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...
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...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
Please go to the following link for job details and application instructions: www.uvmjobs.com/postings/74565 For all other questions please contact Patrick Weaver at: patrick.weaver@uvm.edu
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...
“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...
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...
The SMST2 Team is proud to announce this year’s Gap Grant program to support elite World Cup skiers in their pursuit of excellence on the international stage. This initiative provides financial assistance to unfunded (D Team and non-USST) athletes that qualify to race on the FIS World Cup for any period of time. Gap Grants were made possible by the generous contribution of an anonymous donor and will be available to SMST2 skiers for the...
Ever wonder where and how all of those cool cross-country ski products you may drool over come from? There’s one man who has an outsized role in bringing very ski specific products into the United States. But he’s also on a larger mission. He doesn’t want to just sell cool ski stuff. He wants to change your mindset about skiing, and the way the country buys skis. The man’s name is Andy Gerlach, and he’s...
Dear Cross Country Community, We are pleased to announce the XC Team for Period 1 of the 2024-25 World Cup season: Ruka, FIN Sprint C Men Michael Earnhart Objective 23-24 Overall SuperTour Leader JC Schoonmaker Objective 10th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Ben Ogden Objective 15th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Gus Schumacher Objective 27th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Kevin Bolger Objective 30th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Zak Ketterson Objective 35th 23-24 Sprint World Cup...
Anhelina Hryhorenko is a typical 14-year-old girl in many ways—she loves art and isn’t a fan of math. And she’s excited to have her freshman year of school over. But she’s got a lot of unique qualities, too. For one, she’s a junior national champion with more medals than she can hold in two hands. She’s also the daughter of a former national cross-country ski team member team and the niece of a three-time...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. All of us need to take a break from our jobs every now and then and do something a little bit—out there— which challenges us. For many, that’s going for a long ski,...
On Saturday, June 29, the best cyclists will set off from Florence, Italy for the first stage of the 2024 Tour de France. For the next three weeks, they’ll be riding around 200 km of often hilly or mountainous terrain every day. This devilishly grueling stage race serves as a model for the winter equivalent – Tour de Ski – where cross-country skiers are pushed to their infernal limits day after day. This seems like...
This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In part I of our interview with Julia Kern we talked about her summer training changes, and what was a very challenging winter of racing. Please continue reading for Part II of our...
Parallax is an effect where the objects in the background of an image appear to move more slowly than the objects in the foreground. In animation, it’s traditionally been used to add depth to an otherwise two-dimensional world. With the background moving slowly, the faster movement in the foreground implies that time is moving. In effect, parallax is a way of adding time into one’s understanding of a place. I reckon that the essential experience...
Summary of Position The Assistant Nordic Ski coach will assist the Coordinator of Skiing in planning and organizing all phases of the NCAA Division 1 Ski Team program including but not limited to Assist Head Coach with planning and organization of practice sessions, Assist in set up and administration of home meets, Attend all practices as designated by head coach, Assist head coach in organizing community service projects, Assist Head Coach in recruitment of prospective...