Samdal and Bjorgen were both tearful after Bjorgen's impressive 30km victory at Worlds 2005
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2007 February
Up Next at Worlds: Women's & Men's Relays
FasterSkierFebruary 28, 2007
Two days of relay racing are up next at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. The relays are always the crowd favorite at every World Champ event, and this year will be no different. Mother nature has decided to give the racers a break for both days of the relay, with predicted highs in the 30’s (F) and partially sunny skies. This will be quite a nice contrast from the wacky weather in yesterday’s...
Central Region NCAA news and All-CCSA teams announced
FasterSkierFebruary 28, 2007
Northern Michigan University and the University of Alaska Nanooks qualified a full squad of six skiers to the NCAA Skiing Championships March 7-10 in Jackson, N.H. Other representatives from the Central Collegiate Ski Association include Michigan Tech University with five skiers and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and St. Olaf College with one apiece. On the women’s side, NMU, Alaska-Fairbanks, and MTU each qualified three women while St. Olaf College garnered the other spot allotted...
Lars Berger: The Snow Felt Like Glue
FasterSkierFebruary 28, 2007
Source: FIS Event : CC Men's 15 km Free Individual Venue: Shirahatayama cross-country stadium Number of spectators: 900 Number of Athletes: 121 1st rank – Lars BERGER ( NOR ) “I was very lucky with the weather conditions. The first seven and a half kilometers were super fast and the last bit was super hard — the snow felt like glue. I took advantage of the conditions on the first lap. It was a special...
West Yellowstone Rendevous: Last Reminder!
FasterSkierFebruary 28, 2007
The 28th Annual Yellowstone Rendezvous Race in West Yellowstone, Montana is this Saturday, March 3, 2007! West Yellowstone has been pounded by wind and snow for much of the last week and there is more snow in the forecast for the next few days. Groomer Doug Edgerton is working overtime to get the race course in shape for Saturday’s event. Remember, registration closes on Thursday, March 1. Visit www.rendezvousrace.com to register online today. If you...
Source: US Ski Team SAPPORO, Japan (Feb. 28) – Biathlete Lars Berger of Norway was the surprise gold medalist Wednesday in the men's 15K freestyle at the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships as a harder-than-expected snowstorm struck midway through the starting field. Lars Flora and James Southam (both Anchorage, AK) had the top U.S. results, finishing 57th and 58th in the field of 119 racers.
Note: The opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of Rob Whitney and Ian Case. They do not neccessarily reflect the view of Fasterskier.com as an entity. Enjoy! Swedish Skidsport.com has started a petition in an attempt to eliminate the mass start in pursuit and other long races that the World Cup has been favoring the last few years. Over 1000 fans in Sapporo have signed a petition with hundreds more signing on every...
World Championship Men's 15km Skate Up Next
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
The first and only individual-start men's race at the 2007 Sapporo World Championships, a 15km freestyle, gets underway at 10:30 PM U.S. Mountain Time and 12:30 AM Eastern Time tonight. Here is the start list: http://www.fis-ski.com/pdf/2007/CC/2501/2007CC2501SL.pdf While there are at least 20 (if not more) skiers who have a decent shot at winning gold, some of the least-surprising potential winners would be Germans Tobias Angerer (overall World Cup leader) and Axel Teichmann (winner of Saturday's...
These great photos from Saturday's men's 30km pursuit race were submitted to us by Dion Lenting, a New Zealander living in Nagano, Japan. Many thanks, Dion!
J2 Girls Jane McClelland F J2 NYSEF Keene Central School Keene Valley NY Holly Osowiecki F J2 Johnsburg Nordic Johnsburg Central School North Creek NY Kayla Koonz F J2 JLS Sports New Paltz High School Gardiner NY Emily Burns F J2 Johnsburg Nordic Johnsburg Central School North River NY Kelsey Kiefer F J2 Polar Bears Town of Webb School Old Forge NY Paige Schoonover F J2 Polar Bears Town of Webb School Old Forge NY...
NCAA Eastern Regionals: Dartmouth #1
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
Dartmouth College prevailed as NCAA Eastern Regional Champions this past weekend at Middlebury College’s 84th Winter Carnival EISA championships at the Rikert Touring Center. Second place went to the University of Vermont, and third to Middlebury College. Still reeling from the nearly three feet of snow that fell one week ago, the crews at Middlebury worked through the week to ensure firm conditions for Friday’s 5/10km individual skate race and Saturday’s mass start classic 15/20km....
Not in shape
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
Marit Bjœrgen admits now what everyone can see. — I’m not in shape, and I don’t know why, said the skiqueen.
Weier Tops U.S. in 10K; Czech Defends Title
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
Source: US Ski Team SAPPORO, Japan (Feb. 27) – Czech Katerina Neumannova won her second consecutive 10K freestyle world championships Tuesday as the 2007 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships resumed after a day off. Top American was Northern Michigan University senior Lindsey Weier (Mahtomedi, MN) in 52nd place. Neumannova, the Olympic 30K FR champion in addition to her 10K world title from 2005, led from start to finish in posting a gold-medal time of 23:58.4....
Swedish Coach Bråten strikes back
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
Swedish head coach Inge BrÃ¥ten struck back in a recent interview with the newspaper Aftonbladet following all the controversy surrounding the Swedish XC Team. Inge BrÃ¥tens’ leadership style has created a big debate in Sweden. First it was Thomas Alsgaard resignation as a coach and the much publicized disagreement between Alsgaard and Braten. Next it was Tobias Fredriksson who left Sapporo Worlds in protest toward the individual sprint team selection. Finally it culminated a few...
Neumannova Destroys Field in 10km Skate
FasterSkierFebruary 27, 2007
Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic retained her 10km freestyle World Championship title by destroying the field in Sapporo. The 34-year-old, who also won the 30km freestyle mass start at last year's Olympics, posted a time of 23:58.4 to win by over 26 seconds. 15km pursuit champion Olga Savialova took silver, 3.7 seconds quicker than Italy's Arianna Follis who gained her first individual medal at a major Championship. Neumannova was edged out by half a...
World Champ Preview: Can Germany win again?
FasterSkierFebruary 26, 2007
Next up at the 2007 World Championships are the men's 15km and women's 10 km individual start skate races. No more drafting with mad sprints to the finish line. Skiers with the highest MaxVO2, the most efficient technique will prevail. Favorites for the podium could very well be the same racers that were on the podium in the pursuit race. Better yet, any of the other skiers in the top 10 from the pursuit could...
American Birkebeiner Photos
FasterSkierFebruary 26, 2007
Here are pictures of the American Birkebeiner winners sent to us from Fischer USA. Team FSX racers Kate Whitcomb and Zack Simons won exciting sprints to the finish to claim their first Birkie titles. Due to poor snow conditions leading up to race day, the race officials shortened the course and had the finish at the well-known “Highway OO” crossing. All the Birkie officials and volunteers are commended on a job well done! Kate crossing...
Sapporo 2007: Women's 10km Freestyle Startlist
FasterSkierFebruary 26, 2007
The women's 10 km freestyle individual startlist has been posted for tomorrow's race which will begin at 3pm Tuesday, Sapporo time. For those in North America, races begin tonight at 1 am (ET), 11 pm (MT). Can World Cup overall points leader Virpi Kuitunen prevail? North American's on the start list include Caitlin Compton(USA), Lindsey Weier(USA), Sarah Konrad(USA), Tasha Betcherman(CAN), Daria Gaiazova(CAN), Sarah Daitch(CAN), and Chandra Crawford(CAN). This will be Caitlin Compton's first start in...