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Post-Oberhof IBU World Cup Recap

With the weekend closed out in Oberhof, Germany and the start of the second IBU World Cup trimester underway it’s time for, thank you Seth Meyer, … a closer look. Norway’s male biathlon ringer, Johannes Thingnes Bø, was on the sideline for the weekend. Prior to the Oberhof stop, he had worn the yellow bib as the IBU World Cup overall leader. Post-Oberhof, it was time for a change. A small change really in the big...

A Beginner’s Guide: The Boulder Mountain Tour

  Sponsored Content A certain amount of pre-race nerves can be beneficial. A sharpened central nervous system can rev the body for a 34-kilometer skate race. But the jitters can distract. There’s the possibility of low-quality sleep. Time wasted on variables out of your control, or, perhaps, beyond your budgetary control — cross-country ski racing can get pricey fast.  In this guide, catering to BMT neophytes, we attempt to take the edge off and foster fun...

Reflecting on the Tour de Ski and How I Got There

The author, Katharine Ogden, is a Junior at Dartmouth College. She recently completed the 2019-2020 Tour de Ski. Ogden is a decorated skier. You can read more about her ski career here.  By: Katharine Ogden 01/06/20 The Tour de Ski is an iconic set of world cup races. It tests athletes in every way and pushes you to your limits physically and emotionally. Seven races over the course of nine days evokes giggles, tears, and...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Round and Round with the Dresden Team Sprint

  We are corrected in this episode: we try to be better Francophiles by improving our pronunciation of the weekend’s stand out performer on the men’s side, Lucas Chanavat. We also dig down and find the fun in Sunday’s team sprint in Dresden. With a whirlwind 0.7 k loop, and each skier racing six legs, it was basic sprinting fun. Thanks for listening.      

Dresden Team Sprint Rundown

It was dizzying in Dresden for the skate team sprints. The man-made loop of lightning-fast snow had skiers going literally round and round for a total of 11 exchanges between teammates. Each skier skated a single 0.7-kilometer lap, for a total of 7.8 k. Each skier raced six laps. Turn your head dizzy. The Women’s Final The finals consisted of ten teams. Sweden I animated the race with its display of pull ahead speed late...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Dresden Calling!

Dresden is calling with a wild ride skate sprint. Post-Tour de Ski, it is time to visit historic Dresden, Germany for a weekend of city sprints. With trucked in artificial snow, slick, fast, and icy conditions made for some spills on the Dresden oval. Stay on your feet, and stay out front: basic tactics that some mastered Saturday. Chanavat took the men’s win and Svahn the women’s victory.      

IBU World Cup Rundown: Oberhof, Germany

Oberhof, Germany the site where the IBU World Cup snaps into its second trimester of racing after the holiday break, began a series of races. Yesterday, the women began the Oberhof stop with a 7.5-kilometer sprint. Norway’s Marte Olsbu Roeiseland won in 22:04.9 minutes while shooting clean in both her shooting bouts. Denise Herrmann of Germany was second (+33.1; 0+1), and France’s Julia Simon third (+47.4;1+0).  Two North Americans had standout performances. Emma Lunder of...

The Winter Park Competition Center Seeks Lead Coach

The Winter Park Competition Center in Winter Park, Colorado is currently seeking a Lead Coach available Wednesday-Sunday through March 22, 2020 with a possibility of continuing to year-round. This coach will work primarily with 10-14 year old skiers and assist the Head Coach at races as needed. As a recently reinstated Nordic program within the larger Competition Center, this program has tremendous potential, benefitting from world class training venues in the area, an invested Nordic community, a...

U.S. Senior National Classic Sprint Rundown (Updated with Images & Audio)

Racing at the 2020 U.S. Senior Nationals wrapped on Tuesday with a 1.5-kilometer classic sprint. Although the day came down to six skiers in both the men’s and women’s finals — as is the norm — what flummoxed a few skiers of note were the dicey conditions, which left the tracks covered with slow-me-down lake effect snow. Post-race interview with Hunter Wonders Canada’s Julien Locke (CNST) won the men’s final in 4:03.83 — a time...

Post-Tour Check in with David Norris and Logan Hanneman

Norris and Hanneman, both skiers for APU in Anchorage, are among a rare group of U.S. men who have finished the Tour de Ski. We conducted a brief email exchange with the skiers post-Stage 7 of the Tour de Ski. David Norris  FasterSkier: Huge accomplishment to one, stay in the Tour, and two, remain near the top-30 in prob the deepest field the TdS has seen for a long time. Can you speak to that?...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Classic Sprint Val di Fiemme Style (TdS Stage 6 Recap)

A bit of moving day on the women’s side today as Stage 6 of the Tour de Ski concluded. The biggest mover, Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen eeks within three seconds of Therese Johaug for the overall. So much drama set to unfold tomorrow. And then there’s Lampic and Diggins on the podium. For the men, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo ran away with the win. But the Alpe Cermis on Stage 7 could crush the young man — or...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Thrills, Spills, and Closing Gaps in Val di Fiemme

In this seven part mini-series, this part five of our Tour de Ski breakdown. Stage 5 offered close racing on a famed Val di Fiemme, Italy 2.5 k loop. Mass start classic races, 10 k for the women, 15 k for the men, made this a three horse race on the men’s side and slightly more open field for the women. Have a listen. And…we get a bit sidetracked at the end. If you like...

Paralympic Trailblazing with the Bogus Basin Nordic Team

Bogus Basin Nordic Team (BBNT), based in Boise, ID, became a Paralympic Sports Club this year, the first cross-country ski team in the United States to do so. Paralympic Sports Clubs are partnerships between US Paralympics and community organizations across the country that, according to the US Paralympics website, “provide local sports programming for individuals with Paralympic-eligible impairments.” They are “designed to be implemented within an organization’s menu of programs,” thus bridging the gap between...

  U.S U.S. Ski & Snowboard is excited to once again bring you live web broadcasting of the biggest domestic cross country ski events including theU.S. Cross Country Championships, Slumberland XCOUNTRYLIVE’s exclusive content not only gives you live and on-demand coverage of these premier events (and more), but it also helps support the sport. Your XCOUNTRYLIVE and tune in this winter for exclusive coverage.  

The Devon Kershaw Show: Lenzerheide Sprint Showdown (Stage 2 of the TdS)

Moving on from picturesque Lenzerheide, Switzerland. With two days of racing, the leaderboards are shaking out for the men and women. In this Tour de Ski episode, we break down the day’s skate sprint, pay homage to Jessie Diggins and Sadie Bjornsen, and bow to the sprint king Klæbo. Thanks for listening. We’ll pick up the show after Stage 3 in Toblach, Italy.    

The Devon Kershaw Show: The Lenzerheide Low Down (Stage 1 of the TdS)

Stage 1 of the 2019-2020 Tour de Ski is final. With two distinct shows in the Lenzerheide, Switzerland men’s and women’s mass start races, the seven-stage TdS narrative has the intro chapter written. Therese Johaug for Norway looks prepped for the distance race sweep, whereas the men’s side has several skiers playing for keeps. On second thought, maybe it’s not that simple after all. They’ve got six stages to go.    

Tour de Ski Short List

The Tour de Ski begins with a mass start bonanza on Saturday. In this non-championship year, the TDS takes on marquee status as one the season’s premier prizes. Seven stages with a variety of disciplines, this 14th edition promises a loaded field of skiers. For the women, Therese Johaug of Norway is the easy favorite. Johaug appears programmed for dominance — the TdS features five distance stages. Norway has been well suited for the TdS....

Pre-Tour de Ski Brief

The Tour de Ski (TdS) is well into its teenage years. This year’s edition, the 14th, features three locales and the following races with a few minor new twists to excite this seasonal highlight of cross-country World Cup racing.  Lenzerheide, Switzerland (stages 1-2) Dec. 28, 29 Stage 1: 10/15 k freestyle mass start. A mass start initiates the TdS this year, that’s new. It replaces the timeworn prologue. Stage 2: Skate sprint Toblach, Italy (Stages...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Weathering the Storm in Planica

  Yes, the sprint skiers put on a show this weekend in Planica, Slovenia. With a pure skate sprint weekend – both an individual and team sprint were on tap — speed and dicey conditions were a highlight. But perhaps, it took a supporting role to the weather. Day one featured a green-brown and rainy template peppered with bountiful bolts of lightning. The racing was postponed for a bit of time. Sunday was a winter...