February 06, 2012 (Sun Valley, ID) – The Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT), one of America’s longest running and most respected cross-country ski races, took place this past weekend in Sun Valley, Idaho, drawing a field of over 900 racers from across the country.

Clear skies allowed for a morning low of -12F, leaving cold sharp snow on the track. The BMT traversed the spectacular Boulder Mountains for 32km of breathtaking beauty and world-class competition. Thanks to race founder, the late Rob Kiesel, the BMT enjoys a stellar reputation that includes some of the finest skiing to be found anywhere on the planet combined with warm hospitality and first rate race organization. This year’s edition of the event was dedicated to Kiesel, who passed away last October.

Matthew Liebsch (Team Strongheart/Team Birkie) was the victor in a tight men’s competition completing the course in a time of 1:13:34.7, while Lars Flora (APU) won the two-up sprint for second against Nils Koons by a mere four-tenths of a second. Flora’s finishing time was 1:13:47.1.

Rebecca Dussault won the overall women’s race with a blistering time of 1:18:13.8 in an exciting sprint to sort out the podium order. Morgan Arritola was less than a second back for silver, with Chelsea Holmes right behind for bronze.

Full results HERE.

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

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

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

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

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

What’s Coming Up:
VACATION!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Two down, three to go.

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

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

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

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

Three down, two to go

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four down, one to go!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cheers,

Kikkan

April 05, 2011 (Ketchum, ID) – Fast and Female hosted its third and final X-Country SkiFest of the year on American snow this past Sunday in Ketchum, Idaho. Held under clear and sunny skies, the event was highlighted by the participation of 70 female ski enthusiasts between the ages of 7 to 19 years who had the opportunity to spend a morning of inspiration with 23 ambassadors – 7 of which are Olympians.

As part of the unique event, Fast and Female event participants kicked off their day with first-hand ski tips from some of the world’s best cross-country ski racers including Kikkan Randall, Liz Stephen, Holly Brooks, Caitlin Compton, Morgan Arritola, Chandra Crawford (Canada), and Biathlete Sara Studebaker. All ambassadors volunteered their time to the event and dressed the part to ensure a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

“It was super awesome,” said 17 year-old participant Emily Williams. “We had so much fun dancing, singing and learning new technique drills. It was amazing to spend the day with these great athletes.”

After the skiing, all girls enjoyed a healthy lunch, took part in an inspirational speech, and concluded the day with a fun yoga/dance session.

“The speeches were really inspirational and not just for cross country skiers,” admitted Kailey Wilt, age 14.

In keeping with Fast and Female’s vision, each event segment served a specific purpose to motivate girls to stay involved in sports as a tremendous vehicle for reaching one’s personal and athletic best.

“The looks we saw on our athletes’ faces today showed us what an important message Fast and Female sends to young women,” added Kelley Sinnott from the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation. Sinnott played a key role in coordinating the event along with colleague Ashley McQueen.

Throughout the 2011 winter, Fast and Female hosted three events in the USA, reaching a total of 470 girls in Maine, Alaska and now Idaho. Historically, events are not only inspiring for the young participants but even ambassadors leave the day feeling energized.

“It’s always refreshing to be reminded of kids’ energy and enjoyment of whatever they are part of,” said World Cup racer Liz Stephen. “Fast and Female is a wicked program and the local community and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation did an awesome job with all the work!”

Parent volunteer, Gretchen Wagner, also commented on the impact of the day: “What an amazing group of women! It was great to see all of the girls inspired by these fast female heroes. Smiles from ear to ear!”

All event participants left with a Fast and Female t-shirt, Buff and autographed poster.

This activity was made possible thanks to valuable local partners such as the Works of Grace Foundation, the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Cheatwood Photography, and many parent volunteers. Fast and Female’s national sponsors – including Best Buy, Buff Multifunctional Headwear, lululemon athletica, and Cold-FX – are also providing resources to make this event possible. For a complete list of Fast and Female national program supporters and sponsors, please click HERE.

Fast and Female will be releasing more event information shortly. Until then, continue to visit www.fastandfemale.com.

March 28, 2011 – This morning, when I was busy speculating on just how much a 30km might possibly hurt, I got a text from my family wishing me and the team luck and saying “Kenzie says 35km was a blast.” Kenzie is my 14-year-old sister. And she raced 35km before I’ve even raced 30! So THAT threw all my plans of complaining out the window…and got me motivated to suck it up and get tough. And it was a beautiful day, which always helps!

I went into the race with these goals in mind:

1. DON’T break a pole. And don’t fall down.

2. If you do fall, fall where nobody can see you.

3. Don’t give yourself a gatorade facial again. Take at least one feed the RIGHT way. (In Oslo I managed to disgrace myself in front of coaches from around the world my first dropping a feed, and then slooshing the next one all over, yet still not getting a drop in my mouth. Sooooo embarrassing).

And believe it or not, I managed to accomplish all three (although I got ridiculously close to going down face first on the largest downhill a few times). And I’ve decided I need to start figuring out which feeds to take when during a distance race, because my stomach was doing some curious flip-flops in that last lap. But hey, it’s all a learning experience, right?

And wow, did I learn a lot today. It was such an honor to ski with more experienced girls who know how to pace and navigate a pack without wasting energy. After the second lap, I was in a small group with Kikkan, Maria, Morgan and Holly. During the third lap, we lost Holly and Morgan, and I tried my hardest to hang onto Kikkan and Maria but the long climb at the end of the lap was more than I could handle. So I skied the final lap alone, always within sight of Kikkan and Maria but never quite able to bridge the gap. On that final hill, I knew Morgan was putting in a huge effort to catch me and I was totally dying, but our coaches (Gus and Cork) gave the CXC girls such fantastic skis that I knew I just had to make it over the top with a tiny gap and I could stay in 3rd place. Although I’m not going to comment on my technique in the last few km of the race because if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.

Lap splits and results can be seen HERE.

One of these days I’ll remember to bring a camera to the race, but for now I think the words “sunny”, “picturesque mountains” and “totally enthusiastic cheering crowd” ought to do it!

February 28, 2011 (Oslo, Norway) – Two days ago, I raced my first 15km pursuit ever… at the World Championships! Maybe not the ideal time to experiment with pacing, but it sure was fun while it lasted. It was an interesting day with heavy fog that made it hard on the spectators and racers alike; you couldn’t see the turns on the fast downhills till you hit them! I almost fell face-first a couple of times but managed to stay upright.

The crowds were fantastic; they lined the course and although 95% were totally intoxicated, the noise and enthusiasm really gave me a boost during the race. It’s impossible to give up when people are screaming “HI-YA!” at you! (it means GO! in Norwegian)

I had the best mass start I’ve ever been in, because I was situated #42, on the right outside track. I was able to hop out of the track and double pole up the outside while on the first hill out of the stadium people were going ballistic and tripping in the tracks. I snuck around the corner and caught onto the end of the big pack to be in the top 30. I was so excited because our skis were so fast – we had the perfect mix of good kick up the steep climbs and fast glide on the downhills.

However, I’d done a really poor job of hydrating and fueling up the days prior to my race, which proved to be a painful lesson to learn the hard way. I started to hit the wall at only 6km, and could taste iron in the back of my throat the rest of the race. I shouldn’t have needed a feed in a 15km, but the coaches had three stations ready, just in case.

And you know what? I missed all three! So embarrassing. I dropped the first bottle, and the second time around, I managed to grab the bottle… and gave myself a Gatorade facewash! So now every coach in the world knows that I had the worst feed in the history of world champs. What a prestigious title! To be fair, I’ve never tried to take a feed in a big race before. But now I’ve got good incentive to practice!

At the end of the day, Marit Bjoergen took the women’s title (surprise, surprise!) but the US women had a great day – Liz led the charge in 24th, Holly came in 25th, I finished 28th and Mo wrapped up our top 45 day in 43rd! Full results are linked HERE.

The next day was the men’s 30km pursuit, and Holly and I had a great time cheering them on. We got to be part of an international cheering squad as we hiked down a steep snowy hill to get right alongside the classic part of the course. It was really cool to see all the people camping in the snowbank; some had even shoveled out benches and settled down for the afternoon!

We hiked back to the stadium in time to see Alex Harvey of Canada pull the most ballsy move I’ve ever seen in a 30km pursuit – he broke the pack with like 6km to go and went off the front on his own! Sadly, his legs cramped up with about 3km to go and the pack sucked him back in. But it was super cool to see him off the front for a lap with a chase pack of 20 guys all scared to death that a U23 was going to beat them.

The men finished thus: Northug won, with Russians in 2nd and 3rd. Kris Freeman led the US guys in 29th, Noah Hoffman came in 37, Lars Flora finished in 53rd and Tad Elliott came in 55th. Full results are linked HERE.

Then we had a bit of a transportation snafu – due to the pedestrians crowding the street and the King of Norway getting back down the hill safely, they totally shut down the roads and we had to sit on a bus for an hour and a half before getting back to the hotel. It was a long day, but still worth it to see such an exciting race.

Today is the women’s 10km classic… and I’m headed out to cheer!

February 26, 2011 (Oslo, Norway) – The Marit Bjoergen magic worked again in the women’s 15km Pursuit (7.5km CL + 7.5km FR) even on slow, new warm snow, along with yesterday’s fog, as all of Norway showed up to watch the Queen of Holmenkollen triumph once more.

In total she blazed the course in 38:08 and is the nemesis of Polish star, Justyna Kowalczyk, who was 3.5 seconds back at the ski transition, and 7.5 seconds back by the finish for the silver. Bjoergen commented that she could see from the first skate downhill that she had faster skis than her Polish shadow. Thus made this part of her tactic in the second half, initiating her attack with just under one kilometre to go on the climb before entering the stadium. Her teammate Therese Johaug had a stellar race taking the bronze at 8.8 seconds behind.

These three leaders broke away during one of Bjoergen’s attacks on the climb during the skate leg. Sweden’s top distance skier, Charlotte Kalla, chased but could not connect and finished on her own in 4th 53:9 seconds back. Italian Marianna Longa and Sweden’s Maria Rydqvist had a photo finish for 5th at 1:08:8 seconds behind the winner.

US skiers were the first North Americans with Elizabeth Stephen in at 2:54.9 minutes back for a solid 24th overall – her strong fast time in the skate of 18:23.2 put her 18th in that leg. Holly Brooks was next in 25th at 3:21.9 behind, while junior Jessie Diggins put in another a strong performance at her first major international event placing 28th at 3:25.2 back, followed by Morgan Arritola in 43rd at 5:00:9 behind.

The lone Canadian skier, Brooke Gosling was 51st and seven minutes behind. It was Brooks, Diggins and Gosling’s first World Championships – quite the baptism considering the competition at the front of the pack.

American xc head coach Chris Gover was more than pleased as the team coped with unexpected deep snow, and promising results for the future. “Conditions were different than anything we’d seen so far and from what was predicted but the wax team adjusted quickly and we had a great skis. Different teams found different kick wax solutions,” Grover told SkiTrax. “I was proud of the effort of our young skiers. A great race for Liz. Holly’s first Euro WC points. A second day in the top-30 result for Jessie.”

Veteran Stephen agreed. “It was a great day for our team for the most part, with Holly, Jessie and I all in the top 30. That’s real progress for us as a country. The race was really fun and the tracks were super fast – I had awesome skis today, both for the classic leg and the skate.

“My race had some really good parts to it, including the classic leg, which may well have been my best classic race all year. I was able to ski hard, but relaxed and hang on to the pack enough so I could be in the mix with the skate race and go out feeling strong with a goal to catch as many people as possible. I skied a pretty strong skate leg, and feel like today was a really good tune up for the rest of the week.”

Diggins continued to perform after being called up from the junior ranks following her seventh place result in the 5km skate at the Junior Worlds with as fast or faster times than many seniors. Not only was this her first senior worlds, but it was her first pursuit ever and she couldn’t overstate her enthusiasm for the race and the entire experience.

“Today was a really interesting day with all the fog…it was crazy racing because going down the hills you couldn’t see the corners until you came right up to them! But the fans were great and all the cheering really helped,” said Diggins in a post-race email to SkiTrax. “I had a great start, but did a poor job keeping hydrated and hit the wall pretty hard around 6km, and felt pretty sloppy in the skate portion of the race.

“I also tried to get a feed…twice…and every coach in the world now knows that I had the worst feed in the world! I dropped the bottle the first time around and gave myself a Gatorade face-wash the second. How embarrassing! But I’m super proud of the US girls and the coaches gave us super fast skis. It was a good day!”

For the USA’s Brooks it was a day for the record books. “Yes it was a great day for the US – three women in the top 28 – and my first WC points in Europe. The past weekend at the WCup in Drammen I had a rough start in my weakest disciplines after not having raced in over a month.

“We had great skis – thanks to our techs and my coach, Erik Flora. The first time up the big sprint hill before entering the stadium I looked up and saw bib 6 – Italy’s Arianna Follis was in front of me. That was extra motivation to ski fast!  It was super fun to be skiing with the skier who took the silver medal only two days before in the sprint and I hope our momentum carries through to the guys on Sunday! Despite the fog, the crowd was fantastic.”

Arritola felt the stress of competition. “I had a rough day in the pursuit but I’m happy for my teammates who skied well. I just have to figure some things out and get ready for the 30km.”

Team leader Kikkan Randall was impressed with the US women in the 15km pursuit emailing SkiTrax her observations, “I’m super psyched and impressed to see three of our women in the top 30 today. It looked like a tough race and it’s great to see the shift in performance on our team.  We used to dream of one result in the top 30 and now we got three in. I know Morgan didn’t have her best day so she could have possibly been in there too. Jessie skied an impressive race, not afraid to go up and ski with some fast girls. I am really excited for the future of this group.

“I think my fall in the sprint the other day, while it was definitely disheartening, has made us all appreciate the hard work we’ve done together as a team to prepare for these championships and we know that the most important thing is to put ourselves out there and go for it.  The door has been opened on what is possible and we want more of it!”

We caught up Canadian Head Coach Justin Wadsworth for his take on the pursuit. “For sure it was a tough one out there for Brooke with the new (hard) courses here at Holmenkollen, and the huge crowds. This is a tough place to cut your teeth for your first high level racing in Europe. Brooke showed some guts out there on the skating leg today, so I look for better things to come from her as the championships continue.”

But not everyone was happy about that situation. Kowalczyk noted that on four different occasions Johaug blocked her from chasing Bjoergen. When asked whether she thought it was fair play, Kowalczyk replied, “It’s cross-country skiing.”

Johaug denied trying to block Kowalczyk and Bjoergen said she had no knowledge of it – as all had taken place behind her, but she was sure Johaug would not do that.

Instead, she said, her tactic to “…not do too much work in the classic part, but I was first in. Then I knew I had very good skis [in the skate leg] and Therese was in front; I wanted to be behind, because I knew I had better skis than Kowalczyk. I attacked and got a gap, and I knew I could go. I wanted Kowalczyk in front but Kowalczyk wanted Therese in front.”

Kowalczyk had little to say. It is difficult to ski against strong teams like the Norwegians, Swedes, Germans, Italians and Finns when the other members of the Polish team while good, were not there to work for her.

Bjoergen admitted Johaug played a part in her victory. “A big thank you to Therese who wore out Kowalczyk.”

Johaug, meanwhile, said the biggest “thank you” went to the “boys in the cabin” meaning the wax crew who waxed skis to perfection. “My goal was to reach an individual medal at these Games,” she said, “and now I have reached my goal. It was a big thing for me. The people in the track were great. At the last world championships I was 6th, so it is my best place at the world championships and the Olympics.

“I knew they [Bjoergen and Kowalczyk] would be strong in the end. I would fight to the last lap – all the way. When I was skating, I thought I could go hard all the time – I thought there was a chance. I did the best I could and it was a bronze today.”

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Norway commented, in a slight nudge to the competition and the rivalry between Norway and Sweden, “It is very typical Norwegian to perform as well as Marit Bjoergen did today.”

Full results HERE.

February 14, 2011 (Beitostølen, Norway) – SkiTrax caught up with US XC Head Coach Chris Grover to get his thoughts on the stellar US weekend in Beitostølen, Norway where Jessie Diggins topped the Junior field in the women’s 10km classic and overall was third behind 2nd-placed Morgan Arritola with Liz Stephen in fourth. Tad Elliott finished 11th in the men’s 15km classic race – read more HERE.

“We are feeling very good about our weekend here in Beito,” said Grover. “We had eight top-5 finishes over the three days, despite not having some of our WM crew here [Lars, Kris, Kikkan, Holly, and Noah]. Everyone from our WM team that was here had at least one good race. There were almost 900 athletes racing on the weekend.

“Although temperatures are quite cold all over Norway, we have managed to have good training. There is lots of snow and lots of skiing here. Our living and food situations have been optimal. The Team is healthy and we are prepared to be successful in Drammen and in Oslo.”

February 14, 2011 – The National Cross-Country Ski Education Foundation has partnered with the US Ski Team to fully fund all U. S. Cross Country athletes who represent the U.S. at the 2011 World Nordic Ski Championships.

Dave Knoop, NCCSEF director, states “The World Championships are the premier Nordic competition outside of the Olympics. We wanted to make sure each athlete who qualifies for the Championships could focus on their preparation for the games and not worry about covering the cost for this trip.”

“We will be going to Norway with a group of athletes who have all earned this honor with strong performances this season,” said Nordic Program Director John Farra. “And we are pleased that are at the championships as one united team all will be equally funded and supported. It’s a special honor for each of these athletes to be able to compete in Norway.”

NCCSEF Ski Fundraising Challenge
The NCCSEF challenges the ski community at large to help fund these athletes. Make your tax deductible contribution to NCCSEF designating World Championships and we will ensure that your contribution goes to offsetting trip expenses for all athletes. To contribute and learn about NCCSEF visit www.nccsef.org

2011 World Nordic Ski Championships U. S. Cross Country Ski Team
Men
– Tad Elliott – Central Cross Country
– Lars Flora – Alaska Pacific University
– Kris Freeman – Andover Outing Club
– Simi Hamilton – Sun Valley Ski Ed Foundation
– Noah Hoffman – Aspen Valley Ski Club
– Torin Koos – Methow Olympic Development
– Andy Newell – Stratton Mountain School

Women
– Morgan Arritola – Sun Valley Ski Ed Foundation
– Holly Brooks – Alaska Pacific University
– Sadie Bjornsen -Alaska Pacific University
– Jessie Diggins- Central Cross Country
– Kikkan Randall – Alaska Pacific University
– Ida Sargent – Craftsbury Green Racing Project
– Liz Stephen- Burke Mountain Academy

2011 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Cross Country Schedule – Oslo, Norway
– Feb. 24 – Freestyle sprint
– Feb. 26 – W’s 15k Pursuit
– Feb 27 – M 30k Pursuit
– Feb. 28- W 10k Classic
– Mar. 1 – M 15k Classic
– Mar. 2 – Team classic sprint
– Mar. 3 – W Relay
– Mar. 4 – M Relay
– Mar. 5 – W 30k Freestyle
– Mar. 6 – M 50k Freestyle

February 12, 2011 (Beitostølen, Norway) – American Sadie Bjornsen from Alaska was only 4.7s off the podium claiming 4th in the women’s 5km classic today in Beitostølen as Norwegian Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen skied for the win in 15:02. Morgan Arritola (USA) was 8th another 11s behind Bjornsen while Canada’s Chandra Crawford, who just arrived in Norway, claimed an impressive 12th as she continues to show gains in her classic skiing.

“Today was super cold out there in the morning – so they postponed the start for 30 mins. There were about 890 starters, so they sent us off in 15 second intervals, which made things more exciting,” said Bjornsen in a post-race email to SkiTrax. “Astrid Jacobsen, who I knew would be the potential winner stated 45 seconds behind me – so it was my goal to stay ahead of her… and if she passed me, I would stick on her like glue. I was able to hold her off though, which was nice.”

Liz Stephen (USA) finished in 17th, Ida Sargent (USA) was 20th, and Canada’s Brooke Gosling placed 37th. For Crawford it was a good result as part of her final prep before Oslo.

“I’ve been in Norway for less than 48 hours but it felt good to get the bib on and go for it,” Crawford told SkiTax by email. “Today’s race was an opportunity Justin [Wadsworth – head coach] organized for athletes who felt a need to race to get ready for Drammen World Cup and World Champs so Brooke Gosling, Ivan Babikov, Lenny Valjas and I cruised over here from Lillehammer where the team is training to do the race.

“I’m impressed with Astrid Jacobsen who is a great person and skier and just met Sadie [Bjornsen] today but am impressed with her speed. Feels good to be back in Scandinavia where the love of skiing and thousands of kilometers of groomed trails are my kind of paradise.”

In the Junior women’s race the USA’s Jessie Diggins placed 5th at 29.5s behind winner Norway’s Ragnhild Hana with a time of 15:21.8. Diggins time of 15:51.3 put her in 15th overall when considering all categories and times merged.

Bjornsen said she hasn’t skied a 5km in a while but felt good out there knowing she had to ski hard the whole way.

“The course was rolling at the beginning and then it had a really long climb that went into a gradual climb on the top at about 3km… so you had to pretty much charge the entire time. A 5km classic is a good race for me, so I was determined to ski the course really hard.

“It was nice to finish knowing I can ski right in there with some of these top Norwegians. I haven’t seen the results, but I do know that Jacobson won and I was within like 35 seconds of her or something. Skis were good, and the rest of the US girls skid strong races as well – so it was good fun,” she commented.

Full results HERE.
All categories merged HERE.

Results (brief)

1. Jacobsen, Astrid Uhrenholdt (Heming, IL – Ski) 15:02,0
2. Staver, Tuva Toftdahl (Heming, IL – Ski) +00:25,0
3. Berg, Ella Gjømle (Lyn Ski) +00:33,2
4. Bjornsen, Sadie (USA) +00:37,9
5. Slind, Astrid Øyre (Oppdal IL – ski) +00:39,0
6. Flugstad Østberg, Ingvild (Gjøvik SK) +00:39,6
7. Harsem, Kathrine Rolsted (Fossum IF) +00:47,3
8. Arritola, Morgan (USA) +00:48,0
9. Gjeitnes, Kari Vikhagen (Henning Skilag) +00:48,3
10. Grønvoll, Maria Nysted (Furuflaten IL) +00:48,8
11. Monrad-Hansen, Marte (Heming, IL – Ski) +00:49,7
12. Crawford, Chandra (Can) +00:51,2

February 11, 2011 (Beitostølen, Norway) – The US Ski Team had a strong showing at today’s FIS freestyle sprints in Beitostølen, Norway, with Torin Koos and Andy Newell finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men’s final, which was won by Anders Gloersen (NOR). Ida Sargent took fifth in the women’s final, while Maiken Caspersen Falla (NOR) snapped up the win.

The American squad started very strongly in the qualifiers, with three in the top 10 in the men’s category: Newell 3rd, Koos 4th, and Simeon Hamilton 10th. Hamilton finished sixth in his quarterfinal heat, however, and did not advance.

In the women’s ranks, three U.S. skiers also qualified in the top 10, with Sadie Bjornsen 4th, Jessica Diggins 5th, and Sargent 6th. Bjornsen went on to take second in her quarterfinal heat, while Diggins and Sargent placed 1-2 in theirs. Sargent was the only one to advance through the semis, taking fourth in her heat, while Bjornsen and Diggins were shut out with fifth and sixth-place efforts.

Other U.S. results: Tad Elliott and Skyler Davis qualified 32nd and 47th, respectively, in the men’s event, while Liz Stephen and Morgan Arritola finished 30th and 42nd in the women’s qualifications, respectively. Stephen moved through to the quarterfinals, but was knocked out in the first heat.

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

Men’s Finals HERE.
Women’s Finals HERE.

January 09, 2011 – What a week of racing – so exciting at all levels – the Tour de Ski (TdS), US Nationals and  the Haywood Trials to both pick the Senior Worlds, Junior Worlds and the U23 Championship teams that will all be heading to Europe in the next few weeks for their championships.

First to the TdS where the Canadian men are making all kinds of astronomical break through’s when it comes to the results and standing on the podium. It’s a very grueling series of races, and if you don’t believe that, look at how many people will be on the starting line tomorrow for the final race and the crowning of the King and Queen of the Tour. A total of 79 men started this trek along with 58 women and there will be 40 men and 36 women left to attack the Alpe Cermis – a very huge climb – to  continue to takes it’s toll right to the last second.

Canadian Team uniforms are interesting when seen from a distance – the lower legs being all white gives the appearance that the Canadians are skiing in knickers – the old fashion way.

Coverage of all of the competitions has really lifted the level of media exposure – press reporting, pictures by the 100s flying all over the place, twitter, and the video links to the TdS are all really cool. I was at a dinner party tonight and half the guests knew all about what was taking place at the TdS, and knew the skiers names. They sure slaughter Northug’s name!!! All an outcome of last year’s Olympics in Vancouver and of course the excellent results help the big time media pick up the releases in both countries.

George Grey made a very interesting quote after winning the first trial race at Thunder Bay at the Haywood NorAm Worlds Trials.

“It was awfully tight and very technical out there today,” said Grey. “I don’t really have my shape but I think my experience put me in the front in the end. The last few weeks of training have been challenging because my fitness isn’t there. But it will come around.”

It’s getting late George, half the World Cup schedule is done, you were in Europe before Xmas and had less than good results and have had the better part of a month to get things in order. The “Big 4” from Vancouver is now down to the “Big 2” as Ivan is also struggling to find his shape. Rumours have it that you made only one training camp all summer and fall and of course we all know about Ivan’s reality trip to South America and car buying trip to the US. This sport takes a full year of training effort every year – hope you guys catch fire soon.

The US Nationals were one soggy mess the first day of racing in Rumford. Use your imagination and instead of calling this Rumford, call it Oslo, as during the time that the Worlds are being hosted there it can easily be that ugly and worse. Plus the next day can be ass rattling icy. You had some good practice – be happy.

Haywood Trials one more time, and where was Canada’s sprint champion, Chandra Crawford? I know that she is headed to Liberec along with Dasha Gaiazova next week for some more international racing. I would have thought she would want to race the T-Bay races to lift her racing fitness to be ready for this tour. I know that she has had only one race since coming back from Europe over a month ago. She could have gone to Rossland with all the boys and Dasha the next weekend upon return and given those races a real lift by being there. Her counterparts in Europe are now at the 16-18 races for the year level and Chandra is only at 6-8 races. If Chandra makes it as a sprinter only, she will be the only one in the world.

The women who are the top women in the world are both sprinters and distance skiers, at all levels. I would use Kikkan Randall, a close friend of Chandra’s, as an example of the necessary steps that have to be taken. She was trying to make it as a sprinter two years ago – the light bulb went on and now she’s becoming a really good sprinter (currently ranked 3rd in the world) and is slugging her way through her first TdS quite nicely – and ranked 23rd on the WC distance list as I write this. Racing fitness comes from racing – it is the only way! There are not enough sprint races on the WC circuit to get anyone in shape.

Update on Canada’s dynamic duo, Devon and Alex, as they have been working there way through the TdS, they have also been improving the standings on the World Cup. Devon stands in 7th place overall and Alex has placed himself nicely in 11th. Too bad Alex didn’t make a better effort of being ready for the WC races before Christmas, coming late to the tour and then going home for some school exams. Who know how good he would be now?

Who makes the US Team to the World Championships in Oslo, Norway – here are my choices and I don’t have a clue about the criteria.

Women – Randall, Brooks, Arritola, Stephens, Symth – and as a PS send both Diggins and Bjornson to the World Jrs and U23s with the proviso that if they can make the top 10 in any event they come to Oslo.

Men – Freeman, Newell, Flora, Southam, Elliott and Hoffman – and have Hamilton prove himself in Drammen.

Both teams are building towards Sochi with older leadership, maturity and youth and will be on the international long road to getting ready for the big show 2014.

PS remember, no one can ski the whole schedule and you’re bound to have some sickness. Also – Oslo will be one hell of a show – close to or the equal of Sochii. Great place for the newbies to get their feet wet – no pun intended.

Talk to you soon.

January 06, 2011 (Rumford, ME) – Liz Stephen, East Montpellier, VT, took charge in the women’s 20km freestyle event winning by just under a minute over APU’s Holly Brooks who landed on the podium for the second time at the US XC Ski Championship in Rumford. Stephen’s USST team mate, Morgan Arritola, from Fairfield, ID, who raced out of the Sun Valley Education Foundation before being named to the U.S. Ski Team, placed third.

Stephen was encouraged by her result. “I felt great out there and the course held up well,” said the winner. “I tried to put myself in a world cup race and make it even a bigger deal to get all that I wanted out of myself. I got some splits along the way but mostly was just going off the body. A big thanks to all the volunteers for making a great course.”

Full results HERE.

Results (brief)

1. Liz Stephen (Burke Mountain Academy/U.S. Ski Team), 50:03.5
2. Holly Brooks (Alaska Pacific University), 51:01.3
3. Morgan Arritola(Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation/U.S. Ski Team), 51:19.1
4. Caitlin Compton (Central Cross Country Skiing), 51:27.2
5. Kate Fitzgerald (Alaska Pacific University), 52:01.2
6. Evelyn Dong (Cross Country Oregon), 52:29.5
7. Chelsea Holmes (Sugar Bowl Academy), 52:43.5
8. Morgan Smyth (Alaska Pacific University), 52:44.7
9. Nicole Deyong (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation), 52:47.9
10. Jennie Bender (Central Cross Country Skiing), 53:07.9

January 06, 2011 (Rumford, ME) – Yesterday saw the action continue in Rumford, ME at the US XC Ski Nationals with the 10/15km Classic individual start races. In the women’s event, it was Sadie Bjornsen (APU) who grabbed the title, while team mate Lars Flora secured a second victory for APU in the men’s competition. Check out these great photos of yesterday’s races.

December 30, 2010 (Rumford, ME) – Amidst the Nor’easter that has pummeled the East Coast, 2011 is approaching fast with the U.S. Cross Country Championships opening the new year in Rumford, Jan. 2-8. Headlining the event are U.S. Ski Team athletes including U.S. Champion Simi Hamilton (Aspen, CO) as well as Liz Stephen (East Montpellier, VT) and Morgan Arritola (Fairfield, ID), who are carrying the momentum from their best World Cup finishes, and Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO).

Fourteen inches of new snow will allow for the four events, two sprint and two distance races, to run smoothly. The sprint track is looking good with an ample amount of packed snow, both fresh and man-made, for the power skaters to charge the course. The distance tracks are on the leaner side, but a combination of new snow and great snow guns have provided enough coverage for the race.

The U.S. Ski Team’s elite will front a field of 422 athletes who will take to the start in the historic town of Rumford. With 72 hours to go, athletes are traveling to the northeastern part of the U.S. with hopes of winning a coveted U.S. Championship title.

While Hamilton looks to continue his U.S. Championship streak, Stephen, Arritola, Hoffman and the rest of the field will be looking to earn some serious hardware. In addition to the U.S. Championship titles up for grabs, spots for the Junior Scandinavian Championship, Junior World Championship and U-23 World Championship trips are on the line as well. The U.S. Championships are also the final races before the World Championships team selection.

With a lot at stake, spectators and fans can expect an all out display of strength, speed and endurance as the skiers push off the line during the U.S. Championship series.

More information about the 2011 U.S. Cross Country Championships is available HERE.

December 18, 2010 (La Clusaz, France) – With every race the headline gets more cliché – Marit Bjoergen Wins Again. The Norwegian racing queen proved once more that she’s neigh untouchable, winning the women’s 15km freestyle at WCup #5 in La Clusaz, France today in sprint to the line over Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk at 1s back. Third went to Bjoergen’s teammate Kristin Stoermer Steira.

“I’m very happy – it is amazing,” Bjoergen told FIS XC after the race.  “I have 42 victories, as Bente Skari and I will hopefully beat her. I felt great, my skis were excellent and my shape was very good today. I am also happy for Kristin to be on the podium. She attacked in the uphill in the last lap as well as Kowalczyk and I had to fight hard. We created quite fast a gap on the rest of the field.”

US skiers Liz Stephen and Morgan Arritola both skied to their best-ever World Cup finishes, placing 18th and 19th respectively. Until today, the Stephen’s previous best individual result was 15th in the 15km pursuit at the 2009 Nordic Worlds in Liberec while Arritola racked up a 22nd in the 30km free there. Today’s WCup field was deeper and definitely more challenging.

“I had a tough start but it’s a long race so I stayed calm and increased my pace along the way,” Stephen told SkiTrax. “Morgan had a better start and I was glad to catch up to her – I really enjoyed skiing with her.”

“Liz had a poor start out of the stadium,” said U.S. coach Matt Whitcomb.  “She was second to last out of the gates. But when they met up they skied together, pushing each other, as they have done a million times.  I am so proud of these gals, most of all they were patient out there, and they worked together.”

The two skied most of the race together, getting split times from their coaches.   Towards the end, as the splits were getting lower Stephen said they realized how well they were doing, and upped the pace, shooting for the top 20.

They got it, and the good result came as a relief for Arritola.  “I’m really pleased with my result after a rough start to her season,” said Arritola.  “It’s good to see the hard work pay off and it feels like I got a money off my back.”

“They had similar results at the World Championships in Liberec, but in a full world cup field with full world cup quotas, this is by far their best,” US top racer Kikkan Randall (who is in Davos and chose to rest today instead of racing) told SkiTrax in an email.

“I knew they had it coming and I’m super stoked for them. I’m also excited to see what Kris [Freeman] can do in the men’s race.  Man it’s hard to be sitting on the couch right now!!”

“It was great to see Morgan and Liz work through the field today as teammates,” added Whitcomb. “While they missed the leadership of Kikkan today in the mass start, they stepped up to the plate with a great combination of patience on the flats and aggression on the climbs. They are heading home with some needed confidence after being knocked around a bit last weekend in Davos. It is not always easy as a developing racer on the World Cup, but today they got a taste of progress.  A top-20 is a career best for both of these girls on the World Cup, and I’m confident that the ball is just starting to roll.”

No Canadians competed as Chandra Crawford and Daria Gaiazova returned home after Davos. The impressive results made a nice pre-Christmas present for the US girls, who are going home for the holidays before heading to the US Nationals in Maine in the new year.

Full results HERE.

February 04, 2010 (Beitostølen, Norway) – Tomorrow will be the third day of the Scandinavian Cup races here in Beitostølen. And I couldn’t be more excited! Originally, we had thought the skate sprint, classic 5/10km and skate 15/30km (which has since been shortened to 10/15km) was a mini-tour, but it turns out they’re separate races.

No matter. The US decided we’d MAKE it a mini-tour! So going into my third day of racing in a row, I’m a little tired but pretty stoked on life since it’s been beautiful out – bluebird skies and sun – and I’m making friends with the Norwegian ladies along the way.

Speaking of Norwegian ladies, there ares some seriously talented, fast skiers out here. It was great to be able to race alongside them and gain experience. You have to get your butt kicked a few times before you get better!

For me, the skate sprint was fun, although this was the second sprint course I’ve recently done where placement was crucial. The course was such that, once you left the stadium and rounded the first corner, it was extremely difficult to pass, so getting off to a fast start was ultra-important. This is something I’ve been working on, and I still need to tune up my fast twitch!

I was slightly disappointed with my semifinal; although I had the start I wanted, the girl to my right skied over my skis and I tripped, and ended up leaving the stadium in 6th place. While I made more than one attempt to pass, I was unprepared for the level of aggressiveness out there and wasn’t able to make it to the final. But that’s what I’m here for – to figure out how to race in all sorts of conditions and courses!

The classic race today was, for me, one of those days where it’s beautiful and sunny outside with perfect tracks, and you can be racing but having fun and enjoying the day as well! The US put in a good day’s work; Sadie led the day in 8th, Morgan got 12th, I finished in 15th, Liz finished 28th and Ida came in 35th. Simi led the men in 19th and Tad finished in 74th. I was pumped on the race because I’ve been working on my classic for a long time, and it’s great to have a race where I feel confident in my technique and striding up longer, steeper hills.

Looking forward to racing tomorrow!