February 09, 2012 (Toronto, ON) – The Viessmann FIS XC World Cup featured a Russian extravaganza last week with an exciting midweek sprint event in Moscow, followed by another World Cup weekend. It was a momentous week for Canada’s Devon Kershaw, who took home bronze in Moscow and GOLD in Rybinsk. Read the stories HERE and HERE.

Siggy’s Speedsters still has a hold on the SkiTrax FIS Fantasy WCup 2011/12 Contest lead with 1,097 points, but Team daviking has moved from third into a close second with 1092 points, bumping 3LIT3 into third and a mere three points back.

For the complete FIS WCup Fantasy Contest standings after Moscow and Rybinsk click HERE.

SkiTrax Fantasy FIS World Cup 2011/12 Contest Prizes
* 1st Prize – Fischer 11/12 Carbonlite Hole Skis, Xcelerator Bindings, Carbonlite Poles (value $1,100)
* 2nd Prize – SkiGo Carbon 780 Roller Skis (value $580)
* 3rd Prize – Alpina ESK Ski Boots (value $449)
* 4th Prize – Bjorn Daehlie Exclusive US XC Ski Suit (value $300)
* 5th Prize – Sporthill XC Pants/Tights and Glacier Top (value $220)
* 6th Prize – Fresh Air Experience or High Peaks Cyclery Gift Certificate (value $150)
* 7th Prize – Bliz Proflip Visor (value $129)
* 8th Prize – Rottefella Xcelerator Skate/Classic Bindings (value $120)
* 9th Prize – Concept2 Goodie Duffle Bag (value $100)
* 10th Prize – Auclair Micro Mountain Olympic Gloves + Earbags (value $65)
* WCup Break – Buff Headware (value $23) to top 3 contest leaders before the Tour de Ski

Thanks to all of our great sponsors, including Fischer, SkiGo, Alpina, Bjorn Daehlie Clothing, Sporthill, Fresh Air Experience, High Peaks Cyclery, Rottefella, Bliz, Concept 2, Auclair, and Buff.

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

February 16, 2011 – At Beito #1 and I was very impressed with Chandra Crawford’s 5km race and also impressed with all the American’s great results the whole weekend. What a way to go into Oslo and the World Champs – I know there is still Drammen to go!!!

Chandra left from Canada on Wednesday for Europe and then on to Oslo and then one more leg to Beito. She may have had Friday to get over the jet lag and then into the start gate for the 5km classic – her “not so good technique” has gotten way better – I’m sure she knows. She represented herself very well in 18th place, but only 51 seconds off the pace. The placing I don’t care about, it is the time back that impresses me! Dehydration, no sleep, screwed up eating schedule for 3 days and standing on the start line feeling like sh_t does not bode well for a good race. Way to go Chandra!!!!

When have you seen this! At one of the SuperTour races in Aspen – 98 men in the start list and 107 women??? Women’s field bigger than the men’s?!

Beito #2 and I think we have some unfair point manipulations going on by the Norwegians and maybe some other countries in Europe. Here is an e-mail I sent to Jurg Capol, Mr. Nordic Director for FIS, on Sunday:

Hello Jurg – the races this weekend in Beitostolen are on the FIS calendar and I have a question about their procedure or manipulation of the results and if it is allowed. This may have also happened yesterday I just haven’t taken the time to check it out.

The race today was run in age groups – starting order had the first 70 senior ladies starting together followed by the 19-20 year-old junior girls and so on. But the results reported to FIS had the juniors combined with the seniors which I question if this is following the intent of fair competition. There could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on starting position – this has always been the consideration.

But more importantly, I think it is an effort to manipulate the points for the Norwegian juniors. I’m sure the points in the senior race are way better than the points for the junior race – so this builds the junior points illegally. So the Norwegian juniors when racing internationally such as at the World Juniors or U23s are being seeded with points that have been manufactured – this is not right.

Hope you will look in to this and will let me know your outcome.

Marty

All of the races for the weekend were done like this – Seniors started first, followed by the 19/20 year olds, and the 18 year olds. Each group had its own results, but the results sent to FIS were the three groups as a class in order of time. You just know this is a manipulation as the points for the senior race are going to be higher then for each individual class. Like I say above, this helps the younger Nowegian juniors have better points that they did not earn legally at the World Juniors and other international races – meaning better seeding positions in the mass start races especially.

I could go on about this, but I hope the Canadian and US leaders pick-up on this and start the same process to help our junior skiers get onto a more level playing field when it comes to being seeded in these important races and not having to fight their way through the masses at the beginning of races.

This is cool, the new Toko hard wax tubes! Found a couple of the new Toko wax tubes at the local ski shop and they are just like a round deodorant tube – screw off cap and then a screw mechanism at the bottom of the tube to turn the cylinder of wax out and back in with just a quick twist. A revolution in the waxing world – WOW!

Nakkertok racing venue has to be fun to race at – 5km loop and four times through the stadium and a very technical loop. You won’t go to sleep on this loop.

I got to see a lot of racers on Sunday, a number of times, and was super impressed with how well Graham Nishikawa was skiing – very, very smooth, but moving quite fast – he was the class of the field. Would like to see his lap times.
In watching the race officials, here is an aid I think you all should look into. My wife has these re-chargeable insoles for her boots, that she has had for over two years that she swears by – here is the web site www.thermosoles.com I think your lives are going to become a lot more enjoyable.

Jessie Diggins has been so impressive, but she has raced a lot in this past month, hope she has gas left in the gas tank, as I think she and Ida can make a showing in both sprints.

Drammen this weekend and FIS has done it again, screwed up the scheduling of the events. I think it is a conspiracy against the sprinters by running the distances races first and the sprints the 2nd day, just like they did in Rybinsk two weeks ago. The sprinters won’t go near the distance race when it’s run first, but would opt into it if it is the Sunday or second day’s race. No, you don’t have to worry about the sprinters winning the distance race, but a lot of them sure as hell can earn points in the distance races. Am I the only one to see this. Kikkan, please put this one on your list for the FIS meetings this spring.

Talk to you soon!

February 08, 2011 – Jessie Diggin’s follow-up from the Scando Cup races in Madonna last week, as the junior races were cancelled, because there were too few juniors to put together race fields. As a matter of fact the senior fields were very lacking in numbers, but had some quality players, thanks to Finnish and Norwegian skiers at the top end of the order. This just confirms the quality of Jessie Diggin’s results at these races as a junior and her racing for the year – it is just outstanding!

In the sprint she qualified 3rd and finished up 5th and then in the 10km was 6th and only 30 seconds out and 14 seconds off the podium.

Another thing, that I think is good, is that this group is still in Europe on the Scando Cup tour, headed to Beitostolen, Norway this weekend – it’s been weeks – now they are getting to experience the ups and downs of racing in Europe and have to recover, from over-racing (maybe), sickness while they are on the trip – this is one hell of a learning experience. Kudos to NCCSEF and the USST.

Rybinsk, World Cup or Not, were the mutterings this past weekend in Russia. There was very small representation with just 12 countries for the men and a paltry six nations for the women participating. At there largest the fields had 54 men and 34 women on the start line – with 10 teams in the men’s relay and seven in the women’s. I didn’t check real close, but there were a few missing Russians as well.

Jurg Capol, Mr. Nordic Director for FIS, says don’t even consider the idea that this event won’t be on the calendar next year, as everything they have asked Rybinsk officials at all levels to do, they have come through in a big way. So, it is game on for next year.

I do have a suggestion for how I think they can make this work better for the future, just by changing the schedule. First off throw out the relays, it requires four skiers to make a team – we all know that – but more nations are more likely to participate with 1-3 skiers/sex if the relays are gone. Which means a nation can join in with 2-6 skiers, not the eight it takes to do the relays. It means smaller numbers of racers, and smaller numbers of support people.

Make the weekend a mini-tour of three races – prologue, sprints and then a 10 and 20 km pursuit – that is the order. This year they started with the distance races and then did the sprints and then the relay – ugly!! All the sprinters, which had the largest fields, slept in on the first day. All individual point races, more dollars in prize money, and a chance to build in preems will build the field and keep everyone happier. Hope FIS will try it.

Kershaw and Harvey in comparison, here is something that is interesting. In the World Cup overall standings they are Kershaw 7th and Harvey is 14th. Now when it comes to the prize money there is a premium on being in the top 10 in the WCup. Kersahw is in 13th place with winnings of $25,563 while Harvey is in 43rd place with $2,500. Alex is so close, but so far away from the money!!

American Birkie is growing and reached it’s 8,400 entries for this year quite early and closed registration on the 18th of December. I checked in with Ned Zuelsdorff, ED for the Birkie, last week to see how many people missed getting entered. He felt there were a few 100 that didn’t make it, but feels they need to do some finish line adjustments to be able to accommodate those additional numbers. Space is at a premium in Hayward. But, it has to be a good feeling to have those kinds of problems. Loppet racing all over the world is having the same growth problems – exciting.

Haywood NorAm/ Western Championships are over and Chandra Crawford ended up going home after doing the qualifier in the sprint (3rd qualifier and 4 secs back) – upset stomach.

George Grey had an OK sprint (reputation not built on sprinting), missed the Prologue with a migraine, but came back to win the 15km Pursuit by 21 seconds, which shows his form is coming back.

Surprised that Dasha Gaiazova missed these races and she isn’t entered in the Easterns this weekend at Nakkertok. These Easterns have 582 entries – will there be any snow left on the trails at the end of the weekend!

See you next time.

February 07, 2011 (Barrie, ON) – What would happen if you held a World Cup and nobody came? Well, you would call it Rybinsk, Russia and there would be free world cup points for just about everyone who was there.

This past weekend there were three – yes three World Cup races on the calendar, a distance pursuit, an individual sprint and a team relay. For the distance race there were only 33 men (11 Russian) and 30 women (11 Russian). It didn’t get much better for the sprints with fields of 54 men (15 Russian) and 34 women (16 Russian). The relay for women had 7 teams (4 Russian) and 10 for men (again 4 Russian).

This is brutal. There has got to be something wrong with the schedule to have so few skiers in a World Cup in the first week of February. When there have been World Cups in Canada the last few years they have been better supported. The Ontario Masters Championship in Parry Sound had almost as many skiers! This has to be an embarrassment to the FIS Cross Country Committee.

Now, I’ve been to Rybinsk and it is not that bad there. I know that some countries were having National championships, but that should be no excuse. In fact, I don’t think that this should be allowed to happen either. We have the same problem in North America, but we still send our best skiers to compete at the World Cup.

Meanwhile, it should be no surprise that the Russian skiers dominated the result list for these races – at least for the men. Alexei Pethukov won the sprint, Ilia Chernousov won the distance race and the Russian 1 team won the relay.

It shows how far the Russian women have fallen when they cannot win a race with at home against such small fields. They couldn’t even win the relay with 4 teams out of 7 in the field – the Italian women beat them. Katja Visnar and Vesna Fabjan of Slovenia were 1st and 2nd in the sprints and Justina Kowalczyk of Poland won the distance race and was 3rd in the sprints. She has pretty well cemented the overall World Cup title for this season as the only person who could beat her, Marit Bjoergen was at home, once again, in Norway training for the World Championships in March.

In the 1990’s the Russian women were unbeatable. Of course, we now know why. A good, structured, well organized doping program will do that for you. Now they are ordinary and need to get their act together quickly in order to have a decent showing in Sochi in 2014.

There’s a two-week break in the schedule before the World Cup resumes in Drammen, Norway on February 19-20 with a short distance race and individual sprints. Hopefully we should see full fields for this event and truly have a “World Cup” race.

I can’t close this week without some commentary on the World Junior and World U23 racing from Otepaa, Estonia last week. In my opinion, a finish in the top 10 at either level is a great indication that a skier has the talent and potential to be a consistent point scorer (top 30) at the World Cup level.

A good way to look at it is to look at junior and professional hockey in North America. If a junior hockey player is drafted in the first round by a professional team then they have a good chance of becoming a National Hockey League player. Not all of them do, of course, and there are players who are not drafted in the first round who make it. I think that less than 5% of junior hockey players ever play in the NHL.

Most of these junior players who are drafted end up playing for a year or more in the AHL – kind of the equivalent of the U23 level in skiing. Not all players in the AHL make it to the NHL – again a small percentage and only the best move on. Some of the very best junior players go right to the NHL, but they are the exception.

When I look at the North American results from Otepaa I see the same thing. Alex Harvey is World Champion at U23 and finishes consistently in the top 20 on the World Cup. He was on the podium a number of times as a junior, as well. In hockey he would have been a top draft pick as a junior and would likely have been in the NHL in his first or second year as a pro.

The other skiers that finished in the top 10 – Kevin Sandau, Jesse Cockney, Len Valjas, Jessie Diggins and Noah Hoffman all have a shot at a career as a World Cup skier. Emily Nishikawa, Michael Somppi, Alysson Marshall and Sadie Bjornsen had top 20 finishes – kind of like being drafted in the 2nd round of a hockey draft. They have shown some talent, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Don’t get me wrong, there are no guarantees that any of these skiers will make it on the World Cup (except Alex Harvey – he is already there). It also doesn’t mean that the skiers who were there from North America but outside the top 10 or top 20 (or those who didn’t make the trip) will not make it eventually, but it is going to take them much more time and work.

Malcolm Gladwell in his great book “Outliers” told us that the difference most of the time between those who “make it” and those who don’t is not talent but work and opportunity. He points out that it seems to take 10,000 hours of work for someone to be the best in just about anything.

At an age of 22 or less, all of these skiers have not put in the time yet to know if they are going to make it. They also need to continue to have the opportunity to race and train with the best in the world. I hope that the USST and the Canadian NST continue to give these young skiers as many opportunities as possible to do this.

February 05, 2011 (Rybinsk, Russia) – Alexei Petukhov (RUS) held off the storming Norwegians who added some star power at Saturday’s 1.3km men’s free sprints in Rybinsk to secure another victory for Russia on home snow. Petukhov, who qualified first, dominated the competition to take a clear win ahead of the silver and bronze Norwegian duo of Ola Vigen Hattestad and Anders Gloeersen who qualified second behind Petukhov. Martin Jaeger (SUI) and Nikolay Morilov (RUS) rounded out the top five.

The absent World Cup top three, Dario Cologna (SUI), Petter Northug (NOR), and Lukas Bauer (CZE), maintained their overall rankings, while Hattestad took over the sprint rankings ahead of Emil Joensson (SWE) in second and Petukhov (RUS) in third. No North Americans competed.

Qualifications HERE.
Results HERE.

February 05, 2011 (Rybinsk, Russia) – Today’s 1.3km women’s free sprints were led and won by Slovenians Vesna Fabjan and Katja Visnar. Visnar won the qualifier, but had to settle for second when she was nipped at the finish in the final by team mate Fabjan who qualified second. Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) secured the bronze medal in a late-race surge, successfully shutting the Italian team out of the medals. Magda Genuin (ITA), Arianna Follis (ITA), and Marianna Longa (ITA) finished fourth through sixth, respectively. Once again, competitor participation was low, with many of the top hitters absent. No North Americans competed.

Kowalczyk extended her overall World Cup lead to 1,576 points ahead of Follis with 975 and Marit Bjoergen (NOR) with 922. Despite her no-show, Petra Majdic (SLO) continues to lead in the overall sprint standings.

Qualifications HERE.
Final Results HERE.

February 04, 2011 (Rybinsk, Russia) – Ilia Chernousov (RUS) edged out a very tight yet small field in Rybinsk today at the Viessmann FIS World Cup Men’s 20km Pursuit to score victory on home snow. He was tailed very closely by the top men to win by a mere four-tenths of a second over second place, Jean Marc Gaillard (FRA). Fellow Frenchman Mauric Manificat took the bronze medal, finishing only three seconds behind the leader.

As in the women’s race, the field was small and no North Americans were in attendance. Notable no-shows were World Cup top three Dario Cologna (SUI), Petter Northug (NOR), Lukas Bauer (CZE), along with Marcus Hellner (SWE).

Full results HERE.
Overall Rankings HERE.

February 04, 2011 (Rybinsk, Russia) – A small field of women took to the start line at the Viessmann FIS World Cup in Rybinsk, Russia today for the 10km Pursuit event, but that didn’t matter to Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) who snatched another victory, posting a time nearly 10s faster than second place skier, Italy’s Marianna Longa.Aino-Kaisa Saarinen (FIN) finished third.

With only 30 starters from eight different nations and no North Americans, it was the most poorly attended World Cup of the season so far. Kowalczyk continues to lead the overall rankings with 1,516 points as opposed to the 930 points held by Arianna Follis (ITA), who is in second spot and placed fourth in today’s Pursuit. Many big names, like Charlotte Kalla (SWE), Petra Majdic (SLO), and Marit Bjoergen (NOR) were not in attendance.

Full results HERE.
Overall Standings HERE.