Topher Sabot – Page 9 – FasterSkier.com

Bjoergen Starts World Cup on Top, Norwegian Women Dominate in Sjusjoen

Topher SabotNovember 19, 2011

There were plenty of surprises in Saturday’s World Cup opener in Sjusjoen, Norway. Marit Bjoergen (NOR) was most definitely not one of them. The “Queen” of the 2011 World Championships with four golds and a silver served notice that she would once again be the woman to beat on cross-country skiing’s biggest stage. The 31-year-old Bjoergen threw down from the get go, building an early lead en route to a 27.1 second victory over Charlotte...

Racing World Cup

Notes and Quotes From Brusvallarna 15k – Canadian Edition – UPDATED w/Photos

Topher SabotNovember 13, 20112

All photos courtesy of Erik Wickström –

World Cup

Kalla Leads Swedes in Bruksvallarna, Jones 20th

Topher SabotNovember 13, 2011

All photos courtesy of Erik Wickström – Results

Racing World Cup

Manificat Spoils Scandinavian Party in Bruksvallarna, Mixed Bag for Canada

Topher SabotNovember 12, 2011

Frenchman Maurice Manificat kicked of his 2012 season on the right foot, overcoming a loaded field of Swedes and Norwegians to take the victory in the 15km freestyle FIS race in Bruksvallarna, Sweden. Manificat edged out Johan Olsson (SWE) by 5.1 seconds on the 6×2.5 kilometer course. Petter Northug (NOR) lead the race at the five kilometer mark, but was unable to hold on, slipping back to third, 17.9 seconds behind Manificat. After Manificat, Sweden and...

Training Workouts

Pro Workout: Sand Skiing with Aubrey Smith

Topher SabotNovember 4, 20114

When it comes to skiing, there are generally two choices—the real deal on snow, and the simulation on roller-skis. But there is a third option that pops up every now and again, usually as a gimmick or diversion—skiing on sand. Bill Koch, the only American to win an Olympic medal in cross-country skiing, experimented wth sand skiing while living in Hawaii after his racing career ended. You may remeber the classic Rossignol poster of Koch,...

General News US Ski Team

Notes and Quotes from the Climb to the Castle

Topher SabotSeptember 23, 20111

Andy Newell is very pleased with the state of his fitness. After struggling to advance past the quarterfinals in many World Cup sprints last season, Newell feels like his endurance is better than ever. “I have never been able to keep up with Bird [Kris Freeman] and Tim [Tim Burke] and Hoff [Noah Hoffman] and guys like that during some of these level 4 intervals, but this summer I have been starting to ski alot...

Dryland Racing US Ski Team

Freeman Continues Reign as King of the Castle, Edges Burke

Topher SabotSeptember 17, 2011

No rain, no wind, a brilliant shining sun coming up over the mountains, and rapidly warming temperatures— perfect conditions for the 2011 edition of the Climb to the Castle Rollerski Race. Kris Freeman (USST) made the most of the fine day, defending his 2010 title in impressive fashion, battling with Olympic biathlete Tim Burke for much of the race, before surging ahead with less than 500 meters to go. Burke was a close second, with...

Dryland Racing US Ski Team

Stephen Claims Second Climb to the Castle Victory, Sargent Second

Topher SabotSeptember 17, 2011

On a brilliant sunny day in Lake Placid, New York, Liz Stephen (USST) extended her Climb to the Castle podium streak to five in a row, earning her first victory in the challenging five-mile hill climb since the inaugural event in 2007. Stephen and US Ski Team (USST) teammate Ida Sargent overcame an early deficit to Tara Geraghty-Moats (CNSC), turning the 45 minute test into a two-woman race by the end of the first mile....

Dryland Racing US Ski Team

Early Climb to the Castle Features XC/Biathlon Showdown

Topher SabotSeptember 16, 2011

If you are thinking that it is a little early for the Climb to the Castle rollerski race you would be right. The annual five-mile grind to the top of Whiteface Mountain in Lake Placid, New York, hosted by the New York Ski Education Foundation (NYSEF) has historically been held in October. The race is timed to coincide with the US Ski Team’s (USST) fall training camp and that two week block was shifted to...

News US Ski Team

US Ski Team Budget Cuts Stretch Already Thin Resources

Topher SabotAugust 30, 2011

Two rounds of cuts have hit the U.S. Ski Team’s already-reduced budget this spring and summer, increasing demands on athletes, coaches, and administrators alike. According to U.S. Ski Team (USST) Head Coach Chris Grover, the program was directed in late June to trim nearly $60,000 from its 2012 operating budget—in addition to a $30,000 reduction that came in the spring, during the annual budgeting process. The impact of the cuts will mostly fall on the...

Training Workouts

Pro Workout: The Long Climb With Sylvan Ellefson

Topher SabotJuly 8, 2011

It is mid July and do you know where your rollerskis are? If you are Team Homegrown’s Sylvan Ellefson, they will likely be found heading up the valley from the town of Vail, Colorado to the top of Vail pass, cranking out some long level three intervals. Ellefson, a graduate of Bates College, native of Vail, and one of the founding member’s of the Ski and Snowboard Club of Vail Team Homegrown, likes to put...

General News

From Athlete to Coach, Rodgers to Lead Sun Valley ODT

Topher SabotJune 27, 2011

Colin Rodgers, a longtime member of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Olympic Development Team (ODT), has been named its head coach. He is taking over for Travis Jones, who stepped down this spring after three years on the job. “I am very fortunate for this opportunity,” Rodgers told FasterSkier in an interview. “I am going to be able to work with some great athletes that I already know really well.” A native of...

General News

Caldwell Leaves BNS, Heads Back to Vermont

Topher SabotMay 25, 2011

Zach Caldwell, one of the premier ski technicians in the US has decided to leave Boulder Nordic Sport (BNS) and return to Southern Vermont to reestablish his own grinding and ski selection business with his wife Amy. Caldwell initially left Vermont to run a ski testing program for the US Ski Team in the Callaghan Valley as part of the lead up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, following Amy to the Whistler area after...

World Cup

Randall, Kershaw Repeat as FS XC Skiers of the Year, Harvey Joins the Party

Topher SabotMay 20, 2011

FasterSkier Cross-Country Skier of the Year Cross-Country Skier of the Year (women): Kikkan Randall (USA/USST) Randall has now won the FasterSkier Cross-Country Skier of the Year Award every season since its inception, and 2011 is no different. The choice is easy, as Randall just keeps getting better. She is not just the best woman in North America, she is one of the best skiers in the world. At this point in her career Randall is...

Biathlon General News Nordic Combined World Cup

World Cup Victory and Gold Medal Headline FS Performances of the Year

Topher SabotMay 17, 20112

FasterSkier Performances of the Year The FasterSkier Performance of the Year Award is presented in three categories – cross-country, biathlon and nordic combined, with men’s and women’s in the first two. We will start with cross-country. XC Performance of the Year (women): Kikkan Randall (USA/USST) In some ways this is the easiest of the Performance of the Year awards – there is no question that it will go to Kikkan Randall. The challenge is picking...

World Cup

Swedish Sprint Star Björn Lind Retires

Topher SabotMay 13, 20111

Double Olympic gold medalist Björn Lind of Sweden has announced his retirement from professional cross-country ski racing. The man who perhaps is best remembered for his dynamic double pole finish in the team sprint at the 2006 Olympic, where he became fully airborne with each stroke – a technique he referred to as “yumping” – leaves the sport after 10 years on the World Cup circuit. Lind won the individual skate sprint at the 2006...

Nordic Combined

Fletcher Hits the Big Time, Earns FS NoCo Skier of the Year

Topher SabotMay 10, 2011

FasterSkier Nordic Combined Skier of the Year With Canada supporting a small, and young Nordic Combined team, focus remains on the US squad. And it was an interesting year for the team. Coming off an Olympics with three individual medals, including gold, and a silver in the team competition, it would be easy to understand high expectations, especially with the trio of Billy Demong, Todd Lodwick, and Johnny Spillane returning for another year. But Spillane...

Biathlon Racing

Bailey, Studebaker Lead US Biathlon, Gain FS Biathlete of the Year Honors

Topher SabotMay 6, 2011

FasterSkier Biathlete of the Year Biathlete of the Year (men): Lowell Bailey (USA/USBA) Bailey was one of several bright spots in a somewhat rocky year for the US men’s biathlon team. Coming off a run of several seasons where expectations continued to rise for the program, what with Tim Burke leading the overall World Cup for a time in 2010, Jeremy Teela reaching the World Cup podium in 2009, and a number of strong relay...

Continental Cup Racing

US and Canada Share FS Continental Skier of the Year Awards

Topher SabotMay 5, 2011

FasterSkier Continental Skier of the Year With two different continental cup series and two sets of national championships, determining the top domestic racers can be challenging. Head-to-head match ups are usually limited, and it can be difficult to compare field strength. Such was the case this year. A strong argument can be made for both the overall SuperTour winner and the NorAm Cup. Champions. As is sometimes the case, we felt there was no better...

General News Other Racing

McKeever, Barber Lead Canadian Sweep of FS Adaptive Skier of the Year

Topher SabotMay 4, 2011

FasterSkier Adaptive Skier of the Year Adaptive Skier of the Year (men): Brian McKeever (CAN) McKeever continued his dominance of the adaptive skiing circuit, collecting three cross-country golds at the IPC World Championships and a silver in biathlon. All this hardware came without longtime guide, brother Robin McKeever, who suffered an injury not long before the start of the Championships. Long-time friend, and Erik Carleton took over, and McKeever did not miss a beat. McKeever,...

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