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Team SOLDA had “blistering fast skis” and posted the fastest time of the day in the Utah Nordic alliance 3 x 5-kilometer relay on Saturday. Despite being the fastest on all three legs, we still didn’t win! Here is the story: The first leg is classic and the next two legs are skating. Our relay team of Anders Haugen, 8th in the sprint at last year’s US nationals, myself (Torbjorn Karlsen) “fit for his age,...

The fastest skiers in the country raced for the unofficial title of US 100m record holder on Cross-Country skis. In conditions far from optimal – new snow and headwind varying from 1 — 6 m/s, Tim Weston and Kevin Hochtl had the fastest men’s 100m times of 12.71 and 12. 73 second, while Kikkan Randall was the fastest woman in 14.68 second. All these times beat last year’s US records of 12.76 (Andy Newell) and...

This coming Wednesday, December 8th at 9:30 AM, members of the US National Cross-Country ski team and invited “speedsters” will attempt to break the current 100 meter Cross-Country skiing World record. The 100-meter sprint at Soldier Hollow will give the sprinters 2 — 4 individual opportunities at breaking the World Record. All individual races will be timed with certified FIS timing equipment. At this event last year Andrew Newell set what was believed to be...

Arve Skaren, Norway won a sprint race in Luzern Wednesday evening. The competition was good and included the entire German sprint team. Five Norwegian sprinters who will compete in this weekend's sprint World Cup race in Bern participated. Atle Skaren ended up beating everyone and could celebrate his victory at the town-square in Luzern. – Arve is looking strong and skied well, said sprint coach Ulf Morten Aune, and reported good atmosphere for this FIS...

The Wooden Ski Classic is an annual event put on by the Sons Of Norway and the University of Alaska Anchorage Ski Team at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. Alaskan skiers are encouraged to pull out their wooden skis, bamboo poles, and three-pin boots, as well as their finest wool sweaters & knickers to celebrate the coming of another winter. While it is a fun event (“It's not a race, its a CLASSIC”), skiers are assessed...

Madison, Wisconsin – 50` temps and overcast skies created perfect conditions for the Russian Style Ski School to hold the first XC race in Midwest 2004-2005 season this Saturday with its November Sprints event at Tyrol Basin Ski Area just west of Madison, WI.  An enthusiastic group of competitors and volunteers participated in the 400m sprint race on the rolling course of man-made snow. Racing consisted of an individual start qualification  followed by 2 person head to head heats for each...

The Canadian team did a classic time-trial at Silver Star on Saturday. Beckie Scott was the fastest woman and Devon Kershaw won the men’s race. Sara Renner and George Grey are currently racing World Cups in Europe Silver Star Time Trial, Nov 20, 2004 Classic 1 lap ~ 3.5 km LAP #1 LAP #2 FINAL 1 Beckie Scott 10:55 11:15 22:10 2 Milaine Theriault 11:26 12:02 23:28 3 Tasha Betcherman 11:56 12:08 24:04 4 Madeleine...

Elite-level domestic racing got underway in the US this weekend with the Anchorage (Alaska) Winterstart races. Normally the racing season starts in early November in Fairbanks, Alaska with North American Continental Cup races, which are then followed by another weekend of Continental Cup races in Anchorage. But this season the US Ski Team elected to go to Finland instead of Alaska, and the Canadian Team had good snow in their own backyard. Without the National...

Justyna Kowalczyk of Polen won the women’s 5-kilometer classic race in Muonio, Finland on Sunday by 50 seconds. Ivan Battory of Slovenia won the men’s 10-kilometer by 21 seconds. They might do well in next weekend’s World Cup races. No word on whether any of the American team, also training in Muonio, raced in the classic race. Men 10 km classic: 1. Ivan Batory SVK 23.52,4 2. Janusz Krezelok POL +21,3 3. Maciej Kreczmer POL...

Mathias Fredriksson dominated the men’s 15-kilometer classic race in the Swedish cross country opener on Saturday and won by 46 seconds. Lars Carlsson was second and Christoph Schnider from Switzerland was third. Former Vasaloppet winner Oscar Svard 6th and George Grey, Canada 11th 1 minute and 28 seconds behind the winner. On Sunday, Lars Carlsson won the 15-kilometer skate race ahead of national team skier Jorgen Brink. George Grey was 7th, 42 seconds out. 15K...

Marit Bjorgen won the 5-kilometer freestyle race at the Norwegian cross country opening weekend at Beitostolen on Sunday. Vibeke Skofterud was second, 7 seconds behind and Hilde G. Pedersen third, 8 seconds out. Sarah Conrad, USA was 19th in a very competitive field that included a number of Russian elite skiers.  Results: 1 67 1303777 BJØRGEN Marit Rognes IL NOR 11:28.8 0.0 2 66 1305426 SKOFTERUD Vibeke Slitu IF NOR 11:36.0 +7.2 3 68 1260903...

Biathlon Skiers Lars Berger and Ole Einar Bjorndalen crushed the Norwegian elite cross country skiers and took first and second in a 10-kilometer skate race at Beitostolen on Sunday. Another biathlon skier, Frode Andresen was fifth and might also have ended up on the podium as well if it hadn’t been for an early crash that cost him time and knee pain.

Marit Bjorgen won Saturday’s 10-kilometer classic race at the Norwegian cross country opener at Beitostolen. Bjorgen got revenge after Friday’s sprint, where she ended up second, and won Saturday’s race. She now believes in more victories on the longer distances. She was 12 seconds ahead of Vibeke Skofterud in second place and 35 seconds up on Hilde G. Pedersen in third. Yesterday’s sprint winner Guro Strom Solli was 23rd.

Kris Freeman, USA was third in a 10-kilometer skate race in Muonio, Finland on Saturday. The race was won by 2003 50-kilometer skate World Champion Martin Koukal. According to US Coach Pete Vordenberg on the Team Today website, “[Freeman] said he was feeling quite a bit better this weekend than last but is still shy of a really good race. Andrew Johnson also raced very well, especially over the last loop where he conceded only...

Frode Estil threw his leg forward the same way that made him tie with Thomas Alsgaard for Olympic Pursuit gold in 2002. This time it was enough to beat Odd Bjorn Hjelmset by 0.2 seconds to win the Norwegian 15-kilometer classic opener on Saturday. Eldar Ronning was third. Yesterday’s sprint winner Krister Trondsen was 27th. Oddbjœrn Hjelmeset second place. Photo: Erland Lundby Hjelmeset Happy Oddbjorn Hjelmeset was sick with bronchitis last week and decided after...

Johan Kjolstad was fastest in the men’s skate sprint prolog in the Norwegian season opener on Friday. Trond Iversen was second and Krister Trondsen was third. National team skier Ella Gjomle was fastest in the women’s skate sprint prolog. Vibeke Skofterud was second and Marit Bjorgen third. Men's Results from prolog:   1 10 3420131 KJØLSTAD Johan Skogn IL NOR 1:49.91 0.00 0,00 Qualified 2 3 1185340 IVERSEN Trond Mjœndalen IF NOR 1:51.64 +1.73 15,74...

Guro Strom Sollie crushed sprint queen Marit Bjorgen in the final of Friday’s skate sprint in the Norwegian season opener at Beitostolen   Results:   1 4 Final A SOLLI Guro Strœm Drevja IL NOR 2 3 Final A BJØRGEN Marit Rognes IL NOR 3 1 Final A GJØMLE Ella Lyn Ski NOR 4 2 Final A SKOFTERUD Vibeke Slitu IF NOR 5 7 Final B NORDSTAD Berit Tynset IF NOR 6 5 Final B...

Krister Trondsen won the men’s skate sprint finale in the Norwegian season opener at Beitostolen on Friday. Trond Iversen was second and Stein Thun was third   Results: 1 3 Final A TRONDSEN Krister ByÃ¥sen IL NOR 2 2 Final A IVERSEN Trond Mjœndalen IF NOR 3 9 Final A THUN Stein Vidar Klæbu IL NOR 4 5 Final A SKÃ…REN Arve ByÃ¥sen IL NOR 5 1 Final B KJØLSTAD Johan Skogn IL NOR 6...

Axel Teichman of Germany won ahead Tobias Angerer in Sunday’s 10-kilometer FIS skate race in Muonio, Finland. He also won Saturday’s classic race ahead of Angerer. The competition was good and included the entire German team and national team skiers from a number of different nations. Carl Swenson, USA skied a solid race and was 8th, 52 seconds behind the winner. Andrew Johnson was 33, 1.52 behind.