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2007 July

Swedish national team dropouts Mathias and Thobias Fredriksson, along with sprinter Björn Lind, are pulling together in their preparation for the upcoming season. They are creating their own organization and support system outside the national team. Anders Södergren has not yet decided if he will join them. According to the newspaper Länstidningen, the group has already built their own organization for training and camps. – We’ll have camps in Torsby, Ramsau and Ramundberget, among others,...

It’s been another scorching summer here in West Yellowstone. Like much of the US, we had a low snow winter and we are following that up with a super dry summer — the ground here is parched and many of us are looking forward to the return of winter and a giant accumulation of snow. Just thinking about the possibilities makes it feel cooler here. One thing is for sure; when the snow does start...

Friday’s downtown Sandnes race was 7.8 kilometer for women and 11.7 for men. Marit Bjœrgen won the women’s race in an event that included several sprint laps where the three skiers at the tail-end of each lap were pulled from the race. Fun and spectator friendly were some of the comments. Øystein Pettersen won the men’s race. Pettersen and Marit Bjœrgen also won Saturday’s sprint races Marit Bjœrgen won both the semifinal and the finale...

Now in its sixth year, the annual Pacific Northwest Troutlake Junior Development Camp, was moved to the Seagle Ranch in nearby Glenwood, WA this past week where 37 skiers from Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, and New York gathered for a week of training, technique instruction, and camaraderie. Attracting national talent and a superb coaching staff, the Glenwood-Troutlake camp has easily become one of the premier dry-land junior development camps in the country. With clouds hanging ominously...

Former Czech cross-country skier Katerina Neumannova Thursday became president of the organizing committee in the Nordic Ski World Championships to be held in Liberec in 2009. The decision was made by the committee's general meeting after it dismissed hitherto chief Roman Kumpost. Neumannova, cross-country skiing Olympic winner and world champion, was supported by three of five general meeting members, two representatives of the skiing union and Liberec mayor Jiri Kittner. The Education, Youth and Physical...

While most of us are enjoying the sun, the Cross-Country competition season in the southern hemisphere is starting in superb winter conditions. From 2nd to 5th August, the Australia/New Zealand Cup (ANC) will begin at Snow Farm (NZE) with several races in both skiing techniques. The series will then continue with races in Australia in Falls Creek (11th -12th August) and Perisher Valley (18th — 19th August), before returning to Falls Creek for the series...

From the Canadian Press July 26, 2007 at 10:23 PM EDT At the $119.7-million Nordic venue, a construction crane working on installing the ski jumps peeked over the top of trees like a bird out of a nest. The facility, nestled among snow-covered mountains, will also host cross-country skiing, biathlon and Nordic combined. “We're taking three events and putting them in one venue,” John Aalberg, the venue's director of sports, said as he swatted to...

American Mike Hinckley skied away from Adam Swank (USA), Ron Carmichael (CA) and Nat Anglem (NZ) for a comfortable victory in the 7-kilometer classic. Swank took second 1:08 behind Hinckley's winning time of 20:22. Fellow American Whitney Heyvaert defeated two top New Zealand Juniors, Samantha Williamson and Anna Hogg, for the victory in the women's race. Heyvaert clocked in just under a minute faster than Williamson, with Hogg another 40 seconds back. Hinckley is enrolled...

Soldier Hollow Roller-ski Loop Expands SOLDIER HOLLOW, Utah (July 25) – The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is partnering with Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic cross country venue, paying most of the cost for a new roller-ski loop as part of its Center of Excellence. After only a couple of training sessions on it, U.S. cross country and nordic combined skiers are raving about the intensity and effort required to conquer the “gnarly” uphill route...

Set to motion by Miles Minson in 1999, REG camps have become the bread and butter of the US Ski Team’s recruitment and interaction within the reaches of the current developmental pipeline. The camps serve as a critical pathway between the National Team and the clubs, where each entity can both learn and share. Above all, it is another occasion where the regions collaborate together to expand upon ideas that help drive the concept of...

Even after winning four consecutive overall FIS World Cup titles, Hannu Manninen (FIN) still does not have enough of Nordic Combined. In fact, he’s committed himself to yet another summer of hard training. And so far, it is looking good: “My training has gone fine until now. We didn’t really change anything from the last couple of years,” he commented. “Some might have thought that I would quit after I won gold in Sapporo, or...

The first Working Meeting for the Tour Board and the five Organizing Committees of the Viessmann FIS Tour de Ski as well as their National Ski Associations took place last Friday at Ammersee near Munich (GER). 29 representatives met to discuss the various aspects of event planning, current status of organization as well as possibilities for further coordination and cooperation across the eight events in three countries. The meeting participants also included new partners interested...

Editor's Note: FasterSkier.com is primarily a cross-country ski news source. However, we are providing coverage of the current doping issues at the Tour de France. As our readers know all to well, the use of banned substances is a significant issue in international cross-country ski racing. The events at the Tour provide insight into the current state of cheating in sport, and serve to remind us that this issue remains one of the largest challenges...

The WADA Doping Quiz is a new educational tool that provides coaches, athletes and other support staff a user friendly and interactive way to learn more about the dangers of doping and their responsibilities under the World Anti-Doping Code. The Doping Quiz – available in 15 languages – is an interactive computer game that tests the player’s knowledge about anti-doping. It can now be easily accessed through the FIS web site by clicking

Editor's Note: FasterSkier.com is primarily a cross-country ski news source. However, we are providing coverage of the current doping issues at the Tour de France. As our readers know all to well, the use of banned substances is a significant issue in international cross-country ski racing. The events at the Tour provide insight into the current state of cheating in sport, and serve to remind us that this issue remains one of the largest challenges...

Editor's Note: FasterSkier.com is primarily a cross-country ski news source. However, we are providing coverage of the current doping issues at the Tour de France. As our readers know all to well, the use of banned substances is a significant issue in international cross-country ski racing. The events at the Tour provide insight into the current state of cheating in sport, and serve to remind us that this issue remains one of the largest challenges...

– The first lap was very easy but Kristine Eikrem Engeset surged on the second lap and only Polina Jelizarova and Karoline Bjerkeli Grœvdal were able to keep up. Karoline Bjerkeli Grœvdal took the lead with 800 meters to go and kept it all the across the finish line. Her time was a strong 9.44.35. Kristine Eikrem Engeset was second in 9.47.35. Background article: Source: Langrenn.com

Editor's Note: FasterSkier.com is primarily a cross-country ski news source. However, we are providing coverage of the current doping issues at the Tour de France. As our readers know all to well, the use of banned substances is a significant issue in international cross-country ski racing. The events at the Tour provide insight into the current state of cheating in sport, and serve to remind us that this issue remains one of the largest challenges...

Following is a short summary of key points from the FIS Spring meetings in Portoroz, Slovenia. · In all FIS competitions, coaches must remain stationary while feeding their athletes (no running). · FIS points will now be awarded in FIS Marathon Cup competitions. · The test of the rule allowing skis to be changed inside of stadium pit boxes during distance competitions will be extended through this season. During the distance races at the World...