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.
In this episode, we have Tara Geraghty-Moats, a trailblazer in women’s nordic combined who made the switch this season to biathlon. As we discuss in this conversation, women’s nordic combined could be put on display as an example of gender inequity in sport. Despite the fact that men have competed in nordic combined at the Olympics since the first Winter Games in 1924 and the FIS has organized a men’s World Cup season since 1983, the women’s counterpart is still not included in the Olympics and only saw its first World Cup season last year.
The original 2020-2021 World Cup schedule included four venues, plus the World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, but due to COVID cancellations, only one event took place. As Tara won this event in Ramsau, Austria, she was later named the overall World Cup winner and took home the first ever women’s World Cup crystal globe.
Tara Geraghty-Moats hoisting the first-ever awarded overall World Cup crystal globe for women’s nordic combined. (Photo: NordicFocus)
While she has goals remaining in nordic combined, Tara feels the move to biathlon was the right one, which you’ll hear about conversation. Tara also discusses her background in winter sports, the state of women’s nordic combined in the U.S., what her training and travel looked like during the transition, and her goals for the upcoming season.
Thanks for listening.
Tara Geraghty-Moats on course in Soldier Hollow during fall biathlon trials, where athlete vie for early-season starts on the World Cup. (Instagram: @tarageraghtymoats)
American Emily Dreissigacker racing to 47th in the women’s 10 k pursuit at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. (Photo: Ross Burton/US Biathlon)
A glance at Emily Dreissigacker’s bio shows a slew of career highlights, including a 10th place finish in the sprint, a 9th place in the pursuit, and a 15th place in the mixed team relay at the 2019 Open European Championships in Minsk-Raubichi, Belarus. There is also a bit of Dreissigacker’s backstory — how both of her parents were Olympic rowers and how she also had outstanding results as a junior in rowing before shifting her focus to biathlon after college. There is also a line that reads, “If I were not an athlete, I would…..have a cake bakery!”
However, the two pursuits are not mutually exclusive, and Dreissigacker does in fact have a hobby bakery, Kingdom Cakery, where she makes stunning and decadent occasion cakes in her spare time. FasterSkier connected with Dreissigacker via email to learn more.
FasterSkier: How did you get started as a baker and how did that transition into Kingdom Cakery?
Emily Dreissigacker: I’ve always loved to bake but I got really into cake specifically when I decided I was going to make my own wedding cake. (Dreissigacker married her CGRP and US Biathlon teammate Alex Howe in August 2016.) I did a lot of practice cakes leading up to the wedding and then afterward I had so many other flavor and decorating ideas that I wanted to sort of just kept making cakes.
In her spare time, 2018 Olympic Biathlete Emily Dreissigacker (CGRP/USA Biathlon) bakes custom cakes using seasonal and local ingredients. (Courtesy Photo)
FS: On your website, it says that you use seasonal and local ingredients – what are some examples of flavor combinations? What are some of your favorite flavors/ingredients to use?
ED: I love baking with fresh ingredients, everything from local eggs and milk to fresh berries and fruit when it’s in season. I think it makes such a huge difference in the flavor of the cake and that’s what I’m all about. A few of my personal flavor/ingredient obsessions are super dark cocoa powder, browned butter, homemade salted caramel, and chocolate cream cheese frosting.
FS: As you are training full time for biathlon, how much time are you able to put into baking and selling cakes?
ED: Not that much. It’s really still a hobby and every once in a while I get to make cakes for people. At this point, I have to turn down as many requests as I accept because of my crazy biathlon schedule and inability to plan too far in advance.
In her spare time, 2018 Olympic Biathlete Emily Dreissigacker (CGRP/USA Biathlon) bakes custom cakes using seasonal and local ingredients. (Courtesy Photo)
FS: What are your favorite types of cakes to bake/decorate? What creations are you most proud of?
ED: I love doing super tall single tier cakes. I’ve done a few weddings that have been a couple of cakes of different flavors and I love that. Thinking about the different flavors and different looks but still creating a cohesive display is a really fun challenge.
FS: Is this something you will continue doing after you retire from biathlon? Will you try to grow the business?
ED: I hope so!
For more drool-worthy cake photos, check out the Kingdom Cakery Gallery or Instagram.
In her spare time, 2018 Olympic Biathlete Emily Dreissigacker (CGRP/USA Biathlon) bakes custom cakes using seasonal and local ingredients. (Courtesy Photo)
