Health

Source: Swedish newspaper Expressen

Source: Langrenn.com Norwegian NTB reported Tuesday afternoon that French skier Vincent Vittoz's B-test is negative. Vincent Vittoz's A-test, taken after the World Cup race in Nove Mesto on January 15, had traces of Furosemide, a banned diuretic agent. There was, however, nothing wrong with the B-test. There is for that reason no doping case against the Frenchman. Vittoz is currently in second place overall in the World Cup.

Source: Langrenn.com It was made public last week that French skier Vincent Vittoz’s A-test from the World Cup races in Nove Mesto was positive. Norwegian National team doctor Hans Petter Stokke thinks that it’s strange that someone is testing positive for Furosemide, which Vittoz’s test showed traces of. See Fasterskier.com’s story on Thursday February 3, 2005 Vincent Vittoz Tests Positive For Doping

FIS has a control system that works well and doping expert Bengt Saltin in FIS’s medical committee predicts a clean Nordic World Championship in Obersdorf this month, reports Swedish Skidsport.com FIS has the situation under control ahead of the upcoming Worlds. Dyn-epo is nothing new, but it’s still not on the market. It can however become a problem for the 2006 Olympics if we don’t develop a test method. But dyn-epo is not a problem...

Norwegian national team skiers are tired and frustrated of knowing that that many of their competitors are seldom being doping tested. They are now demanding that FIS is stepping up in their hunt for doping violators, reports Norwegian newspaper VG (

Source: Norwegian newspaper VG: French cross country skiing star Vincent Vittoz has tested positive for doping only two weeks before the start of the Nordic World Championship in Oberstdorf, Germany. Vittoz is number two in the overall World Cup. Vittoz is tested positive in tests taken at the World Cup races in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic on January 15. The name of the substance that was found in the sample has not been released yet....

Source: Langrenn.com Vibeke Skofterud and Kine Beate Bjornas have been sent home from the Norwegian altitude camp in Italy. Both of the girls came down with diarrhea and had to miss the pre-Olympic World Cup in Pragelato. -Kine got it first. It lasted for 12 hours. She was living in the same room as Vibeke who then also got it, says head coach Svein Tore Samdal. For Vibeke Skofterud the illness is most unfortunate since...

FasterSkier posted two articles last week regarding cold weather racing. One was about cold weather racing guidelines for children ( http://www.fasterskier.com/training.php?id=1494 ).   The technical delegate (TD) for last years Norwegian championship in Bardufoss, Petter Gronas, felt it was responsible to run the races even if it was cold.   National team skiers Jens Arne Svartedal and Kristian Horntvedt developed asthma problems following the races at last year’s Norwegian championship that was held under very...

The cold weather guideline for children decided by the Norwegian Ski Federation (NSF) is currently being heavily criticized. Experts are claiming that it’s irresponsible and is putting thousands of children at risk.  “Craziness,” says Professor Ulf Aaseboe, chief physician of the pulmonology department at the University hospital of North Norway about NSF’s cold weather guide for skiers under 15-years old. Today it’s set at -15 Celsius (5 F).   Source: Langrenn.com

Four Years Without Outside Competition Doping Tests For World Championship Winner Norwegian newspaper VG reports that Martin Koukal (25), of the Czech Republic who sensationally won the 50-kilometer skate race at the 2003 Worlds has not been doping- tested outside competition for more than four years. It was Koukal himself who revealed this lack of follow up from the anti-doping sector in his own country in a meeting among the racers in Pragelato this spring.

Norwegian top skiers Kristian Horntvedt and Jens Arne Svartedal have developed asthma problems and are still struggling with the after-effect from racing in  extreme cold conditions at last years Norwegian championship at Bardufoss. – I had no problems with the cold temperatures in Bardufoss, but I got sick a few days after I got home says Horntvedt to Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten http://www.fasterskier.com/racing.php?id=793 Super Tour: COLERAINE, Minn. (Jan. 18) – Bitter, biting cold and wind (-15...

A group of researchers have concluded that the active ingredient in Viagra improves performance in situations involving low oxygen supply. This might result in the product being added to the doping list. It’s the ingredient Sildenafil in Viagra that has proven to increase performance in situations with low oxygen. The research report is published on the web site of The Annals of Internal Medicine:

The last month has been a tough one. Instead of cranking up the intensity to get ready for the race season, which is only 7 weeks away, I have been trying to nurse a knee back into shape. I have one of those injuries that require only one thing, and being an athlete with a goal, a plan, a lot invested, and just too much energy, that one thing is really difficult to find: PATIENCE....

Swedish SkidSport.com reports that last years overall World Cup winner, Rene Sommerfeldt of Germany is slowed down by an injury.

Norwegian newspaper VG reports that WADA director Rune Andersen isn’t nearly as pessimistic as the Norwegian women’s national team coach Svein Tore Samdal regarding possible dopers chances of getting away with cheating. Samdal is afraid that DYN-EPO can cause doping situations similar to what happened during the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. – I believe that DYN-EPO might have been mistaken for other blood-products available on the market. Our science department is working closely...

Norwegian women’s national team coach Svein Tore Samdal fears extensive doping this season.

World Cup skier Havard Bjerkeli (Norway) is struggling to train as he desire because of on-going back pains. Havard broke his foot when he was 3-years old. He has grown taller than most people following this, but the problem is that one leg has grown a little longer than the other. This obliqueness has transferred to the back, and its causing problems.

Norwegian newspaper VG reported this week that national team skier Vibeke Skofterud (24) weight in periods are fluctuating up to levels that affects her performance. She is now getting help from the Olympic committee. – Vibeke is struggling with a fluctuating weight. It’s affecting her performance. She needs help to deal with this, says national team coach Svein Tore Samdal. Norwegian Olympic Committee expert, and professor at the Norwegian Sport College of Oslo, Jorunn Sundgot...

Editor's Note: The following article was recently submitted to us by an author who wished not to be named (read: embarrased). While FasterSkier.com certainly doesn't condone this behavior due to its ill effects on performance, we do find it amusing to watch the suffering during the workout on the morning after. A Reminder to Those who have Reached the Age of Majority. On a recent weekend night, I enjoyed myself…A Lot. We went to someone’s...

Norwegian National team skier Kristin Stormer Steira has struggled with an Achilles injury since early this spring. – It started to bother me this spring and it’s not letting go, says Stormer Steira.