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Harvard Seeks Assistant Coach for Men’s & Women’s Nordic Skiing

  Under the supervision of the Head Coach, the purpose of this position is to use athletics as a tool to educate college students.  By using inter-collegiate competition and all activities related to such competition, this position serves as a teacher and mentor to help build student character, prepare students for a constructive and effective life, and teach valuable life lessons including work ethic; discipline; resilience; persistence; teamwork and selflessness; goal-setting and goal achievement; overcoming...

Shane MacDowell: Filling Some Very Large Shoes. Part I

Last May, FasterSkier wrote about the retirement of University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) legendary ski coach Cory Schwartz, who had been with the University for 42 years. This summer, UNH named Shane MacDowell— the team’s former assistant coach— as Schwartz’s replacement. Following in the footsteps of a person whose career stretches back to the Reagan administration is a daunting task. Doing so at a university which has a dedicated and passionate alumni base is even...

Olympic Reflections from Paris

It’s been 14 years since I became an Olympian, competing as a cross country skier in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Since then, it hasn’t been easy to get to the Olympics as a spectator. The Winter Games have been in Sochi, Pyeongchang and Beijing, while the summer games have been in Rio and Tokyo, with an interruption by the Covid pandemic. The Paris Games were finally an opportunity for me to attend my...

University of Denver Skiing Seeks Assistant Nordic Ski Coach

The Nordic Assistant Coach assists the Head Coach in the administration of all aspects of the program, including, but not limited to, coaching, recruiting, event scheduling, supervision of program personnel, budget management, Student-Athlete mentoring, team travel, equipment, meals, technical logistics (software), marketing, and compliance with NCAA and the RMISA rules/regulations. The Assistant Head Coach will embrace and model a positive coaching philosophy and associated techniques, insisting on a culture of respect and positive communication, as...

Getting to Know Fin Bailey: One of the Newest Members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team

Finnegan Bailey—a resident of Landgrove, Vermont, and team member of SMST2 and the University of Vermont—was selected this spring to become one of the newest members of the Stifel U.S. Ski Team at the staggering age of 18. So how’d he do it? In the last twelve months, Finnegan (Fin) Bailey has received quite the accolades in the competitive nordic skiing scene. To name a few: he was named to the SMST2 club team, he...

Galena Lodge Seeks Nordic Ski School Director, Instructors and Restaurant Staff

Galena Lodge is a small day-lodge nestled in the Rocky Mountains 23 miles north of Sun Valley Resort and Ketchum, Idaho. We are located at an altitude of 7,300 feet at the base of the Boulder and Smokey Mountains. Our winter season runs from mid-November until early April (or as snow levels permit) and our Summer Season runs from mid-June until mid-September. Winter Positions Nordic Ski School Director and Instructors: (2-3 people) This job requires...

CU Ski Team Visits White House For College Champions Day

The Colorado Ski team was one of several NCAA Championship teams at the White House Monday that were celebrated at the College Champions Day. About 20 members of the 2024 NCAA Championship Ski team were in attendance for the Buffaloes along with six coaches and staff members.  The day began with a tour of the White House and culminated with speeches from NCAA Senior Vice President of Championships Lynda Taeler and Vice President Kamala Harris....

Clarkson Nordic and Cross Country Seeks Grad Assistant

Clarkson University is the nationally ranked research institution of choice for more than 3,400 enterprising, high-ability undergraduate and graduate students who launch remarkably successful careers.  The Department of Athletics, a Division III member of the Liberty League and USCSA, is seeking a graduate assistant for Cross Country and Nordic Ski; This graduate position includes a $10,000 stipend plus tuition (employment is contingent upon proof of acceptance into graduate school at Clarkson University). Responsibilities include but...

The Best Destinations for Cross-Country Skiing in France

France is one of the most beautiful countries for cross-country skiing, blessed with breathtaking landscapes that attract winter sports enthusiasts. The country caters to skiers of all levels, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned one looking to discover the scenic beauty of the French Alps.  From the extensive trails of Courchevel to the picturesque routes in Morzine, here are the best destinations for cross-country skiing in France. Courchevel At the heart of the French...

The Man Who Wants to Change How You Think About Skiing. Part II

In Part I of our interview with Andy Gerlach we talked about how he got into the ski business, the Factory Team, and the products he carries. We continue our interview with a broader view of Gerlach’s mission to change the mindset of cross-country skiers in America and the way you think about skiing, buying skis, and racing. FasterSkier: Your backstory is interesting. You’re a mechanical engineer and have a master’s in economics. You wrote...

“Like Riding a Bicycle”: American Birkebeiner’s Popp to Push Worldloppet Forward

“If you’re not pedaling, you’re going to fall over.”   Last month, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation sprang into registrants’ inboxes with a summer announcement: Ben Popp, Wisconsin native and ABSF Executive Director since 2013, had been elected President of the Worldloppet International Ski Federation. Replacing Finland’s Juho Viljamaa, Popp will serve a four year term, effective immediately. He already has the regalia to prove it. The Federation’s gavel, a relic of the Tony Wise...

Taking Another Look at More Family-Run Ski Wax Companies

We live in an era where product lines are often dominated by several large companies. More and more, small companies are bought up by large corporations as soon as the small company shows an innovation or growth pattern which its lumbering competitor can’t duplicate. Consolidation, just shy of monopoly, is standard practice for many industries.  Fortunately for skiers, this pattern hasn’t held true for cross-country ski wax. There are the big two—which is really the...

The SMST2 Team Announces Gap Grants to Fully Fund World Cup Experience for Athletes

The SMST2 Team is proud to announce this year’s Gap Grant program to support elite World Cup skiers in their pursuit of excellence on the international stage.  This initiative provides financial assistance to unfunded (D Team and non-USST) athletes that qualify to race on the FIS World Cup for any period of time. Gap Grants were made possible by the generous contribution of an anonymous donor and will be available to SMST2 skiers for the...

The Man Who Wants to Change How You Think About Skiing. Part I

Ever wonder where and how all of those cool cross-country ski products you may drool over come from? There’s one man who has an outsized role in bringing very ski specific products into the United States. But he’s also on a larger mission. He doesn’t want to just sell cool ski stuff. He wants to change your mindset about skiing, and the way the country buys skis. The man’s name is Andy Gerlach, and he’s...

US Ski and Snowboard Announces World Cup Team for Period 1

Dear Cross Country Community,   We are pleased to announce the XC Team for Period 1 of the 2024-25 World Cup season:   Ruka, FIN Sprint C Men Michael Earnhart                      Objective          23-24 Overall SuperTour Leader JC Schoonmaker                        Objective          10th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Ben Ogden                                Objective          15th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Gus Schumacher                       Objective          27th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Kevin Bolger                             Objective          30th 23-24 Sprint World Cup Zak Ketterson                           Objective          35th 23-24 Sprint World Cup...

Ukrainian XC Family Lands in Bend—Of All Places

  Anhelina Hryhorenko is a typical 14-year-old girl in many ways—she loves art and isn’t a fan of math. And she’s excited to have her freshman year of school over. But she’s got a lot of unique qualities, too. For one, she’s a junior national champion with more medals than she can hold in two hands. She’s also the daughter of a former national cross-country ski team member team and the niece of a three-time...

Jessie Diggins agrees. Yes, that was stupid

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. All of us need to take a break from our jobs every now and then and do something a little bit—out there— which challenges us. For many, that’s going for a long ski,...

Tour de France or Tour de Ski? (why not both?!)

On Saturday, June 29, the best cyclists will set off from Florence, Italy for the first stage of the 2024 Tour de France. For the next three weeks, they’ll be riding around 200 km of often hilly or mountainous terrain every day. This devilishly grueling stage race serves as a model for the winter equivalent – Tour de Ski – where cross-country skiers are pushed to their infernal limits day after day. This seems like...

Sprinting Away With Julia Kern. Part II

This coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award, or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage, please contact info@fasterskier.com. In part I of our interview with Julia Kern we talked about her summer training changes, and what was a very challenging winter of racing. Please continue reading for Part II of our...