Alaska Pacific University skier Eric Packer, the 2015/2016 SuperTour leader currently spending World Cup Period 1 in Europe, opens up about the training that got him there, as well as his career highlight to date. Plus the Birkie, breakfast, and beards.
The opening SuperTour races of the 2016/2017 ski season scheduled to take place next weekend, Dec. 3 and Dec. 4 in Bozeman Mont. at Bohart Ranch were recently canceled and rescheduled to take place in West Yellowstone, Mont.
After her first SuperTour podium and junior national titles last season, Sugar Bowl Academy's Hannah Halvorsen snagged a U.S. Ski Team nomination. Now she's making the most of her first training season without school.
Here's an in-depth look at the upcoming U.S. SuperTour schedule, addressing why the season’s first races won't be in West Yellowstone, why some SuperTour races are in Canada, why U.S. nationals are returning to Soldier Hollow so soon, why there is a skiathlon at Spring Series, etc.
On Monday, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association published its 2016/2017 SuperTour calendar, which includes seven stops, not including West Yellowstone. “We’ve rotated a few sites this year and will continue to move around in the future to get the SuperTour to new places," USSA Nordic Domestic Program Director Robert Lazzaroni explains. "Moving the event around helps stimulate top-level racing in America.”
After stepping away from skiing in 2013 and shifting his focus to river guiding, Paralympic guiding, speed skating and school, Reid Pletcher is about to test himself in Season 8 of the reality TV show American Ninja Warrior. The Idaho native shares his story and how he could be the next best thing on TV.
After notching national titles on the same day and leading Period 1 of the SuperTour, the Patterson siblings continued their season dominance, taking both the men's and women's 2016 Continental Skiers of the Year award. Honorable mention goes to the men's SuperTour winner Eric Packer and Chelsea Holmes, one of the circuit's most consistent female skiers.
The FS awards continue this week with domestic Breakthrough Skiers of the Year, starting with two winners and two honorable mentions from the U.S., several of which surprised themselves.
A few new competitors broke through on the second day of SuperTour racing in Craftsbury, Vt., in both the men's and women's 10 k classic event. In the women's race, Erika Flowers made a debut SuperTour win, while Liz Guiney and Julia Kern tied for second. Kris Freeman double poled to first in the men's race, ahead of two UVM skiers.
Kaitlynn Miller proved she's more than just a podium contender -- she can also be a race favorite -- after winning her first-ever World Cup title in the classic sprint at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
(Press Release) Sun Valley SuperTour Field Reports – What the teams used in their own words: Classic Sprint Super Tour December 5, 2015. Conditions: Hard track with cold temperatures in the early morning ~7 degrees Fahrenheit warming to mid 20s during the middle of the day. Mid- low humidity and tracks set very nicely despite the warm temps the proceeding days before. Waxes Used: HF Black paraffin base. Toko HF Red. Topcoat: Toko Red 2.0...
Skate Super Tour November 27-28, 2015 Conditions: Hard packed corduroy with sub zero Fahrenheit temperatures. Lows both nights exceeded -15 degrees F with low humidity. Sprint loop became a little sugary on the surface with many skiers on course, but maintained its firm base. Distance loop stayed hard packed on Sunday throughout the entire day. Temperature during the races was warming through the teens. Toko Wax Used: Both days- Paraffin Toko HF Blue with X-Cold...
Sun Valley hosted the second set of SuperTour races -- with a classic sprint and classic mass start -- and we have an assortment of photos recapping the action.
After rebounding from separate scary incidents, APU's Scott Patterson and Eric Packer showed their desire to be back on top of the SuperTour, placing first and third in Sunday's 15 k classic mass start in Sun Valley. Patterson won by more than 30 seconds and CU's Mads Strøm edged Packer for second.
"Patience was really the name of the game and I kept it all day,” said Saturday's SuperTour classic sprint winner, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess. He beat out Reese Hanneman and Tyler Kornfield, both of APU, for his first win of the season.
FasterSkier sat down with the youngest members of the U.S. Ski Team, the Stratton Mountain School's Julia Kern and Katharine Ogden, both 18, to talk about their training seasons and outlook, and Kern helped us preview the Sun Valley SuperTour classic sprint.
With plenty of shovels and smiles, the Sun Valley crew is working hard to make both SuperTour races happen at the Lake Creek trails. "Putting the work in here gives the athletes an opportunity to test themselves appropriately on the kinds of courses that they need to be prepared to ski on," SVSEF Nordic Director Rick Kapala explains.
Longtime friends Brian Gregg and Matt Liebsch took the top-two SuperTour podium spots in Saturday's 15 k freestyle, while Scott Patterson (APU) finished third his first time racing in West Yellowstone.
Coming off her European World Cup debut, Craftsbury's Caitlin Patterson reflects on her races and experience in Finland and Norway, her 2014/2015 season in general, and what she's aiming for next year.
It's tough to swallow getting destroyed by Norwegians week after week. Reese Hanneman is still absorbing a huge jump in training hours from the summer and fall, but also: "I think people really underestimate how hard it is to go from racing well in the U.S. to racing well here on the World Cup.”