All American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. Birkie Elite Sprints are available to watch
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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.
Bender Takes it to Naryshkina in SuperTour Skate Sprint
Alex KochonFebruary 19, 2012
All Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. – At the first 90-degree turn on the four-corner course around Capitol Square, Jennie Bender almost came to a stop. Standing up, she scanned her three competitors in the women’s A-final at the SuperTour 1 k freestyle sprint on Sunday. The Central Cross Country (CXC) Elite Team skier was looking for one in particular. Bender eventually drew...
Furrer Notches SuperTour Victory Ahead of Reynolds, Joutsen
Alex KochonFebruary 19, 2012
All Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. – Finland’s Jari Joutsen could have been mad or at least frustrated with a split-second lane change that forced him out of his spot into another skier in the A-final of the SuperTour 1 k freestyle sprint on Sunday. After the race as he stood next to Philip Furrer, the Swiss who claimed the victory, Joutsen smiled....
Russians Nab Two of Top Three Qualifying Spots in Madison
Alex KochonFebruary 19, 2012
All 2012 Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. — As Dmitriy Ozerskiy patiently awaited his turn to take a look at the result board, his Russian teammate, Maxim Fadeev, approached him. Fadeev had just heard the news that Ozerskiy won the SuperTour freestyle sprint qualifier, 0.06 seconds ahead of Jari Joutsen of Finland. Fadeev was the third fastest around the 1 k loop,...
All 2012 Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. — Jennie Bender of Central Cross Country (CXC) won another qualifier in the second straight day of sprints around Wisconsin’s state capital, posting the fastest time in 2:04.0. After winning Saturday’s classic sprint qualifier by more than 6 seconds, Bender had less of a gap on Sunday. Hilary McNamee of Maine Winter Sports Center was...
Naryshkina Slips Past Bender in Madison Classic Sprint
Alex KochonFebruary 18, 2012
All 2012 Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. – Two hours seems like a lot of time between qualifiers and heats, but when it comes down to it, sprints are sprints. They’re restless from start to finish. Between the SuperTour 1 k classic races at the heart of Wisconsin’s state capital on Saturday, some athletes killed time by running around downtown. Others, like...
First Time in America, Joutsen Wins Madison SuperTour Sprint
Alex KochonFebruary 18, 2012
All Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. – Most of the men in the SuperTour classic sprints on Saturday probably didn’t have a clue who Jari Joutsen was. He certainly had an international reputation with several World Cup top-30 results. Yet to the 22 others in the 1 k sprint around Madison’s Capitol Square, Joutsen was just another competitor – one Finish skier...
Bender Dominates Madison Sprint Qualifier
Alex KochonFebruary 18, 2012
All Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. — Jennie Bender of Central Cross Country (CXC) did as she intended in Saturday’s 1 k classic sprint qualifier, the first race of the Madison SuperTour, posting the fastest time by 6.1 seconds. Bender won the city sprint qualifier in 2:18.7, ahead of Hannah Dreissigacker (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in second. Hilary McNamee (Maine Winter Sports...
All Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. — In his SuperTour debut, Jari Joutsen put forth a strong showing for Finland, winning the men’s 1 k classic sprint qualifier in 1:55.1. The 33-year-old, who skis for Vetelin Urheilijat, beat Skyler Davis of the U.S. Ski Team and Stratton Mountain School (SMS) by 1.1 seconds. Davis was the second-fastest qualifier on the snow-covered streets surrounding...
Madison Brings Snow for SuperTour (Photo Gallery)
Alex KochonFebruary 18, 2012
All 2012 Madison SuperTour and American Birkebeiner coverage is brought to you through the generous support of SkiErg. MADISON, Wis. — Here’s a look at how SuperTour race organizers make a city sprint possible in downtown Madison. Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, some 90 trucks carted manmade snow from an energy facility about a mile or two from Wisconsin’s State Capitol and dumped it on the city streets surrounding the square. Madison’s Don Miller Subaru...
Rested Randall Aims to Stay on Top of Sprint Standings
Alex KochonFebruary 16, 2012
When it comes down to it: health matters. That’s what Kikkan Randall and her coach at Alaska Pacific University, Erik Flora, reasoned when the U.S. Ski Team veteran decided to sit out a few races nearly two weeks ago. After feeling slightly rundown, Randall first skipped the 15 k freestyle mass start on Feb. 4 in Rybinsk, Russia. She pulled through the 15 k skiathlon the next day, but came down with a cold shortly after....
5 Reasons to Attend the Birkie Welcome and Torch Lighting Press release — Get ready for some great new additions to the Official Welcome and Torch Lighting at Birkie 2012. The festivities start at a new time–5:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 23, on Hayward’s Main Street, under the holiday lights. It all starts with the traditional parade of flags, presented by skiers from both Hayward and Drummond high school ski teams. Here’s what else is happening: THE...
Press release Recognized as one of Norway’s Top Ten Nordic skiers of all time, Vegard Ulvang also just completed an 800-mile ski to the South Pole on December 14, 2011, in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Amundsen’s famous expedition in 1911. Attend his rare presentation on Thursday, Feb. 23 of Birkie Week and hear first-hand from Ulvang about the experiences of his team during this historic trek. Check out the team’s Calendar of Appearances...
Looking Back at the Last NorAm Weekend in Orford
Alex KochonFebruary 13, 2012
The field wasn’t as deep as usual and the stakes weren’t quite as high, but the final NorAm weekend at Parc National du Mont-Orford left participants with plenty to talk about. They skied atypical courses, some saw crashes and everyone braved unbearable temperatures at the two-day event. Some notched their first wins of the season; others raced with old rivals. While Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy had already locked up the top regional spot and...
Norwegians Run Away with Relay; U.S. Pulls Off Fifth
Alex KochonFebruary 12, 2012
As the sunlight sliced through rows of majestic trees in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, Sunday around noon, a few of the Norwegians could have afforded to soak up the scenery in the women’s 4×5 k relay. They probably didn’t, though. Marit Bjørgen finally lifted her head to look around as she entered the stadium to seal the Norwegian win. With a nearly 40 second lead, Bjørgen as the Norway I anchor threw up...
With every seemingly spontaneous sprint to the front of Saturday’s World Cup classic race in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic, Devon Kershaw appeared as eager and energetic as a kid in a candy shop. Naysayers or nervous Nellies might have questioned the Canadian’s strategy in the 30 k mass start. The head coach of the Canadian national ski team, Justin Wadsworth wasn’t worried. Kershaw simply followed the plan the two carefully crafted before the...
Americans Place Outside the Points, Regroup for Relays
Alex KochonFebruary 11, 2012
As the saying goes, you can’t win them all and some races downright hurt. Maybe that’s not the adage, but it’s the truth. Several Americans felt an unfamiliar burn associated with disappointment on Saturday after finishing outside the top 30 in their respective World Cup mass starts in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic. U.S. Ski Team rookie Jessie Diggins led the women’s squad, placing 33rd in the 15 k classic race. Kris Freeman was also...
Press release Salt Lake City, Utah – Jan 10, 2012: The National Nordic Foundation announces the NNF Cup to increase the awareness of America’s premier cross country club programs. It simultaneously aims to trigger the competitive nature of these clubs and entice them to strive to even do even better. These clubs provide daily support and motivation to tomorrow’s stars today. NNF Cup Standings as of Feb. 1: 1 CXC 1298 2 APUNSC 881 3...
Randall to Miss 15 k in Nové Město, Canada Brings Partial Sprint Squad; Relay Teams Undecided
Alex KochonFebruary 10, 2012
Life on the World Cup is one giant judgment call. Each day brings new decisions and, sometimes, unforeseen challenges. With little time, athletes and coaches often make up their minds and go with it. That’s about all they can do. The spontaneity often leads to uncertainty – as is the case with this weekend’s World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic. Several teams will probably do as the U.S. Ski Team plans and...
There’s something to be said about consistency. Canadians Graham Nishikawa and Michael Somppi might say it’s a little annoying. With repeat results, the two can’t be too upset with their performances in recent Alpen and Scandinavian Cup races. Both Senior Development Team skiers, Nishikawa and Somppi finished the same as they did in their previous races. At the Alpen Cup in Switzerland on Sunday, Nishikawa of the Alberta World Cup Academy was fifth in the...