It was a disappointing day in Asiago, Italy, for the U.S. and Canadian men in Sunday's classic team sprint, with neither team making the final. Both Canada I, with Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey, and USA I, with Simi Hamilton and Andy Newell, were in the same semifinal -- the second one, which proved disadvantageous on a balmy 41-degree day.
Just a few meters ahead coming into the homestretch, Ola Vigen Hattestad stayed ahead and outlunged Alexey Poltoranin of Kazakhstan by a couple centimeters on Sunday, giving Norway I the victory as Kazakhstan placed second and Norway II finished third.
Welcome to FasterSkier's Holiday Gift Guide! The holidays are here and it's time to go hunting for the perfect gifts for your favorite cross-country skiers. Whether it's a fresh pair of socks or a new wax bench we have recommendations for the best gear out there. Take a look and see for yourself. You'll walk away with some great ideas to make this ski season one to remember.
Wondering why Billy Demong was competing at the Continental Cup this week in Utah? Things are definitely not derailing for the U.S. Nordic Combined veteran or his teammates back in Europe -- in fact, they're right on track. On Thursday, Demong secured the team's fifth World Cup quota spot.
Some little-known facts about the 26-year-old US Ski Team sprinter, including the time he ate red ants with USST coach Matt Whitcomb and his 37 ascents of Grand Teton.
When Andrew Young qualified for his first World Cup sprint heats on Sunday, he knocked his better-known teammate Andrew Musgrave out of the top 30. Britain now has four athletes who meet the Olympic "A" standard, and perhaps more on the way - now they just have to find a way to get them all to the start line in Sochi.
During the holidays, opportunities for races can be few and far between, and it’s often easy to get into the lull of long distance skis with old friends. While these can be fun and beneficial, it's important to get some high intensity and completive training in before the season starts to intensify in January. BSF has the right idea with a hill-climb time trial on Dec. 28.
Mikey Sinnott is the first to admit that his fitness isn't great so far this season. But although his overall goal is to make the Olympics - and his results so far on the World Cup, where he earned starts after winning last year's SuperTour, haven't done that for him - he's staying on the circuit one more week to soak up the competition before prepping for U.S. Nationals.
From the cross-country World Cup in Davos, Switzerland, to U.S. Nordic Combined's best finish in a team sprint in Ramsau, Austria, to five straight days of biathlon races in Annecy, France: here's everything you didn’t get to read about over the weekend.
In the last big North American race before the holiday break, Kevin Sandau (AWCA/NST) and American Kate Fitzgerald (APU) took home top honors on Sunday in the Black Jack NorAm 10/15 k classic individual starts in Rossland, B.C.
Incoming U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association CEO Tiger Shaw promised this fall that he'd spend some time getting to know each of the many sports he'll soon oversee. He made good on that promise when he visited the cross country ski team in Davos, Switzerland, this weekend, witnessing their best day ever of World Cup sprinting.
The Canadian team was locked out of the quarterfinals in Sunday's World Cup sprint, leading team members and coaches to call it a "bad day". But two team members who are recovering from health issues - Lenny Valjas and Chandra Crawford, who made her season debut at this level - looked at the sprint qualifier as a way to gain fitness on their upward trajectories, regardless of results.
A podium for Kikkan Randall, a career-best ninth-place finish by Sophie Caldwell, a semifinals appearance by Jessie Diggins - it was a good day for the U.S. Ski Team, before you even consider strong quarterfinal efforts by Sadie Bjornsen, Andy Newell, and Simi Hamilton. "We're really excited about the day," Matt Whitcomb said.
Marit Bjørgen might be the best skier in the world (although Justyna Kowalczyk would have something to say about that). Kikkan Randall might be the best sprinter. But after a tight photo finish in the Davos freestyle sprint today, both realized they will need to get even better if they want go into the upcoming Olympics feeling confident about gold.
After making a risky lane choice - albeit one that had worked in the past - Kikkan Randall ended up touching skis with Stina Nilsson of Sweden in the final of today's World Cup sprint. While she didn't fall, it may have cost Randall something - she only lost the race by 2 centimeters. U.S. coach Matt Whitcomb reviewed the video and called the incident a valuable learning experience.
Bryan Fletcher and Todd Lodwick narrowly missed the podium in the 2 x 7.5-kilometer sprint in Ramsau, Austria, finishing fourth for U.S. Nordic Combined's best result in a team sprint. "We train all summer and to have a result like [this] is humbling,” Lodwick says. “We’re really, really proud to put Norway in its place and to know that we are the fastest team out there, whether it’s by a second or ten seconds, it doesn’t matter."
With Kikkan Randall, Liz Stephen, Holly Brooks, and Jessie Diggins all scoring World Cup points, the American women's team was happy with their day in Saturday's 15 k skate. Were there any personal bests? No, but a few of them cracked a tough Davos course that has given them trouble in the past.
"So I tried to do my own race and not think about the other ones being in front of me," said Norway's Marit Bjørgen after her win in Davos today. She wasn't kidding around - not only was she the last starter in the 15 k freestyle, but she also wasn't winning at the early checkpoints. But if anyone can turn the tables, it's Bjørgen.
Noah Hoffman, the lone American entrant in the individual-start 30 k, planned to start conservatively and attack the downhills, a place where he has lost time before on the Davos courses. Although his pacing didn't go quite according to plan, Hoffman said he was happy with his 25th-place finish, 1:54 behind race winner Maurice Manificat of France.
Get to know Davos, and its trails, before you watch the World Cup races this weekend. A hint: it's at elevation and the courses feature loooooong uphills. Saturday's 15/30 k skate competitions are going to be tough! Luckily, there's a forecast of sun and some great scenery.