FasterSkier

Author: JGregg

  • Birkie Fever Strikes Hard

     

    Saturday is the day for the biggest XC Ski Race in North America

    This ribbon of snow will be flattened just before the race.

     

    Listen to the local radio coverage WOJB

    Track Brian’s Race

    Facebook Birkie coverage

    Twitter Birkie coverage

     

  • Winter Hauled In

    No running on slippery snow here

    Madison Sprints

    results

     

     

     

    No pine needles on this snow!

     

    Missing a turn would not be productive

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Brian and Caitlin top the Pre Birkie 26K-free

    Skinnyski.com reports that “Nearly 1,000 skiers participated in the 2012 Pre-Birkie race from Lake Hayward to Hwy OO as a final tune up to the big Birkie race. Skiers reported a clean start (with the wind!) and reasonable fast and quite good trail conditions. In the 42K freestyle race, Santiago Ocariz topped (?) a tough mens field while Elaine Nelson collected the womens crown. 42K classical titles went to classic veteran Michael Myers and former Minnesota State Champ Katie Bono. In the 26K freestyle, the Gregg couple, Brian and Caitlin dominated the field. Classical 26K victories for Nick Hess and Cindy Storm.”

    pre Birkie results

  • City of Lakes Finish Tight

    Matt and I had fun on this one!

     

    Video of the race–one advantage of having lots of laps!

    Results

    Working together

    One and Two together

     

  • Tour de Twin Cities – It’s a wrap

    Great conditions considering no real snow

    When there were hills, there were hills

    Thanks to Skinny Ski and David Owen for the shots.   results

    Catlin showed a 3rd in Sat. classic and managed a stellar 1st in the pursuit freestyle on Sunday.  This brought her in overall in the tour 2nd.

    Brian missed his high gear on the races Sat and Sun, ending 6th in the overall tour.

    Me and my shadow

    Hey, this is fun

    Wow, I can barely lift my arms.

    …and the pay out

  • Tour de Twin Cities continues

    The night sprint is the third race of the five-stage Tour de Twin Cities.  The 1.4 K freestyle was held on the fast Theodore Wirth course.  The last two stages will be this week end on artificial snow at Green Acres. (unlike the Methow Valley in Washington that had 14 inches of real snow last night)

    results

    Congratulations to Sam finishing in the mix at 4th.  and check out the finish times…the top four were seperated by only  hundreths of a second.  Thanks to David Owen for the pictures.

    The snow looks whiter at night

    The snow was 'red hot' at the start

  • Tour de Twin Cities or “In our Back Yard”

    Sunny skies, crisp temperatures and light winds combined for some good classical conditions Saturday morning for the Mayor’s Challenge events.  Sunday brought warmer but damp and cloudy conditions for the Mayor’s Challenge freestyle races at Theodore Wirth.  Thanks to Bruce http://www.skinnyski.com/racing/ and  David Owen www.davidjowen.com for the pictures.

    results

    Caitlin finishes first in this race!

    Brian leads pack….

    …but ends up 4th in a tight finish

     

  • Double Win

    There is green grass in our front yard in Minneapolis and although it was great to be home for 4 days we set off this weekend to find natural snow in Hayward, Wisconsin and race the Seeley Classic.  Six years ago I moved to Hayward and Cresthill Resort and started my professional ski career.  It means a lot for me to race in the Hayward/Cable Community and it was fun to get back for one of the big Midwest marathons.
    The storybook weekend started friday evening with a fantastic family ski on the Seeley Trails.  Groomed by volunteers and the funds raised through the Seeley Classic ski race the dog friendly trails are a real treat.  It was the first time the Caitlin and I had skied on natural snow in 2 weeks.  Lahti did what he does best and ran ridiculously fast as we attempted to race him on the downhills.  We finished our ski refreshed from the drive and ready for the big race.
    The Seeley Classic is a 42km classic marathon race on the Birkie trail with about 500 participants.  Unofficially called the classic citizen championships of the Midwest the race rose to a new level this year with  the addition of a $1,000 purse for the top male and female. The award was in memory of the late Garry Pennman one of the founders of the town of Seeley and the Seeley classic ski race.  Cailtin and I were very happy to both earn the win and the cash purse.  Results.

     

     

    Enjoying the natural snow in Hayward, Wisconsin
    The CXC Team is spread around a bit this weekend and congratulations to the entire crew for a great weekend of racing.  Jessie Diggins finished 2nd in today’s World Cup Team Sprint, Santiago Ocariz won the Sissu Ski Fest Classical race, and my good friend Matt Liebsch won the Sissu Ski Fest Skate race.  Great work.

  • Minnesota home

    Really good to be back in our Minnesota house after being on the road for almost 60 days.  We forgot how good our new windows looked.

    Off to the 42 k Seeley Hills Classic this week end.  It is a major fundraiser for the Seeley Hills Ski Club and the revenue generated has allowed the club to promote skiing in many ways. The club annually supports ski clinics in conjunction with the American Birkebeiner and the USSA. The club was responsible for lighting the Birkie Trail at the OO area. The club has also developed a new 15K Sawyer County Ski Trail in Seeley which it maintains and grooms, and has purchased grooming and moving equipment for use on those trails.

    And best of all, this year! Penman Prize: $1000 to first male and female in the 42k race.  Wisconsin supports skiing.

  • Minnesota home

    Really good to be back in our Minnesota house after being on the road for almost 60 days.  We forgot how good our new windows looked.

    Off to the 42 k Seeley Hills Classic this week end.  It is a major fundraiser for the Seeley Hills Ski Club and the revenue generated has allowed the club to promote skiing in many ways. The club annually supports ski clinics in conjunction with the American Birkebeiner and the USSA. The club was responsible for lighting the Birkie Trail at the OO area. The club has also developed a new 15K Sawyer County Ski Trail in Seeley which it maintains and grooms, and has purchased grooming and moving equipment for use on those trails.

    And best of all, this year! Penman Prize: $1000 to first male and female in the 42k race.  Wisconsin supports skiing.

  • Round and Round on the 20k & 30K

    RESULTS Brian felt it went well.  He said his skis were good…like waxing in the Methow.  The new snow in the morning made things softer.   Brian had a close sprint finish.  Most of the race he was in a pack!  These are some photos from Toko.

    Santi, Bryan Gregg, and Karl

     

    Caitlin enjoying the softer snow

     

    Bryan Gregg leading Santi

    Jennie and Caitlin

  • 15 k Freestyle

    The Methow Valley placed four skiers in the top 15 today.

    Brian was the second skier on the coarse

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Caitlin looking for space

    Photos from Toko

     

     

     

  • R & R & R in Rumford

    Jessie Diggins coming into the finish straight with Jennie Bender and Caitlin Gregg tucked in behind her

    Rain, Rest, Racing is the happening in Rumford Maine were the US Nationals is happening.  The artificial snow on the short 3 k loup was so wet on Monday that the races were postponed a day to let things dry out.   A Rest day before the Race!    Things did get underway today with the freestyle sprints.    CXC girls dominated with a 1, 2 (Caitlin) and 3 finish.   Click here for SmugMug pictures of the girls exciting finish.   Brian was 26 in the qualifing  time trial.

    In the quater finals Brian is on the far left next to Sam Naney in this SmugMug photo.

    Here are the results of the freestyle sprints.  The unique photo at the top and the ones below are from Ian Harvey – Toko.

    Jennie and Caitlin (Spectators in the background need not wear snow boots)

    Jessie Diggins, Jennie Bender, and Caitlin Gregg leading out the women's A final

    CXC girls having fun on the podium

  • Ski to Sea fun

    Ski to Sea is a favorite race.  It was great to have some of the wedding party close by in the top ten! results

    My team, Barron Heating, went on to win the entire race!

  • Ski to Sea fun

    Ski to Sea is a favorite race.  It was great to have some of the wedding party close by in the top ten! results

    My team, Barron Heating, went on to win the entire race!

  • Ski to Sea fun

    Ski to Sea is a favorite race.  It was great to have some of the wedding party close by in the top ten! results

    My team, Barron Heating, went on to win the entire race!

  • Wedding Highlites

    Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs Brian and Caitlin Gregg.  It was definitely one of the best celebrations in Boesel Creek!   Party On the Mountain

  • Wedding Highlites

    Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs Brian and Caitlin Gregg.  It was definitely one of the best celebrations in Boesel Creek!   Party On the Mountain

  • Wedding Highlites

    Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs Brian and Caitlin Gregg.  It was definitely one of the best celebrations in Boesel Creek!   Party On the Mountain

  • Grooms Dinner Slide Show

    This was shown at the grooms dinner the night before the wedding.   Click     Grooms Dinner Slide Show  You will then need to down load a  ’presenter’ to make it work.