Bright lights in PyeongChang. The men’s second semifinal of the Olympic freestyle team sprint was a career highlight moment for Erik Bjornsen. Fourteen teams would crowd the start lanes with Martin Johnsrud Sundby in bib 1. The Norwegian was paired with Johannes Høsflot Klæbo: The duo blessed with Sundby’s stamina and his younger counterpart’s break-from-the-pack speed. With Simi Hamilton racing the second, fourth, and sixth legs for the U.S., and Bjornsen leading off, the semi...
For many who read FasterSkier, going uphill remains the name of the game. Although we assume the fidelity to nordic skiing is strong we know many dabble in several outdoor pursuits. Some athletes nordic ski as a means to remain aerobically and anaerobically sharp to parlay their fitness into proud adventures or race efforts far from a PistenBully’s corduroy. In many mountain towns, Crested Butte comes to mind, cross-country skiing becomes a default post-work burn...
This week, grooming began on the Methow Trails in anticipation of the earliest opening in the nordic center’s history. This kind of start to the season is warmly welcomed by Washington state's Methow Valley community, which endured two consecutive summers of record-setting wildfires.
A master skier learns a valuable lesson about aerobic training while blowing out the early season cobwebs at the start of the season in West Yellowstone, Mont.
The following is a letter that Scott Johnston, the coach of the Methow Olympic Development squad that at some points included Sadie and Erik Bjornsen and Torin Koos, and who also coached Team Gregg, shared with FasterSkier. He addressed it to U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association CEO Tiger Shaw after receiving Shaw’s Fall Quarterly Update, but says he has not received a reply. Some of Johnston’s concerns served as the basis of questions we asked...
The MOD grew by three with the addition of both Brian and Caitlin Gregg and junior Maya Seckinger. "The new additions have brought challenges but great rewards, too," coach Scott Johnston says. "At times were are going 4 different directions but all with the same ending destination."
Note: This is the seventh preview in a quick-and-dirty series on U.S. elite teams. We asked coaches to send their 2012/2013 rosters and tell us what’s new for the coming season. We will be publishing additional reports over the next few weeks. Teams are presented in no particular order. Team: Methow Olympic Development (MOD) Coach: Scott Johnston Roster: Sam Naney What’s new: Brian Gregg as a training partner. Gregg will spend much of the summer...
Torin Koos, 31, has his goals set on the 2014 Olympics in Sotchi, Russia. It will be his fourth Olympics. This time, he relies entirely on his own resources.
Initial administrative hurdles almost sidelined Torin Koos at the BUL-sprint at Gålå, Norway, Saturday, in which Koos earned second place after leading with 50 meters to go.
A 17th place in the sprint qualifier and a 58th place in the 15K classic on Sunday doesn’t bother Torin Koos.
It’s hard to fly under the radar when you’re 6’2” and one of the best sprinters in the world. But Torin Koos is giving it his best shot. Koos, who was dropped from the U.S. Ski Team (USST) this spring, has been quietly reloading for the upcoming season with the Methow Olympic Development Project (MODP), a two-person team based in central Washington. He has been off the grid, living in a cabin 15 miles from...
Scott Johnston doesn’t dish up a recipe for success or hand out a year-long training plan. This fall, he will coach clinics where he explains how to create sensible, individualized training plans aimed at maximizing individual potential based on proven principles of endurance training.
