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2006 November

November 30th, 2006 – The Viessmann FIS Cross-Country World Cup events in Aosta and Cogne (both ITA) which were planned on Friday, 8th and on Sunday, 10th December are cancelled due to the lack of snow and the mild weather. The Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) and the Local Organizing Committee informed today the International Ski Federation that they couldn’t organize the World Cup competition, Sprint races in free technique in Aosta and Distances races...

Zach why leave the sun of San Diego and the U.S.O.C. behind for the U.S. Ski Team? Every decision has its reasons. The work side of things was the main reason. I knew Andy Walsh, Per Lundstrom and Sue Robson (USST Sport Science Staff), and knew they were very innovative in how they approached sport – how sport science was integrated within the teams. With the USOC it was more consulting with various NGB’s (national...

HELSINKI, Finland (AP) — A plastic bag containing suspected doping material was found in northern Finland after several World Cup skiing events. Police said the bag contained no banned substances, and that there was no evidence to tie it to last weekend's cross-country, ski jumping and Nordic combined competitions. The bag was found Monday in a trash container by a rest area off a highway about 60 miles from Kuusamo, where the World Cup events...

Ostersund, Sweden, November 29. Lanny Barnes (Durango, CO) finished 15th today in the season-opening Women’s 15K Individual at the Ostersund World Cup. Barnes’ top-15 finish was a huge step for the US Women’s Biathlon Team. This was Barnes’ personal best World Cup finish, her first top 30 (World Cup Points scoring result), the best US woman’s finish since March 2005, and almost a perfect shooting race as she had but a single shooting penalty. “In...

** Editors note: This is a weekly column highlighting our ski coaches from around the country… including elite coaches, college coaches, high school coaches, volunteer coaches, and learn-to-ski coaches. This is an effort to sample a diverse group of coaches and recognize the people who are the backbone of today’s skiers. If you would like to nominate a coach for an interview, please email A good day's work. 3. Why coaching? You've been with Boulder...

This is an outstanding opportunity for someone looking to be a part of one of the most exciting Nordic skiing communities in North America The University of Maine at Presque Isle is accepting applications for the position of Division I Assistant Nordic Ski Coach. This is a part-time, four-month appointment. Responsibilities include: recruiting quality student-athletes; assisting in the training of athletes for successful competition; supporting the academic success of the student-athletes; undertaking public relations and...

Mystery Alaska? Pretty close. Not everyone attends West Yellowstone in the fall. Up in Anchorage, Alaska, many skiers did not travel to Montana on Thanksgiving weekend. And even though there is skiable snow on the ground in Anchorage, many didn't ski at all. Instead, they took advantage of prime ice skating conditions created by a recent cold snap. On Thanksgiving morning a large group of skiers played hockey on Portage Lake, in front of the...

We are hunkered down in a town called Entreves near Courmayeur, Italy.  This is located just out of the tunnel under Mt. Blanc.  It is a beautiful area, we have seen the sun - a serious event - but are skiing on some real scrappy stuff.  There are several other teams here training which seems weird since the skiing is so bad, but when you consider the other option is rollerskiing and running only... the puddles and slush are OK.  We are healthy and training well.

NORDIC SKIING ON THE RISE Knocking for a Medal Can young Matt Gelso break the spell on the U.S. cross country team's dismal Olympic record? Laura Read Sunday, November 26, 2006 Last year's fall in North Tahoe produced a few weeks of blazing foliage followed by intense bouts of rain. During the downpours most people finished puzzles or played Clue or Scrabble. Not 17-year-old Matt Gelso. Bad weather rarely shuts him in. Through the gray...

Kuusamo (FIN) — Following the Olympic Winter Games in Turin, a study was carried out this summer and autumn to evaluate the possible causes for variation in the haemoglobin (Hb) values in elite Cross-Country skiers. Based on the initial findings of the WADA supported study, conducted by Professor Bengt Saltin in cooperation with the German, Swedish and French National Ski Associations, the Hb level is a robust and highly reproduceable variable on the individual level....

FIS President Gian Franco Kasper participated in the meetings of the Executive Committee and Foundation Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on 19th -20th November in Montreal (CAN). The meetings focused on reviewing the working draft revision of the World Anti-Doping Code – the product of the first of three consultation phases with stakeholders. The final version of the revised code should be approved at the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport to...

From Luke Bodensteiner, USSA Nordic Director: Lars Flora and Caitlyn Compton will wear the yellow jersey (overall leaders) in Bozeman, Even Sletten and Laura Valaas will wear the blue (sprint leaders). The overall leaders after the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton will be able to start in the World Cup competitions Jan. 20-Feb. 4. 2007 SuperTour Overall Standings Men Overall Rank Name Nation Nov. 24 Nov. 25 Total Earnings 1 Lars Flora USA 25...

VIESSMANN FIS Cross-Country World Cup in Kuusamo/Ruka (FIN), Individual Start, 26th of November 2006 Strong Kuitunen and Roenning in Kuusamo Virpi Kuitunen from Finland and the Norwegian Eldar Roenning could celebrate the victory in the classic individual race on the courses in Ruka. After a second place yesterday the 30-year old Kuitunen could manage the victory in the classic individual race over 10 km. That was the 5th single victory in her career. She finished...

KUUSAMO, Finland (Nov. 26) – Norway's Eldar Roenning and Virpi Kuitunen of Finland won rainy classic technique World Cup cross country races Sunday. Top American on the day was Kris Freeman (Andover, NH), who finished 33rd in the men's 15K CL. Roenning had a winning time of 38:35.2 with Vincent Vittoz of France, who had the fastest time through every checkpoint until fasing at the end, second in 38:51.1. Freeman finished in 40:28.4 Kuitunen led...

KUUSAMO, Finland (Nov. 25) – Andy Newell (Shaftsbury, VT) and Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK) each finished 12th Saturday in a fog-wrapped, classic technique sprint event, leading four U.S. cross country skiers into World Cup points. Norwegian Jens Arne Svartedal and Petra Majdic of Slovenia won their respective 1.2K finals. It was the second sprint race of the young season. Newell qualified second and tore through his quarterfinal heat, then led the semifinal heat before tiring...

Petra Majdic from Slovenia and the Norwegian Jens Arne Svartedal won the today's classical Sprint in Kuusamo/Ruka. Americans Andy Newell and Kikkan Randall were both 12th in their respective races, Torin Koos 20th, Chris Cook 27th. David Chamberlain 80th. For the 26-year old Majdic it was the second World Cup victory ever after the victory last year in a sprint in Drammen (NOR). She finished clearly ahead of Virpi Kuitunen (FIN, 1.9 second behind) while...