From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
Hans Christer Holund of Norway leading down the ribbon of white. A low snow year in Falun, Sweden. (Photo: NordicFocus)
Around and around they go. Due to lack of snow in Falun, Sweden, the men again wheeled their way around a manmade ribbon of snow, skating six icy 2.5-kilometer laps. Reduced from 30 to the 15 k distance and without the long, steep climb for which the course is usually known, how athletes would fare was yet to be determined.
The 2.5-kilometer track of Falun in a low snow year. (Photo: Screenshot FIS Broadcast)
Along the way, two sets of 15 bonus points were available for the top ten skiers to sprint past the 6.7 and 11.7 checkpoints. It was at the first checkpoint that things began to spread out.
Overall World Cup and distance points leader, Alexander Bolshunov of Russia, dropped into a tuck on the downhill, accelerating past the Norwegians Hans Christer Holund, Simen Hegstad Krüger, Finn Hågen Krogh, and Sjur Røthe who had taken turns in the lead. Behind Bolshunov in blue Lycra sat the newly minted skate contender Iivo Niskanen of Finland. Known historically as a classic specialist, Niskanen has shown marked improvements in his skate results this season, including a second place finish in the freestyle distance event in Nové Město.
Alexander Bolshunov (center) primes himself to charge for the sprint bonus, surging past Iivo Niskanen (bib 2) and Hans Christer Holund (bib 6). (Photo: NordicFocus)
Like a slinky, the pack caught back up to Bolshunov, who relaxed and allowed the Norwegians to get to work again at the front. In a tuck or free skating, the group headed down the longest descent of the course, halfway through the lap. As the course bent to the left, the leader, Røthe, began to step turn, pushing off his right ski and leaning into the curve. As his ski left the ground, it pushed the tips of Bolshunov’s skis together, sending him to the snow (and almost to the grass) between a set of v boards. The Russian hopped back up, quickly regaining lost ground on the lead pack.
At the 10 k mark, only 8 seconds separated the top ten. But after the second bonus sprint, where Bolshunov again slingshot around the Norwegian leaders out of the downhill to grab the full 15 points, the field began to spread out.
A sea of red: the top six Norwegian and Russian athletes head into the final lap of the 15 k freestyle in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
Bolshunov pushed the front of the pack, trying to break free of Røthe, Holund, and Krüger. His Russian teammates Ivan Yakimushkin and Andrey Melnichenko maintaining contact from a few seconds behind.
In the final lap, Bolshunov tried to break free, but Røthe matched his every move. Holund and Krüger fell off the pace and were overtaken by the chasing Russians. Rounding a downhill turn inside the final kilometer, Krüger caught a ski in the loose granular snow and was sent to the ground, no longer in the hunt for the third step of the podium.
Rocketing out of the downhill with less than 500 meters to go, Røthe soared past Bolshunov in a tuck to take the lead over the final roller before the stadium.
Down to the final meters, Alexander Bolshunov (right) and Sjur Røthe sprint for home in the 15 k skate in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
It came down to the final sprint, and Røthe was outmatched. Bolshunov snuck back around, powering his skis down the track. He created enough of a gap that his victory was certain, and he threw his arms up in the air to celebrate. It was the Russian’s fourth consecutive distance win, and sixth of the season.
With arms raised, Alexander Bolshunov takes the win in Falun with Sjur Røthe in a close second. (Photo: NordicFocus)
Sjur Røthe collapses after a hard fought battle for second place in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
Yakimushkin was next across the line for third (+9.7), followed by Melnichenko in fourth (+10.5) and Holund in fifth (+11.0). The twenty-three-year-old Yakimushkin was 2nd in the event in Toblach, Italy during Tour de Ski and also 2nd at Russian National champs in April 2019.
With today’s result, Bolshunov looks untouchable at the top of the distance standings with 924 points. Røthe sits in second with 596. Bolshunov also leads the overall by over 400 points ahead of the injured boxer, Johannes Høsflot Klæbo.
Alexander Bolshunov (RUS) and Sjur Røthe (NOR) exchange congratulations after an exciting finish in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
“It was a really hard race because the Norwegian team made good tactics,” Bolshunov told FIS through a translator at the finish. “They always sent someone in front to run the race, so I have to always close some gaps on them and make the most of the bonuses to take maximum points there. Then to make the harder pace on the last lap and to make a good fight with Sjur Røthe at the finish lane.”
The men’s distance podium in Falun. From left to right, Sjur Røthe (NOR), Alexander Bolshunov (RUS), and Ivan Yakimushkin (RUS). (Photo: NordicFocus)
For much of the race, Norris hovered inside the top-20, looking to match or improve upon his career best result of 16th, which was achieved in a 15 k skate in Falun last March.
David Norris tucks in behind Sergey Ustiugov (RUS) heading down the ribbon of snow in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
In a post-race interview, shares that he did not originally plan to compete in Falun, sitting out the 30k instead to focus on the upcoming FIS Ski Tour 2020. He also reflects on his race, how mass starts affect the energy moderation strategy he has been honing, and his outlook heading into the distance-focused tour.
Post-race interview with David Norris
Benjamin Lustgarten (CGRP) was next for the U.S. in 60th (+3:21.0) followed by Ian Torchia (SMST2) in 65th (+3:37.7), and Kevin Bolger (USST) in 68th (+3:59.1).
Post-race interview with U.S. World Cup Coach Matt Whitcomb
Ian Torchia climbs with the pack in Falun. (Photo: NordicFocus)
Evan Palmer-Charette was the top Canadian athlete in 52nd (+2:45.8), followed by Alexis Dumas in 64th (+3:33.3), Bob Thompson 67th (+3:45.5), and Ricardo Izquierdo-Bernier 74th (+5:36.7).
Cross country and nordic combined athletes have arrived in Seefeld, Austria to prepare for the 2019 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships which begin on Thursday, Feb. 21. To ready themselves for the competitions, athletes, techs, and coaches are trying out the courses and testing wax. Nordic combined athletes are also practicing on the Olympic jump at Innsbruck.
Click each photo in the gallery below to enlarge.
Photos courtesy of John Lazenby / lazenbyphoto.com
Testing skis and wax in Seefeld, Austria on Tuesday – site of the 2019 Nordic Ski World Championships. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Benjamin Lustgarten (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) tests skis on the 2019 World Championship course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Benjamin Lustgarten (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) tests skis on the 2019 World Championship course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
APU Head Coach Erik Flora and Sadie Bjornsen (USST) test skis and wax on the 2019 World Championship course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Flags from each nation fly over the stadium in Seefeld, Austria for the 2019 World Championships. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Andy Newell (right) with U.S. Ski Team wax tech Patrick Moore (left). (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com)
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
US Ski Team wax tech Jean-Pascal “JP” Laurin enjoying the sun on a wax testing day before the 2019 World Championships in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Wax Tech Nick Brown of Craftsbury Green Racing Project smiles on a sunny testing day in Seefeld, Austria before the 2019 World Championships. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Grant Andrews, US Nordic Combined, tries out the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Rosie Frankowski (APU) tests skis on the 2019 World Championship course in Seefeld, Austia. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Logan Hanneman (APU) test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
Athletes, coaches, and techs test skis on the 2019 World Championships course in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
The Olympic rings at the ski jumps in Innsbruck, Austria. (Photo: John Lazenby/lazenbyphoto.com).
The Winning 4 x 7.5 k Russian relay team at the Ulricehamn, Sweden World Cups: from left to right, Evgeniy Belov, Alexander Bessmertnykh, Denis Spitsov and Artem Maltsev. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
Today in Ulricehamn, Sweden, the men skied a 4 x 7.5- kilometer relay in unsettled conditions. Racers dealt with harsh conditions as the wind howled and heavy snow fell. With a softened course, it appeared most teams struggled with kick on the steeper climbs.
Scott Patterson of the U.S. Ski Team (USST) commented on the conditions via email, “the race conditions were interesting with both falling snow and blasting wind. The organizers re-groomed the course in between the women’s and men’s races which did improve things, but the downhill corners were chopped up and soft.”
Russia II took the victory today in a time of 1:17:53.2 minutes with Evgeniy Belov, Alexander Bessmertnykh, Denis Spitsov and Artem Maltsev.
The winning team was followed closely by their teammates on Russia I; Andrey Larkov, Alexander Bolshunov, Andrey Melnichenko and Sergey Ustiugov.
Atypically, Norway had a rough start to the day – more on this in a bit — but the entire team put in a massive effort to claim third place. The Norwegian team consisted of Hans Christer Holund, Didrik Tønseth, Sjur Røthe and Simen Hegstad Krueger.
The Russian teams lead the entire race, flip-flopping between leaders. Russia I and II worked together throughout, but Russia II had superior fitness. With each Russia II surge, Russia I was unable to match the pace. In the closing k’s, Russia II charged for the finish. Russia I couldn’t hold on. Russia I finished 20.8 seconds behind.
During the initial lap of the scramble leg, the entire field remained close-knit. Only at the start of the second lap did both Russian teams, along with Sweden I, begin to gap the field. The Russians were able to hold this lead throughout the race. As the race progressed, and the pacing screws turned, Sweden was unable to match the Russians as they faded to place fifth overall (+1:39.6).
Russia’s Denis Spitsov (bib 12) and Andrey Melnichenko (bib2) leading the men’s 4 x 7.5 k relay in Ulricehamn, Sweden. (Photo: Fischer/Nordic Focus)
USST Head Coach Chris Grover commented on the Russian team’s performance this season.
“I mean they’ve been super strong all season, we certainly saw that up in Beitostolen and Lillehammer and the Tour,” Grover remarked over the phone. “It does seem like there are a lot of really good things going on with their program from a service perspective. They just had extraordinary skis race after race after race, especially in classic legs. It is very noticeable that they are doing a fantastic job on the service side and they obviously have a lot of depth and a lot of great athletes that have been coming up for a long time.”
The Norwegian team, as strong as they were, fell back during the first classic leg. It was a gradual decline for Holund throughout his 7.5 k effort. Coming into the first exchange, Norway was sitting in 12th place.
During Norway’s second leg, Tønseth made gains. He tagged Norway off in fourth place, giving his teammates a chance at the podium. Røthe, the third skier for Norway hammered to put his team within eyesight of third, which at the time was held by Lari Lehtonen of Finland.
By the end of his leg, Roethe had caught, passed and dropped Lehtonen, putting Norway solidly in third place. Krueger, the Norwegian team’s anchor, was able to hold third place until the finish. According to FIS, Norway has been on the podium in every men’s distance relay for the last 12 years.
The U.S. relay team, Erik Bjornsen, Scott Patterson, David Norris, and Benjamin Lustgarten finished 13th overall (+4.10.8).
During the first two legs, the U.S. team sat in the top-10. Bjornsen skied a strategically strong race, skiing smoothly towards the front of the pack. For the remainder of the race, the U.S. bounced bouncing between eighth and 13th place.
The U.S. Ski Team’s Erik Bjornsen during December’s 4 x 7.5 k relay in Beitostølen, Norway. (Photo: Aleks Tangen)
Bjornsen commented on the team’s strategy going into the race, “Our tactics were to try and stay with the group for as long as possible. We knew we weren’t going to be fighting for a podium spot today, just with where everyone is at right now. We also know this is good practice for World Champs so we used it as another opportunity to learn. We’ve set a goal as a men’s team to get a top 8. In a few years with some strong younger guys coming up, maybe that could be a top 5. Once you’re getting top 5’s then anything is possible when it all comes together.”
Bjornsen chose to race only the relay this weekend in preparation for World Championships which begin in three weeks. His conservative approach to race stars this weekend left him feeling fresh for Sunday’s relay.
“Erik did a great job, stayed in the fight for a long time there and it may be one of Scott’s better classic races. He did a really good job of holding steady with the group that he was in,” Grover commented.
This was Norris’s first World Cup since the U.S. National Championships concluded in early January.
“Coming off of Nationals I feel fit and healthy,” Norris told FasterSkier. “I got here Thursday night and I am glad I got two hard races in before a training camp in Davos. I am going to Davos tomorrow. This gives me plenty of time to adjust and prepare for the Cogne World Cup and World Championships.”
The U.S. team has a distance and sprint training camp planned for the next two weeks until the World Cup in Lahti, Finland on Feb. 9. The Lahti races include a skate sprint and team sprint, with no distance races scheduled until Cogne’s races starting on Feb.16. These training camps are in preparation for the World Championships in Seefeld, Austria.
Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo exhaustedly crosses the line at the top of Alpe Cermis in Stage 6 of the 2018/2019 Tour de Ski. (Photo: Instagram screenshot @johanneshk)
With the 45 bonus seconds he gathered from his win in both the overall event and the bonus sprint in yesterday’s 15-kilometer classic race, Klæbo entered the final Stage of the 2018/2019 Tour de Ski with a bit of insurance on his lead over Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov, who was ranked second in the overall standings after Stage 6. The Norwegian began the 9 k skate race to the top of the Alpe Cermis ski area 1:20.4 ahead of Ustiogov, meaning that so long as he could keep the Russian at bay through one last stage, the 22-year-old would seal the deal on an overall victory in his first ever Tour de Ski.
Sergey Ustiugov of Russia (l) chases Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo up Alpe Cermis in Stage 6 of the 2018/2019 Tour de Ski. (Photo: FIS Screenshot)
Giving his all in his final opportunity to surpass Klæbo in the Tour, Ustiugov fought hard throughout the race to close the gap between the Norwegian and himself. As the men worked their way up the steep serpentine track, Klæbo looked over his shoulder to see the Russian just one switchback below him.
Klæbo is known for his ability to make powerful moves on hills during sprint races, sometimes making the other skiers look as though they are standing still. His dominance is so well known that the short steep climb on the sprint course during the Olympic Games in PyeongChang became dubbed the “Klæbo-bakken”. However, after seven races in nine days, Klæbo looked exhausted as the men neared the top of the climb, no longer the spry sprint phenom. Ustiugov maintained a faster tempo, gradually reeling the Norwegian in. With a grimace and a last look back, Klæbo collapsed across the line in a time of 32:51.3, just 16.7 seconds ahead of Ustiugov.
Men’s podium of the 2018/2019 Tour de Ski. Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo took first after winning five out of the seven stages, followed by Russia’s Sergey Ustiugov (l) and Simen Hegstad Krüger (r), also of Norway. Photo: Screenshot Instagram @fiscrosscountry
“It was really tough,” Klæbo told FIS. “I was really tired after yesterday. I heard all the way from the bottom that Sergey [Ustiogov] was going quite fast so I was just trying to push myself. It was really tough but quite good to be here first.
“I saw him all the time, so it was really tough to just look back and see him getting closer and closer,” Klæbo continued. “It was really tough mentally, but it was really good to come to the top and look back and see that you have the gap that you needed.”
Klæbo’s win made him the youngest ever male winner of the TdS, an honor previously held by Dario Cologna of Switzerland who won his first tour in 2009. Today was also his fifth stage win in this season’s Tour, tied for the most wins with Cologna and Norway’s recently retired champion, Petter Northug jr.
“It means a lot, for sure,” Klæbo told Fischer. “PyeonghCang was maybe the biggest moment in my life, but this is a good number two. I really think this is a great start of 2019.”
The implications of differences in start time are not as cut and dry when the gut punch of the hill climb is taken into consideration. A contingent of Norwegians lurked hungrily behind Alexander Bolshunov of Russia and Francesco de Fabiani of Italy, ranked third and fourth, respectively, entering the final stage. Simen Hegstad Krüger, Sjur Røthe, Martin Johnsrud Sundby, and Didrik Tønseth held positions five through eight, all within 1:45 minutes of Bolshunov.
The pack worked together, slowly drawing de Fabiani into their sights. They passed him near the bottom of the climb. Their next target, Bolshunov, proved harder to catch. With less than 500-meters to go, Krüger skirted around the Russian on a switchback, clearly exhibiting more energy and a higher tempo. As the first Norwegian powered ahead, Røthe also surpassed the fading Bolshunov.
In the end, Krüger maintained his energy to steal the third position on the podium, 48.8 seconds behind his teammate Klæbo. Røthe took fourth (+1:05.3), followed by Bolshunov in fifth (+1:26.6).
The sole American to finish the Tour, Ben Lustgarten, finished 42nd (+15:54.5).
“It can definitely eat you alive,” said Matt Whitcomb in a call. “I was really happy to see him it finish it because it devours a lot of people.”
With temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the men take off in Sunday’s SuperTour 15 k classic mass start at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.
BOZEMAN, Mont. — In yet another thrilling men’s SuperTour finish, Mads Strøm of the University of Colorado outsprinted Miles Havlick of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Gold Team on Sunday to win the men’s 15-kilometer classic mass start at Bohart Ranch.
Strøm finished fast and icy three-lap course in 40:55.3, holding off Havlick by 0.7 seconds. Havlick’s teammate Matt Gelso racked up another SuperTour podium in third (+9.9), after placing third in Saturday’s classic sprint. Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) finished 27.4 seconds back in fourth.
Kris Freeman (Team Freebird), who was fourth in Saturday’s sprint, finished another 10 seconds back in fifth. Strøm’s CU teammate, Rune Ødegård, placed sixth (+48.4) after starting the final 5 k lap in second.
Havlick jumped out to an early lead and held it for most of the race, entering the last lap 8 seconds ahead of the chase group of Ødegård, Freeman, Gregg and Gelso. Strøm was 15 seconds behind.
Mads Strøm (CU) celebrates after winning the men’s SuperTour 15 k classic mass start near Bozeman, Mont., while Miles Havlick (SVSEF) finishes 0.7 seconds behind.
“I noticed my skis were running pretty well, better than other guys in the pack, so I just decided to pick up the pace and see what would happen,” Havlick said of the first 10 k.
However, Havlick felt the gap closing throughout the last 5 k, and was caught by Strøm as they entered the stadium.
“I was hoping I could get him at the finish, because I know I have a pretty good finishing speed,” Havlick said. “But this time he got me.”
Strøm said that while he was “struggling” through the first two laps, his double poling was strong and he felt his confidence grow throughout the race. By the final lap, he was warmed up and ready to make his move.
“With four kilometers left I got the killer instinct and just tried to win. I double poled as much as I could – that’s one of my strongest strides,” the 23-year-old Strøm said.
As Gelso and Havlick began to pull away down the final stretch, Strøm hung with them, double poling past Gelso and catching Havlick on the final hill. He then passed Havlick in the stadium and held him off in a furious sprint to the finish.
After a disappointing result in Saturday’s sprint — when Gelso and Havlick beat him in the quarterfinals — Strøm was “really satisfied” with the result. “I feel great,” he said.
Gelso skied a strong final lap, separating himself from Gregg, Freeman and Ødegård while trying to catch his teammate.
Matt Gelso (SVSEF) double poles through the stadium on his way to his second third-place finish of the weekend in the men’s SuperTour 15 k classic mass start near Bozeman, Mont.
“I was feeling pretty good, my skis were really fast, and I threw down hard to try to catch Miles,” Gelso explained. “But I did it such that I would gap the people I was with, so that I wouldn’t drag everybody up to my teammate. I made a conscious effort to go hard.”
However, Gelso did bring Strøm along with him.
“He’s good at conserving, sitting in and then going hard when it’s important,” Gelso explained.
After racing through slushy snow on Saturday, Gelso enjoyed the firmer conditions, saying the course was much faster than during the sprint. However, he noted that the racers had to be incredibly careful on some sections and corners, especially where the previously wet snow had been groomed.
In those places, “the corduroy got melted in so it was like smooth ice, and that was a little bit scary,” he said. “You can’t hold a plastic edge in that.”
Meanwhile, the course was kinder to Havlick than it was on Saturday — “I definitely wanted to stay on my feet today,” he said. Havlick fell during his sprint semifinal of the sprint and missed advancing to the final.
Havlick was excited about what he called “the first really good result for the season.”
“It’s a confidence builder,” said the former NCAA champion in the 20 k. “I know my form is coming around.”
The next SuperTour races take place Jan. 4-10 at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
An NCAA banner hangs at the 2013 NCAA Skiing Championships in Vermont. The 2014 Championships are set to begin Wednesday in Park City Utah. Photo: Flyingpointroad.com (All proceeds benefit NNF)
FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.
One-hundred and forty-eight. That’s the number of skiers who have descended upon the ski town of Park City, Utah, to participate in the 2014 NCAA Skiing Championships. The championships will be hosted by the University of Utah, who last had the honor in 2000. The four day event, which consists of two alpine and two nordic races, begins Wednesday and continues through Saturday.
The cross country portion of the event will take place at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah, the site of the 2002 Olympic Games and many national events, including the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
The weather in Utah looks to be warm and wet with highs in the mid 40s to lower 50s and precipitation expected on Thursday and Friday, making for tricky waxing and racing conditions.
Given the nature of course, sloppy conditions, the field, and the stakes, the competition is set to be fierce. Several schools will be in the hunt for the title of america’s fastest skiing school, but only one will walk away with the championship title.
Last year at the 2013 NCAA Championships in Ripton, Vt., it was the University of Colorado that came out on top followed by the University of Utah and the University of Vermont. Colorado’s chances in Utah seem a more slim in 2014, as they were unable to win a collegiate weekend all season. However, with a strong showing for men’s nordic, the Buffs may be able to make up for their other weaknesses.
The University of Utah is hungry to break a three-year-streak of finishing second at NCAAs. After winning last weeks Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association (RMISA) Championships, Utah goes into this week’s races with confidence and energy. Having the home advantage should certainly help Utah as well. However, if they want the title that’s slipped out of their hands the past three years, they’ll have to rely less on their alpine team and see better results from their nordic squad.
It would be asinine to discount the University of Vermont, whose skiers have been looking especially strong this year. In the 2012 Championships they demonstrated that they could tackle western altitudes with ease in Bozeman, Mont. And with Soldier Hollow looking to be warm and wet this week, the conditions may favor eastern skiers who are used to rough easter weather.
The East
The eastern skiers are as strong as ever this year with the undefeated University of Vermont setting its sites on another NCAA victory. The 2012 champions have a strong team in both alpine and nordic which has contributed to their uncontested dominance this season.
Anja Gruber (University of Vermont) racing to fourth in the 10 k classic mass start at Soldier Hollow for her best U.S. nationals result by more than 20 places. (Photo: Bert Boyer/http://bertboyer.zenfolio.com/) All proceeds from photo sales will be directly donated to NNF.
The east finds its greatest strength in its women. Anja Gruber, a native of Germany, has been UVM’s shining star this year, and finishes the regular season as the top-ranked skier in the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA). Last year’s NCAA 5 k classic champion, she placed fourth at the 2014 U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow on the same course where the NCAAs are being held. Throughout the season the senior has been a top contender in the EISA circuit, consistently winning all but one classic race and finishing in the top three in every freestyle race.
UVM’s talent doesn’t stop there, with sophomores Linda Danvid-Malm of Umea, Sweden and Stephanie Kirk of Anchorage, Alaska, showing that Gruber isn’t the only catamount with claws. Danvid-Malm has been dominant in freestyle, winning three out of six EISA races this season. Kirk, who competed in Italy as part of the U23 World Championships, has been a consistent performer as well highlighted by a spectacular win in the 15 k skate mass start at the EISA Championships at Middlebury College last weekend.
Annie Hart of Dartmouth College has been the only real threat to Vermont’s dominance all season, having been the only non-UVM woman in the east to win a scored collegiate race this season. Consistently on the podium in classic races, Hart finally saw her hard work pay off at the EISA championships when she won the 5 k classic. With the same event being held on Thursday, Hart is hungry for a national championship title. Corey Stock, also of Dartmouth, has had a decent season as well, ranking fifth in the eastern points standings.
While not as dominant as their women, the UVM men shouldn’t be taken lightly. Their lead skier, Scott Patterson of Fairbanks, Alaska, has won three of the six collegiate races he’s participated in this season. Patterson made the headlines earlier this year when he riskily tried to break away from the men’s field in the 30 k mass start. Unsurprisingly, the move failed on the national level, but a similar move with in a collegiate field may be what Patterson needs to secure a title..
Sophomore Jorgen Grav is another UVM skier to watch in Soldier Hollow. The Oslo, Norway native finished fifth in the EISA rankings, followed by teammate Rogan Brown of Durango, Colo., in sixth.
Silas Talbot of Dartmouth racing in the 2013 NCAA Championships at Middlebury, Vermont.
Two Dartmouth College skiers have the chance to dethrone the dominant catamounts. Paddy Caldwell and Silas Talbot have both been atop the results this year both winning multiple carnival races. Caldwell skied to a convincing win in the men’s 20 k freestyle at the ESIA Championship and was named 2014 rookie skier of the year for the region.
A notable emission from this year’s NCAA Championships will be Ben Lustgarten of Middlebury College. Lustgarten had a spectacular year which started with strong skiing at the 2014 U.S. National Championships, continued with racing at the U23 World Championships, and finished with a win in the 10 k classic (by 50 seconds!) at the EISA Championships. Lustgarten would have been a top contender in Soldier Hollow this year but due to an knee injury he sustained in the 20 k mass start at the EISA Championships the senior will be on the sidelines.
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The West
Unlike the east, there has been no clear contender for the top spot in the west. At the beginning of the season it looked as if the University of Denver might be ready for another NCAA Championship, but by the time the RMISA Championships was over last week, Denver had finished fourth, roughly 60 points behind the winner, the University of Utah. Despite the end-of-season falter, Denver still held the top spot in the regular season standings demonstrating their potential.
Sylvia Nordskar of the University of Denver racing in West Yellowstone, Montana earlier in the 2013/2014 season.
Sylvia Nordskar of Bærum, Norway, is the most-likely woman from the West to capture an NCAA title. The University of Denver freshman has either won or placed second in every collegiate race that she has competed in this season and has no signs of stopping.
Senior Makayla Cappel, a Sun Valley native skiing for Denver, became a late-season standout after winning the 5 k classic and taking third in the 15 k freestyle mass start at the RMISA Championship in Minturn, Colo. After dealing with illness upon her return from the World University Games in Italy, Cappel recovered from a slow start to her season to rocket herself onto the first team All-RMISA. Rounding out the Denver women is Silje Benum, who has also had many top finishes this season.
Only two non-Denver skiers have been able to top Nordskar this season. The first is Marine Dusser of the University of Alaska Anchorage, who was third in the women’s 15 k in 2013 and has had several wins in the RIMSA circuit this year. The second is Slovenian Eva Severrus of the University of New Mexico, a freshman who has helped New Mexico improve its standings in the west.
Sloan Storey of the University of Utah is another western woman to watch. Storey joined the U.S. contingent at the Junior World Championships in Italy earlier this year and made first team All-RMISA after and exemplary collegiate season.
Rune Ødegaard racing in the West Yellowstone Super Tour.
Like its women’s team, the Denver men were the top team in the west during the regular season. The trio of Moritz Madlener, Pierre Guedon and Trygve Markset made the Pioneers proud in 2014 and hope to continue the trend into the NCAA Championships. However, they’ll need to have a better performance than they did at the RMISA Championships, where they garnered only 46 points compared to the University of Colorado’s 93.
Norwegians Rune Ødegård and Mads Strøm, a junior and freshman, have been the top skiers from Colorado throughout the latter half of the 2014 collegiate season. After sitting out the first two weekends of collegiate racing the duo has consistently been in the top five. Ødegård won last year’s 10 k classic at the 2013 NCAA Championships and looks to continue that success into 2014.
The University of Utah men have shown that the best skiers in the west aren’t just based in Colorado. Niklas Persson, Oscar Ivars, and Noe Bellet have all performed well this season, garnering spots on the second team All-RMISA. However, all three will need to up their game if they want to outpace the Catamounts and the Buffs.
Colorado, Denver, and Utah have had steady competition from the 2013 RMISA skier of the year, Lukas Ebner of the University of Alaska Anchorage. The senior, who hales from Germany, hopes to build on a season that has included multiple podiums.
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Central
The Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) has traditionally trailed the east and west in terms of results at past NCAA Championships, which is reflected in the small numbers of qualifiers from the region. Despite that fact, there are several top performers who have a chance at an NCAA podium in Utah.
Rosie Frankowski of Northern Michigan University in the 20 k freestyle mass start at U.S. Nationals at Soldier Hollow.
RosieFrankowski, a senior of Northern Michigan University, has had an excellent season and looks to continue her speed into her time in Utah. Frankowski finishes her regular season as the top skier in the CCSA.
Freshman Nicole Bathe of University of Alaska Fairbanks has turned out to be quite the powerhouse in classic races. Bathe has had excellent start to the season after finishing third in the classic sprint at the 2014 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
Fellow Fairbanks teammate Logan Hanneman looks to be the top male competitor for the CCSA in Utah. The junior finished fifth in the freestyle sprint at U.S. Nationals earlier this season.
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Whether Colorado can reclaim its title, Utah can snap its second place curse, or Vermont use the sloppy conditions to their advantage, the NCAA Championships will be an exciting display of talent from the fastest skiers in the country.
The 5 k and 10 k classic will take place this Thursday at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. MST. The Championships will conclude with the 15 k and 20 k freestyle mass starts on Saturday, also at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m, MST. Watch the action unfold live on the NCAA site and check FasterSkier for reports.
Erik Bjornsen (U.S. Ski Team) strides to 17th place in the 15 k at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo: flyingpointroad.com/NNF)
Satisfied, yet unfulfilled was the sentiment of the North Americans who competed in the 2014 U23 World Championship 10 k and 15 k individual classic races at Val di Fiemme, Italy on Thursday. With fresh snow falling on the challenging course of Lago di Tesero, the best U23 skiers from North America put their best efforts forward in an attempt to make their mark on the international stage. While they were able to conquer the challenging conditions with ease, both the U.S. and Canadian squads had mixed performances, with five skiers between the two teams breaking into the top 30.
The best result of the day came from American Erik Bjornsen (U.S. Ski Team/APU) who finished 17th in the men’s 15 k individual classic.
Skiing with the signature Bjornsen smoothness, he increased his pace every lap. As the Washington native powered through the falling snow, he moved up seven spots throughout the race, advancing from a 24th place split at the 2.3 k mark to 17th at the finish.
“I’m really happy with where my fitness is at,” Bjornsen wrote in an email. “I had a smoking fast last lap and I got to the finish feeling like I had more left in the tank. I’m happy to have finished in the top 20 and I think with a different race strategy I could have been 25 seconds faster which would have put me in the top 10.”
Bjornsen will be able to put a new race strategy to the test this upcoming weekend. In a change of plans, he left immediately after Thursday’s race to meet up with the U.S. Ski Team in Toblach, Italy where he will compete in the World Cup 15 k individual classic to prepare for the Sochi Olympics.
“I’m so excited for the Olympics, I think my fitness is just coming into form so it should be perfect timing. It was a blast being with the WJ/U23 crew,” he said.
Scott Patterson gives it his all in the 15 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Patterson finished 18th overall. (Photo: flyingpointroad.com/NNF)
Scott Patterson finished just behind Bjornsen in 18th position. The University of Vermont racer had fast skis, great kick, and a relaxed mindset throughout the 15 k, which served him well. Although he finished roughly three seconds back from Bjornsen, the 22-year-old had maintained a lead over the 17th place finisher up until the 14.7 k mark, and was disappointed that he was unable to hold the lead over his teammate.
“I am reasonably happy with my result. I think I could have easily been fighting for a top 15 and maybe even a top 10 on a really good day,” he wrote in an email. “The main disappointment for me is that Erik Bjornsen got me in the end. It almost feels like I was out-sprinted which I never enjoy. Its a friendly competition going all the way back to my first JOs in 2006. However, he skied a solid race but I think has much more potential for the world cup and Olympics.”
Canadian Knute Johnsgaard finished 21st, marking Canada’s top result of the day. After fighting off weariness in the Canadian Olympic Trials, Johnsgaard was feeling rested before the Championships and was motivated to have top results. After taking a long break from racing after the trials, the 21-year-old was excited to be racing again.
Ben Lustgarten of Middlebury College, who impressed the domestic field with his sixth place finish in the 15 k individual classic at U.S. Nationals earlier this month, placed 30th, a career best finish for Lustgarten in the international racing scene.
Ben Lustgarten skiing to 30th place in the 15 k individual classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships. (Photo: flyingpointroad/NNF)
The Burlington, Vermont native knew he could have ranked better, but is looking forward to the 30 k skiathlon on Saturday.
“I am not as happy with my result as I would like, which actually surprises me. But its a great place to start,” he said.
New to international racing, Lustgarten didn’t want to make excuses about fatigue from the lengthy travel or overwhelming feelings associated with racing in Europe. However, he admitted they might have played a factor in Thursday’s result. “I just need to rest up and try and be positive about it, move on, and get pumped for the 30k,” he said.
Like Lustgarten, Patterson is looking forward to the 30 k.
“Saturday will be lots of fun and I am feeling quite a bit more confident after today,” he said.
He also believes his experiences at the Championships have not only opened his eyes to individual possibilities, but also to the American’s potential in international racing.
“I got a really good feel for more things to work on for the rest of this season and beyond; from watching others and my own splits,” he wrote. “There is no reason for the U.S. skiers not to be competitive with the best U20s and U23s. I think everyone will be bringing back motivation and personal insights into their skiing.”
Not too far from Lustgarten was Patrick Stewart-Jones in34th, whose strategy to start fast brought him roughly seven seconds out of the top 30. American Ben Saxton (SMST2) finished in 38th and was followed by Canadians Andy Sheilds in 43rd and Sebastien Townsend in 57th.
Annie Pokorny racing to 33rd in the 10 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo: flyingpointroad.com/NNF)
In the women’s 10 k, Heidi Widmer of Canada was the fastest North American on course, finishing 30th. After ranking 35th at the 2.8 k mark, the Canadian was able to accelerate her pace and gain five spots.
Widmer, who was unavailable for comment, will also be competing in the Sochi Olympics in roughly a week and a half.
Not far behind Widmer was fellow Canadian Cendrine Browne, who placed 31st.
“I am very happy of this result because I almost did a top 30, which is very good for my first year in the U23 category,” she wrote in an email. “I am also happy of my performance because I came in right after Heidi Widmer, who just qualified for the Olympics in Sochi.”
With the the absence of yesterday’s second place finisher, Jessie Diggins, the U.S. women were led by Annie Pokorny (SMST2) who finished 33rd. For Pokorny, who also competed in last year’s U23 Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic, the fresh snow created some variable conditions.
“The snow started falling right before my start and picked up throughout the race, but our skis rivaled the fastest teams in both glide and kick,” she said. “Due to the variance, it became a competition for who could handle the changes the most gracefully, which I probably could improve on.”
Pokorny was hoping for more from the 10 k classic, but was pleased with her effort. For now, the 21-year-old is planning on resting as much as possible before Saturday’s skiathlon.
Mary Rose in the 10 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in val di Fiemme, Italy. Rose went on to finish 34th. (Flyingpointroad.com/NNF)
“Going into the 15 K it’s going to be really important for me to recover from the last two days’ efforts and focus on keeping my composure in the mass starts. If the support and team energy continues as it has been, we could be in for a really successful day!”
Behind Pokorny was American Mary Rose of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation who finished in 34th. Lauding her great skis, Rose sited her fatigue as the reason for a slower pace in the latter part of the race. “I went into the race with a the game plan of hammering from the start. In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best because I was pretty tired for the second lap,” she said.
“I am definitely not jumping up and down with excitement because I know I can ski better. However, it was a good learning experience.”
Heading into Saturday’s 15 k, Rose hopes to use the experience as a tool to help her land a place in the top 25.
The rest of the North American squad was rounded out by Canadian Olivia Bouffard-Nesbitt in 35th, and Americans Rosie Frankowski and Mackenzie Kanady in 38th and 49th.
The U23 World Championships continue on Saturday with a 15 k and 30k skiathlon on the trails of Val di Fiemme.
A pack of Junior men make their way out of the stadium during the 10 k classic individual start.
RUMFORD, Maine — After an exciting morning of mass start racing, the junior men and women had their chance to shine at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Friday.
With the morning’s snow flurries behind them, the athletes found themselves on a well-skied loop at Black Mountain. The junior men’s race consisted of three laps around the 3.26 k course for approximately 10 k, while the junior women raced two laps, one of which was on a shorter loop, for 5 k.
With just under 100 athletes taking to the start line in the junior men’s 10 k classic individual start, there was no lack of excitement. In a hard-fought battle, Benjamin Lustgarten (Middlebury) bested Scott Patterson (UVM) by just over three seconds. Benjamin Saxton (Minnesota Valley) followed closely in third.
Dana Roach (UNH) heads out on course in the 5 k individual start classic.
The junior women’s race proved to be just as exciting with the top three finishing within seconds of one other. With such a short race, athletes went all-out. Many racers made the mistake of heading the wrong way on the modified women’s course, costing them several seconds that may very well have been crucial in such a short race.
In the junior women’s event, Anne Hart (Dartmouth) outpaced Corey Stock (CSU) by one second. Marion Wood (Alaska Winter Stars) was close behind in third.
Hart and Stock skied consistently throughout the race, holding the first and second place split times at both checkpoints out on course.
Stock said she stuck to her strategy which was “to ski consistently and really start going all out once I reached the mens sprint course.”
Her strategy landed her a spot on the podium. Woods went with a different tactic, moving up in the ranks as the race went on.
Racing resumes on Sunday with a 1.4 k classic sprint for the women and a 1.6 k for the men.
Junior Mens Podium. L-R Scott Patterson (UVM) 2nd place, Ben Lustgarten (Middlebury) 1st place, and Ben Saxton (Minnesota Valley Ski)Junior Womens Podium. L-R Corey Stock (CSU) 2nd place, Anne Hart (Dartmouth) 1st place, and Marion Woods (Alaska Winter Stars) 3rd place.
![With temperatures above 40 degrees, the men take off in their SuperTour 15 k classic mass start at Bohart Ranch near Bozeman, Mont.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/12/IMG_0178.jpg")
![Mads Strøm (CU) celebrates after winning the men's SuperTour 15 k classic mass start near Bozeman, Mont., while Miles Havlick (SVSEF) finishes 0.7 seconds behind.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/12/IMG_0188.jpg")
![Matt Gelso (SVSEF) double poles through the stadium on his way to his second third-place finish of the weekend in the men's SuperTour 15 k classic mass start near Bozeman, Mont.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/12/IMG_0189.jpg")
![Photo: Flyingpointroad.com (All proceeds benefit NNF)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/03/NCAA-Championships-Rikert.jpg")
![Anja Gruber (University of Vermont) racing to fourth in Saturday's 10 k classic mass start at Soldier Hollow for her best U.S. nationals result by more than 20 places. (Photo: Bert Boyer/http://bertboyer.zenfolio.com/) All proceeds from photo sales will be directly donated to NNF.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/Gruber.jpg")
![Silas Talbot (DAR)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/03/IMG_9801.jpg")
![Sylvia Nordskar (University of Denver), fourth](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2013/12/IMG_1309.jpg")
![Rune Oedegaard (CU) 8th place classic](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2011/11/oedegaard-classic-1-web.jpg")
![Rosie Frankowski of Northern Michigan University in the 20 k freestyle mass start at U.S. Nationals at Soldier Hollow.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/rosie-frankowski-start-of-lap-2.jpg")
![Erik Bjornsen, 15 k Classic, 2014 U23 World Championships](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/SF35157.jpg")
![Scott Patterson gives it his all in the 15 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. Patterson finished 18th overall. (Photo: flyingpointroad.com/NNF)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/SMF8869.jpg")
![Ben Lustgarten skiing to 30th place in the 15 k individual classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships. (Photo: flyingpointroad/NNF)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/SF35072.jpg")
![Annie Pokorny racing to 33rd in the 10 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo: flyingpointroad.com/NNF)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/SF34579.jpg")
![Mary Rose in the 10 k classic at the 2014 U23 World Championships in val di Fiemme, Italy. Rose went on to finish 34th. (Flyingpointroad.com/NNF)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2014/01/SF34507.jpg")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2012/01/BoysRace.jpg" "A pack of Junior men make their way out of the stadium during the 10 k individual start classic.")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2012/01/GirlsRace.jpg" "Dana Roach (UNH) heads out on course in the 5 k individual start classic.")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2012/01/BoysPodium.jpg" "Junior Mens Podium. L-R Scott Patterson (UVM) 2nd place, Ben Lustgarten (Middlebury) 1st place, and Ben Saxton (Minnesota Valley Ski)")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2012/01/GirlsPodium.jpg" "Junior Womens Podium. L-R Corey Stock (CSU) 2nd place, Anne Hart (Dartmouth) 1st place, and Marion Woods (Alaska Winter Stars) 3rd place.")