FasterSkier

Tag: FIS season opener

  • The Devon Kershaw Show: A 21-22 Season Opener featuring Russell Kennedy

    The Devon Kershaw Show: A 21-22 Season Opener featuring Russell Kennedy

    The Devon Kershaw is back from summer hibernation!

    This week, Devon takes a break from medical school to break down the first big tune-up races of the season in Muonio, Finland. Joining him are the show’s new co-host, former FasterSkier reporter Nat Herz, along with Canadian athlete Russell Kennedy, who popped a huge result in one of the races in Finland.

    Russell catches us up on the European circuit; we also discuss Charlotte Kalla’s recently awarded honorary doctorate degree, disgraced former Estonian racer Andrus Veerpalu’s son’s presence in Finland, and impressive results by 43-year-old Finnish skier Riita-Liisa Roponen.

    Russell Kennedy on course during the 2021 FIS World Ski Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Relevant reading:

    Muonio results: https://www.fis-ski.com/DB/general/event-details.html?sectorcode=CC&eventid=50257&seasoncode=2022
    Kalla’s honorary degree: https://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/a/G36A69/har-hyllas-kalla–ny-hedersdoktor
    Veerpalu’s son’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/andersveerpalu
    A FasterSkier Q+A with Roponen: https://fasterskier.com/2020/02/transitions-training-and-birkie-preparation-a-qa-with-riitta-liisa-roponen/

  • Concern Over Recruitment in the Norwegian XC Camp

    NORWAY – The Norwegian cross-country community is acknowledging that retaining young female talent is a huge challenge.

    During the Beitostolen races on November 12 to 14, there were only a couple dozen Norwegian female skiers on the start list. For the Saturday sprint race, there were only 21 Norwegian women in the mix. In comparison, Saturday’s 7.5K biathlon sprint race featured 39 Norwegian females.

    “This is an incredibly scary trend,” said Steinar Mundal, who argues that there is reason to be alarmed.

    “In the whole state of Buskerud, there is only one female senior racer left,” Mundal noted.

    Emil Søbak Gundersen, the manager of the private cross-country elite development project Team Norgeshus, is concerned about the trend, and argued that the biathlon association takes better care of their recruits.

    “There were far more female biathletes on the start lists this weekend. The junior girls have always been welcome at the season opener, even the younger juniors. The level in cross-country is not as good,” Gundersen said.

    Roger Grubben is the primary force in the rapidly growing female training community in Sirdal, Norway. Grubben explained that the clubs have actively focused on the female biathletes, and are seeing the results of their efforts now.

    “Every day, [retired Olympic medalist] Linda Grubben joins the girls for their practice, and she sticks around the range as a sort of coach. Additionally, we try to create a social environment where the girls thrive – a place where they can be around their friends outside the arena as well, and where they can focus on their education on top of their biathlon careers,” Grubben said.

    “I observe that girls feel a bigger pressure to not stick out. They have a more pronounced need for the social aspect of the sport, and are generally more interested in pursuing their education,” he added.

    Grubben argues that the critical time is right after the athletes graduate from high school.

    “We work closely with the top eight racers, whom we offer a weekly training program, also after they graduate from high school,” Grubben said.

    “It is particularly important to take good care of the (female) athletes as they enter their early 20s. Once they graduate from high school, a lot of the racers lose their structured training environment,” he concluded.

    From Strafferunden.no, November 17, 2010. By Ola Jordheim Halvorsen, translation by Inge Scheve.

  • Russian Men, Norwegian Women Dominate at Beito

    BEITOSTØLEN, Norway – Alexander Legkov (RUS) was about a minute ahead of the top Norwegian racer, Geir Ludvig Aasen Ouren, in fourth place.  Given that Aasen Ouren is not a part of the Norwegian national ski team, he more or less secured himself a spot on the impulse World Cup team for the season opener in Gällivare (SWE) next weekend.

    And while the season opener is an anticipated event that both racers and fans look forward to for weeks, it is generally not an event the skiers peak for. Rumors have it that the Russians put in about 700 kilometers on snow over the past 12 days leading up to Friday’s race. “What Legkov does is simply impressive. The 15K skate is arguably the event with the stiffest competition, and when Legkov dominates the way he did today, it’s a real wakeup call for us,” said Norwegian national team coach Morten Aa Djupvik to Norwegian television station NRK.

    Petter Northug Jr was 49th, more than three and a half minute behind Legkov, but isn’t worried. Neither is Djupvik. ”I’m totally in control. I will race the next two events here, and then I’ll drop my hours leading up to Gällivare next weekend. I think I will be in much better shape by then,” Northug said to NRK after Friday’s race.

    “That’s the way the best racers think. (Northug) dares to train hard right up to the World Cup season opener. Today he had a bad day, and he didn’t push himself,” Djupvik says.

    Complete results here: Beito 15K men

    Triple Norwegian for the women

    If the Russians dominate the men’s field, the Norwegians were equally superior in the women’s race. Therese Johaug won the 10K skate with more than 40 seconds to spare, crossing the finish line in 28:17.4. She opened hard and just kept hammering.

    “I had a great race today. My body was responding and that makes it fun to race,” Johaug said.

    While Johaug knew she was fit going into the race, the season opener is always exciting, she said.

    “I was nervous before start. After all, this was the first race, but I’ve felt good at practice lately. I’ve worked a lot with my technique this year, and that helps me conserve energy,” Johaug said to NRK.

    Kristin Størmer Steira was second, but no less thrilled with her first race. Having battled injuries, including two fractures in her foot this dryland season, she has done more alternative training than traditional dryland workouts.

    “This just felt incredibly good,” Steira said to NRK after the race. “I’m surprised. I had no expectations at all, and was just happy to be able to race. That’s more than I expected just a couple of weeks ago,” Steira said.

    “But I have more to offer. I ski technically well, and have a good feel for the snow, but I only have one gear. That’s how it goes when you’ve done a lot of volume and lack that little extra,” Steira explained.

    Half a foot of fresh powder overnight and falling snow throughout the morning made for a tough day on the course.

    Complete results here: Beito 10K Women