December 2, 2009 (Kuusamo, Finland) – Here’s Day 2 of Torin Koos’ behind the scenes look at the US XC Ski Team’s recent weekend in Kuusamo, Finland where they showed great early season form as Andy Newell came 7th in the men’s 1.4km sprint, Kris Freeman scored his career-best World Cup finish just off the podium in 4th in the men’s 15km classic, and Kikkan Randall earned her best finish in a non-sprint race finishing in the points in 18th in the women’s 10km classic…

Sunday’s 10km and 15km Classic Races
Pete V’s Pleased with the Distance Racing Developments
The distance race, especially for the sprint-oriented racers, shows we’re ahead of where we’ve ever been. A couple year’s previous we were focused on qualifying speed. Saturday didn’t give us any indication on where we’re at with this. I won’t quite call it a fiasco, but it wasn’t a true indication of where we were at, at all. But Sunday shows we’ve made real solid progress with our newest focus, which is to get stronger and stronger through the sprint rounds. Our sprint distance race results show this progress. Soon, we’ll put together a really good team-wide sprint day. And Newell’s 7th place day was a good day for him, for sure.

Kris Freeman’s Best Day Ever:
This is the best race I’ve ever skied. I’m really happy with my pacing. I was running about 30th at 5km, 12th at 10km, then still had enough to really hammer it home. I feel like the guys consistently at the top pace their races this way. This has been how I’ve tailored my training all summer, doing interval workouts shaped around this type of racing.
I had a fifth place here two years ago. The difference is this effort wrecked me. I felt exhausted for days. Now I have high energy and haven’t pushed myself too hard.

Pete V on Kikkan & Kris & Co:
Kikkan’s 18th, this is her best distance race ever. How could anybody be anything but totally stoked with that? And it’s the best distance FIS points race for our three boys on Sunday’s distance day, too. We have to leave Kuusamo pretty happy with where we’re at.

With Bird, his racing is a really good sign of where he’s at and where he’s capable of going this year. He’s learned so much about pacing. He’s learned to have patience in his racing. This is now paying off.

Great results, bad results, in a couple weeks’ time Kuusamo will be ancient history. But looking forward it’s a good indication that we’re on track to have our best season ever.

World Cup Rookies Battling Week In, Week Out

Vordenberg on Last Year’s Breakout Performers:
With Liz (Stephen) and Mo (Morgan Arritola), being the early season and it being their rookie World Cup season, you just have to go to battle knowing you’ll leave in bandages. But you’re going to get better every single weekend, every single race. I happy to see them soak up the experience and put it in the bank. I know they wish they had better results the last couple weekends. Of course, that’s more enjoyable for the coaches as well, but I’m just psyched they’re on the World Cup team and they’re over here, getting the experience they’ll need to put together great races, down the road, as well as later this season. We’re leaving Kuusamo with a good team-wide vibe and these two are a big reason why.

Liz Reflects on first three weeks on the road, Lappland Country
It’s mighty dark, snowy and the racing’s been all about getting more World Cup experience and trying to crack the top fifty, that kind of stuff right now. It’s certainly getting easier over here, more comfortable. I feel totally comfortable in Europe, it’s just getting that way, figuring out how to feel this way on the actual World Cup circuit. On raceday, skiing around people you’ve heard about but haven’t put faces to yet.

The Challenging Kuusamo Track
“The track here is so straight-forward,” begins Kris Freeman. “Three big hills, then some recovery in between. In my mind it’s real easy to visualize how I need to race this kind of course.
“I think it’s the hardest course on the World Cup. If you die on this course, you lose time so fast. The relentlessness of the hills, especially the first hill, are impressive. It’s a long climb. It lulls you into a sense of complacency, then kicks up real steep for the last pitch. Then you’ve got to get out of the track and run.”
“Yes, this was one of the harder race tracks I’ve ever been on, for sure,” says Liz Stephen. “There’s even a little high speed technical downhill that I hope to ski a little better next year. The climbs, they were tough and pretty cool too. Harder courses like this suit me better. It’s good just to see the track as Kuusamo’s a frequent stop along the World Cup. Now I can close my eyes and see it again for next year.”
Morgan Arritola’s all packed up and ready to roll from Kuusamo. What do you take away from this?
“I’m taking with me lessons learned. Number one, you got to have kick for this course.
“Life on the circuit, it’s different, it’s crazy. One of the things you have to learn is get comfortable doing what you’re doing despite the chaos going on all around you. People running, so many people doing so many different things. Ski racing over here, it’s just a big event. I like this energy. It’s cool to have that many fans out on the race course, watching us throw down, lining the course, cheering for you.”

Liz Loves the Big Crowds
I butted my way right next to the finish area. I was this loud American as Morgan’s coming into the finish straight in the classic sprint and I’m just giving ‘er in my cheering. “Go Mo!” All these people just looked at me, you know that look, people just locked on you in a wide-eyed stare. “Go Mo!” I yell as I wave the US Ski Team flag. They look at me like, “What the hell is this American doing?” Then, right after, they get into it. They all start cheering, this huge section of the crowd, going “Go Mo!”
“Yeah, it was sweet,” said Arritola

The Davos Days:
“Yes! We’re heading to the winter wonderland of Davos. Good espresso, I remember the hotel there has some mighty comfortable beds. Davos is definitely a fun stop on this tour.” -Liz Stephen
“What do you like about Davos? “EVERYTHING…” says Morgan Arritola in between a fitfull laughing attack. “After the darkness, it’s some of the easier living on tour. I’m ready for some more good skiing, just with a little sun these days in Davos. I love the Davos days.”
“It’s snowing in Davos , finally, and this is just fine with me. It’s my favorite place to go in Central Europe. I’m looking forward to some real coffee.” -Kris Freeman

Dusseldorf on the Horizon
“Looking forward to this challenge. Last year was my first year racing Dusseldorf. That day I also learned a hard lesson as well. For the women, it’s a real short sprint, it takes maybe a minute forty-five and I didn’t take it out fast enough. You really have to go all out from the start to the finish. Warming up, the skis feel real slow because of all the dirt in the snow. Once on race wax, though, it’s a totally different feel, a totally different story and I conserved a little too much energy. I look to use my experience from last year to get into the knockout rounds and fight for a win.”-Kikkan Randall
“I’m psyched for Dusseldorf. It’s one of the more exciting sprints we do in the year. It’s a sweet crowd. They’re always loud. It’s always fast and scrappy. It’s a different kind of sprint. I’ve raced here enough that I know what I need to do to win, in the individual race and the relay.” -Andy Newell