Pat O’Brien – FasterSkier

Head Coach Transitions for the SMS T2 Program with Pat O’Brien and Perry Thomas

After eight years at the helm of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) T2 team, head coach Pat O’Brien is in the process of taking a few steps back, passing the reins to Perry Thomas, who has spent the last five years as the assistant coach at the University of Vermont. Perhaps highlighting this transition and the sharing of responsibilities the two are in the process of navigating, FasterSkier connected with Thomas in mid-May while he...

Feature Resources Training Workouts

The Nationally Shared Workout: A Look at the U.S. Pace Project

Pasha KahnJanuary 12, 2022

Last year, in an effort to create a standardized workout that could be easily replicated and repeated, national team coaches presented the concept of the “U.S. Pace Project.” The concept is straightforward: a shift away from time-based intervals to distance-based, centered around repeated laps of a 5-kilometer course. This familiar distance is key. In a call in July, Matt Whitcomb, U.S. Ski Team Head Coach, and one of the creators of the project explained that:...

General Interviews News US Ski Team

The Andy Newell Anti-Retirement Story

Alex KochonApril 6, 2018

When Andy Newell took to social media about a week and a half ago to announce that he was parting ways with the U.S. Ski Team (USST) after 16 years, some people might have assumed that he was leaving the sport. They would be wrong. Newell, a 34-year-old Shaftsbury, Vermont, native and USST A-team member for the last 12 seasons, was quick to clarify that he’s not retiring from racing. After four Olympics and 16...

General Interviews News Racing US Ski Team World Cup

Kern on the European World Cup Scene: ‘There’s No 99 Percent Out There’

Chelsea LittleDecember 15, 2017

After scoring World Cup points in her first try as part of the U.S. Nations Group roster in Canada last season, Julia Kern is getting a crack at the European World Cup scene this winter. The 20-year-old Stratton Mountain School (SMS) Elite Team member, Dartmouth College student, and U.S. Ski Team D-teamer has been finding her place, surrounded by teammates who have racked up three sprint podiums so far this season. “The early season World...

Continental Cup General News Racing

Wednesday Rundown: SuperTour Finals Skate Sprints

Jason AlbertMarch 29, 2017

U.S. SuperTour Finals (Fairbanks, Alaska): Freestyle sprints On Wednesday the 2017 U.S. SuperTour Finals, also referred to as Spring Series, the last of the year’s elite level sprints went down in Fairbanks, Alaska. The women raced a 1.5-kilometer course while the men skied a slightly longer 1.6 k course, both run at the Birch Hill Recreation Area in Fairbanks. Earlier in the week, Jessie Diggins of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) Elite Team and U.S. Ski...

General Interviews News Racing US Ski Team

17 Questions for 2017: Katharine Ogden

FasterSkierNovember 21, 2016

Out of school and upping the volume, U.S. Ski Team "D" teamer Katharine Ogden is ready for the season, particularly the new SuperTour stop in Silver Star, British Columbia.

General Interviews News Racing US Ski Team

17 Questions for 2017: Patrick Caldwell

BrainspiralNovember 14, 2016

Paddy Caldwell of the Stratton Mountain School and Dartmouth College is looking forward to giving U23 racing one last hurrah at Soldier Hollow this winter. "I think my top-end speed has improved since last year," he explains.

General Interviews Juniors News Racing US Ski Team

17 Questions for 2017: Julia Kern

BrainspiralOctober 30, 2016

Having joined the SMST2 Elite Team this year as well as enrolling at Dartmouth College, Kern has made some changes and is looking forward to another big year. "I think there isn’t one specific area where I have seen improvement over the past few months, but actually in every area," she wrote.

Interviews Racing US Ski Team World Cup

World Champs Rookies: 10 Questions with Ben Saxton

BrainspiralFebruary 18, 2015

Ben Saxton of Stratton Mountain School T2 wasn't initially part of the U.S. World Champs squad but was added after a sixth place finish at the U23 Champs. He answered 10 questions before his first World Championships as part of our series on World Champs rookies.

Interviews News

With Tour Win Under Belt, Hamilton Looks to Improve in 2015

Lander KarathSeptember 18, 2014

FasterSkier caught up with Simi Hamilton during the USST Lake Placid Training Camp to talk with him about his summer training and the winter season ahead. While Hamilton doesn't plan to change much in his routine, several "gear changes" might allow him to achieve even higher results in the coming months.

Dryland General News Racing

First to Top of Toll Road, Stephen Shatters Another Hill Climb Record

Alex KochonAugust 30, 20132

Before last Sunday, Liz Stephen isn’t sure if she had ever been to the top of Mount Mansfield’s Toll Road, which winds for 4.3 miles up 2,564 vertical feet in Stowe, Vt. Didn’t matter. The 6th Annual Race To The Top Of Vermont was another hill climb, and Stephen had a goal of winning, setting a course record and beating mountain bikers in the process.

News

Craftsbury Green Racing Project Names 2013-2014 Team

Craftsbury Outdoor CenterMay 2, 2013

Liz Guiney, Andrew Dougherty and Pete Hegman join the 2013-2014 Craftsbury Green Racing Project roster.

Continental Cup Racing

Newell Skis Away with Classic Sprint Win at SuperTour Finals

Audrey ManganApril 7, 20131

As the fifth-ranked sprinter in the world this year and the only guy on the World Cup to qualify for the heats in every sprint he started, Andy Newell returned to the domestic sprint scene on Saturday as the odds-on favorite. Despite a challenging wax day at SuperTour Finals, he delivered the win he'd hoped for, besting Pat O'Brien and Erik Bjornsen in second and third, respectively.

Continental Cup Racing

Bjornsen Weathers Boggy SuperTour Finals Opener, Wins Prologue

Alex KochonApril 4, 2013

Erik Bjornsen headed into Thursday's wet-and-blustery 3.3 k prologue at SuperTour Finals with a controlled fire, pacing himself for the first half and attacking for his first SuperTour win by 14.5 seconds. The only man, or woman, to beat Kikkan Randall, he did so on a tough and slow course.

Collegiate Continental Cup Racing Regional / Local

Local Teams Sweep Craftsbury Spring Tour as Eastern Skiers Prepare for California Finale

Chelsea LittleMarch 25, 2013

Sorry, New Hampshire: the Vermont-based teams of Craftsbury, Stratton, and UVM had a lock on the podium at the Craftsbury Spring Tour after 10/15 k pursuits based on the previous two days' results. Sophie Caldwell consolidated her lead to win by a mile, while Pat O'Brien worked some slick skis through the sunny snow to edge out Eric Packer.

Collegiate Continental Cup Racing Regional / Local

SMST2 Reigns in Craftsbury Spring Tour Sprints; O’Brien Scores One for Home Team in Prologue

Audrey ManganMarch 24, 2013

Recently back from Europe, Sophie Caldwell has dominated Craftsbury's mini-tour so far, winning the 3.6 k prologue by over 30 seconds and the sprint qualifier by ten. The men's field is tighter, after Pat O'Brien and Paddy Caldwell dueled it out in the prologue and then the sprint final came down to a drag race between SMST2 teammates Eric Packer and Skyler Davis.

General News Racing World Cup

Hello, World Cup

Audrey ManganDecember 6, 20122

The American nation’s group athletes in Quebec City this week are about to take the biggest stage of their athletic careers. None of them are content with just having made it, however; these athletes want to compete.

Continental Cup Racing

Hanneman Hammers to First SuperTour Win in Bozeman

Audrey ManganDecember 2, 2012

Knowing it could be his last chance to earn a trip to the biggest stage of his life, Reese Hanneman (Alaska Pacific University) pulled out his first career SuperTour win at Bohart Ranch on Saturday in the classic sprint, skiing a step ahead of the field to beat Nils Koos (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and teammate Erik Bjornsen.

Continental Cup Racing

SuperTour Preview: Get ‘Em To the World Cups

Audrey ManganNovember 19, 20121

Ready or not, the 2013 SuperTour season is fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know about the domestic race scene this year. At this point, we’ve pretty much said everything we can about the twelve senior ski programs in the U.S. We ran a series throughout the summer highlighting each team’s past accomplishments and goals for the future. Read back through ‘em for comprehensive rosters and standalone previews (scroll down for links). Now that...

General News Other Racing

Notes and Quotes: Climb to the Castle Edition

Audrey ManganSeptember 19, 2012

WILMINGTON, New York — Ahh, September in the Adirondacks. Even when it rains, nothing quite beats a camp featuring long runs in the High Peaks, cliff jumping at the Flume and, most importantly, a five-mile suffer-fest up Whiteface Mountain. In case you somehow missed what happened in the Climb to the Castle, Liz Stephen (U.S. Ski Team) demolished the women’s field by over five minutes on the five-mile climb, setting a significant personal record for...

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