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

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

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

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

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

Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Age: 30
Team: Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center – Elite Team
Club: APUNSC
Major Results:

• 2008 Tour of Anchorage, 1st (50km skate )
• 2006 US National XC Championships, 1st (10km skate)
• 2005 US National XC Championships, 1st (10km skate)
• 2006 US XC Olympian Torino, Italy
• 2005, 2007 Nordic Worlds US XC Team member

James was born and raised in Anchorage, AK in 1978 where he started skiing as a freshman at Dimond High School. After high school he spent a year racing for the University of Nevada followed by a year at Western State College before eventually moving back to Anchorage where he graduated from Alaska Pacific University in 2004.

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

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