Like most Midwestern states, the majority of Minnesota is an unending grid of corn and soy fields. Land isn’t so much land as it is commodity. Inhabiting that landscape tends to be a constant reminder to think in terms of economy. Life, like farming, is a series of inputs and outputs, costs, and benefits. Unlike most Midwestern states, though, things get wilder the farther North you go in Minnesota. Lakes, lots of them, jut in...
Finn Sisu may not have been the first place to sell skis in the Twin Cities, but it was the first “ski shop.” Ahvo Taipale, a Finnish immigrant and Agricultural Engineer, had spent a decade competing (and often winning) cross-country ski races across the Midwest before he looked around at the growing number of Twin Cities skiers doing new races like the American Birkebeiner and realized that someone would need to provide all those skis....
Greetings from Central Finland (where the temp was a balmy -25C upon waking up this morning)! The sun has set on the Nordic Opening and everyone has packed their bags and headed either to the next races or homeward. As a final wrap-up, the weekend was packed with lots of action. The Nordic Opening is one of the only places where you can see Nordic skiing, ski jumping and Nordic combined all in one weekend...
Aside from some frozen toes and fingers (temps still between -17 and -14 most of the time), the action in Kuusamo just keeps getting better (though photos are somewhat limited). Bjorgen continues her lead with a second win today while Cologna took over the top spot for the men (the top two Norweigian men did not compete today). A total of 15 athletes who started the tour did not compete today an will not continue...
The race action started today at 10:45 this morning with ladies sprint followed immediately by the men. Today’s format included a qualification round from which the top 30 are distributed into 5 heats of 6 skiers. The top 2 skiers from each skier and the next two fastest skiers advance to the semi-finals. From the semi-finals, the top two skiers from each heat and two lucky losers advance to the final. The weather remains close...