My weeklong domestic ski season kicked off today with the US Nationals Classic Sprint in scenic Rumford, Maine. With little snowpack and temperatures reaching up to 47 degrees, made for a unique battle between fatigue, technique, tactics and the elements. Fortunately, my coach Scotty J. and teammate Sam have been prepping for days exactly like this. In addition to long the expert help in the waxroom I got from Ben Husaby, Janice Sibilia and Justin Beckwith, this was all the measure I needed to come out on top today. To everyone, from the snow shovelers out on the trails of Black Mountain, to the fans and friends back home, thank you.
Through the rounds of racing it was really cool to see how well some of the young ‘ens were skiing. Mikey Sinnott of Sun Valley made a beautiful move to splinter the final pairing to pieces. I was particularly impressed, though, with Erik Packer’s stride-and-glide on the climbs. And from all those summer workouts back in the Methow Valley I knew the younder Bjornsen’s got more than a little talent in this ski racing game.
