May 30, 2014 – Oh, Where Art Thou Fair Prince of Nordic Skiing in Norway – Petter Northug seems to have gone missing. No mention in the press until the past couple of days detailing some of the actions his sponsors are or aren’t taking – less press than he has been use to getting during the last 5-7 years.

What the heck he only had a small ($70,000-$100,000) car accident, but it just so happens he was drunk according to his own assessment. There were some suggestions by the police that he might have been speeding.

He was some 300 to 400 meters from his home when he went straight through a round about and then lost control and took on this fence and an abutment. He also had a passenger whom he checked and left with the vehicle as he became a “hit and runner” as apparently he ran back to his house where the police then tracked him down with a tracking dog.

There were statements made by the police that it would take about two (2) weeks to determine his alcohol level before any actions would be taken.

Norway has a zero tolerance policy for alcohol levels and driving… and I kind of get the feeling Petter was definitely over the limit. Sure looks like it here.

Now for the kicker… the episode/accident happened 24 days ago. So what happened to the 2-week time frame to determine his blood-alcohol level and so they could bring forward the formal and legal charges? WOW! Somehow these time lines have melted into oblivion. Well, he is the national hero of Norway’s most popular sport, cross-country skiing. He should be thanking his sorry butt, because if he was an everyday citizen he would have been to court, fined and in jail by now.

So, what has brought about the hold-up? Perhaps an out-of-sight alcohol level that they are required to report and all of a sudden don’t know what to do with because the penalties that go with this alcohol level are also out of sight to the point he would still be in jail when the WSC takes place! Can’t wait to see the outcome – hope it comes before next years World Cup – stay tuned.

Winsport – the old CODA (visit organization info here) this will give you the particulars and an idea of where the funding will come from. The three links below will give you the skinny on what WinSport is attempting to do – start another academy or junior training program in Canmore.

– Winsport Canada Extends Application Deadline for Junior Ski Team Program to June 16 – read more here.
– Eric de Nys Named WinSport Cross Country Ski Junior Team Head Coach – read more here.
– WinSport Launches Junior Ski Team Program in Canmore for 2014-15 – read more here.

I think it is a great idea, but with the extension of the application period it may mean the acceptance of this idea is not there and not enough juniors have applied. Overall I think that the complete training center concept in Canada needs to be revamped as the centers do not have a great record of producing international calibre skiers considering how long the programs have been there – literally no production that I’m aware of.

Re-Think – here I go… due diligence for starters of all training center programs – 25yrs of age and on the National Team or you’re on your own. No 30-year-old academy skiers and junior skiers encouraged, educated or level 4/5 certified coaches, point standards to be met on entrance and monitored for progress, international training hours confirmed for all skiers, fully monitored training programs, all workouts to be coaching supported, goals at all levels of the program to be set, HRMs to be used at all times in training, racing and recovery, RHRs required daily and monitored by the coaches. That’s for starters – lots more could be talked about.

I believe that in the current system the international message is getting to skiers too late in their careers which can mean too much strain in a short period of time to make up the hours of training and bring their racing numbers and performance up to snuff. You can’t progress well if you’re always fighting from behind and podiums become even more elusive. To me this is very apparent – back to the drawing board BIG TIME!

NSGBs (National Sport Governing Bodies) – in the USA that would be USSA/USST for all of skiing, through their affiliations with FIS, the international sanctioning body for all skiing disciplines, the USOC – national affiliation for Olympic sport, and the IOC – the international affiliation for all international Olympic sport.

Right now there are four (4) Nordic disciplines that rely on USSA/USST as their NSGB in their relationships with the above mentioned bodies, but not in the funding by these bodies – that would be Women’s Ski Jumping, Men’s Ski Jumping, and Nordic Combined. The only discipline still funded by USSA/USST is Cross-country Skiing and in my estimation it’s sitting in a very fragile funding environment considering the direction USSA/USST has been moving these past few years with the Nordic disciplines. I think I was told by USSA/USST’s Luke Bodensteiner (Executive Vice President, Athletics) that you can predict the future from past actions – this concept sticks in my mind from some e-mails we exchanged this spring.

I would like to suggest that all parties get involved in a new direction for skiing in the US and form a new NSGB for NORDIC skiing. Cut the four Nordic disciplines loose so that they can operate from their own strongest position to initiate a new beginning ASAP. The current situation presents no future for the Nordies and considering the de-funding status of all of the disciplines – even cross-country – their futures are not towards growth and progress and they could lose any momentum they now have if they don’t plan well going forward.

UNITED WE STAND – DIVIDED WE FALL – THIS IS THE TRUTH – period.

PS – A note to the HPD at CCC… you may want to enlist some help and advice from some of the “old timers” in the sport to help mend the current difficult situation that has developed over the past two years and to hopefully prevent it from happening again. Prime candidates are Jack Sasseville and Laurent Roux – both are very current, are brilliant thinkers and have been through the system from A to Z. Put them on that HP Committee so it will gain more credibility. Good Luck!

TALK TO YOU SOON!