Vacation is over for most elite skiers, and the 2012 training season is underway. While most athletes are focusing on the future, we are going to spend another week or so looking back. It is time for the annual FasterSkier awards.
We will be handing out virtual medals to the top men and women in the following categories:
In any normal year, this award would be as straightforward as they come. On the men’s side, Tim Burke (USA) is head and shoulders above the North American field. And despite inconsistent performances, Zina Kocher is the only woman who can threaten to crack the top-20.
But this was an Olympic year, and Olympic results count more than World Cup or World Championship races – at least to the public. Neither Burke nor Kocher stepped up at the Games, while Jean Phillippe LeGuellec (USA) entertained the home crowd with impressive racing and a great attitude.
And so the decision was not easy. How much should the Olympics count? Do 3 or 4 great races on the biggest stage take precedence over a season’s worth of top caliber racing?
Biathlete of the Year (men):
Tim Burke (USA). Burke started the 2010 season with a bang, placing 2nd in the first World Cup race of the year in Sweden. He followed that up several days later with a 3rd.
Burke has been knocking on the World Cup podium door for several years, and finally broke through in a big way. He continued to race well, placing 10th in his next start, and placing in the top-20 in each of his first ten races, including seven top-10’s.
He was back on the podium in early January, placing 2nd yet again, this time in Oberhof, Germany. At one point, he even took over the overall World Cup lead.
Entering the Olympics as a strong medal contender, Burke faltered in a big way at Whistler Olympic Park. A victim of a mid-race snowstorm, the first two races were a wash and he left Canada cracking the top-40 just once. Uncharacteristically poor shooting led to his downfall.
He finished the season with some strong performances – 5 of 7 races in the top-25, including an 11th in the season finale. Despite the Olympic disaster, Burke is one of the top biathletes in the World. He finished the season ranked 14th in the overall World Cup standings, and his three podium finishes was unprecedented.
With the award, Burke has now won all three FasterSkier Biathlete of the Year Awards.
Tim Burke on the World Cup podium (Photo: U.S. Biathlon)
Honorable Mention
Jean Philippe LeGuellec (CAN). LeGuellec bounced all over the result sheet this winter, with results ranging from 10th to 124th. Like Burke, he started the season well, placing 10th and 12th in the first two World Cup events. He ultimately cracked the top-25 ten times over the course of the season, but saved his best racing for the Olympics.
Finishing before the snow that wrecked havoc on the field, LeGuellec took 6th in the opening event of the Games – the sprint. He followed that up with an 11th in the pursuit, impressively shrugging off a starters error that had him starting too soon, and resulted in a midrace time adjustment.
He kept his streak going with a 13th in the individual, before struggling in the mass start event, placing at the back of the field. Not only did LeGuellec race well, he did it with style, saluting the fans, and seemingly enjoying every minute of his Olympic experience. He finished the season ranked 30th in the world.
LeGuellec waves to the fans at the Olympics.
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Biathlete of the Year (women)
Zina Kocher (CAN). Kocher had her best season since 2007, ranking 31st in the overall World Cup. She finished in the top-25 ten times, and the top-15 four times. The high point came in December in Pokljuka, Slovenia, where she placed 4th in the pursuit.
Like Burke she is a repeat winner of this award, capturing the title last year, and also like Burke, she struggled at the Olympics, finishing 65th and 72nd in her two starts.
The Continental Cup Skier of the Year presented one of the biggest challenges of the 2010 FasterSkier Awards. Strong contenders from both the US and Canada entered the mix, with few head-to-head races to clarify the situation. Also complicating matters is the fact that the 2010 Canadian NorAm schedule featured many fewer races than the US SuperTour in 2010.
Continental Cup Skier of the Year (women):
Dasha Gaiazova (CAN). Gaiazova absolutely dominated the Contintal Cup scene when she raced, amassing seven wins in eleven starts, and never finishing off the podium. She won the NorAm overall title by 60 points over Madeleine Williams, and took 1st, 2nd, and 33rd in her three SuperTour starts.
She raced the full NorAm schedule, but did not participate in Canadian Nationals. This opened the door for Rebecca Dussault (USA) to make a run for the honor. Dussault amassed 19 Continental Cup starts, winning seven, and placing in the top-3 12 times. She easily one the overall SuperTour title, was 1st in the distance standings and 2nd in the sprint.
Ultimately, Gaiazova got the nod based on three wins in head-to-head competitions, and the fact that she raced the entire NorAm Cup series. She is clearly the faster skier, and her dominance made up for the lack of volume.
Gaiazova (CAN) racing at the Cnamore World Cup
Honorable Mention
Rebecca Dussault (USA). See above for results. Dussault made a great case for herself, and was easily the best US Continental Cup skier this year, crisscrossing the country to start an impressive number of races.
Dussault on the top of the podium at the Telemark, WI SuperTour (Photo: CXC)
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Continental Cup Skier of the Year (men):
Like the women’s award, the choice came down to a Canadian versus an American – the overall winners of NorAm series and the US SuperTour. The question again came down to how much quantity should count.
Brent McMurtry (CAN). Staying consistent, McMurtry got the nod over Chris Cook (USA), despite starting significantly fewer races. McMurtry still made 15 Continental Cup starts, winning one and placing on the podium eight times. He won the overall NorAm title by 131 points, and bested Cook in five of six head-to-head encounters.
Brent McMurtry (#14) sets the pace at the SuperTour finals.
Honorable Mention
Chris Cook (USA). Cook started an impressive 25 Continental Cup races – 18 SuperTours, 3 NorAms, and 4 US Nationals events. He did not win a race, but placed on the podium six times. He ranked in the top-10 in all four Nationals races. He won the overall SuperTour title, edging out Brian Gregg by just 16 points. Gregg took the distance title and Cook the sprint honors.
Chris Cook in the Bozeman Super Tour, (Photo: Stuart Jennings).
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Previous Winners
2009
Kristina Strandberg (SWE)
Lars Flora (USA)/Graham Nishikawa (CAN)
A new and well-deserved addition to the FasterSkier Awards, the Adaptive Skier of the Year poses some challenges. There are many categories within adaptive skiing, and some of the athletes participate in both cross-country and biathlon. One goal of the FS Awards is to keep things clear and simple, and we decided to present one award covering all categories and both adaptive xc and biathlon. This is similar to the decision not to offer separate awards for sprinting.
The men’s category seemed clear cut at first. Brian McKeever is arguably the greatest adaptive skier of all time, and has made his mark in able-bodied cross-country as well. But Andy Soule of the US has an impressive resumé, competing all season on the World Cup and winning Paralympic bronze in biathlon. Ultimately we went with a shared award, recognizing McKeever’s dominance and Soule’s versatility and consistency.
Adaptive Skier of the Year (men):
Brian McKeever (CAN). McKeever cleaned up at the Paralympics, winning three gold medals in the visually impaired classification. Racing with his brother Robin as guide, McKeever, was barely challenged. His performance in the 10km classic was his most dominating – a 1:26 victory.
McKeever was also a member of the Canadian Olympic team, and while he didn’t race, he once again proved he can compete at the highest level of the sport. He won the Canadian Olympic qualifying 50km in December and raced the 15km freestyle at the Canmore World Cup, finishing 63rd.
Andy Soule (USA). Soule competed in both adaptive cross-country and biathlon. He finished the IPC Biathlon World Cup ranked 4th in the world, just four points out of 3rd. He won one IPC biathlon World Cup race and placed in the top-4 four times in five starts.
The highlight of his biathlon season came in Vancouver when he became the first American Veteran on the podium in Nordic sports in the Olympics or Paralympics when he took bronze in the men’s 2.4km pursuit. That race also marked the first tie an American had won a medal in Olympic or Paralympic biathlon.
He missed a second medal in the 12.5km event, placing 4th.
Soule also ended the season ranked 9th in the overall IPC Cross-Country World Cup. He scored points in all six races with a season-best result of 6th. At the Paralympics, he finished 10th, 11th and 12th in the three races.
Honorable Mention
Chris Klebl (USA). Klebl placed 4th in the overall IPC Cross-Country World Cup standings, finishing in the top-7 in all six races. He also finished 8th, 9th and 16th in three Paralympic races.
Andy Soule (USA) racing at the Paralympics
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Adaptive Skier of the Year (women):
Colette Bourgonje (CAN). Bourgonje, a veteran competing in her sixth winter Paralympics, won silver in the women’s 10km sit-ski and bronze in the 5km event.
Bourgonje also won a World Cup race, finished 2nd in another, and place in the top-4 in all four of her World Cup starts. She ended the season ranked 5th in the overall IPC World Cup standings.
In addition to her impressive winter accomplishments, Bourgonje has competed in three summer Paralympics, and now has a total of 10 medals to her name.
Last year this category posed the biggest challenge with tough decisions for both the men’s and women’s award, but 2010 posed no such problems. Both winners were very strong during the regular season and dominating at the NCAA Championships.
Collegiate Skier of the Year (women):
Antje Maempel (GER). Maempel, racing for Denver University, became the first repeat winner of this award, following up her close win last year with a dominating season. She started all eight RMISA races, winning five of them and placing 2nd in the other three.
A native of Germany and a former member of the German National Team, Maempel saved her best performances for the end, winning both NCAA races, the second year in a row that she swept the Championships.
Honorable Mention:
Ida Sargent (USA). Dartmouth College’s Sargent was dominating during the regular season, winning seven of nine starts and finishing 2nd and 3rd in the other two. Sargent helped Dartmouth to victories in every regular season weekend. She did not race well at NCAAs however, placing 20th and 24th in the two races.
Antje Maempel (DU) on the top of the podium with Rosie Brennan (DAR) in 2nd, and teammate Mari Elden in 3rd.
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Collegiate Skier of the Year (men):
Franz Bernstein (GER). Bernstein made it a German sweep for the 2010 Collegiate Skier of the Year. The UVM sophomore won four of five EISA classic races and was 2nd in the other. While not as dominating in the skate races, he still won another race in that discipline, finished 2nd in another, and his worst result was a 7th.
At the NCAA Championships in Colorado Springs, Bernstein finished 2nd in the 10km classic, and won the 20km freestyle mass start by 1.2 seconds over Martin Kaas.
The 22-year-old native of Unterthingau, Germany was on the German National Team from 2005-2008 as a junior, and raced at the 2008 World Junior Championships.
Honorable Mention:
Martin Kaas (NOR). Kaas, a junior at UNM, was the top-ranked skier in the RMISA. He won five of eight races and was on the podium two other times. The 23-year-old Norwegian finished 5th in the 10km classic at the NCAA Championships and 2nd behind Bernstein in the 20km freestyle.
Matt Gelso (USA). Gelso, a former member of the US Ski Team accomplished the rare feat of winning a NCAA title as an American. The CU senior finished the season as the second ranked skier in the RMISA, winning two races and finishing second twice as well. He was never out of the top-10. In addition to his impressive 24 second victory in the NCAA Championship 10km, he placed 3rd in the 20km, less than four seconds out of the win.
Bernstein on his way to one of his many regular season wins (Photo: Lincoln Benedict)
It is hard to define a “rookie” in cross-country skiing. First year on the World Cup? First season as a senior? First year in college? First year skiing? We keep it loose and give the award to skiers who take a major step forward while moving up to a new level of competition.
Rookie of the Year (men):
Simi Hamilton (USA). In his first season out of college, Hamilton moved from potential to legit in a big way. Hamilton not only qualified for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, he qualified for the heats in the classic sprint, and finished 29th.
In addition to the Olympics, he raced in three World Cup events, placing 28th in Canmore, and in perhaps his most impressive performance of the year, took 34th in the Oslo, Norway skate sprint. Sprints in Norway feature the largest and toughest fields on the World Cup. Hamilton was just half a second out of the heats.
Hamilton also qualified 1st in the U23 Championship sprint in Hinterzarten, Germany, before being undone in the heats when the grip of his pole came detached.
Simi Hamilton mixing it up at the Olympics
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Rookie of the Year (women):
Holly Brooks (USA). Brooks is the closest to a true rookie to win this award. Prior to this season, she did not even have a FIS number since 2004, and started just four USSA sanctioned events last year.
A coach for APU, Brooks exploded back onto the racing scene last season when she finished 2nd in the American Birkebeiner and 4th in the US National Championship 15km. This year she made another huge jump, qualifying for the Olympics, and starting five events.
She also raced the Canmore World Cup, earning top-30 finishes in her first two World Cup starts of her career.
On the national level, she won three SuperTour races and finished on the podium in seven others. In a total of 14 SuperTour/US Nationals and NorAm starts, Brooks was out of the top-5 just one time.
Crust cruising and powder skiing in the west, cycling in the east, and the Euros are finally winding down their race season. It is time for the third-annual FasterSkier Awards. Awards are given to the top man and woman in ten categories, three of which are new this year.
In the past the Performance of the Year category was presented to a cross-country skier. We have added two additional awards in this genre, for Biathlon Performance of the Year and Nordic Combined Performance of the Year.
We have also included another new category for Adaptive Skier of the Year.
Readers will also be able to cast their vote for each award.
This award is given to the top North American cross-country skier.
Cross-Country Skier of the Year (women):
Kikkan Randall (USA). Kikkan’s season got off to a slow start, but she stepped it up when it mattered most, winning the first Championship medal ever by a US woman, when she took the Silver at the World Championships in Liberec. This race netted her the FasterSKier Performance of the Year.
In addition to her historic medal, Kikkan finished 6th in the World Cup sprint in Valdidentro, Italy in February. She scored World Cup points in 6 of 9 sprint starts and showed continued improvement in her distance racing, setting a personal best with a 23rd in the 10km classic in Kuusamo, Finland. She finished 26th in the same event at the World Championships and skied a strong first leg for the US relay team.
At the pre-Olympic World Cups in Whistler, Kikkan teamed with Liz Stephen to finish 4th in the Team Sprint, missing the podium by less than a second.
Kikkan also defended her National Title in the sprint – one of four National Championship medals this year, and climbed back into the World Cup Red Group by the end of the season.
Perhaps most impressively, she accomplished all of this after overcoming a dangerous health condition last spring. She is the repeat winner of this award.
Honorable Mention
Sara Renner (CAN). Sara firmly reestablished herself in the upper echelon of the World Cup. In her first full season back after a year off to have a child, Sara scored World Cup points in 9 of 14 starts, including three top-10 finishes. Her best performance came in the 10km classic in Valdidentro, Italy in February, where she finished 5th, just 11 seconds off the podium. She was 9th in the same event at World Championships, and teamed with Perianne Jones to finish 6th in the Team Sprint at those same Championships.
She finished the year ranked 21st in the overall World Cup rankings.
Kikkan Randall, Classic Sprint at US Nationals (Photo: Lance Parrish)
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Cross-Country Skier of the Year (men):
Devon Kershaw (CAN). Kershaw joins Randall as a repeat winner of this award, buoyed by his versatility and consistency. Including World Championships, Kershaw had 29 starts on the World Cup this season, finishing in the top-30 20 times.
He finished the season ranked 18th overall in the World Cup, and was 14th in the distance standings. His best performance was a 3rd place result in the 15km classic handicap start during the Tour de Ski. He was also 5th in the Tour prologue and was battling in the top 10 in the Tour until illness struck. He still finished a solid 22nd in the event.
His best sprint finish of the season was an 8th in Whistler, and he scrambled for the Canadian relay team that took 5th at the World Championships. Kershaw led a break from the main pack, tagging off, along with Germany, 10 seconds up on the field.
Kershaw also finished an impressive 7th in the 50km classic in Trondheim, a performance that was overshadowed by teammate Alex Harvey’s 3rd. Overall he had six top-10 World Cup finishes.
Honorable Mention
Alex Harvey (CAN). Harvey, the FasterSkier Rookie of the Year and winner of the FasterSkier Performance of the Year, had an outstanding season. He finished with two World Cup podiums, one in the 50km classic in Trondheim, and one in the Team Sprint in Whistler. He had a total of four individual top-10 World Cup finishes and nine points scoring races. He also finished 6th in the four event World Cup final, and had a 4th and a 5th at the U23 World Championships in France.
He finished the season in the World Cup Red Group, and was ranked 26th in the overall World Cup. At the World Championships in Liberec, he was 22nd in the 30km pursuit and anchored the Canadian relay team that finished 5th.
He also started 11 Nor-Am races, winning three and finishing in the top 5 in all of them.
Andy Newell (USA). Newell has raised expectations to the highest level, and now nothing short of podiums seem to impress. But despite not breaking into the top-3 this season, and admittedly having an “off-year,” Newell remains the dominant force in North American sprinting. Including World Championships, Newell qualified for the heats in 11 of 12 starts. – the one miss coming when he fell during qualification. His best result of the season came in Rybinsk, Russia, where he was 5th and he had 6 top-12 finishes overall.
He also paired with Torin Koos to finish 4th in the Team Sprint in Dusseldorf. He finished the season ranked 15th in the sprint World Cup.
Devon Kershaw (#16) battling Ola Vigen Hattestad (NOR) in Whistler.
FasterSkier Performance of the Year is given to the top single North American performance of the 2008/2009 season.
FasterSkier Performance of the Year (women):
Kikkan Randall (USA). Kikkan Randall won the first-ever US cross-country skiing medal when she took the Silver in the freestyle sprint at the World Championships in Liberec. This was the only the third medal won by a US cross-country skier – Bill Koch won Bronze at the World Championships in 1982, and Silver at the Olympics in 1976.
This performance is one of the greatest results in US skiing history and is an easy choice for the FasterSkier Performance of the Year. Randall won this award last year after becoming the first US woman to win a World Cup race.
Kikkan Randall (left) at the World Championship Medal Ceremony (Photo: TeamToday)
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FasterSkier Performance of the Year (men):
Alex Harvey (CAN). The men’s Performance of the Year was a much harder choice, with a number of top performances throughout the season. Ultimately Harvey’s third place finish in the World Cup 50km classic in Trondheim got the nod. The 20-year-old native of Quebec battled with the top skiers in the world on a grueling course, opening up a significant lead at one point, and finally outsprinting Russian Maxim Vyleggzhanin in the homestretch to claim third.
Honorable Mention
Ivan Babikov (CAN). Babikov posted the fastest time in Tour de Ski Final Climb, claiming the “Man of the Day” award. Babikov’s performance would be impressive at any time, but the Russian turned Canadian was battling illness entering the brutal climb up the Alpe Cermis.
Kris Freeman (USA). Freeman missed out on a World Championship medal by just 1.3 seconds, finishing 4th in the 15km classic in Liberec.
Devon Kershaw (CAN). Kershaw posted the third fastest time in 15km classic pursuit on the second day of the Tour de Ski.
George Grey & Alex Harvey (CAN). Grey and Harvey teamed up to finish 3rd in the Team Sprint in front of the home crowd at the pre-Olympic World Cups in Whistler.
Andy Newell & Torin Koos (USA). Newell and Koos finished 4th in the World Cup Team Sprint in Duesseldorf, Germany.
Alex Harvey Celebrates as he crosses the line in Trondheim
The FasterSkier Nordic Combined Skier of the Year is awarded to the top North American Nordic Combined performer of the season.
Billy Demong (USA). Demong has established himself as one of the top Nordic Combined skiers in the World. This season he had 10 World Cup podium finishes, including five victories. He finished the season ranked third overall on the World Cup for the second consecutive season. At the World Championships in Liberec, Demong won a gold and a bronze as part of the US domination of the Nordic Combined events.
The 29-year-old Demong trains out of Park City, Utah and is a member of his home Lake Placid Ski Club and NYSEF. He also won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Sapporo, and is a competitive cyclist in the off-season.
Honorable Mention
Todd Lodwick (USA). Lodwick came out of retirement to win two gold medals at the World Championships in Liberec. He also had two World Cup podiums and finished the season ranked 24th overall despite only starting five races. He finished in the top 14 in each of those starts.
A veteran of seven World Championships, and two Olympics, Lodwick returned to the sport after two years off. He lives and trains in his hometown of Steamboat Springs Colorado.
Billy Demong celebrates his World Championship Gold Medal (Photo: Swix Sport)
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Demong jumping in WhistlerChasing for the win in Whistler
The FasterSkier Biathlete of the Year is awarded to the top North American biathletes.
Biathlete of the Year (men): Tim Burke (USA). Burke repeats as the male winner of the Biathlete of the Year Award. He started slowly, not cracking the top 20 in a World Cup race until late January. But he came on strong, showing the form that has made him the top North American biathlete for the last three years. He scored points in 13 of his last 14 points with top finishes of 8th and 9th.
Burke finished the season ranked 25th overall in the world, and placed 11th in the 10km sprint at World Championships in South Korea. Burke, a native of Paul Smiths, New York, lives and trains in Lake Placid. He has competed in five World Championships and was a member of the US Olympic Team in 2006.
Honorable Mention
Jean Philippe Le Guellec (CAN). Le Guellec finished the season ranked 32nd in the overall World Cup standings. He had 13 point-scoring races, including a season-best 7th in Antholz, Germany and an 8th in Hochfilzen early in the year. The 23-year-old Le Guellec is a former Youth World Champion and was a member of the Canadian Olympic Team in 2006.
Jeremy Teela (USA). Teela posted the best US result since 1992 when he finished 3rd in the 20km on the Olympic course in Whistler, British Columbia.
Tim Burke on his way to 8th place in Khanty-Mansiysk Jean Philippe Le Guellec (CAN) on the World Cup (Photo: Christian Manzoni)
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Biathlete of the Year (women): Zina Kocher (CAN). Kocher led all North American women with an overall World Cup ranking of 41. She scored points in 12 races this season, including a string of seven straight mid-season. Her top finish of 20th came in the 7.5km sprint in Trondheim, Norway in March and she skied to 24th place in the 10km pursuit at the World Championships in South Korea.
Kocher is a veteran of eight World Championships and one Olympics. The 26-year-old races out of Canmore, and has six career World Cup top-10 finishes, including a third in 2007.
Zina Kocher (CAN) on the World Cup range (Photo: Christian Manzoni)
The Continental Skier of the Year is given to the skiers who race primarily in North America with top results on either the US SuperTour or the Canadian Nor-Am series.
Continental Skier of the Year (women):
Kristina Strandberg (SWE). Strandberg, racing for XC Oregon and the Saab Salomon Factory Team, is the first repeat winner, dominating the US SuperTour for the second consecutive season. Strandberg more than doubled the score of SuperTour runner-up Lindsey Dehlin (USA) while winning both the sprint and distance titles. She had six SuperTour victories and four 2nd place finishes, scoring points in all 21 events.
She also raced in four Canadian Nor-Am events, winning one and finishing in the top-10 in the other three. Her performance in the SuperTour earned her two World Cup starts in early March. She finished 34th in the 30km classic in Trondheim. And while not eligible for medals, she has finished on the podium six times during her career at US Nationals.
Kristina Strandberg (Photo: Swix Sport)
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Continental Skier of the Year (men):
Lars Flora (USA) & Graham Nishikawa (CAN). This award represented another challenging decision, with two deserving candidates – Canadian Nor-Am winner Nishikawa and US SuperTour Winner Lars Flora (USA). Both men had a similar number of Continental starts (SuperTour, Nor-Am, Canadian and US Nationals) – 19 for Nishikawa and 18 for Flora. In four head-to-head individual meetings, they split. Both had 7 podium finishes. Nishikawa had two victories, Flora had one. Nishikawa almost got the nod due to the fact that three of Flora’s top results, including his victory, came in the Team Sprint – while all of the Canadian’s top results come in individual races. But ultimately it was just to close to call. Both skiers had excellent seasons and deserve to be recognized as the top Continental skiers in North America.
The 31-year-old Flora races for APUNSC and the Saab Salomon Factory Team. He is a two-time Olympian and competed in three World Championships. Flora also won the SuperTour in 2007 and was 2nd last year. He has 33 career World Cup starts, with a top finish of 30th coming this season in the 30km pursuit in Whistler.
Nishikawa is a member of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club and trains with the Centre National D’Entrainement Pierre Harvey. At 25, Nishikawa has competed in eight World Cup races – all in Canada. This season he scored his first World Cup points, finishing 26th in the 30km pursuit in Whistler. He also made 4 starts in Alpen Cup races in Europe this season, finishing in the top 10 twice.
Lars Flora at the Stowe SuperTour (Photo: Kris Dobie)Nishikawa racing the World Cup Pursuit in Whistler
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Previous Winners
2008
Kristina Strandberg (SWE)
Ivan Babikov (CAN)
The Collegiate Skier of the Year award posed the biggest challenge this year. There were no clear-cut winners who distanced themselves from the rest of the field and a strong case could be made for any number of skiers. Performance at the NCAA National Championships was a major factor in picking the winners.
Collegiate Skier of the Year (women):
Antje Maempel (GER). Last year the Women’s Collegiate Skier of the Year was the easiest category – Maria Greevsgaard of CU dominated the entire season, winning all but one regular season races, and both NCAA Championship events. This year was a completely different story.
Three women led the way as front-runners, but convincing arguments for several more could easily be made. Ultimately, however, Antje Maempel of the University of Denver claimed the honor, based on her two NCAA National Titles and seven regular season podium finishes, including two victories. Her performance helped secure a second consecutive National Title for DU.
The 25-year-old native of Germany was a long time member of the German National Team, racing in 10 World Cups between 2001 and 2007, and posting a top finish of 28th.
Honorable Mention:
Maria Grevsgaard (CZE). Grevsgaard had another great year, winning five regular season races and leading the RMISA season-ending rankings. At the NCAA championships she finished 5th and 6th.
Rosie Brennan (USA). Brennan, racing for Dartmouth College led the EISA overall rankings, and in her eight starts, had three victories, two 2nds and three 4ths. She finished 3rd in the 15km freestyle at the NCAA Championships and 4th in the 5km classic.
Antje Maempel (GER) on her way to victory in the 5km classic at the 2009 NCAA Championships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)
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Collegiate Skier of the Year (men):
Vegard Kjoelhamar (NOR). The men’s field was just as deep as the women’s – again, no easy answers. No skier won more than three races during the regular season, the RMISA had no men who finished in the top 10 in every race, and while the EISA had several, those skiers did not start all the races. The CCSA also lacked a dominating presence with the graduation of last year’s winner, UAF’s Marius Korthauer (GER).
We gave the nod to Vegard Kjoelhamar (NOR) of the University of Colorado. Kjoelhamar led the RMISA rankings, winning two races and placing second in three others. He won the National Title in the 20km freestyle and was 6th in the 10km classic.
The 23-year-old junior transferred to CU from Lillehamar University. This was his first season racing in the US after success in Norway. Kjoelhamar was part of the second place relay team at Norwegian Nationals in 2008, and placed 8th in a Norwegian Cup event that season as well.
Honorable Mention:
Raphaele Wunderle (GER). Wunderle, of the University of Alaska Anchorage, scored points in all 10 RMISA races, finishing outside the top 10 just once. He placed 2nd and 3rd at the NCAA Championships.
Juergen Uhl (GER). Uhl led the University of Vermont to a 5th place finish at the NCAA Championships. A much stronger classic skier, he won the 10km classic National Title, and posted two victories and two 2nds in five regular season classic races.
Simeon Hamilton (USA). Hamilton started his season late after competing at the World Junior Championships for the US. He returned to Middlebury for the second half of the season, winning three of five starts and finishing second in another race. He took 7th and 9th at the NCAA Championships.
Other top Collegiate skiers included Matt Gelso (USA) and Jesper Ostensen (NOR), both of CU. They joined Kjoelhamar for a CU sweep of the RMISA season standings, but other than Ostensen’s 3rd in the 10km classic, both struggled at NCAAs. Martin Banerud (NOR), skiing for Northern Michigan University, was the top CCSA skier, closely followed by Michigan Tech’s Oskar Lund (SWE). Like the CU skiers, however, neither distinguished himself at the NCAA Championships.
Vegard Kjoelhamar celebrates his victory in the 20km freestyle at the NCAA National Championships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)
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Previous Winners
2008
Maria Grevsgaard (CZE), University of Colorado
Marius Korthauer (GER), University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Antje Maempel celebrating DU's second consecutive National Title (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)
It is hard to define a “rookie” in cross-country skiing. First year on the World Cup? First season as a senior? First year in college? First year skiing? We keep it loose and give the award to skiers who take a major step forward while moving up to a new level of competition.
Rookie of the Year (men):
Alex Harvey (CAN). Despite three World Cup starts last year, it wasn’t until this season that Harvey established himself as an elite World Cup skier. Harvey’s international season began with the Whistler World Cups where he paired with George Grey in the Team Sprint to take third, and finished 12th in the 30km pursuit. Whistler was just a taste of what was to come. Including World Championships, the 20-year-old native of Quebec finished in the top 30 of the 12 of 16 World cup starts. The high point was another third, this time in the 50km classic in Trondheim. Harvey finished the season by placing 6th in the four event World Cup final.
Alex Harvey (right) on the podium in Trondheim
[poll id=”13″]
Rookie of the Year (women):
Morgan Arritola (USA). Arritola skied in her first World Championships this season, placing 22nd in the 30km freestyle and 32nd in the 15km pursuit. She was also 25th in the World Cup pursuit in Whistler and had a 5th and 8th at the U23 Championships in France. Along with last year’s FasterSkier Rookie of the Year, Liz Stephen, Arritola gives the US Ski Team a pair of up and coming skiers who have the potential to follow in the footsteps of current team leader Kikkan Randall. Arritola, skiing with the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Olympic Development squad, along with the US Ski Team, and just a few days shy of her 23rd birthday, gained her 4th career US Championship Medal, taking silver in the 30km classic in Anchorage.
Honorable Mention:
Daria Gaiazova (CAN). Gaiazova raced in her first World Championships, placing 29th in the freestyle sprint. In addition to World Champs, Gaiazova qualified for the heats in 3 of 5 World Cup Sprint starts, and finished 20th in the pursuit at the Whistler World Cups.
Arritola racing at US Nationals in Fairbanks, Alaska (Photo: Lance Parrish)
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2011/04/FS-awards-2011-medal.jpg" "FasterSkier Awards 2011")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/01/Burke100110cm107.jpg" "Tim Burke (Paul Smiths, NY) takes 2nd place at today's IBU World Cup Mass Start event in Oberhof, Germany. Credit: U.S. Biathlon")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/02/bi-leguel.jpg" "LeGuellec waves to the fans.")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/kocher-7193.jpg" "Zina Kocher (CAN) racing at the Olympics.")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/Medal-2010.jpg" "FasterSkier Awards 2010")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/02/20100206Canmore-279.jpg" "Daria Gaiazova (CAN) - 9th")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/01/Telemark-Womens-Freestyle-Podium-Dussault-Stuber-Wilson.jpg" "Telemark Womens Freestyle Podium Dussault, Stuber, Wilson")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/03/FirstLap.jpg" "FirstLap")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/12/Cook_Chris.jpg" "Chris Cook (Steinbock Racing) - 3rd place.")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/andy-para-3.jpg" "Andy Soule (USA)")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/03/IMG_6996-1.jpg" "Rosie Brennan (DAR) in second, Antje Maempel (DU) in first, and Mari ELden (DU) in third for the women's NCAA 5km classic race (photo: Curtis Snyder)")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/02/franz-bernstein-yellow-jersey-photo-Lincoln-Benedict.jpg" "Franz Bernstein (UVM) keeps the classic yellow jersey (photo Lincoln Benedict)")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/rokkie-6364.jpg" "Simi Hamilton mixing it up at the Olympics")
![](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/holly-rookie.jpg" "Holly Brooks")
![Kikkan Randall, Classic Sprint at US Nationals (Photo: Lance Parrish)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/01/kikkan-randallclsprint.jpg" "Kikkan Randall, Classic Sprint at US Nationals (Photo: Lance Parrish)")
![Kershaw and Hattestad on the last hill in the semis.](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/01/_mg_5410.jpg" "Kershaw and Hattestad on the last hill in the semis.")
![Kikkan Randall (left) at the World Championship Medal Ceremony (Photo: TeamToday)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/20090224_1806_web.jpg" "Kikkan Randall (left) at the World Championship Medal Ceremony (Photo: TeamToday)")
![Alex Harvey Celebrates as he crosses the line in Trondheim](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/03/harvey-celebrate.jpg" "Alex Harvey Celebrates as he crosses the line in Trondheim")
![Billy Demong celebrates his World Championship Gold Medal (Photo: Swix Sport)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/billy-demong_happy.jpg" "Billy Demong celebrates his World Championship Gold Medal (Photo: Swix Sport)")
![Demong jumping in Whistler](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/demong-jump.jpg" "Demong jumping in Whistler")
![Chasing for the win in Whistler](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/demong.jpg" "Demong chasing for the win in Whistler")
![Tim Burke on his way to 8th place in Khanty-Mansiysk](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/03/burke-heading-for-finish-web.jpg" "Tim Burke on his way to 8th place in Khanty-Mansiysk")
![Jean Philippe Le Guellec (CAN) on the World Cup (Photo: Christian Manzoni)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/phpthumb-2.jpg" "Jean Philippe Le Guellec (CAN) on the World Cup (Photo: Christian Manzoni)")
![Zina Kocher (CAN) on the World Cup range (Photo: Christian Manzoni)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/phpthumb.jpg" "Zina Kocher (CAN) on the World Cup range (Photo: Christian Manzoni)")
![FasterSkier Awards 2009](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/fs-awards-medal-web.jpg" "FasterSkier Awards 2009")
![Kristina Strandberg (Photo: Swix Sport)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/02/k_strandberg_yellow08cl-9.jpg" "Kristina Strandberg (Saab Salomon Factory Team) racing earlier this season (Photo: Swix Sport)")
![Lars Flora at the Stowe SuperTour (Photo: Kris Dobie)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/02/day2-flora.jpg" "Lars Flora at the Stowe SuperTour (Photo: Kris Dobie)")
![Nishikawa racing the World Cup Pursuit in Whistler](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/nish.jpg" "Nishikawa racing the World Cup Pursuit in Whistler")
![Antje Maempel (GER) on her way to victory in the 5km classic at the 2009 NCAA Champinships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/_f0t4564.jpg" "Antje Maempel (GER) on her way to victory in the 5km classic at the 2009 NCAA Championships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)")
![Vegard Kjoelhamar celebrates his victory in the 20km freestyle at the NCAA National Championships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/_f0t5802.jpg" "Vegard Kjoelhamar celebrates his victory in the 20km freestyle at the NCAA National Championships (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)")
![Antje Maempel celebrating DU's second consecutive National Title (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/05/_f0t5215.jpg" "Antje Maempel celebrating DU's second consecutive National Title (Photo: Steve Fuller, www.flyingpointroad.com)")
![Alex Harvey on the podium in Trondheim](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/03/harvey.jpg" "Alex Harvey on the podium in Trondheim")
![Morgan Arritola (USST) 9th place (Photo: Lance Parrish)](http://images.fasterskier.com/2009/03/arritola.jpg" "Morgan Arritola (USST) 9th place (Photo: Lance Parrish)")
![Monday, April 26th – Cross-Country Skier of the Year](http://images.fasterskier.com/2010/04/skier-2010.jpg"){kind=link}