Under 23 Questions with Cal Deline

Cal Deline (Dartmouth Ski Team) racing to 17th in the men's 15 k freestyle at 2017 U.S. nationals earlier this month at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. (Courtesy photo) — Cal Deline (Dartmouth Ski Team) racing to 17th in the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2017 U.S. nationals earlier this month at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah. (Courtesy photo)

In an effort to showcase the North Americans competing at next week’s International Ski Federation (FIS) 2017 USANA Nordic Junior World Championships and U23 Cross Country World Championships at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, we asked those qualifying athletes several questions about themselves — actually, we had them fill in the blanks. Here we have 21-year-old Cal Deline, of Dartmouth College, who’s representing the U.S. at his first U23 Worlds.

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“My full name is Callan Deline, but people call me Cal.

I was born in Fort Collins, Colo., raised in Vail, Colo., and one thing that you should know about Vail is that it’s awesome all summer and winter long.

Cal Deline (Dartmouth Ski Team) finishing 14th in the 10 k freestyle at 2016 NCAA Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo. (Courtesy photo)

I started cross-country skiing when I was 15, thanks to Dan Weiland, Sylvan Ellefson, and being forced to stop big mountain skiing. I currently train where I go to school, in Hanover, N.H., with the Dartmouth Ski Team.

If I’m not nordic skiing you can probably find me alpine skiing or somewhere at school. My favorite book is ‘Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hours Bookstore‘.

One of the things I’m most excited about for U23/Junior Worlds at Soldier Hollow is to be racing against some of the worlds best on what I consider a home course. As for the races I’m targeting, I’m going for all of them, but am especially excited for the 30 k pursuit. It’ll be my first-ever pursuit and second-ever 30 k (first 30 k being at nationals this year).

The best advice anyone ever gave me about skiing or racing was, there’s a tie … ‘90% of skiing fast is looking good’ – Simi Hamilton… ‘Racing is just hanging onto the fastest guy for as long as you can, until one day you are the fastest guy’ – Sylvan Ellefson

One of the best race memories I have is drinking Red Bulls instead of warming up before the Owl Creek Chase, or before any race longer than 20 k.

If I could meet one World Cup skier, it would be Jessie Diggins.

If I don’t end up being a professional skier, I’ll probably be traveling or trying to find a real job.

I’m missing a week and a half of school to be here, and my professors are probably thinking ‘Who is gonna take this kid’s midterms?‘

You can follow me on Instagram @calorado_.”