Tag: momentum

Nordic Nation: The Pete Vordenberg Experience (Episode 1)

Not exactly a mystery man in nordic-ski circles, former U.S. Ski Team Head Coach Pete Vordenberg has been admittedly reclusive when it comes to staying in the XC ski game. In this two-part episode, Nordic Nation chats with Vordenberg in Bend, Oregon, and connects the dots in terms of what he’s been up to. Vordenberg raced in two Winter Olympics and was a forerunner in a third. (You’ll have to listen to Episode 1 to learn about that forerunning gig.) After skiing with the U.S. Ski Team (USST) for six years, he began coaching for the USST in 2002, retiring as the USST head coach in 2012.

Former U.S. Ski Team Head Coach and current dad, husband and photographer:Pete Vordenberg. (Photo: Pete Vordenberg)

This was a wide-ranging interview with numerous digressions: both the interviewer and Vordenberg were easily distracted. Serious attempts in the editing process were made to overcome the interviewer’s deficiencies. And make note, this interview was recorded outdoors at two local Bend breweries, with a brief intermission on bikes.

In Episode 1, Vordenberg speaks about his book Momentum: Chasing The Olympic Dream, how he started skiing in Boulder, Colorado, and how the USST began to turn it all around on the World Cup.

But in between all of that, good old type 1 fun.

Pete Vordenberg unwinding in Lahti, Finland 2017. Riding the saddle at an underground Lahti karaoke session. (Photo: FasterSkier)

Vordenberg is a keen and creative mind. When he’s not being a dad, he’s mastering his art as a photographer. His Instagram account is both stunning and eclectic. Have some time set aside before checking his account out, it can be a wormhole.

Enjoy the ride listening to The Pete Vordenberg Experience.

(To subscribe to the Nordic Nation podcast channel, download the iTunes app. If you have iTunes, subscribe to Nordic Nation here.)

Have a podcast idea? Please email nordicnation@fasterskier.com.

September 22, 2017
Toko All Stars and Canadian NorAm Field Report

Toko Glove All Stars: Ida Sargent

1. Who was your skiing role model when you were growing up and why?

Chandra Crawford- I watched her win Olympic gold with the biggest smile on her face and it doesn’t get more inspiring than that!

2. What skier inspires you currently and why?

Kikkan Randall- she is a leader for our team and an incredible role model. Kikkan isn’t afraid to set big goals and believe in herself as she chases them to success!

3. Favorite race course and why?

The courses in Kuusamo are my favorite. I love the big steep uphills and fast downhills.

4. Favorite workout and why?

In the winter when the conditions are right it’s impossible to beat a long classic ski especially when it is firm tracks and sunny skies! In the summer I love point to point running ODs and mountain biking on fun singletrack. I also love max bounding intervals because it’s so easy to go hard and push yourself to new lactate burning highs!

5. Favorite place to train and why?

Craftsbury Vermont! In the winter there are so many awesome trails to ski and they do a great job with grooming and snowmaking. Then in the summer there are lots of trails for running and mountain biking, a lake to jump into after every workout, and not much traffic for rollerskiing. It’s also very quiet so a great place to focus training and the goals at hand!

6.

Favorite Toko glove model (and/or color) and why?

So many great options! I like the classic for racing and for training I usually have cold hands so I love the Arctic glove and mittens and the new Stars and Stripes colors are awesome!

Field Report from Momentum Northwest from the Canadian NorAms

I just got back late Sunday from our first racing trip, to Silver Star for their NorAm. I brought six athletes up, all with some racing experience but they were definitely thrown in to the deep end of the pool given the immense number of Canadian juniors present, and the fact that these races represented qualifiers for upcoming junior trips and such. My guys were awed but stuck to their guns and performed really well, not only in results (which on paper weren’t exceptional but experientially they all came away with excellent lessons), but in execution of their race plans and general habits on a trip.

I was able to team up with Scott J for the sprint waxing day. Temps were in the low-mid 20s (F) with fresh snow that had a fair bit of moisture. Base wax was LF Blue – a no-brainer for both Scott and I because we’ve always had success with that as an underlayer; no reason to test.

Scott arrived earlier than I did on the morning as he had an older athlete, and tested a variety of (4 different brands) topcoats. When I arrived I threw Jet Stream Red and Blue blocks into the mix, later to add Helix 2.0 Red. His winner was (a product from another brand). I put JetStream Blue against the (previous winner from the other brand) and it was solid – a toss-up in some places but JS ran really well (even better, I’d say) on initial acceleration, especially. We chose JS Blue as the block.

For liquids, he didn’t have any of the new Helix so I prepped up a test ski with 2.0 Red and put it against his own. The Helix kicked butt – free all the way from acceleration to top speed on downhills. Scott hadn’t had a chance to use the new versions yet so he was understandably excited to see the results.

We went with the LF Blue paraffin, JS Blue block, and Helix 2.0 Red. Because the weather didn’t change much but the tracks began glazing a bit following all the skiers, the Helix seemed to adapt well to that change and continued to run even in the heats.

The next day offered very similar snow but with new snow falling; I used the same combination of waxes and again they ran great; all my guys had skis comparable or better to those around them (even though many of those skiers around them were skiing faster; glide was better on downhills).

I’m excited to learn how effective that new Helix is, and that I’ve got a couple cans of the Red to work with. We have a few weeks of training before the first Junior Qualifier weekend in Bend, but I’ll touch base with you again after that to let you know how it goes.

Have a great holiday!

Sam Naney, Head Coach Momentum Northwest

Field Report from Mansfield Nordic Club

Eastern Cup #1, Craftsbury, VT

December 19th, Freestyle sprints

December 20th, 5km Freestyle for all

Friday afternoon conditions were transformed corn snow the was fast and slick. Overnight, temps dropped to the mid-20s and new snow fell. For the men’s race, temps were mid 20’s rising toward 30 with intermittent sun and clouds. the snow was skied in, fast and slightly glazing from traffic (the qualifier was 2.5 laps per racer, with 200 male and 200 female racers).

Paraffin layer was a hard layer of graphite (Start brand) followed by Toko HF Red mixed with Toko LF Grey.

In a test of Jetstream Red 2.0 Block and Helx Red 2.0 the block was preferred and this was the main topcoat for all skis, rotocorked in and brushed.

For structure, it was an extremely close call between the Blue Toko Structurite and a cross-hatch pattern created from a Swix tool. The blue was great climbing, but the Swix pattern was great at high speed and when riding flat skis. Because the course only featured one short, significant section of V1 we opted for the Swix tool.

All of our skiers felt that their skis were running great and we had some strong performances, most notably a 2nd place in the U16 qualification round.

During the qualifying round and before the heats, a big snowstorm rolled in and coated everything. Conditions slowed and the new snow on top of the manmade base meant interesting testing. For the heats we ended up actually dropping down in range to the Jetstream Blue 2.0 block via rotocork topped with Helx Blue 2.0 and the same structure. To make the structure more fine I applied it after corking but before brushing the Jetstream. Between rounds, a little more Blue 2.0 block was briefly hand-corked and re-brushed up.

A touch more snow fell overnight and temps dropped to the low 20s, and the snow guns were blasting as well. Early Sunday morning ski testing was the best snow of the year so far: firm, silky corduroy. I think pretty much every coach/wax tech out there was having a blast due to the great conditions.

Paraffin layer was HF Blue for the women, and a mix of HF Blue and HF Red for men.

I tested Jetsream Blue 2.0 block versus a mix of Jetstream Blue Powder and X-Cold powder mixed 1:1. Both felt great, so I was confident that a powder layer followed by a block would be a reasonable call. With the sun coming out and the track glazing a bit before start time, I took the X-cold out of the equation and just ironed Jetstream Blue powder into all skis. That was followed by the Jetstream Blue block rotocorked in, then the blue Structurite tool.

The women were really psyched with their skis and we had at least one really great race. There was a delay to the men’s race, meaning another opportunity to test. The only change I made was mixing the Jetstream Red and Blue blocks together, and the men were equally pumped to have skis that they said were fast and smooth. Another podium in the U16 men’s field was a highlight and capped off a great first weekend of Eastern Cup racing!

Adam Terko, Head Coach, Mansfield Nordic Club

Toko Grip & Glide Wax: For No Wax Skis

We get asked all of the time how treat no wax skis and more specifically often times how to prevent wax from clumping up in the kick zone in new falling snow around 32f. The solution is simple: Toko Grip & Glide Wax.

Apply Grip & Glide Wax to the entire base of the ski – both the glide areas as well as the kick zone. The glide areas will glide faster and the grip zone will not have snow sticking to it.

One thing to watch for though is if the kick zone (tread pattern) already has dirt in the corners and cracks. If this is the case, clean it well with a tooth brush and some wax remover if there is ski wax in there or just soapy water if it is just dirt. Once this is done, then the regular preparation mentioned above will serve you well.

Grip & Glide Wax is available at most Toko Nordic dealers and has a MSRP of $15.50 for 100ml (pictured above) and $19 for the 200ml size. Enjoy!

All Toko Gloves are now Touch Screen Capable!

January 5, 2016
A Motivator of American Skiing for a Decade, Vordenberg Moves On from USST

Pete Vordenberg. Photo: USSA.

The U.S. Ski Team announced on Wednesday that Pete Vordenberg — a leader on the team for the past 10 years and the man who literally wrote the book on modern American skiing — would be leaving his post as the men’s head coach. He became a new father this winter, and felt that he couldn’t be both a great parent and coach simultaneously.

USST head coach Chris Grover said the team plans to find a replacement to lead the men’s team next season. The team will take the time to find “the right person for the job;” someone who will come from outside the team’s current staff.

Vordenberg will stay on through the search process and help with the transition. He didn’t elaborate on his future plans, but along with spending more time with his family he expects to continue his work with the National Nordic Foundation (NNF), the precursor of which he helped found in 1997.

“I do want to summarize some of the experiences and lessons at some point,” Vordenberg wrote in an email. “But I’m not ready to do that yet.”

His colleagues and athletes, though accepting of his decision, are sad to see him go. They credit him with setting a new tone for US skiing in the course of his time with the team as an assistant coach, development coach, head coach, and most recently the men’s coach.

“He’s been really instrumental in telling the story of US skiing,” said Grover. “He’s been the guy that not only wrote Momentum and started… NNF, he’s the guy that has been one of the people out there laying out for all the young skiers in the US the demands of winning an Olympic gold medal.”

Andy Newell, whose first year on the USST came at the beginning of Vordenberg’s coaching career, cited Vordenberg’s ability to get inside an athlete’s head as part of his effectiveness as a coach for both USST athletes and developing juniors.

“He’s definitely in touch with that side of the sport — not only the physical, but also pushing people to be the best mental skiers,” said Newell. “That came out in his book, and it’s the way he coaches; it’s the way he’s connected with young skiers in the US. He has that no-nonsense approach to skiing.”

Greatness in skiing has been the object of Vordenberg’s work since he was himself an athlete. Before becoming a coach in 2002, he represented the US in two Olympic Games, and his goal of reaching the podium there has driven his passion for skiing ever since — a passion that he chronicles in detail in Momentum: Chasing the Olympic Dream, which was published in 2002.

“He had the unique perspective on our staff of having been a USST athlete himself,” said Grover. “I think he clearly recognized the things he did well as an athlete and the things he did poorly that prevented him from reaching the next level in his own career. He was really passionate about telling that story.”

The level of skiing in the US has undoubtedly changed since Vordenberg started coaching, but achievements along the way — the first American World Cup medal in 25 years, the first World Championships medal for a US woman — only made him hungrier for more.

“Since I started racing in 1984 I wanted to win at the Olympic level,” said Vordenberg. “In my day and for years on either side of my day we were not even close. One top 30 World Cup result a season for the whole USA was the norm.

“When Andy was on the World Cup podium in 2006 I was very happy for him and realized that we had all truly helped set US skiing on a new course, but I was surprised by how unfazed I was personally by his success. This was a dream since 1984 so it was a big deal yet I only wanted more. And so rightfully did Andy. The work went on just like before.”

That work, he says, is how the US finds itself in possession of a crystal globe in 2012.

“If you want to know how Kikkan [Randall] got where she is — she trains ungodly hard and a lot. That is the answer,” he wrote.

Vordenberg preaches giving nothing less than 100% to training, and since he no longer believes he can do so in coaching, he is stepping aside. Asked to reflect on his own career, he continued to look forward and express his philosophy:

“Do not be fooled into thinking you can succeed by doing this half way, or three-quarters of the way. You have to do it all the way if you want to win at the highest level. Forget about the general USST motto All Out. For us going all out is a foregone conclusion. That’s what we do. For years the XC motto has been: All In. And that is hard. That’s complete commitment. I knew I couldn’t be all in, and so I’m out.”

At the end of the day, Vordenberg emphasized that for both athletes and coaches, enjoyment of the process is critical to the goals it works towards.

“You must enjoy the work and the process because even for those that succeed the work is what makes up 99% of this thing,” he said. “And for most it will make up 100% of it!

“Similarly, on the day-to-day level it doesn’t matter how the race goes, as an athlete you start getting ready for the next race. And as a coach win or lose at the end of the day you are cleaning klister from skis. So you better enjoy cleaning klister and you better enjoy those you are cleaning klister with. I am lucky. I enjoyed the work and I loved my co-workers.”

Pete Vordenberg (l) working on skis with Trond Nystad.

April 27, 2012
2010 FasterSkier Holiday Gift Guide – Under $20

Winter is definitely here, which means the holiday season is upon us. FasterSkier will be running the 2010 Holiday Gift Guide this week in several installments covering a variety of price ranges. To begin, we cover gifts under $20.

Putty knife- $2.00 This might just be one of the most useful tools in the wax kit – perfect for scraping kickwax or klister off the base. Heck, at this price, keep a few on hand! This product is available here.

Olympic Flag Skinny Skis – MSRP $4.95 They’re back! The favorite Olympic Flag Skinny Skis Scraper is a 6mm Plexi Blade. Best seller Jamaica, Sweden, Norway, and USA. This product is available here. Swix Pencil Groove Scraper – $4.99 It is inevitable that wax will find its way into the groove of your skis. Proper removal necessitates the groove scraper, and this handy pencil version, which easily slides into wax boxes, is ideal. No extra skills needed for this piece of equipment – If you can grab a pencil, you can use this scraper. This product is available here.

Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm- $5.79 Windburned, sunburned, coldburned, chapped lips = bad. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm = good, all natural solution to the all of the above. Protect your favorite skier’s lips from the elements with this convenient stick. And if this gift is for your special someone, soft lips are enjoyable for more than just the recipient. Package contains two sticks, because we all know how easily they get lost. This product is available here.

Solda Plexiglass Scraper – MSRP: $6.00 Need a good stocking stuffer? Solda’s Plexiglass scraper is an ideal gift for any Nordic skier. After all, we know those scrapers get dull fast, and no skier ever has enough scrapers. Keep one in the car, one in the ski bag, one in the wax room, and most importantly, one to lend to a friend who’s forgotten his own. This product is available here.

W.O.W! Kids’ Winter Activity Log (A Kids’ Winter Activity and Nutrition Log) – MSRP $6.00
W.O.W! is what kids will exclaim when they wander outside this winter and discover how much fun it can be! WANDER OUTSIDE THIS WINTER! (“W.O.W.!”) is an entry-level initiative developed to bring kids and their families outside in the winter. It encompasses a variety of exciting winter activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, downhill skiing, making a snowman, and tubing. Lively illustrations focus on fun and will lure kids outside this winter where they can learn that it’s not cold out when you’re active and dressed properly and fuel your body with healthy things like fruit and vegetables! With colorful charts that let kids log activities and nutrition for 8 weeks, this book can also help kids form good habits that will give them a great start on living a healthy, active lifestyle, as well as teach them to set and achieve goals. This product is available here.

Fischer Ski Ties – MSRP: $6.00 More than anything else, you really can’t have too many ski ties. They are like socks – one is always going missing. This product is available here.

Nathan Winter Bottle – MSRP: $6.95 This water bottle prevents the very common issues of the frozen nozzle and cap. The protective flip-top cap is easily opened whether you’re wearing gloves or mittens, providing a simple solution to that infernal freeze-up problem. This product is available here.

Swix Synthetic Racing Cork – MSRP: $7.00 Corks are like toothbrushes, they need to be replaced from time to time, but you rarely remember to do it. And like a toothbrush, it is nice to have a few extras around. This product is available here.

Rode Blue Super Extra – MSRP: $8.95 A classic kick wax that should be a staple in any well-assorted wax kit. For new, transforming snow and new fine-grained snow with a temperature range of -1 C to -5 C, this is a versatile and well-proven kick wax. This product is available here.

Holmenkol Blue Extra Kick Wax – MSRP: $9.00 Besides scrapers, the other thing every skier needs is lots and lots of kick wax. Holmenkol makes a good wax that will improve your kick while going easy on your wallet. While Blue Extra is a great starter wax, a couple of these in a stocking are sure to make any skier happy. This product is available here.

Fast Wax Sport Waxes for training – MSRP: $9.00 Everyday glide wax is something skiers never get too much of. These versatile glide waxes from Fast Wax have you covered for temperatures from -5 F to well above freezing. This product is available here.

Niflheim Nordic Pole Ferrules – MSRP $9.50 Always be ready to rollerski with fresh sharp tips. Niflheim Nordic pole ferrules are available in 10-11mm and 7-8mm sizes to fit any pole. They feature a 2.5mm wide high strength carbide tip for excellent wear resistance. This product is available here.

Momentum: Chasing the Olympic Dream – MSRP: $9.95 Looking for a good book to read with that cup of hot chocolate? US Ski Team coach Pete Vordenburg wrote a wonderful book about his dream of being in the Olympics. A great read for any Nordic skier. This product is available here.

Brooks NightLife Visibility Band– MSRP: $9.95 Keep your loved ones safe when training in the dark. These also work well when attached to your dog’s collar making sure everyone is seen! This product is available here.

Gu Recovery Brew – MSRP: $10.19-12.79 Replenish energy stores and rebuild muscles after hard workouts. The Gu Recovery Brew has you covered. Protein, amino acids, carbohydrates and vitamins in a tasty way. This product is available here.

Toko GripSpray Base Geen Klister – MSRP: $13 This is the ultimate way to apply a base klister. Works quite well under kick waxes in aggressive kick wax conditions. Just spray on, work with thumb, and you’re done! Ideal for coaches waxing many pairs of skis on a deadline This product is available here.

Swix F4 Glide wax – MSRP $14 This paste glide enhancer is fast to apply and prevents icing and clumping. What else can you wish for? This product is available here.

V2 Carbide Roller Ski Ferrules – MSRP: $15 Just because there’s snow on the ground doesn’t mean you can’t think ahead. As any rollerskier knows, those ferrules go quickly, whether you lose them, they break, or just get too dull. An extra pair is always a must! V2’s black housing fits 9mm – 11mm poles while the yellow ferrules fit 7mm and 8mm poles. This product is available here.

Personalized iTunes gift card– MSRP: $15 and up Music is the perfect gift, and anyone who has tried doing a stint in the weight room without the right tunes knows how important the right mix can be for performance. iTunes gift cards start at $15.00. This product is available here.

Smartwool PhD Nordic Light Sock – MSRP: $17.99 Warm, wool socks that offer the right amount of compression, feel, and comfort while skiing. This is a popular winter season sock, so shop quickly! This product is available here.

SportHill InFuzion Headband – MSRP $18 Headbands are handy for a variety of reasons. This one is made from SportHill’s signature Swift fabric (90 percent polyester, 10 percent spandex), and reflective logo keeps you visible at night. This product is available here.

Fast Wax Speed Block – MSRP: $18.95 Heat generating felt pad on wood cork, designed for applying pure fluoro waxes and wax pastes. This product is available here.

Fischer Drink Belt – MSRP: $19.95 Carrying water when you ski is important. So what better way to do it than with Fischer’s spiffy water bottle holder (with bottle, of course)? The padded back provides a little bit of cushion and the zippered pockets gives you a great place to store an extra stick of kick wax and a cork. This product is available here.

Timex – MSRP: $19.94 Who hasn’t been caught at the trail head finding that the heart rate monitor is still at home? Toss an extra digital training watch in the bag and you’ll have a backup for basic timing and splits. This product is available here.

Road ID wrist band – MSRP: $19.99 While nobody plans on crashing, getting hit or picking a fight with a mad moose, stuff does happen. Keep your athlete safe with this comfortable and durable wrist band that contains emergency contact information. Reflective stripes adds safety when training in the dark. Available in a variety of colors. This product is available here.

December 13, 2010