Speed workouts make fast skiers in more ways that one might think, SMST2 Head Coach Gus Kaeding says. He lets us in on a couple of his go-to variations on a staple workout.
With a new head coach at the helm and a couple new athletes, CXC is rebuilding while setting tangible goals for the season ahead. "I think at first, they were skeptical to listen to me because they've heard this before and results have ebbed and flowed," Bill Pierce says. "But I think they’re willing to give it a chance."
There's a reason APU ventures to Park City each summer, and it's all about transitioning and revving up for the season ahead. “Whether it's the altitude or not, I think everyone here has gotten two weeks of incredible training,” U.S. Ski Team and APU skier Holly Brooks said. “It's hard to say from a physiological standpoint, but I think it's been a really productive camp either way.”
XC Oregon's elite team roster is a bit smaller this year, but coach J.D. Downing is excited about the team's quality. "We'll have a bit of a 'factory team' feel with fewer full-time skiers than some years, but a whole lot of talented people involved," he explains.
The MOD grew by three with the addition of both Brian and Caitlin Gregg and junior Maya Seckinger. "The new additions have brought challenges but great rewards, too," coach Scott Johnston says. "At times were are going 4 different directions but all with the same ending destination."
Switzerland has a population just a bit smaller than the state of Virginia, and despite the Alps and Jura mountains faces some of the same challenges in developing World Cup skiers that you might find in North America. We chatted with Swiss U24 coach Christian Flury, formerly of Alberta World Cup Academy, about how his squad represents his country's future, and how he manages it.
Images from the men's 12.5-kilometer pursuit at the Ethan Allen Firing Range on Aug. 11, the last of the two-day North American Biathlon Rollerski Championships in Jericho, Vt. (Women's 10 k pursuit photos to come.)
Photos from Day 1 of the North American Biathlon Rollerski Championships at Ethan Allen Firing Range: women's 7.5 k and men's 10 k sprints.
Lowell Bailey could go around telling people he won two national rollerski titles this weekend. But that’s not exactly the biggest deal for Bailey, a U.S. biathlon champion multiple times over who’s been competing at the sport’s highest level for more than a decade.
Bend Endurance Academy head coach Ben Husaby has a good sense of humor when it comes to his one-man team. Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess is their guy, but luckily BEA has a roost of "ravenettes" pushing the 27 year old during summer training.
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.
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."
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.
With 24 athletes, APU is keeping its elite team pretty similar to years past, but there's definitely new blood in the training group with eight new men on the team.
This is the third preview in our series on U.S. elite teams, which we’ve dubbed the “The 12.” With all six original members returning to Stratton Mountain's T2 squad and two promising newcomers (one of which is on the USST) in the mix, this Vermont-based team is feeding off last season's career bests to prepare for an Olympic year.
FasterSkier ventured to Vermont this week to see the entire Stratton Mountain School T2 Team working out together or one of the first times this summer. Video includes footage from bounding and strength sessions earlier this week, as well as interviews with Andy Newell, Simi Hamilton and Eric Packer.
You probably know the players, the four main guys that make up SSCV/Team HomeGrown, but here's the scoop on what they're up to and what each is aiming for in the lead up to Sochi.
In an effort to ring in 2013/2014, we’re kicking off our second-annual elite team preview – now called “The 12.” Starting with the Craftsbury Green Racing Project and proceeding in no particular order, we’ll profile 12 of the biggest powerhouses in U.S. cross-country skiing throughout the next several weeks. Don't worry, we'll get to Canada, too.
When he last attempted to make the Olympics, Mikey Sinnott was four years younger and admittedly a step quicker. But the 28-year-old Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation skier is confident he can offset aging with accumulated experience and earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team for the first time in his career.