Harald Oestberg Amundsen

Norway’s Depth Rules Holmenkollen 10 k Freestyle

John TeafordMarch 16, 2025

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Holmenkollen has traditionally been the site of the season’s most significant 50 k race, and many in Norway are fairly grumpy to have it removed from the schedule. For the racers in today’s substitute...

Feature News Racing World Cup

Amundsen Returns to the Top, Schumacher 10th in Cogne 10 k

John TeafordFebruary 2, 2025

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. 10 k Freestyle is a speed race . . . and so much faster than the fastest runner in my home town can RUN a 10 k that it’s not even funny. Age grouper...

Feature News Racing World Cup

Toblach 20 k—Amundsen Goes All In

John TeafordDecember 31, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In an earlier age of cross-country skiing, nearly all races were against the clock (not mass start events). One-by-one, skiers disappeared into thick forests, there to battle conditions and strategies and personal demons on...

Feature News Racing World Cup

Schumacher Fifth in 20-K Skiathlon–Norwegians Sweep Podium

Ken RothDecember 8, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today’s race—the 20 kilometer Skiathlon— marks the last day of competition in Lillehammer, Norway. On the men’s side of the racing there has been complete dominance of the weekend by Norway, with only...

Feature News Racing World Cup

Norway Rules in Lillehammer—Nyenget Scorches 10 k Freestyle

John TeafordDecember 6, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. There will be a Cross-Country World Championships in Trondheim, Norway later this winter—and it looks like the anticipation of those important race days on the International Ski Federation (FIS) calendar is causing this...

Feature News World Cup

Klaebo Captures Falun 20 k, Amundsen Hoists the Globe

John TeafordMarch 17, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The 2023-2024 FIS World Cup season ends as it began—an all-Norwegian podium. After 20 kilometers of Mass Start Freestyle racing, the race was decided among a crowd of red race suits as Johannes...

Feature News World Cup

Klaebo Tops Niskanen in 10 k Classic Duel

John TeafordMarch 16, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The guy is just unbelievable . . . on a day when steady snow fall, swirling winds, and temperatures just above freezing would seem to allow fewer racing advantages for Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo...

Feature News World Cup

Klaebo Finally Triumphs at Holmenkollen

John TeafordMarch 10, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Years ago—when Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) was still just a world Cup newbie—fans watched him trip over a klister-fed snow-snake on a Holmenkollen downhill, and go flipping ass over tea kettle. It’s the...

Feature News World Cup

Picking a Winner—Team Norway’s Unique Dilemma

John TeafordJanuary 24, 2024

Team Norway has swept most distance race podiums this season, and has consistently placed a rotating series of Norwegian stars atop those podiums, as well. It’s become a foregone conclusion that a Norwegian man will win the Overall World Cup title this season. Even so, if any of those Norwegian contenders miss a couple of races, their chances of contending for the season-lone Crystal Globe all but evaporate. Just ask Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo; He’s podiumed...

Feature News Tour de Ski World Cup

International Flair at Tour de Ski—Amundsen, Moch, Lapalus

John TeafordJanuary 7, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. The origin story of the Tour de Ski suggests that it was invented to mirror cycling’s Tour de France: multiple stages, mountaintop finishes, leader’s jerseys, thrilling competitions, glorious champions. Today’s Stage 7 of...

Feature News Tour de Ski World Cup

Tour de Ski Classic Pursuit: Amundsen Takes Control

John TeafordJanuary 4, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Winter endurance sports represent a quandary: training for endurance events requires that athletes push themselves repeatedly toward exhaustion . . . a condition that makes them especially susceptible to transferable illnesses. Influenza caught...

Feature News Tour de Ski World Cup

Norwegian Men Restore Status Quo: All Red Podium in TDS Pursuit

John TeafordJanuary 1, 2024

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Pursuit racing is kind of weird—giving an additional head start to those already in the lead, while asking other racers to chase those who have already proven to be faster. It can seem...

Feature News World Cup

Amundsen Captures World Cup Lead, Hagenbuch 13th in Oestersund 10 k

John TeafordDecember 10, 2023

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Week after week, the final standings of World Cup distance races are a list of Norwegian names, and the bibs of World Cup leaders continue to pass from Norwegian to Norwegian. Oestersund Sweden’s World...

Feature News World Cup

Schumacher 16th in World Cup 10 k as Norway Sweeps Podium

Ken RothDecember 2, 2023

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Today, the FIS World Cup moved to Gallivare, Sweden where a rolling course hosted the 10 kilometer interval start races. In the men’s race, the headline story was the absence of Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo...

News World Cup

Shuffled Podium, Same Norway. Americans Ski to Promising Results in 15 k Skate

Ben TheyerlMarch 1, 2023

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. What was old is new again: for the first time since equal-distance racing policies were put into effect this season, the men’s field was set to race a 15 kilometer individual start....

Feature News World Cup

Another Norwegian Heard From: Amundsen Earns First World Cup Victory in Les Rousses

John TeafordJanuary 27, 2023

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. Fans have become accustomed to Norwegian men occupying the World Cup podium, but it’s getting pretty crowded there on the top step. Team Norway has delivered World Cup wins this...