Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen was the clear winner in a 7.5-kilometer classic rollerski time-trial at a Norwegian national team training camp last week. Results: 1. Hilde Gjermundshaug Pedersen 30,17 2. Marit Bjœrgen 31,05 3. Kristin Stœrmer Steira 31,42 4. Kine Beate Bjœrnaas 31,55 5. Ella Gjœmle 32,08 6. Vibeke Skofterud 33,14 7. Ingrid Narum 33,42 8. Ingrid Aunet Tyldum 35,32
There were many relatively unknown skiers at the top of the result list during the 200-meter long skate rolleski Sprint Grand Prix at Kirkebakken in Hamar, Norway last Saturday. Last year’s super-newcomer Borre Naess won the race, but he was closely followed by Jan Christian Bjorn, Petter Nordhug and Tommy Asen. The next national team skier was Trond Iversen in fifth place. World Cup stars like Lars Bergen (biathlon), Tor Arne Hetland, Havard Bjerkeli, Anders...
The Norwegian women’s team started their dryland camp at Kvitfjell, Norway last Monday. Lots of hard training is on the agenda before they travel to altitude for easier training and higher volume. – This is a capacity camp with many tough workouts, says coach Svein Tore Samdal. The first interval session was hill-bounding (“moose-huffs”) with poles up the very steep alpine area used for the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic downhill – We are doing an intensity...
Many of the Worlds best Cross-Country skiers participated in a three-part competition in the annual races in Saku Suverull in Estonia last weekend. The competition starts with a 2.7-kilometer classic rollerski prolog. This is followed by a 3-kilometer cross-country running race for women and 6-kilometer for men. The start- intervals in the running race are only two meters and based upon the results from the prolog. The fastest skiers start first. The last competition is...
Kris Freeman won the men’s classic 15-kilometer mass-start race at the New Zealand national championship last week. The race was held as mass-start and it was snowing, windy and foggy and around 0 degrees Celsius during the event. Andrew Johnson was second, 47 seconds behind. Rebecca Dussault beat Wendy Wagner in the women’s race Results Men 15K Classic 1. Kris Freeman 40:51 2. Andrew Johnson 41:38 3. Dave Chamberlain 42:07 4. Justin Freeman 42:11 5....
Norwegian skier Unni Odegard (29) was hit by a car while rollerskiing last Sunday. She is now recovering from a solid concussion and cuts in a hospital in Molde, Norway. Unni was according to the police hit from behind and thrown off the road. Unni was according to her father very lucky. The helmet she used was totally crushed and most likely saved her from more serious injuries. Unni had won an 8-kilometer hill-climb race,...
One of my favorite pastimes is to rollerski past windows. It affords me the dual opportunities to check out the bewildered expressions of the people on the other side, as well as to check out myself…err, I mean, check out my technique. Now, the other day, while rolling past a local coffee shop (this may or may not have had anything to do with my secret crush on the gorgeous blond who works behind the...
Finn Marsland retired from the World Cup Circuit in 1999 to take up the role of National Coach/Program Director for the Australian Cross —Country Ski Team with the team at a critical crossroad. Although a fine racer himself (a 54th placing in the Vasaloppet to his credit) I started off by asking how difficult it was being on the sidelines coaching to being an athlete.
Gustavus Adolphus College is looking for an assistant Nordic coach for the 2004-05 season. This part-time position begins October 1st and ends at the NCAA championships. Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college in St. Peter, MN. Duties include waxing, testing, and driving team vans at Central Region NCAA qualifying events as well as some training during the week. Interested applicants should contact Jed Friedrich at
Elin Ek (30) is aiming for medals – I have capacity to win a world Cup race or an international championship race says Elin. She was fifth in Otepaa World Cup and sixth in the Marcialonga race last winter. She is now getting ready for the season’s big goal, the Worlds in Oberstdorf, Germany and hopes to be in shape to fight for medals. – I realized when I was able to hang on to...
The Norwegian national men’s cross country team ended their recent dryland camp in Halden by racing the 80-kilometer off-road bike race, Grenserittet (The Border race) from Stromstad, Sweden to Halden, Norway. Several team members raced well. Best was Jens Arne Svartedal, he placed third in age group 25-29. The winner was Gregory Saw in 2.27,27 and Svartedal’s time was 2.28.47. Tore Rud Hofstad was 11 in the same age group with a time of 2,42,51....
A computer-generated depiction of Capitol Square on race day…minus several thousand people. Photo edited by Scott Ackatz What will the course itself look like as far as terrain, tight corners, width and length of the track, and immediate surroundings / architecture? “It’s not flat. The course is pretty much a square, 250 meters each side. The start will be on a pretty good sized uphill—you wouldn’t double pole or kick double pole up that, it’s...
Fasterskier.com posted several articles describing the Norwegian cross country team’s wax-room problems and controversy last winter. Six-year veteran chief waxer Terje Smedvold was not re-hired (read; fired), long term waxer Geir Tufto quit, and veteran stone-grinder Olav Stuveseth decided that he was not going to be involved anymore as well. Former National team skier and World Champion Terje Langli was then hired as new wax-chief. The word four months following Langli’s hiring is that the...