Interviews

Wayne Dustin is a two time Olympian in cross country skiing, having represented Canada at Calgary in 1988, and Albertville in 1992. 1992 was almost 13 years ago, but you can still find Wayne at some of the highest level North American races, such as the Canada Cup to take place at Silver Star this coming weekend. As Wayne is now my team mate I had the chance to ask him a few questions about...

Tore Rud Hofstad of Norway was not allowed to start in last weekend’s World Cup races in Gallivare, Sweden due to too high blood values – hemoglobin levels. He is now ready for World Cup start in Kuusamo, Finland. – I’m looking forward to getting started. I hope it’s not going to be too cold and that I’m able to ski a good race, says Hofstad He was denied start right in the World Cup...

November 19th (Hanover, NH):  Thomas Alsgaard, who led the Norwegian cross-country ski team for the past ten years and earned 11 Olympic and World Championship gold medals during his career, trained last Friday with the Ford Sayre junior cross-country ski team, and later spoke at the Black Community Center, in Hanover, NH.  On tour with his sponsor, Alpina/Madshus (based in Lebanon, NH), Alsgaard had already visited at Pineland Farms, in New Gloucester, ME, and after...

Marit Bjorgen captured her first ever regular World Cup victory by winning the 10-kilometer classic race in Gallivare, Sweden last Saturday. She has won many sprint races, but never before a regular length World Cup event. She admits that she was a bit proud when this happened. Bjorgen winning a sprint race has become normal, but winning a regular World Cup race hadn’t happened until last Saturday.  – It’s going to be a good season...

The Norwegian women’s team won the first 4 x 5 kilometer World Cup relay of the season in Gallivare, Sweden on Sunday. Kine Beate Bjornas skied the first leg for the Norwegian team and did a good job. She is planning on trying hard to keep that spot for upcoming World Cup relays and Worlds.

Havard Skorstad is a member of the Norwegian long-distance team and views it as a bonus that he is selected to race the World Cup opening in Gallivare, Sweden this weekend.

Skate specialist Tore Rud Hofstad ended in fourth place in the 10-kilometer freestyle race during the Norwegian season premiere at Beitostolen last weekend. He had hoped for a spot on the podium   – It was about as expected. I had hoped to be on the podium and was 5-6 seconds from that. That’s not very far away, explains Hofstad after his 4th place.   Hofstad feels that the race went as expected and says...

Personal Profile: Vibeke Skofterud, a member of the Norwegian women’s national team claimed after being second to last in the sprint races in Düsseldorf that she was in better shape than ever.  “I’m Feeling Good And Has Never Been Better” was the headline on a Fasterskier article on November 3: Vibeke Skofterud on her way to second place in the 5-k at Beitostœlen, Foto: Erland Lundby – What I mean is that I have done...

Havard Bjerkeli of Norway is looking forward to getting the season underway for real and his goal is clear, World’s gold in Oberstdorf.   – Gold is the big goal. I already have a silver medal from the last Worlds. Looking at it that way makes only gold good enough. But I’m fine with silver if gold is lost in a fair way, says Havard Bjerkeli. He can end up with two gold’s at the...

Five-time Olympic 2002 biathlon gold medal winner Ole Einar Bjorndalen is looking forward to the Norwegian cross country opener in less than two weeks, and possibly regular cross country World Cup races after that, according to Norwegian newspaper VG. Bjorndalen (32) and his wife, also biathlon skier, Nathalie Santer (30) are currently training in their new hometown in Obertillach, Austria, but are looking forward to “getting it on” (the season started). Nathalie has three biathlon...

The Norwegian sport press was very excited about sprinter Tor Arne Hetland’s performance in the sprint World Cup opener in Düsseldorf, Germany. He captured second in the individual sprint race and dominated the last leg of the team sprint relay and took home the victory in impressive style. The VG newspaper called his finish sprint his best and most impressive ever — a bold statement about someone that has won gold at both the Worlds...

The upcoming World Championship in Oberstdorf, Germany is a dream and a goal for Norwegian development team skier Jan Egil Andresen (26). A good start in the upcoming season opener races at Beitostolen is very important if he is going to be able to fight for a spot on the team.

Seventy year old Norwegian skier Jorgen Kvale is traveling around the World to participate in ski races. This winter he will get the anniversary bib number 150.000 on his chest in the popular Marcialonga race in Italy. – That’s exciting. Very exciting, said Kvale when he was told about getting the unusual bib number 150,000. Kvale has raced Marcialonga six times before. The first time was the third year the race was held. This year’s...

This article was provided by Brian Olsen of Has moving home to Alaska been a part of your improving performances? Moving to Alaska was a great decision for me. I was not sure if I wanted to continue in biathlon and I figured I should be accomplishing something in my life while I decided. Attending University of Alaska Anchorage would save me money on my education. Living in Alaska gave me the opportunity to spend...

By Eli Brown, Fischer XC Race Director Photo By Pete Vordenberg, USST Coach, TeamToday.org How does it work for you to balance traveling with the USST and your family? So far it has worked out well to be together as a family for all of the travel, training, and racing. It has to be a family commitment or stuff at this level would tear a family apart. There are times of frustration and disappointment for...

Norwegian Sprint Queen Marit Bjorgen bared her back muscles for the Dagbladet newspaper in a recent article. Go to  Sprint is however most hot in cross country skiing at the moment. That’s where you have the biggest profiles, most show, most people and eventually most money. Why not simply be happy with a sprint trademark and squeeze this to maximum? – Because I want to prove what I think I’m capable of, that I can...

Andrew Newell of Shaftsbury, Vermont has been one of the top junior sprinters in the world for the past few years as a member of the US Development Team. After scoring his first World Cup points in Trondheim, Norway this past winter and winning the overall Nor-Am sprint title, Newell was named to the US Ski Team this past spring. In addition to being a World-class sprinter, Newell is arguably the world’s best Nordic freestyle...

Fasterskier.com has received a number of email inquiries from both North American and European readers, as well as other news organizations, regarding the status of Canadian 2002 Olympic Gold medalist Beckie Scott’s future racing plans.  Rumors had spread that she had retired. That is not the case, says Beckie. I spent a week training with Beckie in Bend, Oregon last month and can confirm that Beckie has not retired and is training towards competing at...

World Cup skier Marit Roaldset (27) has lost the necessary desire and motivation to be a full-time cross country ski racer.

Jannike Ostby (26), Norway is putting her ski racing career on hold. A year of continuous setbacks was too tough to handle. She is starting nursing studies this fall.  Then it was over. She took three months off after getting sick during last season’s nationals and started up again on May 1. It was hard, but things went well until she got problems with a heel and had to have surgery. – I was told...