Almost a dozen women quickly switched gears after finishing Saturday’s 10 k skate to wearing costumes and greeting Sophie Caldwell, of the U.S. Ski Team and Stratton Mountain School T2 Team, at the finish at SuperTour Finals in Anchorage, Alaska, on Caldwell’s birthday.

Alex Kochon

Alex Kochon (alexkochon@gmail.com) is a former FasterSkier editor and roving reporter who never really lost touch with the nordic scene. A freelance writer, editor, and outdoor-loving mom of two, she lives in northeastern New York and enjoys adventuring in the Adirondacks. She shares her passion for sports and recreation as the co-founder of "Ride On! Mountain Bike Trail Guide" and a sales and content contributor at Curated.com. When she's not skiing or chasing her kids around, Alex assists authors as a production and marketing coordinator for iPub Global Connection.