US Ski and Snowboard Announces World Cup Team for Period 1

Dear Cross Country Community,   We are pleased to announce the XC Team for Period 1 of the 2024-25 World Cup season:   Ruka, FIN Sprint C Men Michael Earnhart                      Objective          23-24 Overall SuperTour Leader JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          10th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Ben Ogden                                Objective          15th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Gus Schumacher                       Objective          27th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Kevin Bolger                             Objective          30th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Zak Ketterson                           Objective          35th 23-24 Sprint World Cup...

Ukrainian XC Family Lands in Bend—Of All Places

  Anhelina Hryhorenko is a typical 14-year-old girl in many ways—she loves art and isn’t a fan of math. And she’s excited to have her freshman year of school over. But she’s got a lot of unique qualities, too. For one, she’s a junior national champion with more medals than she can hold in two hands. She’s also the daughter of a former national cross-country ski team member team and the niece of a three-time...

Jessie Diggins agrees. Yes, that was stupid

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. All of us need to take a break from our jobs every now and then and do something a little bit—out there— which challenges us. For many, that’s going for a long ski,...

Tour de France or Tour de Ski? (why not both?!)

On Saturday, June 29, the best cyclists will set off from Florence, Italy for the first stage of the 2024 Tour de France. For the next three weeks, they’ll be riding around 200 km of often hilly or mountainous terrain every day. This devilishly grueling stage race serves as a model for the winter equivalent – Tour de Ski – where cross-country skiers are pushed to their infernal limits day after day. This seems like...

Sprinting Away With Julia Kern. Part II

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In part I of our interview with Julia Kern we talked about her summer training changes, and what was a very challenging winter of racing. Please continue reading for Part II of our...

Where the Winter Won’t End

Parallax is an effect where the objects in the background of an image appear to move more slowly than the objects in the foreground. In animation, it’s traditionally been used to add depth to an otherwise two-dimensional world. With the background moving slowly, the faster movement in the foreground implies that time is moving. In effect, parallax is a way of adding time into one’s understanding of a place. I reckon that the essential experience...

The University of New Hampshire Seeks Assistant Coach

Summary of Position The Assistant Nordic Ski coach will assist the Coordinator of Skiing in planning and organizing all phases of the NCAA Division 1 Ski Team program including but not limited to Assist Head Coach with planning and organization of practice sessions, Assist in set up and administration of home meets, Attend all practices as designated by head coach, Assist head coach in organizing community service projects, Assist Head Coach in recruitment of prospective...

Sprinting Away With Julia Kern. Part I

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Julia Kern is firmly established as a veteran member of the U.S. Ski team. She is uniquely sandwiched between the venerable veterans Jessie Diggins and Rosie Brennan, and the up and coming squad of...

Go Sideways for Strong Skating Hips

One of the beauties of skate skiing for the recreational athlete is that it gets us out of the straight line, sagittal plane motion that is so common with walking, running, and cycling. But this also poses a challenge for those of us who don’t rollerski in the summer: How do we stay conditioned for skate skiing’s lateral motion when there’s no snow on the ground? Fortunately, there’s a long list of exercises that will...

Auburn Ski Club Seeks Biathlon Range Master

  The ASC is a non-profit organization operating a snow sports facility with Alpine, Snowboard, Nordic, Biathlon programs, clinics, competitions,  and social events with a 25km Nordic Center open to the public.  ASC was born from the visionary founders of the Auburn Ski Club in 1928. For years the organization worked as a ski club to support snow sports in Northern California. Today, we operate with much a broader regional reach with multiple snow sport...

Cross-Country Skiers’ Guide to Après-ski Activities

Après-ski activities are the social events and festivities after a day on the slopes. Whether you’re an avid skier or snowboarder or just enjoy the winter atmosphere, there’s something for everyone to unwind and make lasting memories. Even if you don’t partake in winter sports, you can still join the post-skiing fun. This article rounded up the perfect après-ski activities tailored to every type of traveler, so you’re sure to find something that suits your...

Bates College Seeks Assistant Coach

Job no: 492848 Work type: Staff Full Time – Full Year Location: Lewiston, ME Categories: Athletics: Sports Teams Apply Now Title: Assistant Men’s and Women’s Nordic Ski Coach   Position Purpose: The Assistant Coach is responsible for aiding the Head Nordic Ski Coach in administering a competitive NCAA Division III intercollegiate program.  This position supports the development of student-athletes through mentorship, guidance, leadership opportunities, community building, and a commitment to social justice. The Assistant Coach focuses primarily in the...

Winter Themed Slot Games Skiers Can’t Resist

  The thrill of winter doesn’t have to end when you leave the slopes. Winter-themed slot games bring the excitement of the season to your screen. In this article, we’ll outline the top seven winter-themed slots that capture the essence of snowy adventures. From breathtaking graphics and engaging gameplay to impressive payouts and bonus features, these games are designed to immerse you in a winter wonderland and any reputable website for slot games should feature...

No Miracles, Lots of Hard Work—Lake Placid’s World Cup Bid:  Part II

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In Part I of FasterSkier’s article about the Lake Placid organizing committee’s work to be chosen as a venue for a World Cup, we spoke with Kris Seymour, Nordic Program Coordinator for the...

The Birkie Dedicates New Mt. Telemark, George Hovland Trail

For the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (the Birkie) it’s been a long time coming. The dedication ceremony held Saturday for the new projects that encompass the Mt. Telemark Village, the former site of the legendary Telemark Lodge, have been in the works for five years. All together, Mt. Telemark Village is “the biggest thing the American Birkebeiner has ever done.” Its $10.2 million dollar capital campaign, though, doesn’t capture what, for skiing, might just might...

No Miracles, Lots of Hard Work—Lake Placid’s World Cup Bid:  Part I

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The Minneapolis World Cup was a sensational success. Now, the announcement of the upcoming vote on Lake Placid as a host venue for a cross-country World Cup weekend has kindled hopes of another...

2025 Trondheim Nordic World Championships and the 2024-25 World Cup Criteria Announced

Dear Cross Country Community, The finalized selection criteria for the 2025 Trondheim Nordic World Championships and the 2024-25 World Cup have been approved by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Cross Country Sport Committee and can be found here: https://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-programs/criteria You’ll notice the selection methods are the same as in recent past seasons.  As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the criteria, please reach out.  My contact info is below.  I wish everyone...

Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy Seeks Nordic Program Director and Head Coach

The Sugar Bowl Ski Team & Academy (SBSTA) seeks an energetic and passionate individual to lead its Nordic programs. SBSTA is a community dedicated to providing passionate skiers the opportunity to pursue athletic dreams, academic excellence, and personal growth while celebrating grit, grace, and courage. Position Overview In alignment with SBSTA’s mission, core values, vision, and strategic plan, the Nordic Program Director and Head Coach is responsible for the success of all SBSTA Nordic Programs....

NNF Summer Pillar Projects Kick into Gear

US Skiing is coming off one of the most exciting winters in recent memory. As summer approaches, the National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is excited to help continue the momentum, again sponsoring a full suite of development opportunities in partnership with US Ski and Snowboard that live up to the old adage, “fast skiers are made in the summer!” NNF’s Pillar Projects in the summer include a full suite of Regional Elite Group Camps (REG), with...

Bend Camp—Building the Team Dynamic:  Part II

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In part one of our interview with U.S. coach, Matt Whitcomb, about Bend spring training camp he told us about training regimens and the team building approach. In part II, Whitcomb talks more...