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T-Minus Ten Years: Soldier Hollow’s Preparations for Salt Lake City 2034

As the pageantry and athletic performances of Paris 2024 captivated audiences across the United States, a team of organizers had their eyes fixed on a target far beyond the shores of the Seine. Ten years beyond, in fact. The International Olympic Committee announced on July 24th that Salt Lake City, Utah will host the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the Cross-Country and Biathlon events returning to the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center, site of the...

The Old Man and the Lake: A Skier’s Swim Across the Mackinac Straits. Part I

Bobbing around in the middle of Lakes Huron and Michigan like a cork in a bathtub while staring up at the intimidating mass of the Mackinac Bridge tends to put things into a different perspective. My perspective was one of incredible insignificance. Everything around me was huge: the lake, the bridge, the distance, the current, and especially the stomach churning, energy sapping swells. I felt incredibly small. How does a guy end up in this...

National Team Development Center (NTDC) Assistant Coach and Cross Country Ski Ontario (XCSO) Development Coach 

We are excited to announce an opportunity for a passionate and experienced coach and/or former high-performance/varsity athlete to join our dynamic team. If you have a deep understanding of elite-level sports, a commitment to excellence, and a desire to develop and support top athletes, we encourage you to apply. This role offers the chance to work alongside leading professionals and contribute to the success of our athletes on the national and international stage. This dual...

NNF Announces Trail to Gold Application is Now Open

  The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is excited to announce that the application period for Trail to Gold Coaching Grants is now open. The Trail to Gold Coaching Grant program provides American women coaches and technicians the opportunity to gain international-level experience through an immersive internship with the US Ski Team. The third class of T2G Coaches will further build on the success of the past two years by continuing to add a dynamic, impactful presence to...

Shane MacDowell: Filling Some Very Large Shoes. Part II

Last May, FasterSkier wrote about the retirement of University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) legendary ski coach Cory Schwartz, who had been with the University for 42 years. This summer, UNH named Shane MacDowell— the team’s former assistant coach— as Schwartz’s replacement. In Part one of our interview with MacDowell we discussed the lessons learned from his mentors, and the challenges of following in the footsteps of a beloved legend. In Part II we discuss meeting...

Quarry Road Trails Seeks Development Coach

  Development Coach Overview:  The City of Waterville is accepting applications for the position of Development Coach for Quarry Road Trails. This position will work under the direction of the City of Waterville’s Quarry Road Trails Program Director. The Development Coach will help organize and lead the Quarry Road Ski Club’s youth and middle school Nordic ski programs.  This position will provide high-caliber coaching and assistance to Quarry Road Ski Club’s athletes, volunteer coaches, high...

A Story of Resilience and Hard Work: Coming Back from a Season-Ending Injury with Graham Ritchie

Speaking with FasterSkier from Torsby, Sweden, Graham Ritchie is together with three teammates from the Canadian National Development Team completing a three-week long training camp in the Torsby Ski Tunnels – an experience he describes as “unique.” Working with his coach, this camp will provide Ritchie with some valuable hours on snow after an injury that caused him to sit out last season entirely. A 25-year-old Canadian nordic skier, Ritchie made a late debut into...

Harvard Seeks Assistant Coach for Men’s & Women’s Nordic Skiing

  Under the supervision of the Head Coach, the purpose of this position is to use athletics as a tool to educate college students.  By using inter-collegiate competition and all activities related to such competition, this position serves as a teacher and mentor to help build student character, prepare students for a constructive and effective life, and teach valuable life lessons including work ethic; discipline; resilience; persistence; teamwork and selflessness; goal-setting and goal achievement; overcoming...

Shane MacDowell: Filling Some Very Large Shoes. Part I

Last May, FasterSkier wrote about the retirement of University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) legendary ski coach Cory Schwartz, who had been with the University for 42 years. This summer, UNH named Shane MacDowell— the team’s former assistant coach— as Schwartz’s replacement. Following in the footsteps of a person whose career stretches back to the Reagan administration is a daunting task. Doing so at a university which has a dedicated and passionate alumni base is even...

Olympic Reflections from Paris

It’s been 14 years since I became an Olympian, competing as a cross country skier in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Since then, it hasn’t been easy to get to the Olympics as a spectator. The Winter Games have been in Sochi, Pyeongchang and Beijing, while the summer games have been in Rio and Tokyo, with an interruption by the Covid pandemic. The Paris Games were finally an opportunity for me to attend my...

University of Denver Skiing Seeks Assistant Nordic Ski Coach

The Nordic Assistant Coach assists the Head Coach in the administration of all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, coaching, recruiting, event scheduling, supervision of program personnel, budget management, Student-Athlete mentoring, team travel, equipment, meals, technical logistics (software), marketing, and compliance with NCAA and the RMISA rules/regulations. The Assistant Head Coach will embrace and model a positive coaching philosophy and associated techniques, insisting on a culture of respect and positive communication, as...

Getting to Know Fin Bailey: One of the Newest Members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Finnegan Bailey—a resident of Landgrove, Vermont, and team member of SMST2 and the University of Vermont—was selected this spring to become one of the newest members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team at the staggering age of 18. So how’d he do it? In the last twelve months, Finnegan (Fin) Bailey has received quite the accolades in the competitive nordic skiing scene. To name a few: he was named to the SMST2 club team, he...

Galena Lodge Seeks Nordic Ski School Director, Instructors and Restaurant Staff

Galena Lodge is a small day-lodge nestled in the Rocky Mountains 23 miles north of Sun Valley Resort and Ketchum, Idaho. We are located at an altitude of 7,300 feet at the base of the Boulder and Smokey Mountains. Our winter season runs from mid-November until early April (or as snow levels permit) and our Summer Season runs from mid-June until mid-September. Winter Positions Nordic Ski School Director and Instructors: (2-3 people) This job requires...

CU Ski Team Visits White House For College Champions Day

The Colorado Ski team was one of several NCAA Championship teams at the White House Monday that were celebrated at the College Champions Day. About 20 members of the 2024 NCAA Championship Ski team were in attendance for the Buffaloes along with six coaches and staff members.  The day began with a tour of the White House and culminated with speeches from NCAA Senior Vice President of Championships Lynda Taeler and Vice President Kamala Harris....

Clarkson Nordic and Cross Country Seeks Grad Assistant

Clarkson University is the nationally ranked research institution of choice for more than 3,400 enterprising, high-ability undergraduate and graduate students who launch remarkably successful careers.  The Department of Athletics, a Division III member of the Liberty League and USCSA, is seeking a graduate assistant for Cross Country and Nordic Ski; This graduate position includes a $10,000 stipend plus tuition (employment is contingent upon proof of acceptance into graduate school at Clarkson University). Responsibilities include but...

The Best Destinations for Cross-Country Skiing in France

France is one of the most beautiful countries for cross-country skiing, blessed with breathtaking landscapes that attract winter sports enthusiasts. The country caters to skiers of all levels, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned one looking to discover the scenic beauty of the French Alps.  From the extensive trails of Courchevel to the picturesque routes in Morzine, here are the best destinations for cross-country skiing in France. Courchevel At the heart of the French...

The Man Who Wants to Change How You Think About Skiing. Part II

In Part I of our interview with Andy Gerlach we talked about how he got into the ski business, the Factory Team, and the products he carries. We continue our interview with a broader view of Gerlach’s mission to change the mindset of cross-country skiers in America and the way you think about skiing, buying skis, and racing. FasterSkier: Your backstory is interesting. You’re a mechanical engineer and have a master’s in economics. You wrote...

“Like Riding a Bicycle”: American Birkebeiner’s Popp to Push Worldloppet Forward

“If you’re not pedaling, you’re going to fall over.”   Last month, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation sprang into registrants’ inboxes with a summer announcement: Ben Popp, Wisconsin native and ABSF Executive Director since 2013, had been elected President of the Worldloppet International Ski Federation. Replacing Finland’s Juho Viljamaa, Popp will serve a four year term, effective immediately. He already has the regalia to prove it. The Federation’s gavel, a relic of the Tony Wise...

Taking Another Look at More Family-Run Ski Wax Companies

We live in an era where product lines are often dominated by several large companies. More and more, small companies are bought up by large corporations as soon as the small company shows an innovation or growth pattern which its lumbering competitor can’t duplicate. Consolidation, just shy of monopoly, is standard practice for many industries.  Fortunately for skiers, this pattern hasn’t held true for cross-country ski wax. There are the big two—which is really the...