“I’m very excited, the last races went really well,” said Brian Gregg, who is coming off a series of solid performances at the Nor-Am events leading up to Christmas and seems to burst with energy.
It may sound trite, but in cross-country ski racing, you can never have too much speed. If you want proof, ask any of Emil Joensson’s opponents in recent World Cup sprints. The ability to accelerate quickly and reach high maximum speeds, be it in a sprint or during a surge in a mass start race, is critical to racing success. For Brian Gregg, a member of CXC’s elite team, his favorite workout focuses on just...
Last week, a new race format debuted on tough courses, with freezing temperatures as a backdrop. Reviews from athletes and coaches were mixed. The Ruka Triple, the three-day World Cup mini-tour in Finland? Nope. Try the SuperTour Sprint Showdown, the double qualifier held in West Yellowstone, MT, last Thursday. The event was the first of its kind in North America, and so far as anyone knows, in the world. Thus far, other countries have not...
The Yellowstone Ski Festival means many things to many people. The five-day cross-country ski festival can be a time to brush off the storage wax and ski for the first time each season. It can be a chance for professional racers to earn valuable points towards the World Cup. It can be an opportunity to demo new gear before the holiday season. It can be a new Thanksgiving tradition for you and yours. The Yellowstone...
Leif Zimmermann is one of only two athletes in West Yellowstone with European racing experience this winter. But he’s also one of two athletes coping with the effects of a transatlantic jet flight, making a pair of sensational performances this weekend even more impressive. With his 20-second victory in Saturday’s 10 k classic, Zimmermann (BSF) won for his third time in four years in West Yellowstone, less than one week removed from racing 4,500 miles...
Most of his competitors train full time; Martin Rosvall, 32, works full time. In March, Rosvall was 15th overall at the Vasaloppet, after having led the podium finishers large portions of the way from Sälen to Mora. No small feat for an amateur.
Big changes to the team roster and the coaching staff are this spring’s news for the Central Cross-Country Ski Association (CXC). 18 athletes and three coaches will comprise the 2011 team for one of North America’s largest and fastest-growing clubs. Vacating the post of head coach that he held since the formation of CXC in 2006, Bryan Fish has accepted a position with the US Ski Team (USST) as Continental Cup coach. Jason Cork will...
The last time Andy Newell and Ivan Babikov skied together, they were fighting tooth and nail over the top of the Lonesome Pines Ski Area in Fort Kent, during the last stage of the 2010 SuperTour Finals in Fort Kent, Maine. The two were at it again on Monday morning, but in a much more amicable—and slower-paced—setting, as the U.S. and Canadian national teams combined forces to kick off their first camp of the year...
Continental Cup Skier of the Year The Continental Cup Skier of the Year presented one of the biggest challenges of the 2010 FasterSkier Awards. Strong contenders from both the US and Canada entered the mix, with few head-to-head races to clarify the situation. Also complicating matters is the fact that the 2010 Canadian NorAm schedule featured many fewer races than the US SuperTour in 2010. Continental Cup Skier of the Year (women): Dasha Gaiazova (CAN). ...
Falun, Sweden – The results sheet showed an amazing comeback by Frenchman Maurice Manificat, who chopped 45 seconds off of Petter Northug’s lead in just 2.2 kilometers. Somehow the fading Northug was able to recover and rally for yet another stunning finish charge and the World Cup Final victory. Or not. The video tells an entirely different story, with Mr. Northug cruising into the stadium with a huge lead, stopping to take a flag and...
The distance of the first race of the World Cup finals may have been unfamiliar, but the pair of names atop the results sheet on Friday were anything but. Though rarely raced on the World Cup, the 3.3/2.5k prologue was just right for Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk and Switzerland’s Dario Cologna, as each skied to a convincing victory in the first of three races held in Falun, Sweden. Men Cologna finished five seconds ahead of Mats...
Oslo, Norway – The Canadian men’s team, just off a record-breaking Olympics, was unable to re-capture the magic. The “Big-4” of Devon Kershaw, Ivan Babikov, Alex Harvey, and George Grey all dropped out of the race, leaving Graham Nishikawa as the sole finisher in 48th place, +19:24. Kershaw was complimentary of his teammate, and very disappointed in his own performance. “Nish is a tough MF’er. Ivan, George, Alex and I pulled the pin. I had...
La Feclaz, France – A large contingent of American skiers are in Europe competing in the spring OPA cup races. The OPA cup is a European Continental Cup series along the lines of the US SuperTour. Ten men and six women competed in the 5/10km freestyle mass start event on Sunday. Brian Gregg led the men in 12th place, while Caitlin Compton paced the women in 10th. The major goal of the trip for these...
Three Elite Wave Racers with Hayward and Birkie Experience John Bauer has lived in Hayward five years and has raced the Birkie for six. As a 2002 Olympian in Salt Lake, Bauer placed 12th, 19th, and 33rdin the distance races, and 5th in the relay. He has been a member of the Rossignol team for 20 years, and tough he is still strongly competitive, his family has taken over a large part of his life...
Counting Down: 7 Days to a Marathon Brian Gregg is a member of the CXC Team Vertical Limit. Equipment Sponsors: Vertical Limit apperal, Salomon skis/boots/bindings, Toko Wax, Polar Heart Rate Monitor, Swix Poles, Rudy Project Eyewear/Helmet, Marwe Rollerskis, Nordic Ultratune Stonegrinding, Podiumwear custom race apparel. Assuming you have been training regularly, have your travel booked and know where to find your skis, boots, and poles the hard work in preparing for a marathon is done. ...
Brian Gregg picked up two podium finishes in this weekend’s SuperTour in Telemark, WI. Racing for CXC, Gregg placed third in yesterday’s classic race and then outsprinted teammate Matt Liebsch for the win in today’s mass start skate race. Gregg took a break from packing his bags (flying to the Canmore World Cups) to give the scoop on today’s race. How did the race play out – when did the field spread out and when...
Brian Gregg and Rebecca Dussault, both of CXC Team Vertical Limit, pulled away from the field during yesterday’s SuperTour in Minneapolis, Minnesota. FasterSkier caught up with them to ask them about their wins and what’s next. Some racers indicated yesterday that the weather was starting to make the course challenging and there were nearly 500 racers on course, so even the firmest of snow can deteriorate in such situations. How were things out there today?...
Minneapolis, Minnesota – Brian Gregg and Rebecca Dussault gave CXC Team Vertical Limit a second consecutive day on top of the podium. Dussault repeated continued her winning ways, skiing to a convincing 17 second win in the women’s 10km classic. Gregg, 2nd in yesterday’s freestyle race, took the victory in the 15km classic, edging Martin Banerud by five seconds. Bryan Cook (CXC Team Vertical Limit) matched his place from yesterday, taking the final podium spot,...
Maria Stuber and Brian Gregg, teammates on CXC Team Vertical Limit both finished 2nd in today’s 5/10km freestyle SuperTour in Minneapolis. They took a few minutes to answer some questions following the race. Maria Stuber It sounds like the conditions were pretty sloppy out there with all of the warm and wet weather. Can you tell us a bit about the conditions; how did the weather effect things, how the trails held up, etc? Maria...
Full Interview Birthdate: 6.27.1984 Hometown: Winthrop, WA and Hayward, WI Current Residence: Hayward, WI Ski Club: CXC Height: 5’ 8” Weight: 160 Sponsors: CXC: Salomon, Toko, One Way, Rudy Project, In The Arena When did you start ski racing, and what were some highlights of your young skiing career? My twin brother and I started out sharing one pair of skis and poles. For the most part we would wrestle around in the back yard...