep last night and I woke up and felt good today and knew I was capable of having good jumps and doing well on this hill,” said Jerome, who was just nudged out of second-place by Takanashi, who jumped shorter, but received more style points.

“With the continued growth of the sport and it being more competitive than years ago, everyone is definitely fine-tuned and absolutely everything counts,” she said.

Van, won took 2nd in Saturday’s competition, jumped 94.0m and 93.5m on Sunday. She missed the World Cup opener in Lillehammer while healing from ankle surgery and has been battling mono.

“It’s so awesome to see Jessica do that well, she had awesome jumps today and so did Lindsey,” said Hendrickson. “To have three of us in the top 10 … No other nation can say that today. We train hard and compete well.”

The World Cup continues on Jan. 14 and 15 in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

Results

Day 2 – Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012
Women’s Normal Hill, K95
(with wind system calculation)

1. Sarah Hendrickson, USA, (107.5, 104.5) 273.2
2. Sara Takanashi, JPN, (100.5, 99.5) 242.6
3. Jessica Jerome, USA (101.0, 101.0) 240.1
_

7. Lindsey Van, USA, (94, 83.5) 215.8
23. Alissa Johnson, USA (91, 91) 196
25. Abby Hughes, USA (89.5, 88.5) 87.8

Day 1 – Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012
Women’s Normal Hill, K95
(with wind system calculation)

Competition concluded after first jump only due to poor weather conditions.

1. Sabrina Windmuller, SUI, (100) 114.7
2. Lindsey Van, USA, (94) 113.9
3. Lisa Demetz, ITA, (97.5) 110.7

9. Sarah Hendrickson, USA, (89) 104.0
27. Jessica Jerome, USA (86) 88.5
32. Alissa Johnson, USA (83.5) 85.1
38. Abby Hughes, USA (80) 77.8

January 07, 2012 (Val di Fiemme, Italy) – Canada’s Alex Harvey charged to second place on Saturday with teammate Devon Kershaw claiming 6th as the two Canucks put on a fabulous show of skiing in Val di Fiemme on Stage 8 at the Tour de Ski in the men’s 20km CL won by Norway’s Eldar Roenning.

Tour leader, Dario Cologna (SUI), took third as he grabbed more bonus seconds on his way to edging out his Norwegian rival, Petter Northug, by one point for the TdS Sprint title (56 to 55). Northug finished fourth on the day.

With five bonus opportunities during today’s 20km race the strategies were key to overall placement and Harvey and Kershaw, who skiied strong near the front for the whole race, conserved energy this time allowing others to push for the top bonus spots. Both still earned valuable seconds as they raced smart near the front, but Harvey was in top form as he nailed Canada’s first (men’s) WCup podium this year claiming the silver and moved up three spots to 6th overall.

“My skis were just so good and I knew coming in the final downhill when I started double poling that I had a chance at the podium,” said Harvey. “I’ve had up and down stages at the Tour so far but today everything came together. I didn’t hold anything back.

“Tomorrow is a tough stage. I start after Lukas Bauer (CZE) a good climber so I won’t try to help him catch Devon who starts ahead of us. If I feel good I’ll try to pass him on the flats but realistically there’s a lot of good skiers ahead of me that have to all be suffering for me to make the final podium.”

Kershaw had a stellar day as well finishing sixth and remains fourth overall as Sweden’s Marcus Hellner took over third from Russia’s Alexander Legkov who struggled with his skis today and fell back into 8th overall. Kershaw earned 23 bonus points today but Hellner was able to eke out 29 and just slip past the man from Sudbury by only 0.1s – so Kershaw is within striking distance of the final podium spot.

“The body felt good today and I tried to earn as many bonus seconds as possible and still be strong at the end. We got lucky with Legkov and Manficat dropping back and had a great result with Alex on the podium.

“For sure I’m up for tomorrow – this race means the world to me and it’s been a huge goal especially with no world championships this year – we’ll see how the legs feel. Hellner who is just ahead of me has done well here in the past. It’s a tough stage but it’s tough for everyone and we’ve trained hard for this.”

Cologna looks untouchable for his third TdS overall with 1:12 over Northug unless something unexpected happens which is unlikely given his experience having won two Tours. The real battle is for third with one monster 9km climb up Alpe Cermis left to decide the final podium as the 6th annual Tour de Ski wraps up on Sunday.

Men’s 20km results HERE.
Men’s 20km results detail HERE.
Men’s TdS Sprint Overall HERE.
Men’s TdS Overall HERE.

January 07, 2012 (Rumford, ME) – We caught up with Jessie Diggins (USST-CXC), who is having a phenomenal season earning a hat-trick of victories to date at the US Cross Country Skiing Championships winning the women’s 20km CL on Friday, and Aspen’s Noah Hoffman (USST-Ski & Snowboard Club Vail) who captured the men’s 30km CL title.

January 06, 2012 (Rumford, ME) – The unstoppable Jessie Diggins (USST-CXC) put the pedal to the metal this Friday on Day 3 at the US Cross Country Skiing Championships and never looked back. In impressive fashion she took her third US title in as many races nailing the women’s 20km CL event at Black Mountain of Maine. The course consisted of six laps on a 3.26km loop.

Diggins took yet another title in 1:05:49.9 as large flakes of snow adorned both the track and countryside. Former Dartmouth racer and Green Team skier, Ida Sargent, showed great fitness and control in taking the silver medal just 11.6 seconds off Diggins’ pace. Sargent, a native Vermonter, will head off to Europe within the week to compete on the FIS WCup circuit as will Diggins.

Former UVM Captain Jennie Bender, who was leading after the first lap, also continued to demonstrate that she is on fine form by placing third 13.6 behind Diggins. Claiming fourth was Canadian WC skier, Daria Gaiazova, who also look strong early on leading the race during the second lap. She was followed by APU’s Kate Fitzgerald in fifth.

Following the race Diggins said she had hoped she would podium at these races, adding that the lack of snow in Minnesota over the Holidays may have proved a blessing in disguise. “I really had no idea I would do this here in Rumford, I’m relaxed and having fun, so, yes, I’m having a good week. With little snow at home I did a lot of running – my real goal is to peak for the U-23’s in Turkey. Some of the forced rest I had at home may have helped me be fresh here.”

Men’s Race
Noah Hoffman was quiet and focused before the start of the men’s 30k Classic and the Aspen skier, who represents the USST, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail and Team Homegrown, let his skis and ability do the talkin’ with an impressive 53.6s-win over David Norris of Alaska Winter Stars/MSU and a star-studded field.

Hoffman, won the tough 30km in 1:26.:49.3. Dartmouth skier, Anchorage-native Eric Packer was third at 1:16.7 behind the winner while the battle for fourth was uber close as Lars Flora (APU) squeeked by sprint tactician Torin Koos (Bridger Ski Foundation) by 0.1s with a time of 1:28:12.3. Matt Gelso, of Sun Valley, took sixth and was followed by Brian Gregg of CXC in seventh.

With about three laps to go Hoffman – a member of last year’s USA Nordic Worlds Team – upped the ante and broke loose with a pace that none could duplicate. Norris came close but could not stay with the “Hoff”. After the race Hoffman was pleased. “You know I had fast skis and they were running just great, I handled this race just like I had hoped for, I ran the last 10 km like a time trial. I am really happy with my fitness.”

 Women’s 20km CL

 Men’s 30km CL

Women

1. Jessica Diggins (USST/CXC) 1:05:49.9
2. Ida Sargent (USST/GRP) 1:06:01.5
3. Jennie Bender (CXC Team) 1:06:03.5
4. Daria Gaiazova (Rocky Mountain) 1:06:06.6
5. Kate Fitzgerald (APU Nordic Ski) 1:06:18.1

Men

1. Noah J Hoffman (USST/SSCV) 1:26:49.3
2. David Norris (AWS/MSU) 1:27:42.9
3. Eric Packer (Dartmouth Ski Team) 1:28:06.0
4. Lars Flora (APU) 1:28:12.3
5. Torin Koos (Bridger Ski Foundation) 1:28:12.4

Women’s Results HERE.
Men’s Results HERE.

January 06, 2012 (Oberhof, Germany) – The Russian and Italian teams won gold in the women’s 4x6km and men’s 4×7.5km relay, respectively, at IBU World Cup #4 in Oberhof, Germany.

In the women’s race, Olga Vilukhina (RUS) anchored the Russian team to bring home gold with an overall time of 1:19:32 and 13 shooting penalties. Team Norway cruised in +5.9 later for the silver medal, and the French team grabbed bronze.

The Italian squad put together a fantastic race in the 4×7.5km men’s race with only five shooting penalties opposed to second place Russia’s 13. Italy won by a +6.1 margin, while Sweden scooped up bronze with six penalties and a +32.7 gap.

Team USA’s Lowell Bailey, Jay Hakkinen, Tim Burke, and Leif Nordgren opened the World Cup competition with a 11th-place finish, trailing the leaders by +5:42.3 and racking up 19 penalties.

“With the rain training has not been easy, but the organizers have been doing everything they can to put a good track together, ” said U.S. Biathlon High Performance Director Bernd Eisenbichler. “In the Relay, it’s always tricky in these conditions with both skiing and waxing….”

Results
Women 4×6 km Relay HERE.
Men 4×7.5 km Relay HERE.