FasterSkier

Tag: Chris Cook

  • Osgood, Trygstad-Saari Take Day One of Aspen SuperTour

    Brayton Osgood (Bend, OR) and Kristina Trygstad-Saari (Bozeman, MT) skied to victory in the 5/10K classic races in the opening day of the Aspen Valley Ski Club SuperTour.  The former Dartmouth College skiers each captured their first SuperTour title of the season, with Osgood winning a tight race over a competitive men’s field, while Trygstad-Saari opened up nearly a thirty second lead over a fairly spread out women’s field.

    Brayton Osgood, shown here at the Classic Sprint at US Nationals, Photo courtesy of Chris Hall, Fischer Sports USA
    Brayton Osgood, shown here at the Classic Sprint at US Nationals. Photo courtesy of Chris Hall, Fischer Sports USA

    In the men’s 10K classic race, the top seven racers all finished within one minute of one another.   Osgood, racing for XC Oregon, skied to a 9-second victory (28:24.8) over fellow Dartmouth alum and current Bridger Ski Foundation athlete Glenn Randall (28:33.8) on the trails at the Aspen Valley Ski Club.   Steinbock Racing’s Chris Cook was third in 28:35.7, just 1.9 seconds off Randall’s pace.  Noah Hoffman placed fourth, 26 seconds back in 28:51.1, while Sun Valley’s Michael Sinnott took fifth in 29:07.7 and edged Sylvan Ellefson (29:09.1), skiing for Team HomeGrown, to sixth place.  The win is Osgood’s first major victory of the season.

    Kritina Trygstad-Saari racing in the Classic Sprint at US Nationals, Photo courtesy of Rob Whitney
    Kritina Trygstad-Saari racing in the Classic Sprint at US Nationals, Photo courtesy of Rob Whitney
    In a relatively small women’s field, Trygstad-Saari found enough speed over the 5K course to distance herself from second place finisher Nicole DeYong.  Trygstad-Saari, skiing for BSF, crossed the line in 16:05.1, 24 seconds faster than Sun Valley’s DeYong (16:29.8), while XC Oregon’s Evelyn Dong claimed the final step of the podium with a time of 17:21, good enough for third place.  A tight trio of 16-year-old junior racers claimed places four through six with Durango Nordic’s Alicia Rose Pastore claiming fourth in 17:29.7, only nine seconds behind Dong.   Steamboat Springs athlete Haley Piske (17:29.8) took fifth place, one tenth of a second behind Pastore, with Steamboat teammate Michaela Frias 1.6 seconds back in sixth place with a time of 17:31.4.   Like Osgood, this is Trygstad-Saari’s first win of the season, as the 25-year-old improves upon her silver medal performance at the Bozeman SuperTour 10K classic in December.

    The Aspen SuperTour continues Sunday with the 21K Owl Creek Chase.

  • Kuzzy Kicks to Qualifier win, Hinckley Second, Cook Third

    Kuzzy Kicks to Qualifier win, Hinckley Second, Cook Third

    Garrott Kuzzy (USST) on his way to the win in the classic sprint qualifier at U.S. Nationals. Photo, Rob Whitney.
    Garrott Kuzzy (USST) on his way to the win in the classic sprint qualifier at U.S. Nationals. Photo, Rob Whitney.

    After a disappointing first two races here at Nationals, Garrott Kuzzy scratched from the classic distance event on Wednesday to prepare for today’s classic sprint. It’s looking like that was a pretty good idea.

    In the qualifier this morning, Kuzzy topped the men’s field by almost two seconds, besting a pair of top domestic sprinters Mike Hinckley and Chris Cook, who were 1.73 and 2.31 seconds down, respectively.

    Using his lanky technique to stride all the way up the major climb on the course, Kuzzy gave a major boost to his Olympic qualifying hopes, as his nearest rival—fellow Middlebury College alum Simi Hamilton—finished five seconds down in sixth.

    For the men, the course was a little bit of everything. Skiers split down the middle on the biggest hill, with half opting to stride and half going to a herringbone. The rest of the course was mostly double-poling, with a couple more short climbs to break things up.

    Wax didn’t seem to be an issue, with temperatures holding a few degrees below freezing.

    Check FasterSkier this afternoon/evening for reports from the heats. We’re usually posting first to Twitter, and also uploading videos on our YouTube page.

    Link to results from the qualifier.

  • Toko Reflects on the 20/30k Classic

    Toko Reflects on the 20/30k Classic

    FAST's David Norris - 4th place in the 30k Classic as a junior!
    FAST's David Norris – 4th place in the 30k Classic as a junior!

    It was 27-28F and snowing during both events. Shortly before the finish of the men’s race, it stopped. The snow was pretty dry for Anchorage at this temperature and the tracks were not glazing.

    Brian Gregg - 5th place.
    Brian Gregg – 5th place.

    Our waxes of the day were for glide: LF Moly followed by HF Red covered by JetStream Red. For kick: a thin coat of BaseWax Green covered by Carbon Grip Red. In these non abrasive conditions, ironed in Carbon Grip Blue would have also been a fine base layer.

    Tad Elliott - 7th place.
    Tad Elliott – 7th place.

    The snow breaking under foot was a factor today. This is when the snow sticks to the wax on the ski OK, but breaks underneath creating a slip. In this situation, it is good to wax a little longer than normal to increase the contact area of the wax to the snow which ought to minimize the shearing (breaking) of the snow. Some of the women who did quite well added some Carbon Grip Yellow in under foot and were very happy with it.

    Chris Cook (Steinbock Racing)
    Chris Cook (Steinbock Racing)

    Day of Race Skate Ski Selection by Chris Cook

    With two skate races completed here at US Nationals in Alaska, ski selection may have been a crucial aspect of having the best skis for the races.  The first race was the sprint and the track was extremely variable.  There were sections of extremely hard tracks as well as the couple of hills on the course rapidly falling apart to a sugary mix.  Now normally in testing skis you pick out your fastest pair, but for sprinting it is best to test your skis at speed and be sure you have the ski that runs the best throughout the entire course and not just at one section of the course.  This may result in your number two or three pair especially when you have an extremely variable track condition.  Through our testing we found two pairs that were running similar well, but there was one pair that was just feeling better in the sugar climbs as well as handling the hard track.  We made the decision and ended up with good boards throughout the entire sprint day.  Next came the skate day, which was even trickier as conditions were rapidly warming and all of the ski testing had to be done on race morning.  Again like the sprint course the 5km lap had many variable conditions as well.  To our surprise there were still many teams testing in the stadium which was a much harder track condition.  We made our way out a ways onto the course were we could hit several of the major climbs on the course, and loop back to our skis in a short amount of time to make it through the several pairs of skis we had to get through.  Again when you are testing for variable conditions you have to pay real close attention to the feeling of skis and also anticipate what the track is going to do throughout the race.  It was clear that the climbs were just going to get softer and softer so in your testing you wanted to keep in mind that your stiffer skis were going to push more and more snow in the later laps.  However, you don’t want to get all carried away and pick your softest pair as there were still sections of hard fast tracks on the course.  You have to call on your experience in these situations, using all the information you have gathered in your testing, and pick the best ski for the condition.  I ended up choosing a medium universal flex skate ski and did it ever run.  Always remember picking the best skis for the condition can be as important as picking your wax.

    Steinbock’s Chris Cook

  • Rossignol’s Nordic Team Starts the Season Strong with
Top Finishes in Early Races

    Rossignol’s Nordic Team Starts the Season Strong with
Top Finishes in Early Races

    Chris Cook
    Chris Cook

    Rossignol’s Nordic Team is proving their strength right out of the gate. After the first couple weeks of races Chris Cook is 2nd overall in the Supertour, Aino Kaisa Saarinen is 1st overall in the World Cup, and Tim Burke is 2nd in Biathlon World Cup.

    Chris Cook (Steinbock Racing Team) kept his podium streak alive in Bozeman, MT last weekend finishing 3rd in the 15km classic. That is his third podium finish this season which puts him in 2ndoverall for the Supertour. Watch for Chris this weekend in Canada.

    Aino Kaisa Saarinen, from Finland, has had an outstanding start to her World Cup season. Aino Kaisa won the women’s 10K classic in Kuusamo. “I felt really good during the entire race. Our waxing staff did a great job as usual in Kuusamo. I’m really happy with my race and happy that so many friends where here cheering me on” said Aino Kaisa. She is the overall World Cup leader going into the World Cup in Davos this weekend.

    Tim Burke got both silver and bronze at the season’s first Biathlon World Cup event, the first time an American biathlete has won two medals at one event. It was also the first time since 1987 that an American has finished as high as 2nd place. This is an amazing start to the Olympic season for Tim and the US Biathlon team.

    With such an exciting start to the Olympic season the Rossignol Team is looking incredibly strong and posed for podiums in Vancouver.Watch for Chris Cook, Aino Kaisa Saarinen, Tim Burke, and many other Rossignol Nordic Racers throughout the season and at the Vancouver Olympics on the Rossignol X-ium Ski Package.

  • Steinbock Racing – North America’s Newest Pro XC Team

    Steinbock Racing – North America’s Newest Pro XC Team

    Steinbock Racing is proud to announce the arrival of North America’s newest professional cross-country race team.

    Steinbock Racing is a small team with big ambitions. Athletes Chris Cook, Zack Simons, and Andrew Johnson have a combined 12 years of US Ski Team experience, 3 Winter Olympics, 5 National Titles, and a win in virtually every major ski race in America, including the Birkebeiner, Boulder Moutain Tour, and the Owl Creek Chase.

    Steinbock Racing athletes will focus on the SuperTour and marathon schedules this winter, as well as the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Steinbock Racing will be a presence at nearly all major races in America. “Between Chris Cook, Andrew Johnson and myself, we have the horsepower to be a real force in any race we enter”, says Steinbock Racing co-founder and director Zack Simons.

    “Steinbock Racing sprung out of a desire to build a team and support structure in which we will have total independence. Zack, Chris, and I have all skied for lots of different teams at a lot of different levels; being able to race, train, and live in the ways that we know works best for us is vital at this point in our careers,” says co-director Andrew Johnson. Zack Simons echoes these sentiments: “When AJ and I started talking this spring we realized that we both wanted to control our own destinies within the sport. Ultimately, our goals are to win ski races and provide a continually valuable product to our partners.”

    Chris Cook (age 28) has spent most of the summer training in his hometown of Rhinelander, Wisconsin. Zack Simons (27) lives in Park City, UT and his summer was spent road bike racing. Andrew Johnson (31) is from Greensboro, VT, and lives in Park City, UT. The Steinbock Team will train together in Park City starting later this month in preparation for the fall race schedule. “I’m real excited for the season to get underway and to race with Steinbock.  A new team, a new attitude, and new look for 2010. I’m looking forward to getting back out to Park City to train and get ready for the fall SuperTour schedule,” said Chris Cook, from a training camp in Lake Placid. You can follow Steinbock Racing’s progress through the season on the team website (www.steinbockracing.com), on Twitter  (http://twitter.com/steinbockracing), and on Facebook (search “Steinbock Racing”).

    Steinbock Racing is proud to be partnered with premier nordic companies Rossignol Skis-boots-bindings, Oneway poles, Toko clothes and wax, Rudy Project Eyewear, Podiumwear and Boulder Nordic Sport. Through a variety of unique marketing strategies Steinbock Racing will provide valuable marketing tools for its partner companies. Steinbock Racing still has room for a title sponsor and will entertain all possibilities. Contact Steinbock (steinbockracing@gmail.com) for more information.

    Steinbock Racing

  • Chris Cook

    Chris Cook

    Chris Cook was born in 1980 in Rhinelander, Wisconsin and began ski racing at the age of three. Cook attended Northern Michigan University and credits both his teammates as well as his coach Sten Fjeldheim for helping shape his ski career. In 2003 Cook skied to an NCAA championship, followed two years later at U.S. Nationals by a 2nd place in the 15K and a 1st place in the Sprint.

    As part of the 2006 Olympic Team, Cook placed 21st in the Sprint and has continued to represent the U.S. as a competitive sprinter since, placing 14th in the 2007 Otepaea World Cup Sprint and 20th in the 2008 Canmore World Cup Sprint. Cook attributes his rise through the ranks of American skiers to his inherent competitiveness and his desire to be the best at every level of XC ski racing. “Anyone can do the training,” Cook believes, “…but you have to believe you can compete on the level or you won’t have the chance…It’s all about how you overcome adversity.”

    Although Cook plans to continue his focus on sprinting, he also hopes to be a solid relay leg for the U.S. as well as a strong mid-distance racer. When Cook is not skiing, he enjoys mountain biking, waterskiing, and following the Green Bay Packers, and when, if ever, he retires from ski racing, Cook plans to start his own business.

    Birthdate: 6/15/80
    Hometown: Rhinelander WI
    Ski Club: SVSEF
    Status on U.S. Ski Team: World Cup Team
    Height: 5’10”
    Weight: 185
    Best Results: 2008 Canmore World Cup Sprint 20th, 2007 Otepaea World Cup Sprint 14th, 2006 Olympic Games Sprint 21st, 2006 US Nationals Sprint Champ, 2006 US Nationals 15k 2nd, 2005 Silver Star World Cup Sprint 12th, 2003 NCAA 20k Champ
    Sponsors: Rossignol, Swix, Rudy Project, Marwe, Powerbar

    Full Interview

    When did you start ski racing, and what were some highlights of your young skiing career?
    I started skiing at a real young age.  I still remember my first race though, I was three or four and got dead last, but the overall winner of the race gave me his trophy at the awards ceremony for being the youngest racer…After that I just wanted more trophies.

    Who has been the most influential person for you, whether as a skier or a person?
    I think my coach Sten Fjeldheim and teammates at NMU had the most influential impact on me.  Sten believed in my ability to be a top tier ski racer from day one, and our team at Northern was a real tight unit.  There was never an easy day there but a get your work done at any cost attitude.  We all believed in our talent as a team and were determined to take all we could.  We wanted to win everything in a dominating fashion.

    Where is your favorite place to ski, where is your favorite place to race, what is your favorite part of the season, what are your favorite ski conditions?
    My favorite place to ski is anywhere with freshly groomed corduroy.  My favorite place to race has been the World Cups in Canada.  It’s always nice to race in what feels to be a home course advantage.  Favorite part of the season…I would say the very beginning of the WC race season.  You’ve had all year to prepare for the season to kickoff.  My favorite and ideal condition is a nice firm track.

    What drives you to succeed at the highest possible level, and what are your short term and long-term goals as a skier?
    I think my desire to compete really drives me.  I want to be one of the best so I want to race against the best head to head, and see what happens.  My short term goals for this season would be to finish in the Overall Sprint WC top 30 list.  As for my long term goals it would be to make the Olympic Sprint Final.

    Do you have any consistent training partners? Do you prefer training alone or with others?
    I would say my most consistent training partners would be my teammates.  We generally are in camp or on the road for most of the year.  At home though, I will train with my brothers when they are around.  I definitely enjoy training with others, especially when you have the quality of skiers currently in the US.

    What is your favorite on snow and dryland workout?
    Favorite on snow workout would have to be the Sprint Race.  As for dryland it would have to be short hard ski bounding interval repeats.  It’s just a gut wrenching experience and if you can make it through you know it doesn’t get any harder than that.

    What do you enjoy doing besides skiing?
    A great day without skiing would have to be hanging with the crew for a solid day at the lake. A couple boats, great friends, good water, and calling it a day at sundown, exhausted.

    Have you always wanted to be a professional ski racer?
    I have always wanted to be a professional athlete. I grew up in sports and loved it, and through skiing I got to make it my profession.

    How and when did you decide to be a sprinter? Do you think that you will continue to sprint exclusively? How is your life as a sprinter different from the lives of distance skiers?
    I have been sprinting since the beginning and realized that I had some good speed and who doesn’t want to go fast. I have been training primarily for sprinting but these days the training to be a good sprinter is not that much different from the distance guys.  We do a few more speed workouts and our intensity varies a little from theirs.  I will continue to focus as a sprinter but I still want to be a solid relay leg and 15km racer.

    If you weren’t ski racing, how would you be employed? Do you have any other means of employment to support your ski career?
    Ideally I would want to be employed as my own boss, running my own business, isn’t that the dream?  And currently the only way I am trying to support my ski career is by skiing real fast.

    How long do you think you will ski professionally? What do you see yourself doing after you finish your ski career?
    I want to ski race as long as I can and after I finish…not sure, go back and do it all again.

    How did you rise through the ranks of American skiers? Was there a specific turning point? Describe your training or other factors that have allowed you such success.
    I think it was just a steady progression. At every level I wanted to make it to the top whether it was as a junior racer, collegiate racer, europa cup racer, senior racer and now world cup racer.  I have always looked up to the next level and do whatever it takes to get there.  I’m not sure there was a specific turning point, but more gaining confidence with my racing and building momentum. Anyone can do the training, there are no secrets, but you have to believe you can compete on the level or you won’t have a chance.

    You attended Northern Michigan University, where you were a standout ski racer. How was that experience?  Did going to NMU help you develop as a skier and a person?
    I believe that going to NMU was a perfect fit for myself developing as skier and person.  NMU helped mold me into the ski racer I am now as well as allow to experience how important it is to have balance in your life.

    Do you enjoy racing/competing in other sports during the offseason, or did you play other sports as a kid? What are some favorite non-skiing competitions?
    As soon as the race season ends I use mountain biking to get my fix for racing.  I generally get in six or seven races from spring until mid summer.  Coming up as a kid I would get into any game I could and play hard.  I played soccer all through high school before deciding to pursue skiing as my collegiate career but there was some definite contemplation if I could swing both.

    How do you pass the time while traveling? Do you have an essential item that you bring with you everywhere?
    Life on the road definitely has its share of downtime that’s for sure.  I would never think about hitting the road without my ipod, and football.  That thing has been around the world. A couple of us have PSP’s which provides some quality entertainment, especially on the 4 hour plus van rides.

    What does your diet consist of?  Do you have a favorite pre-race dinner and breakfast? Do you enjoy eating foreign food when you travel?
    My diet isn’t too particular.  You have to be pretty flexible with it on the road as well. However, I wouldn’t think of starting my day without a good cup of coffee.  I do enjoy the euro breakfast though…fresh rolls, jam, cheese, and coffee what else do you need.

    What’s one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
    I’ve competed in the National Figure Eight Barefoot Competition.

    What, if anything, do you do besides ski?  How do you spend your weeks off?
    In the summer I love to get out on the boat and waterskiing, and the closest thing to a week off we get would be in the spring after the season when we usually all head to the beach to kick back after a long season.

    How has the transition to the U.S. Ski Team gone? Was there been a major change in your life? How has the team changed while you have been on it?
    I would say the transition to the US Ski Team has been smooth.  It has had it’s ups and downs as you would expect though. For example, last season was real frustrating for me, but like any occupation you have to get back on the horse that tossed you off and never give up.  All in.  I don’t know if the team has really changed much, more than it has been steadily building momentum.  This team is determined to be the best and do whatever it takes, to win World Cups, World Champs, and Olympics.

    Do you have a message for aspiring young skiers? How does a young skier get to where you are now?
    Never give up and dream big, and like any fight you’re going to take a few blows, before landing your own. It’s all about how you overcome adversity. You can let it get you down, or you can use it to make you better.  Which one do you want?

    We see pictures of you in Chicago Bulls shorts, and hear you like the Green Bay Packers.  Are you a big sports fan besides skiing?
    Being from Green Bay, it’s a given you’re a packer fan; pretty sure you don’t have a choice it just comes with the territory. I was a huge fan of MJ which stemmed my out of state love for the Bulls; otherwise I like to keep it all in house.  Pack, Bucks, and Brew Crew.

    Action shot photo courtesy of Andy Fecteau.