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.
Last week was a big one for the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA).
On Wednesday, Aug. 8, in conjunction with a U.S. Ski Team U16 (under-16) camp, NENSA hosted rollerski events at the Olympic Jumping Complex in Lake Placid, N.Y., starting with agility courses designed by NENSA Competitive Program Director Justin Beckwith and Olympian and former nordic combined national-team coach Joe Lamb (complete with rollers, gates, jumps, backward skiing, and a grass runup).
Then it was onto the Lake Placid Super Sprint (a.k.a. NENSA 100), where athletes could test their 100-meter sprinting skills in head-to-head races. In the banner event of the day, Olympian and former U.S. Ski Team member Andy Newell (a coach at the U16 camp) challenged Norway’s Ludvig “Ludde” Søgnen Jensen (the world-record holder in the 100-meter ski sprint) on pavement, where Ludde took the win in 11.69 seconds (Newell followed with a still-blistering time of 12.1). (Ludde’s world record is 11.03 seconds, set on snow in March of 2017.)
Three days later on Aug. 11 in Vermont’s Green Mountains, NENSA hosted the 10th annual App Gap Challenge, the first event of its Bag Balm Rollerski Race Series. Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project won the women’s 5-kilometer race (which switches from skate to classic at Mad River Glen) up Route 17 in the Appalachian Gap, setting a course record of 22:20. Kyle Bratrud of the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team won the men’s 7.5 k race in 25:44.
In addition to the Lake Placid Agility and Super Sprint video at the top of this article, check out the photo galleries below, all courtesy of Reese Brown/US Ski and Snowboard. Click each photo to enlarge.
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Lake Placid Super Sprint (a.k.a. NENSA 100) and Agility (Aug. 8)
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen tries out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell shows his skills on rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell shows his skills on rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Aug. 8 for NENSA’s Super Sprint and Agility challenge.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes try out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell pose with NENSA juniors after the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell pose with NENSA juniors after the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell go head to head in the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell go head to head in the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell during the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newel tries out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen tries out a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell during the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell during the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell after the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Norway’s Ludvig Sognen Jensen and Andy Newell after the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes go head to head in the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Athletes go head to head during the inaugural NENSA 100, a 100-meter rollerski race, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Andy Newell and Ludvig Sognen Jensen after a rollerski agility course, constructed by NENSA, on Aug. 8 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Sprint and agility podium: Ludvig Sognen Jensen
Sprint and agility podium: Andy Newell
Sprint and agility podium: Will Koch
Sprint and agility podium: Will Koch
Sprint and agility podium: Andy Newell
Sprint and agility podium: Quincy Massey-Bierman
Sprint and agility podium: Andy Newell, Ludvig Sognen Jensen, Will Koch, and Quincy Massey-Bierman
App Gap Challenge (Aug. 11)
Caitlin Patterson at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Caitlin Patterson at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Kelsey Phinney at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Sophie Caldwell at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Kelsey Phinney at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Top women enter the exchange zone at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Top women enter the exchange zone at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Julia Kern at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Kyle Bratrud and his SMST2 teammate Simi Hamilton (r) providing support up the Appalachian Gap at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge on Aug. 11
Simi Hamilton provides roadside support while biking up the Appalachian Gap at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge on Aug. 11.
Ben Saxton at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA Competitive Programs Director Justin Beckwith at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
SMST2 coach Patrick O’Brien at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Caitlin Patterson at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
(From L to R) Katharine Ogden, Alayna Sonnesyn, Kelsey Phinney, and Ida Sargent at NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
NENSA’s 2018 App Gap Challenge rollerski race, up the Appalachian Gap in Fayston, Vt., on Aug. 11.
Cross country skiing is an international sport, and with that in mind NENSA is very excited to announce that we are bringing Ludvig Sognen Jensen to New England for a week of high visibility rollerski events. Known to some by his social media handle @luddeyo, Jensen is the world’s fastest cross country skier in the new discipline of supersprint racing.
His arrival in Boston on August 6th will kick off a week of events across the northeast including a stop at the U16 national camp in Lake Placid, NY where Ludvig will train with the U16s and face off head to head in a “celebrity deathmatch” sprint with Andy Newell on August 8th. Luddeyo will then make at stop on the afternoon of August 10th to the Burlington VT waterfront to set a NASTAR-like sprint course and time that athletes are welcome try to get as close to as they can! He will also make a guest of honor appearance at our App Gap Challenge rollerski race in Fayston, Vermont on August 11. There will be autograph sessions at High Peaks Cyclery in Lake Placid on August 8, and at the SkiRack in Burlington, VT on August 10.
Ludvig’s agent Steffen Aabel tells us “the absolutely [most fun] thing about working with Ludvig is to push our national sport forward with supersprint, where I can be witness to and support the pioneering work he puts down. Therefore it is incredibly cool to be able to announce that we together have created a collaboration that is part of developing sport on another continent.”
The announcement of Ludvig’s visit is part of NENSA’s push to fill a gap in the programming available to US skiers in the off season. Earlier this summer we announced our partnership with Swenor Rollerskis, as well as our continued collaboration with SWIX in supporting our summer and fall NENSA Rollerski Race Series. This series will bring together elites, juniors, and masters to strengthen our ski community, and NENSA Competitive Director Justin Beckwith is also creating a bridge to Europe and international competition with the inclusion of Ludvig at the App Gap Challenge.
There will be five races in the 2018 NENSA Rollerski Race Series. Athletes will be ranked by their best 3 of 5 placements, with senior athletes vying for a cash purse graciously provided by Marty and Kathy Hall. (1st: $500, 2nd: $300, 3rd: $200) The top skiers from pre-registration (lowest US Ski & Snowboard / FIS points) will race on NENSA’s matched sets of Swenor Rollerskis. Depending on race formats skis will be provided to the top-ten or top-twenty skiers of each gender. For more information please visit http://www.nensa.net/rollerski and for questions email justin@nensa.net and tom@nensa.net.
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