Kuusamo, Finland – Inge Braten, the Canadian World Cup coach, fell and broke his hip today in Finland. Braten, a native of Norway, slipped outside his apartment near the ski stadium. “I was busy on the phone, and suddenly my legs were gone and I could not catch myself . The first thing that I thought was that this I don’t have time for this,” said Braten. He required surgery and was operated on in...
(translated from langrenn.com “Marit er i en annen liga” and “Dette gir selvtillit” 11-15-09) Kikkan Randall had a very impressive 4th place finish this morning in the Beitostolen classic, ensuring a bit of variety in the otherwise Norwegian-stacked top 5. Marit Bjorgen won the race with a crushing 23 second lead in the 5km race, which was just over 14 minutes long. This followed her strong win yesterday and prompted her teammate Marthe Kristofferson, 25 seconds back...
(translated from Langrenn.com, 11-14-09 “Rå seier til Northug”,”Bjørgen utklasset konkurrentene”) Marit Bjørgen skied to victory in today’s 10km skate race in Beitostolen. Norwegian teammate Kristin Størmer Steira finished second, 52 seconds behind, while Arianna Follis (ITA) took third. Norway took 5 of the top 10 finishes. The U.S. Ski Team saw two top-thirty finished today as Liz Stephen and Morgan Arritola placed 16th and 24th, respectively. In the Men’s 15km skate, Norway’s Petter Northug started...
(translated from langrenn.com on 11-13-09, ““Dahl til topps på Beitotsølen” and “Majdic vant overlegent”) When two of the favored winners, Simen Ostensen and Petter Northug, fell in the heats, it was a fight between John Kristian Dahl and Timo Andre Bakken in the sprint final at Beitostølen today. Dahl edged Bakken for the win, while Alexander Legkov finished third. In the prologue Andy Newell and Torin Koos of the US placed tenth and thirteenth, respectively,...
(translated from ski-nordique.net, 11-12-09, “Coup dur pour Franz Göring”) Franz Göring tore ligaments in his ankle during a workout recently. He will have to take four weeks off before resuming regular training, so his chances of participating in the Olympic Games are very small. In his absence, the German team will be composed of Teichmann, Angerer, Sommerfeldt, and Filbrich, with the remaining place perhaps a contest between the young racers Tim Tscharnke or Philipp Marschall.
This week, all of Aino-Kaisa Saarinen's doping tests from the beginning of the training season be published. Thereafter the site will be updated for each and every test she takes. "I will increase the public's knowledge of a number of tests, such that they get to know how often we actually are tested. I want to show that I am a clean athlete, and that it is possible to achieve results without doping. It's tight between the tests, and the system works," believes the ski racer.
(translated from langd.se 7-11-2009, “Nyhet: EM i langlopp”) Registration is now open for the first European Ski Marathon Championships. The committee of the European Ski Marathon Association has decided to make this February 14, 2010, the premiere of what they plan on making an annual event. The Championship will combine the scores of two marathons, one skate and one classic. The first Marathon will be the Tiroler Koasalauf, a 50km skate at St Johann in...
606 students from 16 top sports high schools - including the national team course focus (landslinje) for skiing - have received surveys from doctor Marianne Martinsen with Norway's Sports Community College (Norges idrettshøgskole). She wants to find out how many young athletes who have just started at a videregåendeskole, have symptoms associated with eating disorders.
(translated from Langrenn.com) In response to the article in langrenn.com on Wednesday, “Ulvang mener Northug må få sin del av landslagskaka”, Terje Julusmoen on behalf of Press Team Northug issued a statement saying that Petter Northug’s relationship with the Norwegian Ski Federation was very good, he was happy to have a place on the team, and was also proud to be part of the best team in the world. The press release further stated that Northug would...
"This only shows that 'the winner takes it all", says manager of sponsorships at [Norwegian Bank] DnB Nor, Jacob Lund, to Aftenposten.
Norway's Eldar Rønning came home from the Norwegian National Team's altitude camp on Friday. When he got back he was looking forward to some training on his home trails, but in reality he got something entirely different.
(translated from ski-nordique.net 11-4-09, “Northug et Cologna sous le même maillot ? ” and langrenn.com “Ulvang mener Northug må få sin del av landslagskaka” 11-4 09) Leaders of the nordic ski world often look to cycling for ideas on how to advance the sport of skiing. Could the next similiarity come in the creation of more private teams ? With many national teams experiencing financial problems, the incentives to join a private team with larger funding could...
Former Norwegian ski king Thomas Alsgaard shared a room with Hjelmeset during the [Norwegian] National Team training camp in Val Senales. "I have missed being in good shape and knowing that my body is really capable," Alsgaard said to [Norwegian TV station] NRK.
(Original Source: langrenn.com, 10/27/2009, translated by Patrick Stinson) True to the Olympic plan. Petter Northug is: Trusting his plan. Asleep at least 12 hours a day. Reflective and serious when necessary. Quiet and modest off the trails. National Team coach Morten Aa Djupvik knows the oft-discussed cross country racer better than most. And there is another Northug than the one that is portrayed in the media. “That he is boastful of all of his achievements...
Double Olympic Champion in 2006, Kristina Smigun of Estonia, is making a comeback, aiming to defend her Olympic gold in Vancouver. Right now the 32-year-old is in Ramsau and plans to travel to most of World Cup races this winter. “I decided in August that I would try to compete again. I have trained well and I feel that I have more to give on the ski tracks, ” said Kristina, now called Smigun-Vaehi, to...
The Swedish National Team is aiming high this winter and they are reaching the sky with the help of their own airplane – Swedish Ski Force 1. “This is literally a lift for us. With our own chartered plane we’ll save both time and energy when traveling,” says Olympic hopeful Emil Jönsson, 24. Last season the Swedish team presented their unique wax truck. The impressive, easy to spot Scania truck gave the team many advantages...
Kristin Størmer Steira is a member of the norwegian national cross country ski team and recently won the 5000 meter run at the Norwegian National Track and Field Championships on Sunday. Norwegian Women's Trainer Egil Kristiansen is clear about the fact that Størmer Steira should start prioritizing strength and ski-specific training.
In thousands of homes live many, many ski racers. Some are better than others. Some may be better than the rest. And also we have those that don't care if they are any good at all. Some are good even without caring if they are good, and can be called "irritatingly good."
"I'm still floating on the old training, says Kristen."
Ragnar Andresen Bragvin won today in the Markkleberg sprint and is now leading the Rollerski World Cup