April 21, 2011 – Was I ever wrong… I’ve been operating under the illusion that all of the prize money won on the FIS WCup circuit has been paid to the skiers by FIS. Hello Marty, the $160,000 CHF prize money for a two-race WCup weekend is coughed up by the organizers. In Europe and Scandinavia there are no lack of towns and cities waiting in line to host a WCup weekend. So these dollars are just another nail in the coffin for the likes of either of the North American countries to be able to ever host a WCup. So, what!?!?

Well, this changes the name of the World Cup to Europa Cup, and means in the future – which our skiers are now starting to figure out – will be spent in Europe all winter long. So, the only time we’ll be seeing the best US XC skiers will be at the Spring Series and Nationals in mid-to-late March.

I think Kikkan [Randall] and I know Kris [Freeman] will not be home next winter after the TdS and will pursue the full WCup. I’ve written this before, the US team was flat at both the Worlds and the Olympics, simply because they came home, didn’t go to altitude and were on there own for way too long.

They as a group decompressed way to much and went backwards in their racing fitness. For Kikkan, it is 9-10hr time change to go home and another 9-10 to go back – way too hard on her and even the shorter trips are hard on everyone. Also, a big factor of staying in Europe is that you probably cut your bad germ exposure by 75%!

This will be a consideration for the Canadians as well – to stay in Europe after the middle tour of the WCup is over. All the trips back and forth catch up with you, especially at the end of the season. The Canadian men were hanging on by their fingernails at the end of this WCup year.

A suggestion on where to stay (and it’s not Davos) is a great place that I know and the hotel there is just the best. I know the Kessler family at the hotel very well. Look into Alpe de Susi in northern Italy – they have it all – yes, the main component, altitude. They also have low altitude for speed work, huge trail systems, great snow and just the best weather. …oh, I have to mention the food – well, just go and find out for yourselves.

What Happened? Back in March this Canadian job posting was announced  HERE and from what I understand and hear it is now on the back burner. Due to the lack of upward movement in the skiers below the Canadian National Team it is hard to justify having a Head Coach and a Team Coach when you will only have 7-9 skiers (max) on the WCup team or however the top team is identified.

I’m not sure, but with some real digging, I think I could find that all the criteria wasn’t met by all the skiers that will be named. I have said numerous times these past two years that both NA teams are fragile – but talented.

Oh, I also heard that there were no applications for this position – good for CCC as they won’t have to back track on this one. Also, a good coach to skier ratio is considered to be 7-9 skiers – put on the harness Justin [Wadsworth].

The Missing Component – As programs across NA blossom and grow in their different ways, one of the missing components for all of our racers has been international racing content they can watch live on TV or the web. This is being solved as we now have the option to watch live stream broadcasting of all the big races on our computers. It sure means getting up early in the morning, though.

I’m sure they can be downloaded – legally or illegally as nobody seems to be looking yet. What a coaching and teaching tool/aid they could be. I’m sure it isn’t technically easy yet to capture the broadcasts but it will happen and this bodes well for our kids catching up with all the Euros who have been watching racing on TV for years.

The Changed Kikkan – In three years Kikkan Randall has gone from barely finishing the season in 2009 to only getting better as the season ran out of races in 2011. I’m looking at the Super Series as a measure – 2011 was easy for those last five races for Kikkan—all 1st places—-2010 was not bad with 3-1sts and a 2nd– and in 2009 she was a hurting puppy–missed one race, had a 4th, and 2-3rds—barely beating the locals (just kidding).

What is the big difference? In 2009 she did three distance races during her WC season out of 13-15 possibilities and in 2011 she had three distance starts in the first two weekends of the WC and a total of 12 distance starts in her WC season. She was 3rd in the overall WC Sprint Cup and was going faster as the season ended – no complaining about how sore her legs are as she did in 2009. Here is a formula that works. You only get into racing shape by racing. It is also how you stay in racing shape!

The World Cup Finals – Was a flop this year!!! What to do to make it exciting? I know they (FIS) are scratching their collective heads to try to make this series of races work. I think to make it fair you have to have  three titles – one for sprinting and one for distance and one for the overall –  isn’t that what the overall World Cup is predicated on? You have a race schedule, add the points up at the end, then you have an overall champion, a sprint champion and a distance champion.

So, why not go at it like this on the final weekend? Two sprint races – classic and skate and two distance races 10/10km and 50/30km classic and skate, techniques to be rotated from year to year. No premium points or times (no one understands them anyway) – prems are to be in $$$ at two places during the 50/30 – 25 km (M) and 15km (W)  and 45 km (M) and 25km (W) and to be $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000. This should pull the fields apart.

I would alternate the events from year to year sprint – distance – sprint – distance one year and then distance – sprint – distance – sprint  the next year. I also think one of the distance races should be mass start and one should be individual start each year and alternating.

I’m sure the “collective heads” can figure out how to make this work better. Use WCup points to figure out the individual and the overall titles.

Maybe it’s too simple, but it gives everyone a kick at one of the cans rather then being a distance leaning event as it is now.

Talk to you soon…
misterxc@aol.com