Ken Roth – Page 4 – FasterSkier.com

Rosie Brennan Blue Collar Skier? She’s OK With That: Part I

Ken RothAugust 10, 2023

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. Rosie Brennan has been a fixture on the Stifel U.S. Ski Team for several years, weathering the ups and downs of professional athletics with grace, aplomb, and stoic professionalism. Her determination and perseverance have created scores of admiring fans,...

News Other

Musgrave Victorious at Blink 23

Ken RothAugust 6, 2023

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. The Blink 23 roller-ski competition is this weekend. It’s most famous for the giant uphill climb known as the Lysebotn Opp. On the other end of the spectrum are the distance events. On Thursday the men and women competed...

News Other

Biathlon Sprint Helps Finish Blink 23 Festival

Ken RothAugust 6, 2023

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. The Blink 2023 Nordic Ski Festival—the pre-eminent summer roller-ski event for cross-country skiers and biathletes—is at an end. Part of the schedule for the last day is the biathlon sprint for the men and women. In the women’s race,...

Feature

Laukli’s Pro Trail Running Success Continues

Ken RothJuly 19, 2023

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. Taking it all in stride When Sofia Laukli, a member of the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski team, decided to jump into the field at the Pike’s Peak trail run last year, little did...

Feature News

Sophia Laukli—Pro Skier or Pro Trail Runner? Both!

Ken RothJuly 6, 2023

Competing at a professional level in any sport requires great skill, talent, and focus. Thinking of going pro? Unless you’re in the top 1%, don’t bother trying out. Then, once you reach the professional level of competition, the athletic quality is so high that there is simply no margin allowing time to participate in more than your primary sport. Despite all those seeming truisms, occasionally an athlete emerges with the talent and determination to...

Community Feature

The Jackrabbit—Lessons From the Man Who Changed Skiing Forever

Ken RothJune 21, 2023

If you need a little diversion from whatever you do in the off season and want to connect with skiing’s past, check out this 30 minute documentary on YouTube about Jackrabbit Johannsen. This 1975 video produced by the National Film Board of Canada chronicles the life of the Norwegian outdoorsman turned backwoods legend. Johannsen is widely credited with being one of the first Europeans to popularize cross-country skiing in North America. I’m not certain how...

Feature World Cup

Novie McCabe—Gold Rush Winner and Alaska Bound

Ken RothJune 6, 2023

Stifel U.S. cross-country ski team member Novie McCabe recently won the Gold Rush Award. This award is given to the Nordic Olympic woman who “has represented the U.S. in cross -country skiing and has demonstrated outstanding qualities of grit and grace throughout the year.” Past recipients include Rosie Brennan, Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Jessie Diggins, and Julia Kern. The past recipients choose the next award winner, so it’s quite a prestigious field...

Feature News US Ski Team World Cup

Catching Up With Julia Kern—U.S. Ski Team Member and FIS Athlete Delegate

Ken RothMay 30, 2023

This week, FasterSkier caught up with U.S. cross-country team member Julia Kern. It turns out catching up with Julia isn’t just hard on the racecourse, but it’s pretty darn challenging in life. No one would begrudge any team member a much needed travel respite after a draining World Cup season. But Julia appears to thrive on movement—she seems to be a living example of Newton’s First Law of Motion— a body in motion will remain...

News World Cup

Update on FIS Russia Ban

Ken RothMay 26, 2023

In a tersely worded announcement, the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced that its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes would continue. The entirety of the release was contained in the summary notes of decisions made at the FIS Council meeting held May 24th. The current FIS policy, which does not allow the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials in FIS events, will remain in effect until further notice. ...

Feature

U.S. Cross-Country National Team Announced

Ken RothMay 11, 2023

U.S. Ski and Snowboard has announced the members of the 2023-24 National team, now officially known as the Stifel U.S. Cross Country Ski Team. With a few notable retirements this spring a couple of shakeups were going to occur. The team uses a selection criteria which it has developed to try and balance proven performers with budding talent. It is a somewhat complex set of guidelines. Women’s Squad The women’s A Team members come as...

Feature News Places to Ski

Great Skiing in June? It’s Real, and Mt. Bachelor Has Your Ticket

Ken RothMay 5, 2023

There probably isn’t such a thing as a bad day cross-country skiing. Like one or two other things in life, even bad skiing is still a darn good thing. However, trying to eke out the last couple of April ski days in a season can be like eating a melting ice cream cone. It’s good, but it might be messier than it’s worth. But, there is one ski area where end of season skiing is...

Feature News

FasterSkier is at the Movies—Again!

Ken RothApril 2, 2023

Ski season is rapidly coming to an end in much of North America. For those who find going cold turkey into non-ski season difficult to manage, a Nordic cinematic experience might be just the salve to heal the wounds of snow’s departure. The film up for review in this episode of FasterSkier at the Movies is The Last King. It’s a 2016 Norwegian film based on of the tale of the Birkebeiner rescue of Prince...

Feature World Cup

Kalvaa Gets First World Cup Win, Diggins and Brennan Top Five in Overall World Cup

Ken RothMarch 26, 2023

This World Cup 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: at the completion of today’s women’s 20 kilometer Classic mass start in Lahti, Finland, all unanswered questions would be resolved. There would not be any waiting until next...

Feature World Cup

Women’s Sprint Chase Remains Tight, American Teenager Sammy Smith Qualifies for Heats

Ken RothMarch 18, 2023

This World Cup 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 clock is winding down on the World Cup season. After this weekend, there will be only three individual races remaining—two of those are Sprints. With time running out, increased urgency has...

Feature News Other News

FasterSkier: At the Movies

Ken RothMarch 15, 2023

There are few movies which feature significant cross-country ski scenes, let alone an entire feature film that has cross-country skiing as its theme. But when such a movie does arrive, you can count on FasterSkier to put on our critic’s hat and give it a review. Off Track won’t make you forget Citizen Kane, but it’s a fun 95 minutes for ski enthusiast. For non-skiers, don’t put in the effort. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) The movie...

Feature World Cup

Norway Dominates Holmenkollen Taking Top 10 spots, Norris and Patterson Hit Top 20

Ken RothMarch 11, 2023

This World Cup 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. No other professional ski race can match the prestige and lore surrounding the Holmenkollen 50 kilometer race held in Oslo, Norway. Win it—and your name will be etched into history. Like all...

News World Cup

Golberg Outsprints Klaebo to Claim Gold in Men’s 50 K, Patterson 16th

Ken RothMarch 5, 2023

This World Cup 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 long and winding road that is cross-country skiing’s World Championships came to an end today. The last stop: the men’s 50 kilometer Classic Mass Start. Throughout the men’s competitions, the story...

Feature News

Women’s Relay: Norway Takes Gold, USA Fifth

Ken RothMarch 2, 2023

This World Cup 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. With the mounting success of the American women’s cross-country program, the one prize continuing to elude it has been a major championship relay medal. In some ways, it has become an obsession...

Feature News World Cup

Diggins is World Champion! Tears of Joy as U.S. Star Takes Gold in Women’s 10 Kilometer Individual Freestyle

Ken RothFebruary 28, 2023

This World Cup 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. Numerous questions have been simmering regarding these World Championships: today’s Women’s 10 Kilometer Freestyle Individual Start brought those questions to a full boil. Could anyone knock the Swedish women from the top...

News World Cup

Heartbreak for Brennan in Skiathlon, Ebba Andersson Takes Gold

Ken RothFebruary 25, 2023

This World Cup 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 dominant as Swedish women’s racing has been this season, it’s hard to imagine that a Swedish woman has never won a Skiathlon at the World Championships. The Swedish women were looking...

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