The EnjoyWinter Strava Challenge — Win a Pair of Hand-Picked Skis

Win a pair of hand-picked skis. Introducing the EnjoyWinter Strava Challenge! Follow the steps below to be entered in for a chance to win a pair of hand-picked Peltonen skis. The contest will run from May 17th through June 14th. The winner will be announced on Instagram on June 15th! 1. Follow us on Strava: Link to Strava 2. Follow us on Instagram: Link to Instagram 3. Sign up for our newsletter. Link to Ski Post signup...

USSS Congress Highlights: Lake Placid to Host 2026 World Cup Final

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. Skiing is an activity divided into seasons of the year: summer is when fast skiers are made; winter leaves us feeling like it went by all too fast; spring is for politics....

Higher Elevations, More Skiathlons—World Cup Schedule and Rule Changes Announced

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. Last week, the International Ski Federation (FIS) held its annual spring meeting. Among the topics were finalizing next year’s calendar and fine tuning of some of the sport’s rules. All actions taken...

U.S. Biathlon Announces Women’s Coaching Initiative 

Midway, UT – U.S. Biathlon announced today the implementation of its Women’s Coaching Initiative, designed to increase the number, experience and visibility of female biathlon coaches in the U.S. and internationally and inspire future generations of female coaches and athletes. This new initiative, building on the coaching apprenticeship opportunities available over the past several years, will provide formal mentorship and professional development opportunities for female coaches from all Nordic backgrounds to gain biathlon coaching experience across...

Jack Young Kicks Like a (Colby) Mule

The story of how Colby College became the Mules traces back to years of listless play from their football team, before a season in which the team suddenly became one of the best in New England. That led the Sports Editor at the student newspaper, The Colby Echo, to remark that instead of “black horse” to win their conference, Colby was suddenly a “white mule.” A couple of creative undergrads took the cue, sourced the...

Happy Mother’s Day!

Calling all Parents & Adult Children: Ski in Europe together in 2025 (plus savings from Mother’s Day to Father’s Day!) Leading up to Mother’s Day, we’re taking an opportunity to reflect on the special time that adult children and parents can spend together on a ski vacation. In a world with busy work schedules and obligations, time together is often squeezed into a meal, a weekend or the holidays. Recently, we have found that Lumi...

The Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team Seeks Head Coach

  Head Coach Position Are you looking for a unique opportunity to lead a program, build upon current success and use your vision to infect the youth of our community? The Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team in partnership with the Eastern Sierra Nordic Association are seeking an energetic and passionate individual to lead its Nordic programs. The programs include middle, high school and junior competition teams. Athletes train at Tamarack Cross Country center in...

Cory Schwartz—An Icon Takes a Bow:  Part II

Part I of FasterSkier’s interview with Cory Schwartz—retiring Head Coach at the University of New Hampshire—looked back at how Schwartz started in coaching, and the foundational events that drove his coaching philosophy. Here’s more of FasterSkier’s interview with Cory Schwartz. Our discussions with Schwartz focused on the development of the UNH team culture, and how it evolved from his own experiences in trying to keep the ski program alive. “As I progressed through my early...

ABR Trails Foundation Seeks Executive Director

Calling All Visionary Leaders!  Shape the Future of a Nordic Ski Paradise! Do you have a passion for the outdoors and a drive to lead? ABR Trails, the Midwest’s premier Nordic ski destination, is searching for a dynamic Executive Director to join our newly formed foundation! ✨ This is your chance to: Oversee all operations: From managing staff to maintaining trails, you’ll ensure ABR continues to provide an exceptional skier experience. Champion our vision: Lead...

NSAA Seeks Events Manager and Office Administrator

  OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR   Job Description/Title: Office Administrator FLSA Status: Regular Part-time, non-exempt position Reports to: Executive Director Salary/benefits: DOE Location: NSAA Office, Anchorage, AK Position Summary:  The Office Administrator is a highly visible and important position within the organization, ensuring our administrative office’s smooth and efficient operation. In addition to serving as the first point of contact with the public, the Office Administrator oversees office supplies and equipment, merchandise, membership and donor databases, and incoming and...

Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team Seeks Head Competition Coach & Program Manager, and Head Development Coach

Overview The Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team (BNJRT) is a team based in Boulder, CO which has been training 8-19 year old athletes for more than 38 years as part of the USSS Rocky Mountain Division. With an average of 35 athletes per season, BNJRT is focused on providing an environment that fosters a lifelong love for the sport of Nordic skiing. Many athletes have the opportunity to compete at the national level while others...

Ask Them One Question . . .

As a snow-starved winter turns to blustery and reticent spring, an ill wind blows across our empty ski trails. What tumbles on that breeze brings relief and celebration to uncounted families; however, the changing season marks a sorrowful loss for the Nordic community. The gusts of April and May whip into mailboxes and under doors, leaving in their breathless wake college decision letters—for so many high school seniors, the start of an exciting next chapter;...

Cory Schwartz—An Icon Takes a Bow:  Part I

Let’s jump into our FasterSkier time machine and go back to 1982. Ronald Reagan was President, the internet hadn’t been invented, and social media wasn’t even a concept. The Berlin wall would still be standing for another seven years, and therefore East Berlin and the Soviet Union were still a thing. Americans were looking back fondly at the 1980 winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, where the miracle on ice—the U.S. hockey team winning...

Sugar Bowl Academy Invites Motivated U14-U20 Athletes for Gap/PG Program

Sugar Bowl Academy invites motivated U14-U20 athletes to consider joining us for amazing training and racing in sunny California. Our program offers some of the best training in North America: more than 140km of trails at Royal Gorge XC, groomed through our campus, 300+ days of sun, 480 inches of snow annually, on campus strength and conditioning coach and facilities, thousands of miles of amazing single track for biking and running, biathlon, SkiMo, mountain biking...

Spring Forward: Part II

Ask most endurance athletes what quality they’d like to develop in their sport, and many would say “I want to be stronger.” Ironic, then, because “stronger” means different things to different athletes. To one, it means durable: able to withstand continued stresses and discomforts. To another, it means powerful: able to generate greater force in less time. To still another, it means actually stronger: able to move a heavier weight (regardless of the speed of the movement)....

NYSEF Summer Collegiate Training Program  

Dates: June 1 – Aug 30 Cost: $1,250 Biathlon: $500 add on Housing: Availability and pricing determined upon request Coaching Staff:  Paul Smith (NYSEF Cross Country Head Coach) Maddie Phaneuf (NYSEF Biathlon Head Coach) Introduction: For the summer 2024 the New York Ski Education Foundation is once again offering full time U23 ski training programming. This team is for Collegiate level athletes racing full time for the school they attend. Starting at the end of...

Fort Kent Outdoor Center is Accepting Applications for its PG Program

  The Fort Kent Outdoor Center in Fort Kent, Maine, is currently accepting applications for our 2024-2025 post graduate program. The program is designed for high school graduated nordic skiers and biathletes who are hoping to take their training to the next level with year-round coached training sessions. With a 3km paved rollerski loop, full 30-point shooting range, and 25km of nordic trails in the snowiest corner of the northeast, Fort Kent provides an ideal...

The Top 5 Cross-Country Skiers of All Time

Cross-country skiing, a sport deeply rooted in Nordic history, has produced some of the most outstanding athletes the world has ever seen. These athletes have left their mark on the sport, from grueling races through snowy landscapes to breathtaking displays of endurance and skill. As the popularity of cross-country skiing continues to grow, fueled by increased media coverage and the rise of social media, it’s worth taking a look back at some of the greatest...

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks Seeks Executive Director

Founded in 1967, the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks (NSCF) has created and maintains a world-class trail system at the Birch Hill Recreation Area upon which it is currently devoted to providing the programs and facilities to grow and support cross-country skiers of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to world-class athletes. The NSCF desires to hire an Executive Director (ED). This position requires fulfilling four major functions: income generation, program leadership, staff supervision...

Skiing is Worth Saving

By Charlie Cobb Months ago, I drove seven hours to Boston’s Logan Airport, boarded a plane to Minneapolis, drove 3.5 hours to Wisconsin to ski 1 hour and 19 minutes: my first American Birkebeiner. I have done a lot of ski races in my life, but the Birkie was truly unique. Like many in the American nordic ski community, I was still riding the high of seeing (through my laptop screen) both a male and...