Yesterday’s announcement of changes to next year’s World Cup schedule came as a dramatic surprise to the cross-country skiing community. But the story behind those changes is just as interesting as the changes themselves. Lars Johansen, the Swedish delegate to the FIS (International Ski Federation) competition committee described how the historic changes came about. “I was sitting glumly in my Cortina hotel room. In nine days, I was due to give my final report to...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. “I’ll tell you; I never get no respect.” That was the lament of the immensely popular comedian Rodney Dangerfield, the loveable schlub who became an American icon by continually reminding everyone how unloved...
Who is the fastest person in the world on cross-country skis? Seems like a straightforward question, but the answer will unquestionably surprise you. An attempt to answer this seemingly easy question might quickly veer straight to the usual suspects. Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo would certainly rise to the top of the list—a Sprinter undefeated for an entire season seems like a good guess. But you would be very wrong. Bjorn Daehlie in his prime would be...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today’s nighttime mid-week Freestyle city Sprint in Tallinn, Estonia is an unique event. It’s one day of individual Sprint racing coming at the tail end of the season leading into the final weekend...
FasterSkier’s FIS World Championships coverage stands as a proud tribute to American Skiing Icon Marty Hall, who (with his wife, Kathy Hall, and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award) has supported our coverage of international cross-country ski events. Learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award at info@fasterskier.com. We’ll miss you, Marty. After the rainy deluge of the women’s Skiathlon Sunday, the focus of the World Championships turned to the women’s 10 kilometer Classic Individual...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today’s Freestyle Sprint in Engadin, Switzerland was an opportunity for Jessie Diggins to expand her lead in the chase for the Overall leader’s position in the World Cup. Entering today’s race—held at...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The timing of the Norwegian national championships has already had a dramatic effect on world cup races in Les Rousses, France. Today’s women’s 20 kilometer Classic mass start race would not be...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Sprinting has the most unpredictable action of any World Cup racing format. Skiers are crammed into a narrow patch of snow, leading to skis crossing and poles breaking. Wobbly legs often misfire,...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today marked the end of the journey on the long and hilly road that is the Tour de Ski. All that remained is one of the more daunting challenges in cross-country ski...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. As we enter the second to last event in this year’s Tour de Ski—the 20 kilometer Skiathlon—there has been little movement at the top of the women’s Overall leader board. As the...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Part of the attraction of the Tour de Ski is the quick ebb and flow of the leader board. One day you’re sitting on top of the world with a big lead,...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Watching the Tour de Ski is like looking at a giant pendulum swinging back and forth. Yesterday, on day one, the pendulum swung to the favor of skiers with sprinting talent. Jessie...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today marks the opening round of the 19th edition of the Tour de Ski, and this year it will be an all Italy based event with races in Toblach and Val Di...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The U.S. women’s cross-country team really likes the site of today’s Freestyle Sprints, Davos, Switzerland. Last season in Davos, Jessie Diggins (USA) claimed the podium twice including third place in today’s event, the Freestyle...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today’s race—the 20 kilometer Skiathlon— marks the last day of competition in Lillehammer, Norway. On the men’s side of the racing there has been complete dominance of the weekend by Norway, with only...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. World Cup competition in Lillehammer, Norway continued today with the Freestyle Sprints. Notably, it also marked the return of Norway’s Kristine Stavaas Skistad after she missed the first weekend of competition recovering from...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. To state the obvious, team Norway does not need any help on the World Cup circuit. But as this weekend’s racing moved to Lillehammer, Norway—home of the 1994 winter Olympics— that’s exactly what...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Going into today’s 20 kilometer mass start Freestyle race, the American team was a little back on its heels. This early in the season, it’s way too soon to talk about redemption. But...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Last year the theme for much of the women’s sprint season was whether anyone from team Sweden could defeat Kristine Stavaas Skistad (NOR). However, this year, things will be different, for at least...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. Learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award—or about supporting FasterSkier coverage—by contacting info@fasterskier.com. It’s hard to believe, but the start of the World Cup ski season is upon us. The weekend opener in Ruka, Finland begins November 29th. While many of us will be bemoaning our Thanksgiving excess and recovering from NFL binge...