We have just returned to our secluded and beautiful mountain cabin at Hotel Rustad in Sjusjoen, Norway after a day of travel from Rovaneimi, Finland and the sprint race above the Arctic Circle. FYI: Roveneimi is loosing 1 hour of daylight a week right now. With sun up at 9 and sundown at 2 snow conditions and temps stay fairly constant.br /br /We connected with the Americans on the Maine Winter Sports Center Tour de Finland trip put together and lead by the very able Will Sweetzer. Will, being an old hand at these Privateer ventures designed to expose American skiers to top level European competition was the inspiration for my MOD trip to the OPA Cup race last February. This year Will gained another convert as the Craftsbury Green Racing Project joined forces with Will’s merry band. For more on these two clubs’ trips please refer to their websites, aa onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuCl2eb6-I/AAAAAAAAAEI/ACB4ED5-2bA/s1600/IMG_9844.JPG”img style=”float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 397px; height: 400px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuCl2eb6-I/AAAAAAAAAEI/ACB4ED5-2bA/s400/IMG_9844.JPG” alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542667353199471586″ border=”0″ //as they each have their own stories to tellbr /br /After another good week of training it was time for Torin to slip on a bib and toe the line in a classic sprint with a solid field of Canadians including Stefan Kuhn (10th in 2010 Oly Sprint), former world sprint champ Vassili Rotchev and a host of Estonian and Finnish sprinters.br /The qualifier was a shock to all of us observers as Torin, seeded second, finished 25th but looked to be skiing much faster. Some confusion over timing was quickly put behind us as we prepped for the heats.br /br /Photo: Torin leaving the stadium in the qualifier and about to enter the cork screw tunnel/bridge affair.br /br /br /br /br /A quick ski change and wax adjustment was done while Torin borrowed floor space in the Craftsbury GRP nearby house. It was clear to see that Torin was really eager and aggressive in the heats as he gave no quarter in the quarter final.br /br /He was slow off the line but by the time the pack left the stadium he was in control of the race and left it clear that to beat him was going to take a lot.br /br /One look at his face in this photo as he leads Rotchev over the bridge and back into the stadium and you ca onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuSTgKl64I/AAAAAAAAAEo/D05Ybtqcxvo/s1600/IMG_9861.jpg”img style=”float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 413px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuSTgKl64I/AAAAAAAAAEo/D05Ybtqcxvo/s400/IMG_9861.jpg” alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542684630159059842″ border=”0″ //aan sense his frame of mind. The mind of a champion. Undaunted by the miserable qualifying (see his number?) time trial and determined to give his best effort in each heat.br /br /A photo finish in the semi final meant Torin was advancing to the A final. Since Sam’s illness and Erik’s departure for school Torin has been training alone and so this was his first head to head final since the Super Tour A final in Maine last March where he and Andy Newell fought to the line and Torin barely, literally, inched in front.br /br /br /br /br /br /br /br /br /A slip at the line left him in 6th place at the start of the final and last out of the stadium. This shot from above on bridge as the pack enters to corkscrew shows Torin trying to move around on the outside to get a better position before the big climb. a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuO9CQh3pI/AAAAAAAAAEg/dcJwZ-DETF4/s1600/IMG_9877.jpg”img style=”display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 388px; height: 379px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dNktq7tevMw/TOuO9CQh3pI/AAAAAAAAAEg/dcJwZ-DETF4/s400/IMG_9877.jpg” alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542680945638891154″ border=”0″ //aThis turn was a full 360 degrees! The first I have ever seen.br /br /The finishing sprint left him in 4th place. I was a bit disappointed because I was really hoping for the new wax iron that was being handed out for 3rd. It was, altogether, a great effort and should have the needed training effect to boost his racing fitness.br /br /We will be off to Gala, Norway for another Norwegian Cup race next weekend.div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2910103639238326543-9193588375983988861?l=methowolympicdevelopment.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div
