In this first of a new, very occasional series, we offer some guidance and recommendations for how to plan a trip to off-season snow. Where to stay, how to get there, how much it might cost, what the snow is like, and how to avoid a few local headaches - there's no need for every skier to reinvent the wheel on a training trip. First up, Passo dello Stelvio in Italy.
When I had the chance to ski at the legendary Passo dello Stelvio in August, it seemed like magic. What I found when I arrived, often, did not. Was the culprit my own unreasonable expectations, or Stelvio’s changing fortunes?
Biathletes and cross-country skiers alike from Europe and beyond descended on Sandnes, Norway, for the annual three-day Blink Ski Festival from Aug. 1-3. The rollerski mass starts, hill climbs and sprints saw some close finishes, new winners and record crowds.
After a three-year break from World Cup racing, Torin Koos returned to the international scene last year and picked up where he left off with a top 20 finish last March. As the 33-year-old prepares for what could be his fourth Olympic Games, he thinks of last season as a stepping stone to more progress in 2014. "I feel like I’m coming into this year with some momentum and still with a lot to prove as well, to myself," Koos says.
This month in scientific journals, researchers investigated how teammates affect performance in individual sports, which has rarely been considered; six Canadian skiers took part in the study. Also, how do you plan intervals? Uphill, or on the flat? Based on heart rate, percent of VO2Max, or anaerobic threshold? Two papers investigated.
Want to go the extra 10 percent to improve your skiing? CXC Elite Team coach Bill Pierce outlines a recipe for success -- one that states foam rolling, stretching and massage are a must, along with balance and agility drills.
Most people do zero maintenance on their roller skis. This is all right most of the time but there are a few things that should be checked for safety.
If you noticed the slew of photos from a ski race in the Yukon last week, you weren't dreaming. The second-annual JP Grand Prix, hosted in a backyard in Whitehorse, was held on Friday complete with live music, a barbecue, TV crew and, yes, snow. Welcome to the world's coolest ski race.
The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Gold Team is stressing quality over quantity this season, especially with three promising skiers out of college. Two-time NCAA champion Miles Havlik joins the team, along with Rose Kemp and Mary Rose. “Although we are a small squad, 3 men and 3 women, ambitions are high for this crew," Rodgers says.
With nearly two dozen athletes, the MWSC in northeastern Maine is shaping up to be a national powerhouse in both cross-country and biathlon. "From my perspective as director, this group is more of a team than we've ever had," says director Will Sweetser. "There is no doubt that our program will have one of the best men's distance teams in U.S. XC."
With the conclusion of all four Regional Elite Group training camps last week, USST development coach Bryan Fish discusses how he's watched juniors improve over the last few years in camps and competition thanks to collaboration between coaches nationwide, the support of organizations like the NNF and presence of a more clear American model for international success.
Far West juniors from Truckee, North Tahoe, Sugar Bowl Academy and Mammoth programs took part in a four-day camp in the Eastern Sierra July 18-21. Camping in June Lake, participants experienced lots of sunshine and warm temperatures while putting in some high quality training.
In this edition of the Wednesday Workout, we talk about tapering and present some conventional wisdom along with endurance-specific tips. Zach Caldwell explains what some of his professional skiers do to rest up for a big event, and explains why there's no sure-fire method of peaking.
You asked, we answered! Welcome back to another installment of our Question and Answer (Q & A) series. This time around, FS contributor and former national-team member Nancy Fiddler gives some rollerski training tips.
We’re 199 days and counting if you’re keeping track of how much time remains until the start of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and we know many of you are. In case you haven’t been reading every ounce of pre-Olympic coverage, we’ll do our best to stay on it and provide relevant nordic updates throughout the next sixth months.
Fresh off a trip from France, where he trained with national team skiers and biathletes, Erik Bjornsen talks how he wants to build off last season's breakthroughs and the major lessons he takes away from training with foreign athletes. "In order to reach the top, you really have to live cross-country skiing at every hour of the day," he says.
The Maine Winter Sports Center, with the support of the Libra Foundation, has announced its intention to make an historic gift of Black Mountain ski area in Rumford, Maine and all its assets to the community based non-profit corporation, which has operated the mountain since 2003.
The joint women’s training camp between the U.S. Ski Team and Alaska Pacific University began this week in Anchorage, Alaska, bringing many of the nation’s top female skiers together for the first time in a month along with a few special foreign guests. After a "killer" workout earlier this week, USST women’s coach Matt Whitcomb said training has been going well so far.
It can feel like nordic sports don't have anyone in their corner when it comes to funding. But that's not true - former University of Colorado racer and coach Alan Ashley is now the Chief of Sports Performance at the USOC, and his strategy is informed by his past experience. We chatted with him about how he works to develop skiing and every other Olympic sport.
BSF is looking a little bigger this year with more than a dozen athletes between its elite and post-grad teams (up from three elite-team members last year). "With the combination of a good group of college skiers, energy has been high and there has been a great atmosphere for training,” coach Andrew Morehouse explains.