The Norwegian cross country ski teams are bringing in the “heavyweights.†National heros Vegard Ulvang, Thomas Alsgaard, Bjorn Daehlie and Bente Skari are going to help Norway's top skiers in the hunt for gold.  There are three important championship seasons (Worlds – 2005, Olympics – 2006 and Worlds again in 2007) coming up and the Norwegian coaches want these heroes to help in tezching a “winning attitudeâ€. Key ideas are how to prepare, how to think and how to attack training and racing.
Cross country skiing is the “national sport†in Norway, and 99% of the population knows “everything there is to know†about these former Olympic gold medal winners. In the US this would equal to the Olympic Basketball team brining in their super heros in their quest for gold in Athens this summer. Imagine the excitement it would be if Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird all joined the basketball coaching staff (It might not be needed but it would still be exciting) and Jackie Joiner Kersey suddenly was on the sideline for the Track and Field team.
The women’s coach, Â Svein Tore Samdal recently expressed that he wanted Skari’s help following the men’s teaming with Ulvang, Alsgaard and Daehlie.
“I’m going to contact Bente when she returns to Norway following her six months trip 'Around the World' with her husband Geir. The extent of Bente’s involvement will depend upon how much time Bente can offer. It will regardless not be a big scale project. We could need her help with classic technique and showing us a winning culture,” says Samdal.
