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Nathaniel Herz

Nat Herz is an Alaska-based journalist who moonlights for FasterSkier as an occasional reporter and podcast host. He was FasterSkier's full-time reporter in 2010 and 2011.
That guy rollerskiing around Utah by himself? Yeah: it’s 5x Olympic champ Johannes Klæbo

  PARK CITY, UTAH — Five-time Olympic champion Johannes Høsflot Klæbo could be cross-country skiing’s answer to Michael Jordan — a bona fide sports superstar in his home nation of Norway, where photographers and fans tail him after events. But to the up-and-coming ski racers in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, and their parents? Klæbo is just another dude on the local trails. “The novelty has, sort of, worn off,” said Silvester Williams, a junior...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Summer break’s over, with Team Aker Daehlie’s Jostein Vinjerui

We know, we know…we’re way overdue for the promised summer content. Is it even summer any more? Anyway: We’re excited to bring you this episode with Jostein Vinjerui, one of the coaches with Team Aker Daehlie, the international squad that boasts athletes from Great Britain, Latvia and, for the first time this upcoming season, the U.S., in Sophia Laukli. We actually will be back soon, with at least one episode on our schedule for recording...

Bonus episode: Hear us interview Petter Northug Jr. on the Holmenkollen

Oh, you thought we were done? Nat had the chance to interview Norwegian cross-country skiing legend Petter Northug Jr. for his story for the New York Times about the Holmenkollen ski marathons. Rather than leave the audio on the cutting room floor, we thought we’d share it with you. Sorry about the audio quality and the frequent interjections from Nat, but this was not originally intended as podcast-quality material — turn it off if you must. And:...

A Finnish finish: Tying a bow on the 2023 season in Lahti

This is the end. Of the 2023 racing season. Devon and Nat go without guests and are here to take you through the last three events of the winter in Lahti, Finland. And we cover a couple of retirement announcements from U.S. skiers. We’re taking a little break after this but, we promise: We won’t leave you hanging for the whole off-season. Stay tuned for more regular episodes over the course of the spring and...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Live from Estonia, it’s Tuesday night

Estonia put on one heck of a show at a city sprint in the nation’s capital, Tallinn, this week. We give you a full recap with the help of an on-site expert, Vahur Teppan, and break down some complaints about a new system designed to level the waxing playing field — which may not have worked. We’ll be back for one more recap after the Lahti Ski Games in Finland this weekend. Devon is at...

Swinging through Sweden with Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones

The World Cup’s penultimate weekend of the year took us to Falun, Sweden for a trio of races, including two more fun 10 ks and a mixed relay. Canada’s Katherine Stewart-Jones joins us to recap her sensational season and what’s ahead for her next year. We’ll be back after Tuesday’s city sprint in Tallinn, Estonia. Get at us at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com.    

The Devon Kershaw Show: Double trouble in Norway

No rest for the weary (except those who skipped Holmenkollen): We’re back with recaps of, objectively, the most lit series of races on the World Cup circuit, in Norway. We’ve got the goods from the Holmenkollen 50 k races, including the first-ever for women, and the always satisfying Drammen sprints. We’ll be back next week. Reach us at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com.

Rosie Brennan isn’t a sparkle chipmunk. But “every human” can still relate to her hard-fought career.

PLANICA, SLOVENIA — Anyone who knows Rosie Brennan, and the ups and downs of her professional cross-country ski racing career, can relate to her mother’s experience at the World Championships here. Walking among the crowds in U.S.-themed clothing, Wiggy Brennan heard the same thing, over and over, from European fans: “We love Jessie Diggins!” — a reference to Rosie Brennan’s gold-medal winning teammate. “And I say, ‘Okay. But what about Rosie?’” Wiggy said. That question...

Support FasterSkier Once Again

  Dear Readers, I’m writing this from my desk at the media center in Slovenia, where I’m surrounded by journalists all over the world: Japan, Estonia, Scandinavia. I am, literally, the only writer here from North America — the U.S. or Canada. In the past week, I’ve helped the FasterSkier team bring you an array of work: in-depth coverage of the American medal-winning performances, podcasts breaking down each race, and features on athletes and family...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Quick bonus episode with the Canadian relay men

Canada threw down an impressive fifth place finish in Friday’s men’s 4×10 k relay, finishing just seconds from the medals. We caught up with the team afterwards in the mixed zone — here are our interviews with, in order, Tony Cyr, Graham Ritchie and Olivier Leveille. (We interviewed scramble leg skier Xavier McKeever earlier in the day, which is why he’s not featured in this clip.) We’ll be back tonight with a recap of the...

The Devon Kershaw Show: IgNor-way and it was an awesome men’s World Championships relay

Yeah, Norway smoked everyone in the men’s 4×10 k relay at World Championships in Planica, Slovenia. But the race for silver and bronze was a thriller, with Canada delivering an electrifying performance. Chris Jeffries, the Canadians’ high performance director, joins us from on site to break the race down. Get at us at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com. Ten races down, two to go.  

Jessie Diggins won gold. Now, she and all adjacent Americans are basking in European adulation.

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.  PLANICA, SLOVENIA — Rita White, Oumar Cherif and Anna Dehler arrived in Slovenia from Minnesota on Monday. The next day, they headed up to the World Ski Championships competition venue at Planica,...

The Devon Kershaw Show: Recapping the 15k with the Jessie Diggins of Swedish ski journalism

Tomas Petterson, a veteran sports reporter for the Swedish newspaper Expressen, joins us to recap the men’s 15 k at World Championships, and to discuss Sweden’s fantastic women’s team and the country’s hopes for its raw, talented men’s squad. Reach us at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com. Seven days down, four to go.

“Open your eyes”: Ukrainian skier recounts trials of war and calls for Russian ban to remain

PLANICA, SLOVENIA — If Victoriia Olekh isn’t having her best showing at the World Ski Championships here, she has a good reason: war. Olekh is from Ukraine. The Russian invasion of her country started just as she finished racing at the Olympics in Beijing last year. The Russian military has mined the fields and forests where she used to work out, Olekh said. Air raid sirens went off in the middle of running workouts, forcing...

Bonus World Champs episode: Hear straight from Diggins, and her coach

We wanted to let you hear straight from the medalist’s mouth. So we’re posting these short interviews Nat did yesterday with World Championships gold medalist Jessie Diggins and her coach Jason Cork. We’ll be back later today with coverage from the 15-kilometer men’s race. Stay tuned, and email us at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com.  

The Devon Kershaw Show: Kern and Diggins team up to deliver World Champs hardware in Planica

If you’re reading this, you already know: Jessie Diggins and Julia Kern teamed up to deliver a bronze medal for the U.S. at the World Championships in Slovenia. We’ve got a full breakdown and oh yeah, there was a men’s race, too, and a standout Canadian result. The championships is rolling along; email your notes and questions to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com.