December 12, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – In only a matter of hours the FIS World Cup will roll into a town, into a place steeped in Nordic history. Canmore, the host of the cross-country skiing and biathlon competitions of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games will play host to three exciting days of cross-country skiing competition.

We talked with OC President Ken Hewitt to get an idea about what’s ahead. “At the earlier World Cup’s (2005, 2008) our focus was the “on-snow” aspects of a World Cup such as good tracks, proper stadium, good snow, team accommodations, transportation and communications etc. As we have learned to get those aspects to a reliable state, we have worked to enhance the “off-snow” aspects – the World Cup Festival, spectator experiences, and marketing.

“World Cup 2012 will have a significantly enhanced spectator experience with a new “Spectator Zone” at the end of the stadium, more and larger video displays, in-field entertainment, and improved signage. Also… the Town of Canmore has laid on an impressive “Nordic Festival” to accompany the World Cup — the downtown area will be literally ablaze with activities, and with many specials specifically for World Cup athletes,” Hewitt said in a recent interview.

We asked him about the Quebec World Cups and its impact and he said, “We are seeing that a majority of racers coming to Canmore are sprinters – probably because both of the first two races in Canmore (in Québec) are sprints.

Logistically, there are challenges getting athletes, equipment, timing gear and marketing materials from Québec to Canmore in three days – it’s over 3,300 km,” he said.

As always is the case many volunteers play a major role in making it all happen, “The Competition Committee and Organizing Committee consists of about 45 people. These are the ones who have been working on this event for the past year. We have a dozen contractors in specific roles, and 2 staff. Most important however, are the 470 volunteers who will be working both the race events and the downtown activities,” Hewiit concluded.

Canadian Head Coach Justin Wadsworth told SkiTrax what it’s like competing on-home snows saying “It’s always tough to balance these home World Cups with all the extraneous stuff that goes down, but I believe the athletes will come with better bodies this week, and will fight for some podiums. It’s a new sprint course, so that should be interesting, and one that should suit our team well. Other than that we’re bloody but unbowed,” said Wadsworth.

Checking in with USA Coach Chris Grover he offered his hopes for the Canmore events. “In Canmore, we are expecting the women’s team to continue to carry the momentum that they created all fall,” the Alaska native said, “and we are looking for the men’s squad to make a step forward and realize the kind of results that these guys are capable of.”

Andy Newell said, “… I was happy to be back in the finals in Quebec so I’ll definitely be carrying a little more confidence into the next few races in Canmore. Both my sprint fitness and speed are feeling really good right now so I’m looking forward to getting more chances at racing through the heats. I will also be doing the mass start classic race on Thursday. My distance fitness has improved a lot this year but I haven’t really had a chance to perform at my best in any distance races yet this season so it’s a bit of an unknown. But I’ll give it my best shot on these tough Canmore courses and hopefully come out with a good points race.”

Canmore will be utilizing a new sprint course, 1.3 km in length, and it will be challenging, according to many. The World Cup events are non-ticketed, and shuttle buses will be used to transport fans to the venue as there is no public parking on site.

Hewitt indeed was optimistic about the Canadian squad at Canmore, offering, ” We know already that the majority of racers will be “top 30″ in the world, so the competition will be tough. That said, we also clearly anticipate Canadians on the podium.”

It looks like a series of races that will be too good to miss.

Alberta FIS World Cup 2012 Schedule
– Dec. 13, 2012     10 km C Mst     L
– Dec. 13, 2012     15 km C Mst     M
– Dec. 15, 2012     SP F Qual     L
– Dec. 15, 2012     SP F Final     L
– Dec. 15, 2012     SP F Qual     M
– Dec. 15, 2012     SP F Final     M
– Dec. 16, 2012            Skiathlon 7.5/7.5 km C/F     L
– Dec. 16, 2012     Skiathlon 15/15 km C/F     M

December 12, 2012 (Quebec City, QC) – SkiTrax caught up with a few North American behind-the-scenes players at the inaugural FIS Quebec City Sprint World Cup this past weekend to get the inside scoop on how the event played out for their respective teams.

Interviews include US XC Team Head Coach Chris Grover, CCC Men’s Coach Justin Wadsworth, APU Head Coach Erik Flora, and an elated US XC Team Women’s Coach Matt Whitcomb. Plus, the legendary Peter Graves speaks with CCC Director of Events Dave Dyer and CCC Director of Business Development Matt Jeffries.

Chris Grover

Justin Wadsworth

Eric Flora

December 11, 2012 – After a year of absence due to lack of snow, La Sgambeda is back! Perfect conditions await all racers around the Italian town of Livigno. Just over the Swiss border and not far from Austria, the “little Tibet” valley features a 21km loop which will be raced two times for this 42km race in free technique. The race track develops along the river Spöl and through all the villages along it: Florin, Pont Lonc, Li Mina, Tresenda and runs as far as Campaciol. From around the Hotel Forcola (12,5 km point) the track turns back into the direction of the cross country stadium where the 21km mark is reached – half time! To finish after 42km, the racers have to turn once again towards the river Spöl in order to do another loop on the wonderful track running through the valley. The spectators cheering loud alongside the track will help the athletes to do this second round before they turn to the finish in the cross country stadium.

A lot of snow and pretty cold temperatures made it possible to perfectly prepare the track and to have it ready for all the cross country enthusiasts who are looking forward to this season opener of long distance racing! The forecast for this weekend announces slightly warmer temperatures (around -4°C) and the possibility of light snowfall.

The racers – who is on the start list?
As La Sgambeda functions as season opener, the best long distance racers will be on the start line! Just some of the classic specialists have decided to open their season with the Jizerská Padesatka 50km classic race, which will be held close to Liberec (CZE) on January 13.

Fabio Santus (ITA), winner of the 2011 edition, will try to race as fast as possible in order to gain the victory again. However, his team mates Florian Kostner, Cristian Zorzi and Sergio Bonaldi will try to prevent this. The same goes for Stanislav Rezac and Martin Koukal (both CZE) of the Skinfit Racing Team as well as for Espen Harald Bjerke and Morten Eide Pedersen (both NOR). Some World Cup skiers have decided to skip the races in Canada and to prepare their Tour de Ski, waiting for them at the end of the year, by taking part in La Sgambeda. So, names like Jean Marc Gaillard (FRA), Thomas Moriggl (ITA), Toni Livers (SUI) or Martin Bajcicak (SVK) will also be present to join in the battle for victory!

On the women’s side, one can find equally the names of the best of the discipline: Stephanie Santer (ITA), the overall FIS Marathon Cup winner of last season, will race as will do last years runner up Seraina Boner (SUI) and third placed Jenny Hansson (SWE). To be even more precise, six of the best seven of last year’s overall FIS Marathon Cup will be present, including names like Antonella Confortola (ITA), Tatjana Mannimaa (EST) and Valentina Shevchenko (URK). The last trying to win again after her victory in Livigno in 2011. Also World Cup skier Riitta-Liisa Roponen (FIN) will be on the start line, preparing for the Tour de Ski and the Nordic World Ski Championships later in 2013.

The actual start list for the elite skiers can be found HERE (always subject to change).

Also this year: The SkiTrax Fantasy FIS Marathon Cup contest
FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup 2012/13 Contest – Register Your Team Today
The second annual FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup 2012/13 Contest is now open for team registration for fans around the world as the series kicks off in Italy with the season opener La Sgambeda, on Dec. 16. You can win great prizes and have fun while following the Marathon Cup all season. Register your team of four (4) men and four (4) women plus one “Outlaw” male skier not in the top 15 and one “Outlaw” female skier not in the top 10 of the FIS Marathon Cup overall rankings. Points are awarded following each Marathon Cup World Loppet based on each skier’s performance and published regularly at skitrax.com – plus you can earn bonus points as well.

All information and contest rules are available when you register your team here. The deadline to register or revise your team is Saturday, Dec. 15, at 10pm EST. To register click HERE.

FIS Fantasy Marathon Cup Prizes
And of course you can also win something!!! Have a look at the great prizes that wait for you at the end of the season:

* 1st Prize – Nipika Lodge-4-nights for 2 in a luxurious cabin, incl. Trail Fees (value up to $1,160)
* 2nd Prize – Marwe 610c Roller Skis (value $349)
* 3rd Prize – Yoko 9100 Poles (value $299)
* 4th Prize – Halti XC Race Suit Hemmo Set (value $269)
* 5th Prize – Skiwax.ca Racer Kickwax kit (value $235)
* 6th Prize – 2XU Long Sleeve Thermal Compression Top and Elite Socks (value $195)
* 7th Prize – One Way Snowbird Glasses (value $120)
* 8th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $100)
* 9th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65)
* 10th Prize – Buff Headware (value $23)

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).

Important dates & Information:
– 16 December 2012 – La Sgambeda (ITA), 42km FT, First FIS Marathon Cup of the season 2012-13 – 11am: start of the 42km La Sgambeda at the Cross Country stadium

Winners in 2011:
– Men: 1st Fabio Santus (ITA), 2nd Simen Oestensen (NOR), 3rd Cristian Zorzi (ITA)
– Women: 1st Valentina Shevchenko (UKR), 2nd Sabina Valbusa (ITA), 3rd Natalia Zernova (RUS)

More information about La Sgambeda:
Official website HERE.
Track information HERE.

Next FIS Marathon Cup: January 13 – Jizerská Padesatka (CZE), 50km, classic technique

More information: www.worldloppet.com
Visit also the official Worldlooppet Facebook Page HERE.
Never miss an info about the world of marathon skiing – follow @WLandFISMaCup

December 10, 2012 (Sovereign Lake, B.C.) – Check out this video interview with the winning brother and sister duo of Graham and Emily Nishikawa after they took individual victories in the 10/15k free races at the Haywood Nor Am/Teck BC Cup at Sovereign Lake near Vernon, B.C. Also, check out interviews with Brittany Webster and Sweden’s Jens Eriksson

December 10, 2012 (Sovereign Lake, B.C.) – The Nishikawas took the podium in both the men’s and the women’s Haywood NorAm races on Sunday. It was a cold start to the Haywood NorAm race at Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, with 80 men racing in the men’s 15km free and 42 in the women’s race.

The women’s competition had a close finish leaving officials to tally the times of the as Emily Nishikawa finished behind Brittany Webster in the race, but as it was interval starts, both finished with the time of 31 minutes.

When Emily came in, Webster was anxiously awaiting the results to see if her first place standing would hold. The results showed Nishikawa as the first place finisher with a time of 31:04 and Webster 31:11. Third place was a Junior racer, Frédérique Vézina with team NST.

Webster explains that what makes this course tough is the transition zones. The skiers who are good at transitioning from the flat or down to the steep rises can make up time. She credits the race organizers and groomers for making the course as smooth as possible.

Webster’s points seeded her near 5 minutes ahead of the leaders. She found it a hard race to gauge where she was in relation to the fast girls in her category and to know that she was so close to Nishikawa.

Nishikawa had her own race plan for the day. “I wanted to ski relaxed in the first lap and then pick it up in the second lap, and I felt I was able to do that. It’s a tough course and you’re always working, so I wanted to make sure I had enough energy to push in the last two kilometres. I’m really happy with how it turned out.”

The men’s field demonstrated strength on hills, with three loops of the hilly 5km course that left their lungs on the trails in the light freezing rain that cooled the air temperature. Graham Nishikawa of Whitehorse, training with AWCA proved to be the toughest and fastest of the day, finishing the 15km in a time of 39:22.

Michael Somppi of AWCA finished in second place with a time of 39:40 followed by David Greer of the Yukon Elite Squad in 40:02.

Nishikawa felt he started his race well and felt he was able to maintain it. “The last two km were super hard.” he said. “It was hard to see on the downhill as my glasses were fogging and icing.”

This weekend Nishikawa feels shows that his fitness is good. Looking ahead to the World Cup, Nishikawa is pretty excited about it, and would like to have two good races next weekend.

Full results HERE.

December 07, 2012 – Even though the winter has already arrived in many areas of Europe and the FIS Cross Country World Cup has kicked off with its first two competition weekends in Gällivare (SWE) and Kuusamo (FIN), the athletes of the FIS Marathon Cup still have some more days to prepare before the season also finally starts for them with the traditional opener La Sgambeda (42km FT) in Livigno.

Victim of last year’s lack of snow in mid-December, it does not seem to be the problem of this year. Being well covered in several layers of white, everything will be ready for the race to take place on December 16. Most of the best long distance skiers will be present at La Sgambeda to get back into long distance racing. Stars like Stanislav Rezac (CZE) and Stephanie Santer (ITA), both the reigning champions of the overall FIS Marathon Cup of last season – and both now united in the same team: Skinfit Racing Team – will participate in this race in which a 21km loop has to be skied twice. Surely both will again be THE ones to beat this season in order to obtain the overall FIS Marathon Cup crown at the end of the winter. “First of all, I will try to give my best in every race and to have fun – the results will come with that! But for sure, I would love to defend my title in the overall FIS Marathon Cup!” tells the newly-wed Santer, who married her longtime boyfriend and ex-team mate Florian Kostner (ITA), who will also be present at La Sgambeda. Kostner is eager to score his first FIS Marathon Cup victory, but his team mates from the Italian National Long Distance Team Marco Cattaneo, Simone Paredi and Fabio Santus will do everything they can, to get into the finish before him. The renamed Team Coop (ex Team Exspirit) will be present in full force at La Sgambeda with Oskar Svärd and Jimmie Johnsson (both SWE) on the men’s side and Seraina Boner (SUI) and Jenny Hansson (SWE) on the women’s side as their best ones. Also the Skinfit Racing Team will come with all its racers, not only with Rezac and Santer but also with Martin Koukal (CZE), Martin Bajcicak (SVK), Valentina Shevchenko (UKR) and Riitta-Liisa Roponen (FIN) as well as with some youngsters.

The big names of the classic technique will join the party in January when the FIS Marathon Cup will continue with the Jizerská Padesatka (CZE, 50km CT) on January 13. Then, the Aukland brothers Anders and Joergen (both NOR) as well as Jerry Ahrlin (SWE) and Thomas Alsgaard (NOR), Jörgen Brink (SWE) and Audun Laugaland (NOR) and Laila Kveli (NOR) and Susanne Nyström (SWE) will get into business and show their willingness to always be in front at all classic style races.

From the Czech Republic, the FIS Marathon Cup goes straight to Austria and its Dolomitenlauf on the 20th January before it gets to the host land of the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, Val di Fiemme (January 27). Together with Val di Fassa, the 70km CT race of Marcialonga is one of the most known long distance races in the world. Only some weeks before medals will be awarded to the best cross country skiers in the world, the fight will be tough to gain the winner’s crown of Marcialonga. If it wouldn’t be for the 67km, it would surely be for the last 3 steep km uphill to the finish line that this race is so prestigious. After it, there is no time for recovery as the FIS Marathon Cup continues the weekend after (3rd February) with the 50km FT König-Ludwig-Lauf in the beautiful setting of Oberammergau (GER), the home of the worldwide known passion play. As it was freezing cold at the König-Ludwig-Lauf, it was very windy for La Transjurassienne (FRA, 76km / 57km FT) last year, but despite that nature sometimes plays its way, this race is a mystic one, running through an incredible beautiful landscape, one “that travels across the hills and runs trough little villages” as FIS Marathon Cup champion Fabio Santus (ITA) describes it. On February 10 it’s time for it again! One week later, on February 17, the FIS Marathon Cup drives North, more precisely to Estonia and its biggest cross country skiing event, the Tartu Maraton (50km CT). Just two weeks before THE event in the long distance racing calendar, the 90km CT Vasaloppet, Tartu Maraton is widely used as a perfect preparation for this highlight. Therefore one will see all the champions of long distance racing coming to Estonia in order to prepare one of their biggest goals of the season: A victory in the Vasaloppet.

Especially for those in the FIS Marathon Cup, who are more specialists of the free skating technique, the run is not over yet since just one week after the Tartu Maraton, the American Birkebeiner (USA) makes its appearance in the FIS Marathon Cup calendar!!! Replacing the Finlandia Hiihto (FIN) in the FIS Marathon Cup calendar for the next years, the American “Birkie” will offer a most special race to all athletes since the classic and the skating technique race are taking place at the same time with courses right next to each other, making it possible to see close up the other competitors, however, skiing in a different technique. After the trip over the big lake, the athletes of the FIS Marathon Cup can finally take a little break before the big season final at the Engadin Skimarathon (42km FT) on March 10. The king and queen of the FIS Marathon Cup 2012-13 will be crowned at the end of the 42km long track which starts on the lake near Maloja and winds through the Engadin valley until the finish in Zuoz / S-chanf. As this season, the FIS Marathon Cup consists of six free technique races and only three classic ones, it will be interesting to see who the one who will be who steps on top of the podium in the end. Scoring top places in all skating races will definitely be the key to success!

Calendar of the FIS Marathon Cup & all other Worldloppet races

The FIS Marathon Cup calendar for the season 2012/13
– 16.12.2012 FT La Sgambeda 42 km ITA
– 13.01.2013 CT Jizerska Padesatka 50 km CZE
– 20.01.2013 FT Dolomitenlauf 60 km AUT
– 27.01.2013 CT Marcialonga 70 km ITA
– 03.02.2013 FT Koenig Ludwig Lauf 50 km GER
– 10.02.2013 FT La Transjurassienne 54/76 km FRA
– 17.02.2013 CT Tartu Maraton 63 km EST
– 23.02.2011 FT American Birkebeiner 50 km USA
– 10.03.2013 FT Engadin Skimarathon 42 km SUI

Other Worldloppet races:
– 03.02.2013 FT Sapporo International Ski Marathon 50km JPN
– 17.02.2013 FT Gatineau Loppet 51km CAN
– 23.02.2013 CT Finlandia Hiihto 50km FIN
– 02.03.2013 CT Bieg Piastow 50km POL
– 03.03.2013 CT Vasaloppet 90km SWE
– 16.03.2013 CT Birkebeinerrennet 54km NOR
– 16.03.2013 FT Demino Ski Marathon 50km RUS

TV coverage of the FIS marathon cup
As a first step to improve the visibility of the FIS Marathon Cup, it was decided that all FIS Marathon Cup races will produce a 3 minute news highlight which will be diffused by EBU / Eurovision to all its members on the same day as the race. Ready to hit the evening news in each country, the material will enable the TV stations to present the FIS Marathon Cup in its sports section of the news. The 3 minute video will also be available on the Worldloppet web page one day later.

Important dates & Information:
– 16 December 2012 – La Sgambeda (ITA), 42km FT, First FIS Marathon Cup of the season 2012-13

Worldloppet – The World of Marathon Skiing!!!
More information: www.worldloppet.com
Visit also the official Worldlooppet Facebook Page HERE.
Never miss an info about the world of marathon skiing – follow @WLandFISMaCup

December 06, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – We are pleased to present the 2012/13 SkiTraxFIS Fantasy World Cup Contest standings after round two of the 2012/13 Viessmann XC FIS World Cup at Kuusamo, Finland.

The top contest spots continue to be separated by single points with no change in the top three after Kuusamo. Lafrasse maintains the lead with 126 points, followed in second place by Luca D. with 125 points. Bosans hangs on to third spot with 124 points.

Meanwhile the thrilling competition continued on the circuit, with USA’s Kikkan Randall scoring the second consecutive distance event podium of her career. Read about it HERE.

Our FIS Marathon Cup contest is launching on Dec. 7 so be sure to register to be eligible to win more prizes and catch some great racing. Soon after it’ll be time for the popular Tour de Ski and our Fantasy TdS Contest, and finally fans can enjoy our Fiemme 2013 Nordic World Championships contest in the new year.

Good luck to all contestants and thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Fischer, Trapp Family Lodge, SkiGo, Alpina, One Way, Bjorn Daehlie, 2XU, Bliz, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Auclair, and Buff.

For the Contest standings after Kuusamo click HERE.

December 06, 2012 (St. Ferreol les Neiges, QC) – It’s December. I almost had to tell myself out loud of that fact this morning when I rollerskied through the ice and grime that covered the streets of St. Ferreol les Neiges hugging the tarmac like the hair on my upper lip this past November. I guess I also had to remind myself of the month – because it’s a rarity these days that I’m back in Canada during the winter months.

November is always a busy month – lots of racing, lots of travel all coupled with very little sunlight and culinary disaster. I’ve already raced three weeks this season, two of which were the first two World Cup stops of the 2012/13 year. I’ll take a moment to fill you in on the happenings of Northern Scandinavia – with some brief race reports from the opening weekends of racing this November.

It may sound like I’ve written this report before – and that’s probably because I have last year. The past few years our team begins our winter campaign smack in the middle of Sweden. In a slight plot twist, I traveled to Oslo November 2nd for a fabulous week in the Norwegian capital before meeting the team in the Jämtland capital of Ostersund for our annual pre-season on snow Euro camp.

Like last year, there was no natural snow, and my first ski in Sweden was an uninspiring burn around a 2.5min loop. The dizziness subsided every couple days as the loop gradually improved thanks to a wonderful group of passionate volunteers and staff of the Ostersund Ski Club – as they spread out the saved snow from last winter (like what Canmore does now with their “Frozen Thunder” project) to prepare the trails for the World Cup of biathlon season openers that take place there. By the time we left Ostersund they had 4km of great skiing available.

On the training side of things, November is a busy month – not only with racing but also with hours. To be ready and keep consistent in the meat of the season (January, February, March) we’ve realized that I need to log a decent amount of miles – short loops or not – so I trained quite hard both in Ostersund, and afterwards.

The “actual” racing season started over in Bruksvallarna (the site of the Swedish FIS openers – a 3hr drive West of Ostersund) and conditions there were fairly decent with thin natural snow cover, longer skiing options (for training), and great snow cover on the race courses – which are twisty with no real huge climbs or working sections. Think – ghetto amusement park rollercoaster.

After some discussion, Justin and I decided to compete only in the 15km skate (what I did last year) and like last year I was brutal finishing a disappointing 10th – blowing up fiercely in the last 3km of the course, where I gave up a whopping 50 seconds. Racing is hard – super hard – but at this time of year, it appears I struggle to digest the heavy load of training I’m under, leaving me feeling flat for some weeks. I guess it was a better outing than last November – when I finished outside the top 30 – but I was both exhausted physically at the end (the last tuck down the last hill made a bit of a buzz on Swedish blogs for my unorthodox tucking technique (think: hands on knees with straight legs trying as hard as I can to not just fall over) and obviously disappointed with the result.

Gallivare, SWE – World Cup Opener
While Ostersund can be grey and windy – the town itself is great and the giant/beautiful lake (5th largest in Sweden apparently) is stunning. It’s actually a beautiful little city all around with great little cafés, nice walking streets – a cool place to hang out. Gallivare by contrast is…well… different. For starters it’s dark. I mean, hella’ dark this time of year – the sky brightens for some hours between the hours of 10:30 – 13:30, but aside from that it’s like what I’d imagine living in a freezer would feel like. Sometimes there’s some light (when someone opens the freezer drawer), but for the most part in the late autumn it’s black and cold. The town itself is of course smaller, doesn’t have a lot going on – but that’s fine seeing how we are there for the specific purpose of ski racing – and it does have a great little café downtown with stellar espresso.

One thing Gallivare does have this time of year is natural snow, great skiing, and very enthusiastic volunteers and fans that love to cheer on their local hero, World and Olympic Champ – Marcus Hellner – who has lived there for roughly 10 years.

The weekend of racing got of to a bit of a rough start. The 15km skate on the Saturday wasn’t great. While I didn’t blow up – I was never able to get going – stuck in that threshold type speed. I started controlled, but I wasn’t able to convert later in the race (when I needed to change gears and start charging for the last 5km) finishing a distant 44th. Of course, I was pretty disappointed – but the beginning of each season seems to be a lesson in patience for me. Last season I was 37th in the same race (in Sjusoen, NOR), and the season before (in Gallivare), I ended up in the 50s – 58th I think. A far cry from the podiums I expect later in the year.

The bright spots of the weekend was Babs’ 16th place finish Saturday, and Sunday’s 4×7.5km relay. I skied the 2nd (a classic leg) leg and the feelings were much better. I still felt I lacked that punch/snappy feeling but better I moved well and made up some ground for our team. When it was all said and done, our team made some history with a Canadian World Cup best finish – 5th! We were only seconds from the podium and it gave us all a lot of confidence for the World Championships later this year. If we are all in good form, I really believe that we are capable of something really special.

The Ruka-Triple (mini-tour) – Kuusamo, FIN (2nd stop on the World Cup)
After Gallivare we all crammed into vans and rolled East into Finland – driving the 6 odd hours south(kind of)east through grey skies and hordes of reindeer that seem completely indifferent to traffic – like they are props in a Santa Claus parade instead of wild animals and have been told not to move for anything or anybody.

The Ruka triple consists of 3 races in 3 days – a classic sprint first (1.4km – on the Friday), followed by a 10km skate (Saturday) and finishing it off with a pursuit start 15km classic (Sunday) – the best cumulative time takes the win (like the Tour de Ski type format).

Day 1 was awful for the Canadian men. Ooohhhhh lordy, was it rough – I liken the speed to attempting to swimming through a pool of full-fat eggnog. No Canadian men qualified for the top 30, and I ended up a dismal 62nd place. Not where I wanted to be. I felt like there was just no power whatsoever in the body – especially in double pole. The bright spot was that Peri matched her best-ever result on the World Cup with a 12th place finish and Dasha with a solid 14th in the women’s race.

The following day – the 10km skate – was very similar to Gallivare’s 15km. I felt like I was stuck in zone 3. I started conservatively and when I willed my body to turn it over – again, there was no gears to switch into. I ended up 35th – again, not where I wanted to be. I was actually really, really disappointed with that one. I didn’t even check results when I finished and finished my cool down – instead I just ate lunch quickly and crawled into bed for a nap. It was a huge effort (the race), and I knew the velocity was too slow. I was so bummed out – and broke my “no being bummed out when you get back to the hotel from the race site” rule.

After an hour of sulking at a pretty extreme level, I re-focused on getting ready for the last day – Sunday’s 15km classic. After two not-so-great races I started further back in the order – 36th – compared to what I’m used to (in Falun last year by contrast in a similar style mini-tour I started the last day sitting 3rd…) and in the race itself worked through the field slowly but surely – finishing in 22nd overall. I moved up 14 places and had the 16th fastest time on the day – which was a solid step in the right direction. Again, the body felt heavy and again I lacked the power/snap and on the climbs (Kuusamo’s courses are notoriously steep and long) I felt terrible, but I stayed present as best I could and willed everything out of my body I could muster. Finally all our men were in the points (the top 30) with me finishing 22nd, Alex 23rd and Babs’ 25th in the overall standings. It’s coming.

The feelings I had for the first three weekends of racing are almost identical to how I felt last year – as are the results in those races. It seems the pre-Christmas races are a true lesson in patience and perspective. I know I’ve done a plethora of high quality work this year and I believe in our plan to be 100% ready to rock and roll come late February/March – but as a competitor it’s hard to unplug, be patient, stay positive and be good to yourself (ie. not beat yourself up too badly) when the results aren’t where you want them to be. Like a hockey player that grips his stick too hard – his once loose hands turning instead to concrete – it’s hard not to press and do what you know you need to do – mainly to “let go” knowing that as long as you give your full and absolute best effort race in, race out – the outcome will most definitely only get better.

I didn’t have a ton of time to dwell on November, as after the race on Sunday we flew to Helsinki to spend a (very) short night there in an airport hotel before we began the long journey back to Quebec on Monday – which is where I am right now.

It feels great to be back in Canada and I feel so grateful for the opportunity to race at home. I’m hanging out at Alex’s house (with Lenny staying here as well) in MSA, and while there is no snow on the ground, the vibe is awesome. We had such a great dinner last night when we arrived (thanks Alex’s awesome GF – Sophie!), and to be in a comfortable home instead of a hotel is a really nice change. Watching Monday Night Football last night was a pretty nice perk too I must say.

We don’t have a whole lot of time to enjoy “normal” life as this Friday the Quebec World Cups begin in the province’s capital. First up is the team sprint, which Alex and I are really looking forward to – followed by Saturday’s 1.7km individual sprint competition. While my body has been feeling sluggish and lacking power/snap which are both so necessary for sprint racing, I know that things can change fast. Regardless how the results end up – I’m so excited to race in Quebec and it’s hard to believe it’s the first time the province has held a World Cup competition. It’s going to be an amazing show and the support and passion in the province for cross country skiing is far and away the best in the country – so to race in front of so many fired up fans will be exhilarating.

That’s the long-winded news from me. As for now, I think I’ll retire to the couch with a glass of egg nog, watch a ski movie and then prepare an amazingly boss dinner of fresh halibut & scallops (Len will stick to steak) before hitting up a (hopefully) long, restful sleep.

On a completely non-ski related topic…

November I crushed three decent books – here’s what went down this month:

–       “1982” by Jian Ghomeshi. I thought the family history sections were great and entertaining. The word “David Bowie” was perhaps printed a thousand or so too many times, but enjoyable none-the-less. If you aren’t familiar with Jian’s CBC radio program “Q” – it’s worth checking out. Plus – 1982 was the best year ever. Just saying (thanks mom and dad).

–       “Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet” by Jamie Ford. A story dealing with relationships during the Japanese internment of World War Two in Seattle. Pretty moving story, ok-written. A bit far fetched, and kind of a Romeo/Juliet thing going on (if you’ve read it you’ll understand that loose link) but it’s a novel after all.

–       “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de Rosnay. Another WW2 story – dealing with the Holocaust and the Vel’ D’hiv round-up in Paris in 1942. Again – I enjoyed it, I found it powerful, sad at times and again – decently written.

–       In addition to the books, I’m still on a diet of a New Yorker a week. Standard awesomely written articles – great for traveling.

Spinning in the headphones is the same tunes as normal. Back to listening to a lot of Wilco, Rural Alberta Advantage, Band of Horses, Shins, Radical Face, etc… I don’t know what it is about N. Scando – but I crush depressing music up there. As well, “This American Life” and “Planet Money” – both NPR podcasts that are always both entertaining and well done.

On the movie front – while I don’t watch many movies, shows, etc… very often on the road – preferring to scratch away very poorly on my guitar I lug around, read and listen to music – we have watched some of the latest ski movies released this autumn. We’ve gone through “Superheroes of Stoke, The Dream Factory and a Norwegian film “Being There (which I thought was really well done!)” and re-watching last year’s “All.I.Can” so far. Perhaps a little dangerous so early in the racing season – as I’m getting fired up for spring ski touring already – which probably isn’t the best seeing how December just begun, but what can you do. The powder will be there come April (at least that’s what I tell myself to fall asleep at night).

Rock and roll – if you’re in the Quebec City area come on out and watch the action Friday and Saturday (check HERE for all the info) and if you are in Canmore from December 13th – 16th (assuming the world won’t end of course the day before…) come on up to the Nordic Centre and watch. I mean, you won’t find a better World Cup venue on earth – their website for all the deets’ is HERE.

December 06, 2012 (Sovereign Lake, B.C.) – International skiers from Sweden, Brazil, Peru, Switzerland and New Zealand are descending on Sovereign Lake for the Teck BC Cup and Haywoond NorAm races this coming weekend.

From across the water, Matthew Bull who is 14 years old and lives in Sydney will be racing in the Teck BC Cup. Bull trains with the New South Wales cross country ski team. He has been ski racing for approximately 7 years and has participated in a BC cup race in 2010 and placed 3rd. He is living with a host family in Vernon for this season to train with the SLNC during Australia’s summer break.

Joining the international racers in the Haywood NorAm will be Catharine Pendrel, an Olympic and World Champion mountain biker from Kamloops who will try her hand at ski racing this weekend. Pendrel, a guest and keynote speaker to Supercamp was brushing up on her ski technique in the past two weeks with the Supercamp coaches. The early season ski camps hosted by Sovereign Lake and Silver Star ran the last two weeks and finished up on Sunday.

Along with the international competitors, Pendrel and Bull will join teams from all over Canada and the U.S. to compete in two days of racing. The assorted competitors from the U.S. are coming from Minneapolis, Winthrop, Oregon and Spokane. Some of the competitors, including the Swedish team will go on to race at the World Cup in Canmore the following weekend.

Saturday’s classic technique races will start with the Teck BC Cup in the morning and the Haywood NorAm and Teck BC Cup mass start taking place in the afternoon. Viewers will be able to watch the races in the stadium from the lodge at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre.

Sunday’s free technique races will include similar scheduling with interval starts for the athletes. For more information visit www.sovereignlake.com.

December 05, 2012 – The World Cup passed through its second stop of the season at Ruka, which is just outside of Kuusamo in Finland, this past weekend and this is what I think I know after the three races that took place there:

– Marit Bjoergen and Petter Northug are the best skiers in the world right now. Bjoergen dominated winning all three races and is undefeated on the season in the World Cup. This comes on the heels of some talk in the Norwegian press that she was losing a step after having been beaten in some early season races. Northug did not win any of the races on the weekend – he was 2nd in the sprints to Russian Nikolai Kriukov and 2nd again to another Russian, Alexandr Legkov in the 10 km but he won the overall sprint at the end of the third race from another Russian, Maxim Vylegzhanin. He is now leading the World Cup overall.

– The Russian team is ramping it up in preparation for the Olympics in Sochi in 2014. In addition to the above mentioned men’s results they had 5 men finish in the top 10 overall at the end of the three days and that did not include their sprinters like Kriukov. The Russian women’s team is also getting better and better with Julia Tchekaleva 3rd in the 5km and Evgenia Shapovalova 2nd and Anastasia Dotsenko 3rd in the sprints.

– Justina Kowaczyk (POL) is still the 2nd best female skier in the world. She is starting to round into form after a very hard summer and fall of training and she finished 2nd to Bjoergen overall at the end of the weekend. She will be a force in the Tour de Ski after Xmas for sure.

– Kikkan Randall is the real deal in distance racing with a second podium finish in the 5km. It is interesting that she is doing better in distance than in sprints so far this season. She will challenge Bjoergen, Kowalczyk and Terese Johaug of Norway for the overall World Cup this year.

– The rest of the American women are also the real deal. Ida Sargeant had a career best 9th in the sprints and joins Kikkan, Holly Brooks, Liz Stephen and Jessie Diggins to make up one of the strongest women’s teams in the world right now. They should do very well in the Canadian World Cups over the next two weeks.

– Perianne Jones (12th)and Dasha Gaiasova (14th) had great sprint races but continue to struggle in distance races. Chandra Crawford is struggling everywhere and needs to get it together quickly if she is going to race well at home in Canada.

– Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey are starting to come out of their funk. Both had decent results over the weekend but it is nothing like how they finished the year last year. The pressure is on to perform in Canada, especially for Harvey in his hometown this weekend in Quebec City. I wonder what they will do?

– Noah Hoffman is starting to shine. As a junior he had a great engine but poor technique but it seems that he is starting to put it all together. Last year he was a medalist at the World U23 games and his 19th place in the 10km and 26th place overall shows big improvement over last year. The other men on the US team are still back in the pack and need to pick it up soon.

– Many of the top skiers will not be coming to Canada for the World Cups. Marit Bjoergen and Petter Northug stated after the races in Ruka that they would not attend. The Finnish team will only send 5 sprinters to Quebec City, but will send more to the distance races in Canmore including Aino-Kaisa Saarinen. This means that there will be more World Cup points available for North American skiers, as the fields will be diluted.

– Having World Cups in Canada is also a great opportunity for younger, less experienced North American skiers to show what they can do against the best. Careers can be jump started by having a great race over the next two weeks. These are the skiers that I will be watching closely. Now is the time for them to get on the “escalator” that will take them to Sochi in 2014. By skiing well now they will get more opportunities to ski at this level later on in the year which will give them more chances to qualify for their National Teams and for their Olympic Teams. It will be very hard for skiers who are not on the escalator now to make it to Sochi next year.

– All of the Canadian races will be shown on either CBC or Bold over the next three weeks. Consult your local listings for time and dates and set your PVR – there is going to be some great racing!

November 30, 2012 (Kuusamo, Finland) – Vancouver 2010 Olympic CL sprint gold medalist Nikita Kriukov (RUS) won the 1.4km CL sprint in Kuusamo today, scooping favourite Petter Northug (NOR) at the finish by a mere double pole. Northug had been in the lead after throwing down a strong attack on the climb with only Kriukov able to maintain contact. Kriukov used a last-second surge to take the victory – see pics below.

Emil Joensson (NOR) was the fastest qualifier, but suffered an unfortunate crash in the semifinals and was out. The USA’s Simeon Hamilton was the top North American finisher in 26th, qualifying 29th.

He appeared strong in the first half of his semifinal, but faded at the end. Things went similarly for Andy Newell (USA), who wound up 29th. No Canadians made it past the qualifiers including World Cup #1 Dario Cologna (Sui).

Results

Men’s Qualifying HERE.
Men’s Final HERE.

November 30, 2012 (Kuusamo, Finland) – USST’s Ida Sargent turned heads as the top North American with a breakthrough 9th in the women’s 1.4km CL sprint in Kuusamo today with impressive, smart skiing. The Dartmouth skier, on the Craftsbury Green Team, was also the fastest NA qualifier in 13th. Norway’s Marit Bjoergen was the undisputed winner claiming the second round of the FIS XC WCup after qualifying fourth and squeaking through to the final as a lucky loser.

Evgenia Shapovalova (RUS) stormed to second, followed by teammate Anastasia Dotsenko in third. Top qualifier Justyna Kowalczyk (POL), was a surprise non-finalist as she was eliminated in the semis and finished up in seventh.

The USA’s Kikkan Randall, who qualified 16th, had an auspicious start storming to second in her quarterfinal behind Kowalcyzk. Randall made her move on the final climb surging into first place but settled for second in the finishing straight. In her semi she started strong, but apeared to lose power on the hill as she used the same strategy fading to fifth to finish 10th on the day.

Dasha Gaiazova (CAN) was the top Canadian qualifier in 18th and looked very strong in her quarterfinal as set the pace taking the lead. As the group hit the climb she did not have the same kick and did not advance to the semis.

Her teammate Perianne Jones, qualifying 20th, had a strong 2nd place finish in her quarterfinal advancing to the semis. She was looking good until she was thrown off pace by a minor stumble and ended up last in her heat finishing the day in 12th, matching her career-best individual World Cup result.

The final was an exciting one, with Kowalczyk out and Bjoergen sneaking in. Katja Visnar (SLO) and Krista Lahteenmaki (FIN) both went down mid-race, while Bjoergen stormed away off the front.

Other North American results include Jessie Diggins (USA) 33rd, Chandra Crawford (CAN) 37th, Alysson Marshall (CAN) 38th, Holly Brooks (USA) 40th, and Liz Stephen 68th.

Women’s Qualifications HERE.
Women’s results HERE.

November 29, 2012 – So here we are – at the start of another World Cup racing season with the first races in the north of Sweden in Gällivare. Last season, when there were no Olympics or World Championships races on the schedule, the races on the World Cup were the most important contests of the season and no one was really peaking for any big event, other than the Tour de Ski.

But this season, many racers are taking a different approach to their training with the Nordic World Championships in Val di Fiemme in February. By focusing on peaking for these championships, many skiers plan to train hard right through the first races of the season before Christmas. As a result, you will see that some of the top skiers do not have very good results during November and December. The other side effect is that many of the top skiers will not travel to Canada for the World Cups before the holidays, preferring to stay at home where they can train more and have less fatigue from travelling.

This could be seen in the individual race in Gällivare in the results of some of the top racers – most notably Dario Cologna (Sui), Justyna Kowalczyk (Pol) and even, I think, in the results of Canada’s Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey. Cologna was 19th, Kowalczyk was 27th, Harvey was 36th and Kershaw was 44th in the freestyle races.

But it doesn’t matter what the racing program is, or whether you are peaking or not if you are as strong as Marit Bjoergen (Nor). She and her Norwegian country woman, Therese Johaug, finished 1st and 2nd, followed by American Kikkan Randall in 3rd. Bjoergen won the first race last year, too.

Randall was on the podium for the first time in a distance race – a sign that she is continuing to improve over her stunning season last year where she won the Sprint Cup and was 5th overall in the World Cup. Randall, who has been walking around in an air cast most of this summer and fall due to a stress reaction in the bones of her foot, must be relieved that this injury has not affected her results.

Her teammate, Holly Brooks, has also kicked it up a notch or two, finishing 5th. Brooks, who is on the US B Team and is primarily self-funded, started well last year too, but a wrist injury slowed her down at the end of the year.

The American women were the talk of the XC skiing world on Sunday when they finished on the podium for the first time ever in a World Cup relay, taking 3rd. As well as Randall and Brooks, Jessie Diggins and Liz Stephen skied great relay legs to nip the 2nd Norwegian team finishing behind Norway 1 and Sweden 1.

The Canadian women’s team results were disappointing for everyone on the weekend with a best in the individual race of 61st by Dasha Gaiazova and a relay finish of 14th out of 18 teams. Three of the four women – Gaiazova, Chandra Crawford, and Perianne Jones, are primarily sprinters, so the hope is that their results will be better in the sprint that is scheduled in Kuusamo, Finland this coming weekend.

In the men’s individual race, the surprise winner was 28-year-old Martin Sundby of Norway. This was his first World Cup win, but he did win all three races at the Norwegian Championships last winter and was on the podium at two World Cups last winter at the end of the year.

Sundby finished ahead of another surprising skier, Alexei Poltoranen of Kazakhstan, and Marcus Hellner of Sweden. Perennial favourite, Petter Northug was 7th. Poltoranen has a history of doing well in the early season races and I think that Northug likely falls into the group of skiers who are training very hard right now for big races later.

It was nice to see Canada’s Ivan Babikov finishing 14th in this race. Babikov has had a couple of slow years since Vancouver, but he has re-dedicated himself to training hard and it is showing. Kris Freemen had the best US team result at 33rd and I am sure that he is looking forward to going to Kuusamo this week where he has had great results in the past.

In the men’s relay the Canadian men finished a terrific 5th just 3 seconds from 2nd place. Norway, anchored by Northug won the race followed by Sweden and Russia who out-sprinted the Swiss and Canada for the podium.

There has been a change in the format of the men’s relay races on the World Cup level now as they have gone from 4x10km races to 4×7.5 km to make it more exciting for the fans and shorter for TV. This shorter distance will not change the results but it will get the races to the finishing sprint sooner.

Len Valjas made his World Cup debut this season in the first leg of the relay and met his goal of finishing within 20 seconds of the top skiers. Valjas skied with a cast on his hand after breaking a knuckle and should be very happy with his result.

The American men were a disappointing 15th out of 22 teams. There is a strange parallel between the US men and the Canadian women and the US women and the Canadian men. It will be interesting to watch if this changes over the winter.

So now it is off to Kuusamo in Finland for the next leg of the World Cup. There will be a 3-race mini-tour for the men and women including a sprint race, an individual start race and a pursuit race.

From there the World Cup comes to Canada for races in Quebec City on December 7 and 8 and in Canmore on December 13, 15 and 16. I am fortunate to be involved again in the broadcast of all of these races on CBC and Bold. All of the races will be telecast so check your local listings for viewing times.

November 28, 2012 (Kuusamo, Finland) – Check out the first edition of FIS’s Inside the Fence, which includes a preview video of this weekend’s FIS World Cup XC race course in Kuusamo, Finland with USA’s Kikkan Randall.

November 28, 2012 – Wow, that sure was an awesome way to start off the World Cup season!!! Not that I expect every weekend to be as wildly exciting with multiple historical US podium results, but geez that was cool. Our Women’s 4x5km relay placed 3rd, which was the first time ever in US History that we’ve had a podium relay finish! Here are two YouTube videos of the race:

http://youtu.be/aG8V001cMR4

I first want to say a big THANK YOU! to everyone for all the kind words, emails, tweets and more that have come flooding in, and a thanks to all those who have been supporting us US Women every step of the way. It sucks that the podium isn’t big enough to put everyone involved onto it, because there’s a whole lot more than four racers that made the day happen. The ENTIRE team includes the teammates cheering, coaches, wax techs, and friends and family and fans back home. So thanks to everyone!

Here’s the race story from the day!

I was super nervous beforehand because with the results from the previous day, it was clear that the team was in shape and ready to rock, and there are only 3 relays this year, so this was our only shot for a while at making our goal of having a team on the podium.

Then, as I was warming up, I saw the racers go by and turned to Matt, a full-blown panic attack seconds away. I’d just seen Liz in second and was like “OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” I was hyperventilating. Even though I was trying to convince myself that this was going to be just another 5km skate race, I couldn’t ignore the fact that our team was higher up than we’d ever been and the extremely hard work of my teammates was about to be put into my hands.

In the tag zone, I looked over at Marit and said “No big deal… no pressure… aaaaaagh!” and she gave me a little smile that basically said “Good luck, sweetheart”.

So when Liz tagged me, I might have gone out a little hot. And by might have, I mean that I definitely did. I had so much adrenaline pumping that I didn’t feel anything till the top of the first hill, and then it hit me. I just kept trying to stay within sight of Marit, and I was so focused on keeping every second I could that I wasn’t even aware of team Sweden, Finland and Norway 2 coming in hot behind me.

When Kalla (Sweden) passed me, I tried to hang on but was going full throttle and didn’t want to hit the wall completely halfway through the race, so I had to let her go, which was tough. But when Kristoffersen (Norway 2) passed me, I did hang on, just barely, because I knew I usually have good kick at the end of a race and there was maybe a chance.

Liz and Ida and the rest of the team were screaming from the side of the course, but two things stood out to me. Ida was sprinting alongside me yelling like I’d never heard her yell before, and Liz frantically screamed “C’mon Jess, you have to believe you CAN DO THIS! BELIEVE IT!!!”

So when we got within .5km of the finish, I had this flashback to the last relay I raced, in Nove Mesto, where I waited too long to start sprinting and Kalla beat me to the line. I didn’t want to make the same mistake, and decided to make a move before the s-turn to the stadium, sliding ahead of Kristoffersen right before the first corner.

We rounded the stadium corner and started sprinting down the home stretch, and I saw Kristoffersen’s skis come into view, but the only thing I could think was No. Not. Happening. I can’t screw this up now! I think in those final hundred meters I dug deeper than I have in a long, long time.

I crossed the line only .5 seconds ahead, and made this half-yelling-half-screaming-mostely-I’m-in-so-much-pain-right-now noise, and collapsed. The next 2 minutes I was in a haze but I felt my teammates piled on top of me, and then it sunk in and we all realized what had just happened.

There were cameras going off everywhere, but we were huddled in this little circle, crying and laughing and going through this wild flood of emotions (and probably endorphins too, I’ll admit)!

The feeling we all got, standing on the podium having reached a major goal that we all set down on paper earlier this year, was incredible. For me at least, it makes me want to train hard and work even harder to keep these kinds of feelings coming – there’s two more steps on that podium to climb, after all!

I thought it was so cool that all these athletes from other teams were coming up to us and congratulating us on the day – they were psyched for us! Every one of them remembers what it felt like their first time on the podium so they knew what we were going through when we were all huddled together crying 🙂

That night I had such a hard time getting to sleep (gee, I wonder why?) I just kept replaying that final sprint in my mind and hearing Liz and Ida scream “BELIEVE!”. I think I’m going to be hearing that for a while.

November 28, 2012 – SkiTrax recently caught up with Chantal Lachance, Vice President of Gestev Inc., organizer of the inaugural FIS Sprint Cup in Quebec, City. LaChance and Gestev President, Patrice Drouin, have been staging events at Mont Ste-Anne, QC, for over 20 years including two UCI Mountain Bike World Championships and countless UCI MTB World Cups. Gestev and their outstanding team are renowned for always putting on amazing events feature plenty of good fun and entertainment as well. This will be another world-class show, that promises to be too good to miss.

Everyone is thrilled and excited to come and watch this historic World Cup weekend in Quebec. How did you first go about getting the World Cup with FIS?
Chantal Lachance: At the annual FIS Congress in Sprint 2010, we had discussions with FIS and Cross-Country Canada in order to position Québec as a world cup stop. It’s important to mention that the success of this bid is a combination of many factors for Québec to host such an event – the track record of the city and the event producer Gestev, Alex Harvey performing on the international scene, the presence of legendary Pierre Harvey, and Gestev has been being staging events with FIS since 1997, etc. All of these factors had a positive influence on the decision by FIS.

You must be very proud to have secured the World Cup, but know that it represents a lot of work.
CL: Yes, one of the biggest challenges of this event is to be able to make enough snow in downtown Quebec City at the beginning of December. The clock is ticking as the snow making experts have been dealing with mild weather in order to achieve the 10,000m of snow needed to build the 850m long course. This past weekend however, we were able to meet our objective of snow making, which is great news. In case of milder weather, we have other options up our sleeve… but let’s see how fast winter will show up!

The venue seems incredible, a perfect place for racing – what do you think about it?
CL: It was designed with television very much in mind. Sprint Québec will wow crowds gathered in front of the National Assembly by the thousands, eager to see the 150 athletes from close to 20 countries in action. The pictures will really be something special with the National Assembly in the background. We also developed a step down of 30cm and we think that it will be a challenging feature on the course.

You must be expecting very big crowds, any idea how many might come for the weekend on racing?
CL: Yes, we are expecting more than 50,000 visitors on the Sprint Québec site from December 7 to 9. Fans will feel the action and speed that urban sprints deliver while enjoying the beauty of this unique patrimonial and UNESCO environment such as the Parliament hill along the famous Quebec fortification.

Chantal, with such a crowd, where will people park or access the venue each day?
CL: The visitors will park in the public parking lot as usual during the events in Quebec City. Of course we planned the track with the idea of allowing the crowd to see their champions close to the course and accessibility has been on our mind while thinking about the whole project.

Will there be ticket sales?
CL: All the events are free. People can come on site and watch the race and they can visit our Sprint Quebec Village for free and learn more about the cross-country skiing industry. But if someone wants to encourage local ski teams, there is the possibility to buy a ticket in the corporation lodge – all the info to come this week on our website).

What things might we expect at the venue such as amenities, entertainment, etc.?
CL: At 10 a.m. on Friday, December 7, the Sprint Québec Village at Place George V will open its doors to the public. Young and old will be able to meet industry specialists and winter sports fans and take part in a host of activities at the hydraSense Family Zone. Children age 9 to 12 can take part in free Iniski to learn the skating technique with Rossignol professionals. And local microbrewery Archibald will be there for adults in search of a refreshing beer. Then the weekend will end on a high note on Sunday, December 9 with the amateur event Sprint Québec Open fuelled by Chocolate Milk, the final event of the weekend with cross-country skiers of all stripes invited to tackle the World Cup course in a race against the clock. Divided into categories according to age and ability, the participants will get a chance to see how they do compare to their favourite athlete from the Canadian national team in the race of their lives!

Will you be having live TV or sending a broadcast overseas?
CL: Yes, TVA Sport will be live from 14h-16h on December 7 and from 13h-15h on the 8th. CBC and CBC Sports will also be live on site.  We will have more hours to come from CBC after the event. International TV is showing interest, but for now we don’t have confirmation of any crews attending. We will also provide the live feed to Infront, our distribution partner that will deliver the feed to broadcasters throughout Scandinavia and Europe – the world feed live for live or non-live broadcasts.

With the Canadian team doing so well the last years, and especially to have the great local skier Alex Harvey racing, it looks like it will be a great experience and one not to be missed.
CL: Exactly Peter.  Alex will have an incredible reception from his fans that’s for sure. Here is a what Alex said about the event. “It’s going to be a fun event, that’s for sure. I can’t wait to compete in front of my home crowd.”

I hear that given the closeness to Canada, many people from the USA are planning to attend.
CL: Yes for now we have a few media from USA that confirmed their presence during the event to follow the US Team.

Finally, how should we direct people who want more information about the big event?
CL: The public can visit our website www.sprintquebec.com and follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/sprintquebec) and Twitter (twitter.com/sprintquebec)

Thanks so much Chantal and best wishes to you and the entire team on a great week of racing
CL: Thank you.

November 28, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – The men from the Alberta World Cup Academy along with the Thunder Bay NDC and a couple other teams raced a 17km Skiathlon on the weekend in preparation for the first set of NorAm competitions coming up. Plenty of snow allowed for the group to race on the same trails being used for the World Cups, coming to Canmore December 13 – 16.

Graham Nishikawa finished first, after McMurtry, Killick, and himself broke away from the pack early on in the classic leg. Nishikawa grabbed a small lead after the transition, and maintained it over Killick who finished second. Brian McKeever who skis with the Para-Nordic National Team was able to catch back up to McMurtry and outsprint him to the finish.

Results
1. Graham Nishikawa (AWCA) 43:21:00
2. Graeme Killick (AWCA)43:44:00
3. Brian McKeever (PNST) 44:01:00
4. Brent McMurtry (AWCA) 44:02:00
5. Pate Neumann (CNSC) 44:13:00
6. Chris Hamilton (AWCA) 44:13:00
7. Partrick Stewart-Jones (AWCA) 44:26:00
8. Jess Cockney (AWCA) 44:40:00
9. Russell Kennedy (AWCA) 44:55:00
10. Gerard Garnier (CNSC) 44:57:00
11. Michael Somppi (AWCA) 45:09:00
12. Erik Carleton (PNST) 45:19:00
13. Phil Widmer (AWCA) 45:37:00
14. Andy Shields (NDC TB) 45:41:00
15. Matt Wylie (AWCA) 46:58:00
16. Jordan Cascagnette (NDC TB) 46:58:00
17. Dudley Coulter (NDC TB) 47:20:00
18. Bob Thompson (NDC TB) 47:27:00
19. Scott Hill (NDC TB) 50:15:00

This weekend’s NorAms in Canmore are also selection races for the Quebec and Canmore World Cups. So far Kevin Sandau, Alysson Marshall, who are currently in Europe racing the first set of World Cups, along with Emily Nishikawa and Brent McMurtry, are already pre-selected for these races.

November 27, 2012 (Quebec City, QC) – The public will have the chance to see elite athletes up close at the FIS Cross Country Sprint World Cup Quebec, Monday November 26, 2012. “Just a few days from now, all eyes will be on Parliament Hill in Quebec City, where the course for Sprint Quebec, presented by Quebecor, is ready and waiting for the arrival of 150 or so athletes from all over the world for the FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup, as well as the thousands of spectators expected for this major, not-to-be-missed event in Quebec. From December 7 to 9, ski fans will have a rare opportunity to see the elite of the cross-country ski world, and even to be front row centre for the competitions. Better still, they can put their skis on and compete on the very same World Cup course as the athletes!

Get into the Heart of the Action in the VIP Zone
Above and beyond watching the individual and team sprint races from trackside, 450 people per competition day will have access to a platform set up right in the middle of the course, around the Tourny Fountain, in front of the Provincial Legislature. Tickets for this are still on sale, and can be purchased for a single race or for both. For more information on the VIP Zone, click HERE.

Quebec Open Sprint: World Cup Course Opens to Amateurs
And that’s not all: a maximum of 1,000 participants will have the chance to try out the World Cup course, in the Quebec Open Sprint, presented by Chocolate milk. On Sunday, December 9, all levels of amateur skiers can see how they measure up to their favourite National Team stars, such as Alex Harvey, Devon Kershaw and Chandra Crawford. This will be the final competition of the event, and the participants will be able to ski the 850-metre long World Cup course in a Time Trial format. Registration is still open HERE.

Meet the Athletes
To cap off the weekend in a great way, in the grand style of the Quebec Open Sprint, there will be an autograph session with the National Team athletes on the 9th of December, in the hydraSense Family Zone, from 10:30 to 11:00. This activity, which is open to the public, will be a chance for cross country skiing fans to get up close and personal with the stars of the show before they head off to Alberta to participate in the next World Cup on the FIS calendar, in Canmore.

To encourage the development of future athletes in the region, all profits from Corporate Zone ticket sales and from registration fees for the amateur races will go to three Quebec cross country ski clubs: Club Nordique Mont-Sainte-Anne, Skibec Nordique and the Pierre Harvey National Training Centre.

November 21, 2012 – SkiTrax contributor and columnist, Marty Hall, has been following USST member Kikkan Randall’s foot injury that has been plaguing her since last season and wondered how her injury happened. Randall sat out the team’s Euro season opener FIS races in Muonio, Finland this past weekend, but she hopes to be on the start line in Gallivare, Sweden for the start of the WCup this coming weekend. This is what Randall had to say about her foot…

Kikkan Explains Her Foot Injury

Kikkan, do you know how the break in your foot occurred? Was it over-use or from a fall, or from jumping or landing on a rock or some form of trauma like that? Did you have any signs or did it just sneak up on you?

Marty Hall
Dunham, NH

Hi Marty,

The stress fracture in my second metatarsal seemed to be more of an over-use injury, there was no singular moment where it happened. I started to feel the pain slightly about a year ago and felt it intermittently during the season. My foot was quite painful at the Tour de Ski from all the consecutive days of hard racing, but then would chill a little bit in between race weekends.

The pain started up again this spring with all the crust skiing up in Alaska and during our opening camp in Bend, OR. I kept trying to manage through the summer, but by the end of our Alaska camp, it was clear I needed to get my foot checked out. I got the first MRI in mid-July and was diagnosed with a stress reaction.

Cheers,
Kikkan

All of us at SkiTrax wish Kikkan a speedy recovery and the best of luck this season.

November 20, 2012 (Muonio, Finland) – Check out this raw footage of the 10km Men’s Classic FIS event in Muonio, Finland on Saturday and see the USST’s men’s in action, along with top Euro contenders courtesy of US coach Bryan Fish.

November 20, 2012 (Gatineau, QC) – The Gatineau Loppet is pleased to announce that the first wave of its 55 km classic style race will be sanctioned by Cross-Country Canada (CCC), allowing Canadian and international long distance skiers to collect points for the Canadian Points List.

Last year, the CCC sanction was given to the 51 km freestyle but will be attributed to the 55 km classic race this year. “This change has been decided to promote the new linear [point-to-point] 55 km classic course starting at Lake Philippe that will be introduced in 2013 for the Gatineau Loppet’s 35th edition!” explains Yan Michaud, President of the Gatineau Loppet.

To highlight the importance and the seriousness of the elite program in the event, all skiers taking part in the 55 km classic race’s first wave must provide one of the following licenses: FIS license, a license issued by a national Federation (e.g. international competitors), a CCC Racing license or a Cross-Country Canada Supporting Member’s License (day license). The Gatineau Loppet will offer prizes to both the top three men and women of this new 55 km classic style race. First place will receive $1,200, second $600 and third $200.

For any questions concerning the licenses, prizes or elite program, please visit the Gatineau Loppet website at www.gatineauloppet.com .

November 19, 2012 (Muonio, Finland) – SkiTrax caught up with USST skier Liz Stephen after she landed her first FIS podium in Europe, placing second in the women’s 10km FR in Muonio, Finland Postsa mere 4.5s behind Polish queen Justyna Kowalczyk on the weekend. We spoke to her about her great kick-off to the 2012/13 season and found out what’s ahead for the speedster.

November 19, 2012 (Fairbanks, AK) – The Alaska Nanooks wrapped up a solid three-day weekend of skiing competition in winning fashion as they completed a sweep of Alaska Anchorage on their way to capturing the 2012 Nordic Cup. The Nanooks have won the title that pairs the Alaska schools against one another six times in the Cup’s nine-year history (6-2-1).

“The Seawolves are a good team and it was quite a thrill to beat them on our home course at Birch Hill,” head coach Scott Jerome said. “Losing in Anchorage last year left a bad taste in our mouths and I am very happy we were able to bring the cup back home.”

UAA had the top finishers in the men’s and women’s 10 kilometer freestyle technique races on Sunday at Birch Hill, but the Nanooks depth prevailed as they outscored the visitors 12-9 in both the men’s and women’s races, for a 24-18 win on the day. The Day Three victory gave the Nanooks a 78-48 margin of victory over the three-day Nordic Cup series.

“I am proud of the way the team members handled themselves this weekend; it was cold and windy but everyone stepped up without complaint and raced,” Jerome said. “This win was a true team effort – five different men and five different women scored points for us.”

For the women, UAA’s Marine Dusser posted the best course time in 33 minutes and 49.6 seconds. Alaska senior Raphaela Sieber (Business Administration) was second in 34:05.1 and was followed by teammates Alyson McPhetres (35:09.6/Geological Engineering) and Heather Edic (35:35.6/Civil Engineering) in third and fourth, respectively.

The Seawolves scoring team included Patricia Sprecher in 5th (36:10.3) and Karina Smith in 10th (37:54.0) overall.

Although not counted in the team standings, Alaska also got top-10 finishes from Crystal Pitney (6th, 36:20.0/Business Administration), Rebecca Konieczny (7th, 36:50.0/Biological Sciences), Julia Ebner (8th, 37:15.1/General Studies) and Marit Rjabov (9th, 37:33.3/Psychology).

For the men’s race, Seawolf Viktor Braennmark was the best on the day in 28 minutes and five seconds, beatting senior Lex Treinen (2nd, 28:13.0/Northern Studies) by eight seconds for the day’s title.

Logan Hanneman (Mechanical Engineering) managed a spot on the podium for the third straight day, taking third overall in 28:31.4.

While it didn’t play into the final standings, one of the more exciting points of the pursuit race came when Nanook senior Ian Wilkinson (Art) outsprinted UAA’s Lukas Ebner down the stretch to put 13.2 seconds between them in the bid for fifth place. Wilkinson finished in 28:32.8, while Ebner had a course time of 28:46.0.

The Blue and Gold had two other racers in the top 10 with Max Olex (Northern Studies) taking 6th in 28:50.2 and Stefan Hajdukovich (Biological Sciences) landing 10th in 29:38.1.

“We had some very good individual results this weekend, and we had some disappointing results, but this is a sport that takes time,” Jerome said. “It’s a long season and we have much hard work to do before March. I am very happy that we beat UAA. Now we must turn our attention to qualifying for NCAAs and turning in our best performances in March.”

Both teams will train for the next seven weeks before their next competition, the U.S. Cross Country Skiing Nationals being held in Midway, Utah, Jan. 2-8, 2013.

Women’s 10Km Pursuit Start Free Technique
1. Marine Dusser, UAA – 33:49.6
2. Raphaela Sieber, UAF – 34:05.1
3. Alyson McPhetres, UAF – 35:09.6
4. Heather Edic, UAF – 35:35.6
5. Patricia Sprecher, UAA – 36:10.3
6. Crystal Pitney, UAF – 36:20.0
7. Rebecca Konieczny, UAF – 36:49.9
8. Julia Ebner, UAF – 37:15.0
9. Marit Rjabov, UAF – 37:33.3
10. Karina Smith, UAA – 37:54.0
11. Theresia Schnurr, UAF – 38:17.0
12. Cara McCulloch, UAA – 38:38.1
13. Heidi Brook, UAF – 40:03.7
14. Maya Radonich, UAA – 41:04.8

Men’s 10Km Pursuit Start Free Technique
1. Viktor Braennmark, UAA – 28:05.0
2. Lex Treinen, UAF – 28:13.0
3. Logan Hanneman, UAF – 28:31.5
4. Ian Wilkinson, UAF – 28:32.8
5. Lukas Ebner, UAA – 28:46.0
6. Max Olex, UAF – 28:50.2
7. Lasse Moelgaard, UAA – 28:51.8
8. Galen Johnston, UAA – 29:28.4
9. Davis Dunlap, UAA – 29:37.7
10. Stefan Hajdukovich, UAF – 29:38.1
12. Kenneth Brewer, UAF – 30:34.2
13. Andrew Arnold, UAF – 30:39.6
15. Lars Arneson, UAF – 30:56.4
17. Jonas Loeffler, UAF – 31:09.2
18. Brandon Brewster, UAA – 31:10.1
21. John Glen, UAA – 32:07.3
23. Wyatt Mayo, UAF – 33:25.7

November 08, 2012 – The TD Bank Marathon Series is comprised of five cross country skiing events across New England with distances ranging from 21k to 50k. Skiers of all skill levels are invited to participate; these events are fun for the elite racer as well as the recreational touring skier. Come and enjoy some of the finest skiing in New England!

Join in the TD Bank NENSA Marathon Series and test your endurance! Those skiers who participate in the timed class of 4 out of 5 events will receive a special Marathon Challenger Award! It doesn’t matter what distance you ski, just that you get out to enjoy these events. Awards will be presented at the Sugarloaf Ski Marathon in March. Hope to see you out there!

To see information about the five events in the series, click HERE.

November 08, 2012 – There are only 16 days left until the start of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Gällivare, Sweden. Russia’s 24 athletes are going to take part in the opening ladies and men competitions.

The ladies’ part of the Russian Cross-Country team travelled to Europe already and has trained in Muonio, Finland. “All the athletes are healthy and we train as planned,” head coaches Gregor Menshenin and Dmitry Bugaev say. Russian skiers have been on snow already a month as they carried out a training camp in Ramsau.

Sprinters in Yakutia
Russian sprint specialists carried out the first winter training camp of the season in Aldan ,Yakutia region. The sprinters took part in a show competition that was organised at the opening of the new skiing centre in Aldan. The 85-long super sprint was won by Olympic Champion from 2010 Nikita Kriukov. “Unfortunately Alexey Petukhov and Anton Gafarov could not take part in the competition. Alexey has been recovering from illness and Anton has had small issues with his back. So we did not want to risk anything,” sprint coach Mikhail Deviatiarov said.

November 01, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Check out this great compilation of video highlights from the weekend’s Frozen Thunder Classic in Canmore. The video features Canadian and U.S. national team members as they test themselves on “Frozen Thunder”, a course built from snow preserved from the previous winter at the Canmore Nordic Centre. Report and photos from the event HERE.

WinSport Frozen Thunder Classic from Twin Zebra on Vimeo.

November 01, 2012 – There are only 24 days left until the 2012/13 FIS Cross-Country World Cup season gets under way and the defending Big Crystal Globe winner Marit Bjoergen looks optimistic towards the winter.

“I’ve done a very good job in the summer and autumn and I cannot wait until the season starts,” she wrote on her website www.maritbjoergen.no.

The multiple Olympic and World Championships medallist says she has trained more than ever. “Every year has made me stronger and my body’s ability to recover has been better,” she claimed.

The Cross-Country season kicks off for Norwegian athletes in Beitostoelen on November 16-18 with the traditional Cross-Country and Biathlon opening. This time, the three days of competitions will be featuring 10/15 km free ladies and men, classical sprint and 10/15 km km classic ladies and men.

“Beitostølen is my favourite place and I enjoy the atmosphere of the national opening,” she revealed.

Cross-Country Skiing fans can still recall unforgettable moments from the last season when Marit Bjoergen and Justyna Kowalczyk challenged each other for the FIS Tour de Ski victory and the Big Crystal Globe.

Also this winter Bjoergen and Kowalczyk are expected to fight for top positions both in the World Cup, FIS Tour de Ski and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. FIS Cross-Country World Cup season kicks off in Gällivare on November 24-25.

“It will be exciting to meet other skiers at the World Cup opening. Rumours say that Justyna is in a good shape and I am looking forward to meeting her on the World Cup circuit,” said Marit Bjoergen and continued: “Charlotte Kalla visited me in Oslo in the summer and there’s no doubt she will be a strong contender for all the Norwegian girls,” Bjoergen claimed.

October 29, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – Camp wrapped up today in Canmore with a classic sprint time trial and strength. My warmup for strength was somewhat more embarrassing than usual since I lost a bet in the race and had to wear my underwear over my tights. But that’s not all that crazy.

The crazy part of this time trial/pre-season race was that there were actually some of the very best sprinters in the world in attendance; an Olympic gold medalist, World Champs gold medalist, multiple World Cup race podiums scattered throughout the start list. It’s cool seeing so many North Americans kicking butt. And it’s cool training with them and learning from every session, time trial and race experience!

I’d almost forgotten some of the sensations that accompany sprinting: the lactic acid and nerves seemingly boring a hole in my stomach (maybe I’m slowly developing and ulcer and don’t know it?); trying to stay warm while not sweating too much so I don’t freeze once I finally do take my jacket off; trying to dial in kick and not knowing when to add more or go with better glide. It’s a circus, all right!

And today was the best practice ever, thanks to Cross-Country Canada for hosting! I know classic sprinting is my biggest weakness and therefore I’m super thankful for any good chance to work on it that I can get. I felt a little like I was spinning my wheels, going nowhere during the race, but I worked hard and even when I totally ran out of energy (and technique!) in the final, it was a sweet learning experience. Slowly but surely, it’ll get better!

The interesting thing about racing is that while there is one person who wins, there is also someone who pushes the hardest, someone who dials in their skis the best, someone who has the best technique, someone who hurts the most and someone who uses the smartest tactics.

Whenever I get nervous, I focus on trying to be everything but the person who wins and more on the things I can control. Then, sometimes, things pull together and result in a good race. And sometimes not…

Tomorrow I fly back to gool ‘ol Minnesota, and I’m super pumped to get in a WHOLE TWO WEEKS there! Yes, that’s right, you heard me. 2 weeks in one spot NOT for a training camp. It’s a rare, beautiful thing.

However, I will be sad to leave all my teammates, especially since I won’t see my SMS crew for a month and a half! It’s been an amazing summer and fall, and I know we’ll have even more good stories when we’re reunited in Quebec.

Several of these shots are those One Way’s Reese Hanneman took (Engine Room Media). We had a fun time taking some goofy shots (I can’t help myself) and some better ones, too. Check them all out HERE.

October 24, 2012 – Here is the latest newsletter from Worldloppet and the FIS Marathon World Cup. Worldoppet recently attended the Forum Nordicum in Val di Fiemme, and the organization is primed for an exciting 2012/12 season. Read on for all of the details.

Forum Nordicum
Worldloppet present at the Forum Nordicum in Val di Fiemme (ITA) From 15 to 18 October, the annual gathering of all Nordic ski journalists, the FORUM NORDICUM, was held in Val di Fiemme, the host of the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. This meeting brings together Nordic ski journalists, both international federations, the FIS and the IBU, World Cup and other winter sport event organisers, ski companies and other companies, related to Nordic winter sports!

A perfect place to present Worldloppet and its races to a wider audience of interested ski journalists. Not to forget, that it is in Val di Fiemme, more precisely in Predazzo, with a view to the jumping hills, that Worldloppet has its head quarter! Val di Fiemme is also home to Marcialonga, one of the Worldloppet races which functions also as FIS Marathon Cup and which runs from Val di Fassa through to Val di Fiemme with its finish in Cavalese.

Worldloppet’s Secretary General, Angelo Corradini had the pleasure to inform the assembled journalists, that the interest in marathon skiing is still constantly growing.

Almost 126,000 skiers participated last season in Worldloppet races all over the world and the demand is still rising! The Marcialonga, Birkebeinerrennet and the Vasaloppet were all sold out in minutes!!! That the interest is not only high in Europe can be seen in the fact that also the American Birkebeiner is sold out already!!!

This race will be a FIS Marathon Cup this season and has therefore risen the interest of many skiers in the US and Canada to participate in this race with the best in the world doing the same course at the same time (only maybe not in the same time)! The US also still holds first place concerning passport holders (1,633)! They are followed by Germany (1,462) and Italy (1,078).

Last year, Worldloppet could congratulate 242 new Worldloppet Masters. They have completed 10 Worldloppet races in the long distance with at least one race oversees.

After the Worldloppet presentation it was time to give the floor to Gloria Trettel form Marcialonga, who then took a tour through 40 years of Marcialonga and informed about this year’s race. Marcialonga, since the biggest and most famous marathon ski race in Italy, is also very present at the new exhibition “Ski Past” which has just recently been opened in Trento, the capital of the region Trentino.

It is housed in an old street tunnel in Trento, which was converted into an exhibition area a couple of years back. The exhibition, the first one of its kind in Italy, looks on the past of skiing in general and in Italy especially, specially focusing on Nordic skiing. All guests of the Forum Nordicum including the Worldloppet delegation had the unique opportunity to have a sneak preview of the exhibition hence its official opening was scheduled for just a few days later.

One of the ski firms hosting an evening during the Forum Nordicum invited the Aukland brothers to come over and represent their brand. It was a unique opportunity for most of the journalists who normally are present at World Cup events and less at Worldloppet and FIS Marathon Cup races. It is not often that Worldloppet skiers are invited to these evening since normally the interest is higher in World Cup racers.

Another evidence that the interest in Worldloppet and long distance skiing is rising. A lot of interesting questions arose and both, Jörgen and Anders Aukland, showed that they are not only great skiers, but also into marathon skiing with their full heart and great ambassadors for long distance skiing, explaining the gathered journalists the specialty of long distance racing.

Some pictures of the Forum Nordicum can be found on Worldloppet’s Facebook page HERE.

Worldloppet Executive Committee meeting in Cavalese
At the occasion of the Forum Nordicum taking place in Val di Fiemme, Worldloppet’s Executive Committee held its autumn meeting in the same place, enjoying the possibility of taking part in the Forum Nordicum at the same time.

It was a perfect opportunity to spread the word about Worldloppet, market the idea of Worldloppet and marathon skiing and discussing races, development and projects with different persons and parties. The committee discussed several different points and the following was decided: Epp Paal from the Tartu Maraton was appointed new Race Coordinator. She will be present at many FIS Marathon Cup races as well as at several Worldloppet races throughout next season to support the organisers in ensuring the same level of performance (organisation, food stations, track preparation, starting order, result service etc.) at all races.

Epp will bring valuable experience on-site as she has gained solid knowledge working for the Tartu Maraton for more than ten years. In establishing her post, Worldloppet takes a step forward to ensure high quality races at all levels which is very important for the marketing of marathon skiing and the TV production on site. Alongside this topic, the relation and cooperation between Worldloppet and Ski Classics was discussed as well.

Since the Worldloppet Ski Magazine will not be printed this year as decided at the AGM, the online version will soon be available for downloading on the Worldloppet web page. Since this will only be an overview of the most important fact about each race, other possibilities for a magazine were discussed during the meeting. Further inquiries will be made for a printed format and will be presented during the next AGM to all member races.

Another important step for marathon skiing was that the Executive Committee decided to open the gates for more races and here for “exotic” races like the Fossevatn Ski Marathon on Iceland, the Marcha Blanca in Argentina or the Merino Muster in New Zealand. They are now invited to state their interest in joining Worldloppet and to come and present themselves at the next AGM (Annual General Meeting) which will take place in June 2013 in Hayward, USA, hosted by the American Birkebeiner.

New Worldloppet trailer & new Worldloppet web page
During the presentation of Worldloppet and its races, the new Worldloppet trailer had its world debut. It was exclusively shown to the gathered journalists and was very well received. The 3 minute film, put together by Marc Schauberger form the König-Ludwig-Lauf, shows what Worldloppet and its races is all about: About elite racers in the first starting row as well as about all the popular skiers without whom the race wouldn’t be the same! About the challenge against oneself, the skiing together with thousands of others and experiencing most incredible landscapes around the world.

The trailer will soon be available at the Worldloppet Facebook page and on the Worldloppet web page.

And this one will come to you soon in a complete new outfit!! The relaunch of the page is scheduled for before the season kicks off and will include several new features and a FIS Marathon Cup corner which is specially dedicated to the elite racers of the FIS Marathon Cup. All fans will wind it a great source of all kinds of information around their favourite athletes and also journalists will enjoy it for gathering information around this elite cup!

More information on the exact date of the launch will soon be diffused!

Important dates & information
– November 2012: Launch of the new Worldloppet web page
– December 16: La Sgambeda, 42km, FT, First FIS Marathon Cup of the season 2012/13

Worldloppet – The World of Marathon Skiing!!!
More information: www.worldloppet.com
Visit also the official Worldlooppet Facebook Page HERE.
Never miss an info about the world of marathon skiing. Follow us on Twitter HERE.

October 22, 2012 – As confirmed by the FIS Council in the spring, the FIS Cross-Country World Cup will implement several new rules this season, including format changes and a new kid’s program.

The competition format for the men’s relay in the World Cup will be shorter, each leg measuring 7,5km instead of 10km. The aim is to make the competition more attractive and exciting as well as secure its complete TV transmission.

The Sub-Committee for the World and Continental Cups also discussed future calendars with a particular emphasis on principles and basics for each World Cup period. “The aim is to set a clear framework for each of the World Cup periods. We wish that National Ski Associations will work together with their Organizing Committees and other partners on the long-term planning and strategies,” FIS Cross-Country Race Director Pierre Mignerey said.

The Sub-Committee also discussed new rules regarding waxing facilities as many nations are planning to use their waxing trucks in the World Cup and the World Ski Championships.

Sub-Committee for Youth and Children thoroughly discussed the introduction of a new competition – the so-called Cross-Country Cross, featuring technical skills and techniques. Thanks to the expertise from Norway, Sweden and Germany a booklet has been put together that will help the National Ski Associations and Organizers with such competitions. FIS will also continue to develop its Bring Children to the Snow campaign with the second edition of the FIS World Snow Day set for January 20TH and continuing FIS SnowKidz activities.

The complete World Cup rules, as well as the Tour de Ski and multi-stage competition rules, are available HERE.

October 19, 2012 – Dario Cologna (SUI) was recently named Nordic Ski King of 2011/12 and awarded with the corresponding trophy in Val Müstair, Switzerland.

October 17, 2012 – Sweden’s TV4 Group has bought the TV rights for all the platforms of the world´s leading long-distance skiing championship, Swix Ski Classics. The rights are for the two following seasons; 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. The TV4 Group has acquired the TV rights to five of the six long-distance races in Swix Ski Classics by IEC in Sports. For TV4 this means an expansion of the range of winter sports.

– The long-distance races in Swix Ski Classics has developed very positively in recent years with a high increase in the number of amateur skiers, especially from Sweden, participating side by side with the world’s elite. We want to reflect this growing Swedish and international change with a highly expanded television exposure, says Hans Pekkari, Sports Director in the TV4 Group.

– We are very pleased to start a collaboration with TV4. I am convinced that the cooperation raises interest for Swix Ski Classics even further in Sweden, says David Nilsson, CEO Ski Classics AB.

The long-distance skiing races will be broadcasted live together with a parallel broadcast on TV4 and TV4 Sport Xtra. The last hour of the race will be broadcasted on TV4 and TV4 Sport Xtra.

Swix New Title Sponsor of Ski Classics Series
Swix Ski Classics is the long distance ski championships, consisting of six of the most prestigious ski events in the world: Jizerská Padesatká in Czech Republic, Marcialonga in Italy, König Ludwig Lauf in Germany, Vasaloppet in Sweden, Birkebeinerrennet in Norway and the Swix Ski Classics Final in Sweden (venue to be announces shortly), all 50 km or more and open for professional as well as amateur skiers.

The interest in long distance skiing is growing continuously and many of the races in Europe are fully booked just a few days after the registration begins. Swix Ski Classics is broadcasted on TV in several countries and many professional skiers have transferred from World Cup skiing to long distance races.

– The Swix Ski Classics is an impressive initiative from the key players in cross country skiing to build an exciting new platform for long distance cross country racing. This will grow the cross country skiing industry and we want to be a part of this, states Ulf Bjerknes, CEO of Swix Sport Group.

Ski Classics is very pleased to start this new cooperation with Swix, a market leading company with over 60 years of experience in segments such as ski wax, ski poles and clothing.

– Swix is prestigious and traditional, but yet innovative and creative at the same time. This agreement will for sure develop Ski Classics and I can hardly wait to get started with this season’s first Swix Ski Classics race Jizerská Padesatká in the Czech Republic, says David Nilsson, CEO of Ski Classics AB.

Swix Ski Classics is an exciting cooperation, which will include professional teams as well as amateur skiers. It is definitely a big opportunity for the partners to reach the final consumers and to develop an interest and commitment to long distance skiing.

– We have worked hard in order to find the best suitable title sponsor, and with Swix we have succeeded. Swix Ski Classics has also several other solutions for sponsors, one of them is in the title, “Swix Ski Classics powered by [company name]”, David Nilsson says.

Swix Ski Classics 2013:
– Event 1: Jizerská Padesatká – Czech Republic – January 13th, 2013
– Event 2: Marcialonga – Italy – January, 27th, 2013
– Event 3: König Ludwig Lauf – Germany – February 3rd, 2013
– Event 4: Vasaloppet – Sweden – March 3rd, 2013
– Event 5: Birkebeinerrennet – Norway – March 16th, 2013
– Event 6: Swix Ski Classics Final – Sweden – March 23rd, 2013

October 10, 2012 (Val Müstair, Switzerland) – On January 1, 2013, the FIS Tour de Ski will make its first stop ever in Switzerland. Val Müstair, the home valley of the triple FIS Cross-Country World Cup and FIS Tour de Ski winner Dario Cologna, will host the third stage of the Tour, a free technique sprint. Val Müstair lies close to the Italian border, approximately two hours by car from Innsbruck. It is situated between two passes, the Ofenpass from the Swiss side and the Reschenpass from Italy.

Picturesque Val Müstair
The Müstair valley is one of the most beautiful mountain valleys in Switzerland. It is acclaimed for two things. The world-famous Convent of St. John, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Swiss National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A cultural highlight and chief attraction, the Benedictine Convent of St. John is an idyllic alpine monastery which was founded by Charlemagne to whom it owes its distinction. Built in the 8th Century the convent church houses the world’s richest and best preserved series of figurative Romanesque murals, with impressive Carolingian frescos. The new “Planta Tower” museum gives insights into the cloister life.

Sporty Val Müstair
In the summer, Val Müstair offers a wide range of holiday experiences. Hikers can explore the valley, the Swiss National Park and the nearby Ortler mountain region. Trails are well marked, and for both beginners and experienced cyclists there is an extensive network of paths and mountain bike trails.

Skiing, snowboarding, cross-country – for those who want a classic winter sports holiday, Val Müstair is the perfect place. The Minschuns ski area is family friendly and the cross-country trails are everything you could wish for. There is also the opportunity for ski touring and snowshoeing.

FIS Tour de Ski in Val Müstair
Cross-Country Skiing has a long tradition and histors in the valley. Most importantly, Dario Cologna was born in St. Maria, which lies only 8 km from Tschierv, the competition venue. Dario Cologna’a successes and growing repuation has increased the popularity of Cross-Country Skiing in the region. “Firstly we want to take advantage of the growing popularity of Cross-Country Skiing and the personal appeal of Dario Cologna to create something magnificent. Secondly, we want to promote our position as a tourist destination in connection with Cross-Country Skiing,” Claudio Daguati, Secretary of the Organizing Committee, says.

Find out more about Val Müstair
www.tour-de-ski.ch
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October 01, 2012 – FIS Cross-Country World Cup season 2012/13 kicks off in 57 days in the Swedish Gällivare. With only a few weeks left until the opener, the organising committee reports record interest.

Almost 200 people came to the official kick off meeting for the partners that was held by the organising committee. “We are absolutely surprised by the interest of sponsors, partners and volunteers. So many showed up for this event,” Secretary General of the LOC Tommy Niva says.

The FIS Cross-Country World Cup opener is the biggest sport event in Norrbotten and preparations have been already in full swing. About 250 volunteers are needed to cope with all organisation aspects of the World Cup ranging from competition course to transport and catering.

“The World Cups activates the entire community. Everybody is very proud of the event and interest only increases every time we organise the first World Cup of the season. As early as in the sumer people would show up and asked about the chance to participate and help with the competitions,” Tommy Niva says.

“FIS has given us the trust to organise the season opener for the fifth time since 2004. I can say we are preparing a great skiing festival. Our goal is to secure all arrangements at the top level and the great interest gives us plenty of inspiration in this work,” Niva concludes.

FIS Cross-Country Word Cup kicks off in on November 24th. One week before the World Cup junior and FIS competitions will take place in Gällivare as test events.

You can find more information at: www.worldcupgellivare.com

August 17, 2012 (Canmore, AB) – 2013 CCC race license applications are now available online or by mail. You must have a current race license or a Supporting Member Day license to compete in CCC sanctioned events. To apply for your 2013 CCC race license online, click HERE or by mail, click HERE.

Note: You must be a member of a registered CCC club before your license application will be processed.

FIS Race License – It is time to renew or apply for your 2013 FIS Race License
To apply for a FIS race license, please complete the CCC FIS Race License Application and the FIS Athlete Declaration Form available HERE, and forward it by mail or fax, together with your cheque, VISA or MasterCard number to the Cross Country Canada National Office. Don’t forget to included the expiry date and 3 digit card verification number (on back of the card).

By mail or in person: Cross Country Canada, 100 – 1995 Olympic Way, Canmore, AB T1W 2T6
By Fax: (403) 678-3885

The cost is $45.00 (non-refundable) and the deadline to submit the FIS License application form is January 1st, 2013.

This deadline is very important. Any FIS license applications received after January 1st, 2013 will be processed at a cost of $100.00. If you require points to be added retroactively, this will cost you another $100.00.

Note: Any Junior skier who may make the criteria for a national team or international tours is encouraged to purchase a FIS licence prior to the ski season as it will be needed for FIS point calculations.

Your FIS license will not be processed until your CCC license is renewed or bought for the 2013 season.

You must include your CCC and FIS license numbers when registering for events to have your results eligible for points. A fee is required to retroactively add license numbers to “Official” result lists.

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Race License
IPC race licenses are necessary for Para-Nordic athletes and guides who wish to compete internationally in IPC sanctioned events (IPC World Cup, IPC World Championships or Paralympics).

To apply for an IPC license you must first have a CCC race license (see application requirements and process above).

The cost of an IPC race license is 60Euro (approx $85) and the application deadline is October 1st, 2012.

An IPC license can be purchased after the deadline but the price doubles to $120Euro (approx $170).

To begin the application process please complete the IPC Eligibility Code form HERE and then contact us at nsmith@cccski.com to complete the process.

August 17, 2012 – Skiers from around the world are converging on Falls Creek for the Kangaroo Hoppet, the opening event of the 2012/2013 Worldloppet season, which will be held on August 25. Good snowfalls last weekend topped up the snow base, and with 50km of trails available for training, early arrivals are enjoying excellent conditions.

With skiers in the seeded group from Russia, Canada, Sweden, Estonia, Switzerland and USA joining our best Australian skiers, we are expecting some exciting competition. Favourites in the men’s event are Russians Alexander Legkov and Ilya Chernousov who are making a four week training camp at Falls Creek, with Maria Graefnings (SWE), Marina Chernousova (RUS), and Brooke Darlington (CAN) the leading internationals in the women’s field. Top seeded Australians are Callum Watson, Alex Almoukov, Esther Bottomley and Aimee Watson.

As in all Worldloppet races, the event is not just for the elite. Most important are the citizen skiers, many of whom are taking on the challenge of becoming a Worldloppet Master. Skiers from twenty five other lands will join Australians at the start, including Norwegian sit skier and Worldloppet Master Ole Herman Ronnevig making his first trip to Australia.

August 13, 2012 (Ushuaia, Argentina) – Federico Cichero won the 10 KM classic interval start race on Friday August 10th at the Francisco Jerman Nordic Ski Area just outside of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Carlos Lanes (ARG) placed second after traveling from his current home in Spain. Third place was taken by Brazil’s Leandro Ribela who has dedicated himself to cross-country with the support of his federation despite coming from a tropical country.

The race was the first ever FIS sanctioned race on a homologated course in Argentina or South America.

Argentina’s Developing Nations Group Coach, Sebastián Menci, said through a interpreter “everything went really well…the Technical Delegate is from the U.S. and he has been really helpful and seems to enjoy being here… on one hand it was a small race but on the other it was start… I was not sure I would have ever seen this day actually happen.”

For more information, see www.clubandinoushuaia.com.ar.

August 13, 2012 (Wanaka, New Zealand) – Justyna Kowalczyk powered to victory in all three competitions of the Australia/New Zealand Cup that were held at Snow Farm last weekend. The runner up of the last FIS Cross-Country World Cup and the triple FIS Tour de Ski winner dominated 10 km Classic, 1.0 km Sprint Free and 5 km Free. Kowalczyk dominated all three competitions in a great style. By the end of Kowalczyk’s stay at Snow Farm is will take part in the Muster Marathon and the winter triathlon.

“We will take part in all competitions, which will be held near our center, during the time we are here,”coach Alexander Wierietielny said.

The marathon takes place on Augaust 18th and Justyna Kowalczyk will be in full training until then. “The conditions are perfect. There is maybe less snow than last year but the courses are very well prepared,” the coach revealed.

On the men’s side Kowalczyk’s training partner Maciek Kreczmer powered to victory in 15 km Classic 8 sec ahead of Nobu Naruse and Masaya Kimura of Japan.

Russian skiers clearly dominated the sprint free competition as they occupied first four spots. Alexey Petukhov showed to be in good summer shape and clamed victory ahead of Nikita Kriukov and Alexander Panzhinskiy.

The last competition at Snow Farm over 10 km free belonged again to Maciej Kreczmer. The podium was exactly the same as on the first distance and Nobu Naruse finished second and Masaya Kimira third.

You can find complete results HERE.

May 15, 2012 (Park City, UT) – Tune in to this week’s edition of Talkin’ with the Gravy-Train, as renowned sports reporter and announcer Peter Graves talks with CXC Director, Yuriy Gusev, at the recent USSA Convention in Park City, UT. CXC, the Central Cross Country Ski Association, has seen tremendous growth and success with their race team, aka Jessie Diggins, and various programs, and Gusev accepted the award at the Convention for CXC as winner of the cross-country club of the year. In this in-depth interview, Gusev speaks about his central motivation, which is to grow the sport of cross-country skiing, and the steps he has taken with his team to achieve that goal for CXC.

Yuryi Gusev

May 14, 2012 – Today we are introducing you another candidate to host FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2017 – Zakopane, Poland. Find out more about this potential host venue in the Q&A below.

Q: Why is Zakopane a candidate to host 2017 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships? How many times have you run your bid?
Zakopane is the cradle of Polish skiing, which traditions go as far back as to over 120 years. Zakopane organized FIS World Championships three times (1929, 1939, 1962), Winter Universiade three times (1956, 1993, 2001), World and European Biathlon Championships, Biathlon World Juniors Championships, Speed Skating World Juniors Championships and World Cup, FIS European Cup in Womens’ Slalom, Ski Jumping World Cup (several times), Nordic Combined, Cross-Country and Slalom, Ski Jumping Continental Cups, Ski Jumping Summer Grand Prix, FIS World Junior Championships in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined. International competitions of various level are held here almost every year.

It is the fourth time that Zakopane, together with Polish Ski Federation and Tatra Ski Association, have begun making efforts to be granted the right to organize FIS Nordic World Championships in 2017.

Q: What makes you different from the other candidates?
The sports events, which have been hosted in Zakopane so far, have given a completely new quality to the concept of the atmosphere. Ski fans, enthusiasm and their admiration of the best athletes from all over the world is a unique phenomenon, which has developed in Zakopane during Ski Jumping World Cups and is always present at all the events organized at the foot of Mountain. It will be the same during the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Zakopane 2017.

Q: What is the core of your bid? What would the Champs at your venue be like and what would people remember in 2027 about them?
Organization of big international winter sports events has had significant influence on the city development. Many new sports venues have been built, the accommodation and catering infrastructure has been developed, water-sewage system has been improved, new streets, roads and parking places have been built. Also tourism has greatly developed.

Zakopane has continuously aspired to be counted among the group of cities organizing world sports events. The crowning achievement of this aspiration was the submission of the city’s candidature for the organization of Winter Olympic Games in 2006 and FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 2011, 2013 and 2015.

Zakopane is also a significant center of culture – it is the cradle of interwar art bohemians. Outstanding musicians, writers and artists have settled and created here for years.

You can find more information at: www.wsc2017.zakopane.eu

April 23, 2012 – Although support is still strong for him in many quarters in Estonia, disgraced two-time skiing gold medalist Andrus Veerpalu will lose out on state funding for a while – the stipend that the Cultural Endowment pays all living Olympic champions.

Veerpalu, who tested positive for doping last year, is not among this year’s recipients of the benefit, which consists of semi-annual payments of 1,150 euros each.

Secretary General of the Olympic Committee Toomas Tõnise said Veerpalu’s name could not be proposed this time as it would have gone against international anti-doping rules, which forbid sanctioned athletes from receiving public sector money…

Link to the ERR article HERE.

April 16, 2012 (Røldal, Norway) – Kristin Stoermer Steira and Chris Andre Jespersen were the quickest in Saturday’s Haukelirennet over the 32km freestyle race. Steira won the competition in 1:21.05 and edged out the big Crystal Globe winner Marit Bjoergen and Therese Johaug.

On the men’s sides Chris Andre Jespersen was superior over Sjur Røthe and Martin Johansson.

On Sunday, April 15, an unconventional competition took place in Røldal, Norway. More than 3,000 fans turned out in the mountain resort of Røldal to see an event that combined giant slalom and then 4km free uphill climb.

Some of World’s best cross-country skiers showed up at the start, including Charlotte Kalla, Johaug, Bjoergen, Anders Gloeersen, Oeystein Pettersen, Jean-Marc Gaillard, and Petter Northug Jr.

Organizers reckoned with the advantage cross-country specialists might get, therefore 1-second behind in the giant slalom meant 20 seconds back in the cross-country skiing portion.

Former top alpine skiers Andrinne Flemmen and Lasse Arnesen won the first part of the competition. Right after the alpine leg it was time to change the skiing equipment and climb 4km up with a vertical gain of 240m.

Andrinne Flemmen kept the lead after the alpine section and came in first at the finish. Norwegian youngster Tuva Toftdal came second at 16 seconds back. As expected, Johaug was the fastest climber with 15:39.6.

On the men’s side, Nordic skiing specialists prevailed over alpine skiers as Gloeersen led the way with a 33-sec margin over Nordic Combined athlete, Mikko Kokslien. Chris Andre Jespersen had the fastest climb time of 13:54.8.

Results

Haukelirennet – 32 km free, 14. April 2012

Women
1. Kristin Størmer Steira, IL Forsøk 1:21:05
2. Marit Bjørgen, Rognes IL 1:21:19
3. Therese Johaug, Nansen IL 1:22:48
4. Martine Ek Hagen, BUL IL 1:23:00
5. Charlotte Kalla, IFK Tärendö 1:25:47
6. Pia Sofie Måbø, Stathelle og Omegn IL 1:35:39

Men
1. Chris Jespersen, Byåsen IL 1:17:19
2. Sjur Røthe, Voss IL 1:17:20
3. Martin Johanson, IFKMora ski 1:18:33
4. Vebjørn Turtveit, Voss IL 1:20:16
5. Gaute Kvåle, Røldal IL 1:20:21
6. Magnus Krog, Høydalsmo 1:22:03

More information HERE.

DH Slalom / XC Free Climb – 15. April 2012

Women
1. Andrine Flemmen
2. Tuva Toftdal Staver, +16
3. Kristin Helland Hansen, + 1.09
4. Charlotte Kalla, + 2.09
5. Karina Birkelund, + 2.54
6. Mari Eide, +3.03
7. Marit Bjørgen
8. Ingvild Skare Thygesen
9. Therese Johaug
10. Martine Ek Hagen

Top 3 fastest times
1. Therese Johaug 15:39.6
2. Charlotte Kalla 16:15.4
3. Martine Ek Hagen 16:30.8

4. Marit Bjørgen 16:42.5

Men
1. Anders ,
2. Mikko Kokslien, +33
3. Harald Astrup Arnesen, + 55
4. Vebjørn Turtveit, + 1.08
5. Stian Sverdrup Lilleeng, + 1.22
6. Jørgen Graabak, + 1.37
7. Bård Thuren Høgheim,
8. Jean-Marc Gaillard
9. Gudmund Storlien
10. Øystein Pølsa Pettersen

Other skiers
12. Sjur Røthe
14. Petter Northug jr.
15. Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset
18. Eirik Brandsdal

Top 3 fastest times

1. Chris Andre Jespersen, 13.54.8
2. Anders Gløersen, 14.33.1
3. Sjur Røthe, 14.38.7

11. Petter Northug jr. 15.45.0

April 11, 2012 (Argentina) – The Andino Ushuaia Ski Club, Marcha Blanca Race Organization, and their partners are pleased to announce Argentina’s inaugural International Month of Cross Country Skiing scheduled for August 2012 near Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Four events comprise the schedule, including a weekend of ski instruction intended mostly for local skiers, a “Mini Marcha Blanca” for skiers aged 13 years and under, the 26th Annual Marcha Blanca 21/7km freestyle race, and the 2nd Annual Ushuaia Loppet 42 km freestyle ski marathon.

Race Director Pablo Valcheff says, “The Mes internacional de esquí de fondo (International Month of Cross Country Skiing) is intended to continue on the success of the last few years while also growing at a sustainable rate.” Last winter’s Master Classes gave hundreds of Fueguino skiers the chance to improve their skiing and spend a day on skis in the Valley of Tierra Mayor, both at Centro Invernal Tierra Mayor and at Cerro Castor. The Ushuaia Loppet will again trace the Marcha Blanca course twice in the opposite direction. The Marcha Blanca passes the quarter century mark in 2012. And the Mini Marcha is a chance for kids to enjoy an event of their own.

Apart from the events associated with the Marcha Blanca, the Club Andino Ushuaia is developing a roughly 1.5 km sprint course at the Francisco Jerman Nordic Ski Area just 10 minutes north of Ushuaia. The trails will be widened and the hope is to begin running FIS compliant sprint races there as soon as possible.

More information is available at www.marchablanca.com or www.clubandinoushuaia.com.ar

April 09, 2012 (Budal, Norway) – The annual Marit Sprint took place in Budal, Norway recently. “It’s a true fun to see all the happy kids,” Marit Bjoergen told nrk.no. After the race, the roles changed for the 2011/12 Cross Country World Cup Crystal Globe winner. This time it was Bjoergen who was hanging medals and hanging them around kids’ necks after Marit-Sprint in South Trøndelag.

In total, 350 kids took part in the sixth edition of event. Some kids were not sure if it was the real Marit Bjoergen supporting them on the course. “They are used to seeing me on TV, so they did not think it was me,” Bjoergen laughed.

April 02, 2012 – Attention Race Organizers: If you are interested in submitting a bid for a 2012-2013 NENSA event (TD Bank Eastern Cup and Championship events), a bid packet will be available online at www.nensa.net at the end of April. Please contact Janice Sibilia at janice@nensa.net with any questions or if you would like a packet emailed to you.

March 28, 2012 – It was December 2011 – the first FIS Marathon Cup of the season was drawing closer and only two things were missing in most parts of central Europe: The snow and cold temperatures! Despite Livigno’s (ITA) relatively high altitude in the Alps, only approximately 3km of track could be prepared in the valley – not nearly enough for a 42km FIS Marathon Cup.

Therefore, the first competition had to be cancelled and 2011 ended without a FIS Marathon Cup, but with the beginning of 2012, things got into full swing.

Jizerská Padesatka
Even though the temperatures were not as cold as they could have been, enough snow was on the ground for the 50km Jizerská Padesatka race in classic style – and more came from above during the race, which made the conditions not the easiest one for racers, spectators and organisers alike. However, the first FIS Marathon Cup of the season 2011/12 was finally held and the athletes on the podium would be seen there many more times during the season. Surely, Stanislav Rezac (CZE) laid the foundation of his victory in the overall FIS Marathon Cup with this first place on home soil. Behind him, Jimmie Johnsson (SWE) and Joergen Aukland (NOR) completed the podium. On the women’s side it was Sara Svendsen who could gain the victory in front of Tatiana Manimaa (EST) and Jenny Hansson (SWE).

Dolomitenlauf
One week break and the FIS Marathon Cup really took of with no more free weekend for the following eight weeks! A hard programme for the athletes if they wanted to race each race, however, several decided to concentrate on certain races instead. The first of the eight competitions was the Dolomitenlauf (AUT), which was held, once again due to lack of snow in the valley, in Obertilliach, close to the boarder to Italy.

Perfect sunshine, relatively warm temperatures and difficult waxing conditions awaited the athletes for this first race in skating technique. As the, now shortened to 42km, track was partly running through the shade partly under the warm sun, it was really challenging to find the correct wax in order to be fast in all parts. It was the Italian Fabio Santus, who seemed to have had the best skis, however it was only a glimpse of the eye that parted him from the second Aliaksei Ivanou (BLR), who was followed by the German Tim Tscharnke, who was ordered “a fast long distance training session” by his coach and was therefore inscribed to the Dolomitenlauf. On the women’s side, it was Valentina Shevchenko (UKR) who won in front of Seraina Boner (SUI), who, at this moment, still had to fight with her back, and another Swiss, Seraina Gasparin, who missed the Mass Start at the Biathlon World Cup in Anterselva (ITA) and who therefore thought to take the opportunity to participate in a long distance race.

Marcialonga
One week later, it was time for the traditional and famous Marcialonga in Val di Fiemme, the host of the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. Joergen Aukland (NOR), the winner of this prestigious 70km race in classic technique, showed, what is sometimes possible, even if you are still almost a minute behind the leaders after km 40!!! His brother Anders couldn’t resist his hard fighting brother in the end and finished second in front of Stanislav Rezac (CZE). On the women’s side it was the start for the first of several “Team Exspirit” podiums. Susanny Nyström (SWE) won in front of her team mates Jenny Hansson (SWE) and Seraina Boner (SUI).

König-Ludwig-Lauf
One week later, at the König-Ludwig-Lauf, cold temperatures had come over Middle-Europe and also had this 50km race, which passes the famous castle Linderhof (built by the Bavarian king Ludwig II between 1869 and 1886), firmly in the hand that even the perfect sunshine did not help much to heaten up the athletes during the race. In this “Bavarian frost chamber”, it was Stanislav Rezac (CZE) who resisted not only the cold but also his adversaries, Jerry Ahrlin (SWE) and Joergen Aukland (NOR) who became second and third. For the ladies, the podium was the same as in the Marcialonga: Nyström (SWE) in front of Hansson (SWE) and Boner (SUI).

La Transjurassienne
The weekend after, it was still cold, but it was not the cold which let the racers suffer but the strong wind which made the organisers of the 76km skating race La Transjurassienne decide to cut the part into Switzerland since it was the part where the wind blew the hardest….some athletes even described skiing towards Bois d’Amont as to think that they stood still even though they knew they were moving. With a bid smile on his face and later with a big bell around his neck, it was Alikasei Ivanou (BLR) who won this, despite the strong wind, wonderful race through the French Jura Mountains in front of Sergio Bonaldi (ITA) and Martin Koukal (CZE). On the women’s side it was Valentina Shevchenko (UKR) who won in a very impressive manner the race over 54km, with over 6 minutes advantage over Stephanie Santer (ITA) and Tatiana Manimaa (EST).

Tartu Maraton
The week after, it was time to head up North, to Tartu and the 63km long Tartu Maraton, skied in classic technique. Only two weeks away from the legendary Vasaloppet – the main goal of the season for a lot of racers, it was Jörgen Brink who showed that he got in form for the big event. The Swede won in front of Daniel Richardsson (SWE), who had just come to Tartu the night before the race, after a long voyage from the Cross Country World Cup in Sklarska Poreba (POL), and Jimmie Johnsson (SWE). On the girl’s side, for the third time in this winter, it was the same Podium: Susanne Nyström (SWE) wins in front of Jenny Hansson (SWE) and Seraina Boner (SUI).

Finlandia Hiihto
Further up North, it was time for the 50km Finlandia Hiihto (classic technique), which was, very surprisingly – also for himself – won by Martin Koukal (CZE), who is more known to be a specialist in the skating technique. In an impressive finish he put the two Italians Sergio Bonaldi and Marco Cattaneo to the places two and three. On the women’s side it was Valentina Shevchenko (UKR) who showed that she is also fast in classic races. Tatiana Manimaa (EST) got second and Stephanie Santer (ITA) third.

Vasaloppet
Then, it was time for the world famous Vasaloppet. Petter Northug Jr. should have started but did not due to sickness. However, it seemed that the appearance of the sister and brother of the Duchess of Cambridge, Pippa and James Middleton, made more headlines than the actual winner of the 88th edition of this famous 90km long race in classic technique. However, it was Jörgen Brink (SWE), who could win this prestigious event – and that already for the third consecutive time and this year in a new record time!!! In an
incredible finish sprint he could claim the victory in front of Daniel Tynell (SWE) and Stanislav Rezac (CZE).

Engadin Skimarathon
Only one week later, the FIS Marathon Cup got back to central Europe for its last skating race – the Engadin Skimarathon! Great conditions made the track very fast that the organisers already thought about a new record time, but the athletes decided against. However, it was the young Swiss Roman Furger who could put himself in front of Curdin Perl (SUI), who had arrived during the night before the race, directly from the Cross Country World Cup in Oslo (NOR). Third on the podium was, after an impressive finish sprint, the Italian Cristian Zorzi. On the women’s side, it was the French World Cup racer Anouk Faivre-Pikon, who claimed the victory in front of Seraina Boner (SUI) and Natascia Leonardi Cortesi (SUI).

Birkebeinerrennet
Hosting the final of the FIS Marathon Cup, the traditional Birkebeinerrennet with its special rule that each racer has to carry a 3.5kg backpack filled with certain things, remembering the baby Haakon Haakonsen, the future king of Norway, which was rescued by two Birkebeiner men on skis from those who wanted to kill him. This year, it was Anders Aukland (NOR) who could win this last stop of the FIS Marathon Cup, in front of two fellow countrymen: Roger Aa Djupvik and Espen Harald Bjerke.

After 10 races, three in skating technique and seven in classic style, the season 2011/12 is concluded. The winner of the overall FIS Marathon Cup on the men’s side was certain already for some time before the final, however, on the women’s side, the fight went on until the very last race. Stanislav Rezac (CZE) secured the victory on the men’s side with 405 points whereas Stephanie Santer (ITA) could claim the victory in her first FIS Marathon Cup season with 511 points!

Worldloppet: its Races and the 2011/12 Season
However, the Worldloppet winter 2011/12 did not only consist of FIS Marathon Cup races! Many of the places where a FIS Marathon Cup race took place held also other races, shorter ones or in a different technique, which belong to the Worldloppet circuit and for which Worldloppet passport holders can get a stamp in order to become a “Master” after ten fulfilled races – ten different of course and one in each continent of course! However, there are four races which do not have FIS Marathon Cup races and these are The
Kangaroo Hoppet (AUS), which takes place in August as it is winter in Australia at that time, the Gatineau Loppet in Canada which is followed by the American Birkebeiner (USA) – a race which will become a FIS Marathon Cup race next season! Last but not least, it’s the Bieg Piastow, which is, as the three others, a member of the Worldloppet circuit!

All Worldloppet races could be held in great conditions and growing numbers of participants in each race, anywhere in the world, shows the trend of the last years. Healthy living, including not only healthy food but also outdoor activities, is more popular as ever before and brings more and more people onto the skis. High numbers of older participants also show that this kind of life makes you also fit up into high age and is equally a huge motivation for others to join in in the world of marathon skiing!

2012/13 FIS Marathon Cup Calendar
– 16.12.12 – LA SGAMBEDA – 42km FT
– 13.01.13 – JIZERSKÁ PADESATKA – 50km CT
– 20.01.13 – DOLOMITENLAUF – 60km FT
– 27.01.13 – MARCIALONGA – 70km CT
– 03.02.13 – KÖNIG LUDWIG LAUF – 50km CT
– 10.02.13 – LA TRANSJURASSIENE – 76km FT
– 17.02.13 – TARTU MARATON – 63km CT
– 23.02.13 – AMERICAN BIRKEBEINER – 50km FT
– 10.03.13 – ENGADIN SKIMARATHON – 42km FT

News from Worldloppet & the World of Marathon Skiing
Not only the numbers of participants in Worldloppet races is growing but also the number of races in the world. And they all would like to become a part of Worldloppet and the world of marathon skiing. Worldloppet is of course very happy about this development, as it shows that the continuous work around the world of marathon skiing is paying off.

The following races have announced their interest: Svalbard (Spitsbergen) Marathon (NOR), Fossavatn (ISL), Marca Beret (ESP), Marca Blanka (ARG) and the Arctic Circle Race (GRL).

The executive board of the Worldloppet had come together in Rybinsk (RUS) on the occasion to visit the Demino Skimarathon (March 18), taking place on the Cross Country World Cup venue, which also has announced its wish to become a member of the Worldloppet family. The calendar for the next season was discussed and finalised for the FIS Marathon Cup. The next meeting will be the AGM (Annual General Meeting) held in Tartu (EST) in June where not only the next season but also other important steps for Worldloppet and the world of marathon skiing will be discussed and be voted for.

Exact numbers of passport holder (new & old) will be given out later this spring as many applications are still coming in April. Detailed information on the participant rates of each race and in total will be distributed at the same time.

Important Dates & Information
– Next Worldloppet race: August 25, Kangaroo Hoppet (AUS), 42km skating technique
– Worldloppet AGM: June 14-17, Tartu (EST)
More information: www.worldloppet.com
Visit also the official Worldlooppet Facebook Page HERE.

March 27, 2012 (Vuokatti, Finland) – Canada’s Para-Nordic athletes added three more medals on Tuesday to their haul at the IPC World Cup Finals, bringing their week total to seven.

Brian McKeever and his guide, Erik Carleton, completed their golden sweep of the three cross-country ski events in the men’s visually impaired category. McKeever, a 10-time Paralympic medallist, dominated the men’s 10-kilometre skate-ski race while battling through the heavy winds to clock a time of 25:43.7.

“I’m feeling better than I have all year. My shape has been building and it was a pretty solid day all-around for me,” said McKeever. “My skate skiing has been stronger this year and I put it together for the first time in a Para race.”

McKeever knocked of his Russian rivals, Stanislav Chokhlaev and Maksim Pirogov, in skate skiing for the first time this year. The Russians posted a second-place time of 26:39.3. Two other Russian skiers, Nikolay Polukhin and his guide, IIya Cherepanov, rounded out the men’s visually impaired podium in third at 26:39.9.

Canada also grabbed two bronze medals in the men’s and women’s sit-skiing races.

Chris Klebl, of Canmore, Alta., brought his season medal total to six after claiming the bronze in the men’s 10-kilometre sit-ski race with a time of 29:33.8. The 40-year-old Klebl finished one minute off the golden pace set by Russia’s Ramil Ilalutdinov at 28:33.3. Roman Petushkov, also of Russia, claimed the bronze at 28:55.0.

Saskatoon’s Colette Bourgonje rounded out the trio of medals after claiming her second straight bronze in the sit-skiing middle distance races. The reigning World Champion crossed the finish line with a time of 16:15.1 in the women’s 5km race.

Norway’s Mariann Marthinsen battled her way back to the top of the podium with a time of 15:52.2, while Lyudmyla Pavlenko, of the Ukraine, finished second at 16:02.1.

The IPC World Cup Finals continue on Thursday in Finland with the start of the Biathlon events.

Full results HERE.

March 27, 2012 – I’ve again assembled the data from the Big Race out in Wisconsin in to a bunch of nerdy-but-interesting data on BirkieGuide.com. Feel free to share it around. After a couple too many nights not getting to bed on time, I’ve finally gotten the ducks in order (I hope) and launched everything on to the statistics site. So if you are bemoaning the early spring and want to launch yourself deep in to mostly meaningless statistical “analyses” from the race, by all means, go ahead and do so.

Let us know if there’s anything else you’d like to see. I can make no guarantees — it’s time to spend my evenings doing something more productive, like training and core — but if you have an interesting idea, have at it.

A couple of highlights:
– Most of the data is back from last year, and most of it in an easier-to-navigate fashion
– We did some comparisons with last year

New data include:
– split time correlations
– a really interesting page showing that top skiers ski at a much steadier relative pace than everyone else (my favorite new data)
– information correlating weather conditions and Birkie sign-ups (it also has MSP snowfall data back to 1900)
– And a whole lot more…

You can find all of it at HERE and of course find the homepage at www.birkieguide.com.

March 19, 2012 (Norway) – A new course record was set this weekend at the highly prestigious Norwegian Birkebeiner. Anders Aukland of Norway skied the hilly 54km course with a winning time of 2:21:26. Norwegians swept the Men’s podium with Roger Aa Djupvik in second and Espen Harald Bjerke in third. Switzerland took first for the women’s event with Seraina Boner winning in 2:46:54 followed by Stepanie Santer of Italy in second and Jenny Hanson of Sweden in third.

The Aukland brothers, Anders and Joergen, have been extremely successful this year in Europe’s top classic Marathons. A key component of that success has been training specifically for long distance classic events. Year round, their training has been aimed at endurance over speed with an emphasis on classic.

The Aukland brothers have also learned how to take advantage of their new Atomic’s SDS technology. This was especially evident at the Birkebeiner. Anders calmly skied with the main pack on the flats and casually double poled as the other athletes had to push themselves to maintain the pace. The highly elastic inserts in the kick zone of the new Atomic Classics allow the grip wax to ride well above the snow even though the ski has a low camber height.

When the pack reached the hills toward the end of the Birkebeiner, a well rested Anders dropped the other skiers and climbed the hills with a tempo they could not match. The same inserts that keep the kick wax well above the snow during glide easily compress as soon as just a little downward force is applied during the kick. Anders and the other Atomic athletes have found that the best strategy for them is to go easy and glide with the pack in the flats and then take advantage of how the ski climbs and drop the rest of the guys in the ascents. It has continuously paid off this year at the long classic events.

The Norwegian Birkebeiner is always limited to a field of 16,000 skiers. Entries were sold out in 18 minutes this year. It is always classic only and the Birkebeiner is one of the most technical of all the Worldloppet courses. Victory here is considered the most prestigious test for classic equipment.

Results and race report HERE.