The view from the back of the pack. From L-R: Koos, Cook, Wadsworth, Newell. (Photo by Paul Murray). “As a team we really feel New Zealand provides the best on-snow training in the world, said Wadsworth. “We’ve been to the Haig. We’ve been to Dachstein. New Zealand’s got them all beat. It’s the absolute best skiing in the world. Sitting at 1600 meters, it’s not too high. You can get in quality speed and interval...
HAYWARD, WI – XC kicked off the 12th annual Technique Development Camp at Telemark Resort on Monday, July 28. The camp is sponsored by the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation and included participants ranging from beginning J3-J4 skiers to master skiers and a coaches education block. The majority of the skiers were high school age. Meals, lodging and most training was provided by the excellent staff and facilities at Telemark. Sessions were led with a solid...
Kikkan Randall (Anchorage, AK) just wrapped up a session of training with the Alaska Pacific University Nordic Ski Center on Eagle Glacier in the Chugach Mountains near Anchorage, AK. Weather would not allow for a helicopter so Randall, along with a group of APU athletes, hiked three hours to reach the glacier. “The hike in was quite exciting. You ascend 5,000 feet. We had everyone in good spirits so we kind of took our time...
The coaching staff consisted of Head Coach Ben Husaby (MBSEF), Brenna Knowles (MBSEF), Chris (Flash) Clark (Methow Valley), TJ Owens, and Janice Sibilia (JLS Sports). This was JLS Sports 7th trip out to Trout Lake and each year I think I say this, but it just gets better. The training was tough, (but the campers all came through with flying colors); the group of skiers was talented and willing to work hard and the coaches...
Lake Placid, NY – The New York Ski Educational Foundation XC Program hosted 17 athletes from around the state at the Olympic Training Center July 8-13 in Lake Placid. The week was to be a high volume week and a chance to continue working on technique. Athletes had three focuses for the week: 1. preparation (for training and the upcoming winter) 2. focus while training 3. technique (improve efficiency) All three of these areas were...
National kayak trainer Kjell Tore Solvang of Norway recommends Nordic skiers use paddling as an alternative training method in the summer and gives advice both on over-distance workouts, intervals, and technique in the boat. “There is more and more explosive strength in cross country ski racing, and training in the kayak can give ski racers a good alternative training method in this area,†says former Norwegian National Team Coach in paddling, Kjell Tore Solvang.
Central Cross Country Ski Association recently concluded a week of testing, training, and technique work at Cresthill Resort in Hayward, WI. Participants included the 12 CXC Elite Team members, 11 Junior Development Group athletes, 4 Regional Elite qualified juniors, 23 members of the qualified State Development Group and 10 juniors and seniors that petitioned in to the camp. Also attending were 8 coaches participating in the 3 day Coaches Education program. Coaching staff included US...
“The way to beat the Europeans is to take advantage of training in our high mountains.†— Vlady Members of the Junior National Biathlon Team and several fellow senior athletes came together from across the United States for a two week camp that began at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and later moved to Winter Park. This camp pushed these hopeful athletes to a higher level with a primary focus on a high...
Brian Seppala is an 8th grade science teacher and Head Track Coach at Chaparral High School in Parker, CO. Among other titles his boys won the 5A State Championship in the 4×800 meter in 2006 (7:53) and 2007 (7:54). In 2008 the girls team brought home the state 5A title (9:21). I grew up skiing in New Hampshire, went to college to ski there, and wasn’t planning on leaving skiing or “Back East†anytime soon....
Central Cross Country Ski Association with the support of the American Birkebeiner is pleased to announce the 2008 Regional Technique Development Camp for Regional Development Group, State Development Group, and Open category athletes and Master skiers. This camp blends upper level regional athletes in combination with entry level and first time participants. The goal of the camp will be technique development in small groups (4-6 athletes per coach) of similar levels and individual video analysis...
The 2008 CXC Regional Elite Group (REG) camp kicked off last weekend at Cresthill Resort in Hayward, WI. Over 50 of the Midwest’s best junior skiers are attending the camp as well as the CXC Elite Team and Junior Team. Skiers at the camp receive coaching from US Ski Team coaches Pete Vordenberg and Matt Whitcomb, as well as CXC Elite Team coach Bryan Fish, Junior Team coach Bill Pierce, and St. Scholastica College coach...
The Western REG camp wrapped up this weekend after a great week of training in Park City, UT. Forty-three athletes selected from Intermountain, PNSA, High Plains, Far West and Rocky Mountain got in some big volume (17-22 hrs for the week), but also two quality intensity sessions, a couple strength workouts and a lot of roller ski technique work out at Soldier Hollow. Agony Hill Time Trial served as the second of two intensity workouts....
What has become known as the “Sweden Trip” has been in Scandinavia now for 13 days. The trip, which travels to a ski camp in Sweden and then continues on to ski on snow at Sognefjell, is in its eighth year. This year's group consists of ten skiers plus two guest coaches (Erik Nilsson and Annelies Cook) and the head coach from Burke Mountain Academy; Pete Phillips. We spent the first ten days in Sweden...
Choosing your own line out in a big open meadow in the Deschutes National Forest is what makes the West’s spring skiing scene so special. This year six hundred inches of snowfall, combined with the high desert climate of sub-zero Celsius nights and sunny days make for epic crust cruises. It’s June 15th and rollerskiing’s a choice, not a necessity. Running high on the trail up Cascade Head, above where saltwater and freshwater meet. Nothing...
Andrew Johnson is a two time US Olympian in Cross-country skiing and an assistant coach at the University of Utah. He recently launched a personal coaching service. For more information, visit http://www.xccoachaj.com or email Andrew at info@xccoahaj.com When should I start doing intervals? When should I start adding level 4 intervals? How often should I do intervals? These are all questions I hear fairly often and they are questions that don’t have simple answers. Intensity,...
Roller-skiing is one of the best forms of ski training — and also one of the most dangerous. Unlike on snow, where a controlled fall can salvage many situations and a skilled skier can stop on a dime, skiing on the road can be unforgiving in the extreme, and bailing out should be used only as a last resort. But you should not feel as if you are putting your life on the line every...
Crested Butte, Colorado With over 1000 inches of snow falling in the mountains above Crested Butte, Colorado this winter, a blizzard was a fitting start to the June Ski Camp that opened today. The new snow cleaned up the trails and made for great skiing during the morning’s classic ski session on Kebler Pass. The four-day camp continued through Sunday with a focus on skiing and technique development. Afternoon dryland training and touring the town’s...
Andrew Johnson is a two-time US Olympian, skis for the Fischer/Craft Race Team, and runs a personal coaching business – http://www.xccoachaj.com. Roller-skiing is by far and away the most important training tool Nordic skiers have at their disposal. However, it’s important to remember that more does not always mean better. My take on the early summer specificity question is that it’s not necessary and in many cases counter productive to start regular roller-skiing workouts in...
This is only a partial list of camps around the country. If you have a camp to add, please email us at info@fasterskier.com and post it on the FasterSkier Calendar. Maine Winter Sports Center Training for Success Summer Camp Come join the coach of Maine’s newest college ski program, Petr Jakl, University of Maine Presque Isle head coach, to get a jump-start on your ski season with other high school skiers from around the state....
Dick Taylor presents some some very interesting and potentially controversial ideas about skate technique, especially in relation to the current conventional wisdom. Feel free to discuss Dick's ideas using the comment form at the end of the article. Please keep comments on topic and related to the article content. Jack Sassvilles article in Master Skier, “Skating and Weight Shiftâ€(p.5), needs to be continued. His second-to-last paragraph is a good place to start. “With the increased...