US Skiing is coming off one of the most exciting winters in recent memory. As summer approaches, the National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is excited to help continue the momentum, again sponsoring a full suite of development opportunities in partnership with US Ski and Snowboard that live up to the old adage, “fast skiers are made in the summer!”

NNF’s Pillar Projects in the summer include a full suite of Regional Elite Group Camps (REG), with top U18 and U20 skiers from each USSS Region joining up at some of America’s premier ski venues to work with top regional coaching talent, and US Ski Team Coaches Bryan Fish and Greta Anderson. The U16 National Camp, which has successfully expanded on this REG model to reach more skiers at a younger age group, brings the best young skiers in the country train together at once for the first time ever, and this year will be held at Jackson Hole, Wyoming. An International Junior Camp rounding out this summer will also be looking to expand upon an emphasis on bringing American skiers together around fun development opportunities as a national ski community.

In fact, it’s that creed, working together makes us better, that NNF fully can stress through our Pillar Projects each summer. While the successes and milestones reached by US skiers make for emotional highlights each winter, the true grassroots work – the type of development NNF was founded to support – happens each summer. NNF’s programming reaches down from the national level to the regional level. Our partner organizations at the divisional level have also expanded upon the REG model to reach younger athletes and bring more skiers from more places together. Put together, it’s a recipe for community success empowered by the community. Here’s to a happy summer of skiing!

NNF Summer Pillar Projects Schedule

National Training Group (NTG) and National Elite Group (NEG) Camps – Best U20 skiers in the country, joined together for regular training with USSS Development Coaches. Schedule: Bend, Oregon, Early May. Park City, Utah, Late October.

Regional Elite Group (REG) Camps – Top U18-U20 regional skiers working with US Ski Team Development Coaches. Schedule: Western REG in Bend, OR June 22^nd-29^th. Eastern REG in Burlington, VT, June 29^th-July 3rd. Central REG in Cable, WI July 9^th-14^th. Alaska in Anchorage, AK July 15^th-21^st.

National U16 Elite Camp – Top U16 skiers from across the country training together with USSS Development Coaches. Schedule: Jackson Hole, WY July 29^th-Aug. 4^th.

International Junior Camp – US delegation of U18 skiers attends camp with top international juniors in Europe. Schedule: Location: TBD August 5^th-August 16^th

(MINNEAPOLIS, MN)  – Emma Stertz, Dolcie Tanguay, Connor Roberts, and David Ronnevik, will join Team Birkie’s Regional Team.

The Regional Team is an opportunity for athletes to continue their development of high level ski racing, as post-graduate high school and post-graduate collegiate skiers.

“It’s exciting to have a strong group of experienced post-collegiate skiers join Team Birkie’s Regional Team,” said Development Coach Jake Stiele. “All four of these athletes bring with them unique experiences and perspectives along with years of high-level training and racing that will greatly benefit our team and the Midwest Ski Community.”

Stertz comes from The College of St. Scholastica and Tanguay from Paul Smith’s College, where both did dual time for their college ski teams while competing for the United States at the IBU Biathlon Junior World Level.

Roberts graduated from Clarkson University where he was runner up overall at the 2024 USCSA Collegiate Championships in Lake Placid.  Ronnevik is a post-graduate high schooler from Fergus Falls, MN, who finished 10th in the Minnesota State High School meet last winter.

USCSA Champion National Champion and former Junior World Championship Nordic Combined competitor, Aidan Ripp, joined Team Birkie Continental Team, after a strong career as the top USCSA skier in the country for Paul Smith’s College in northern New York.

Team Birkie Regional Team 2024-25

• Emma Stertz, Grand Rapids, MN, St. Scholastica, USBA Jr. World Championships

• Dolcie Tanguay, Fort Kent ME, Paul Smiths, USBA  Jr. World Championships

•  Connor Roberts, Lima, NY, Clarkson University

•  David Ronnevik, Fergus Falls, MN

Team Birkie Continental Team 2024-25

• Aidan Ripp, Cloquet, MN, Paul Smith’s, US Nordic Combined Jr. World Championships

About Team Birkie: Team Birkie is a Midwest-based professional cross country ski team formed through a collaboration between the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, the Loppet Foundation, and Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC). With athletes competing at the FIS World Cup, U.S. SuperTour, and regional marathon levels, the team is dedicated to advancing skiing in the Central Region. With its home base in Minneapolis, MN, Team Birkie promotes partnership and community engagement, striving to set higher standards in the sport and inspire the next generation of Nordic skiers. Learn more at www.teambirkie.com.

COROS Wearables Inc., makers of GPS sports wearables and training software for adventure and pro athletes, today announced the launch of its second generation VERTIX 2 Carabiner, made explicitly for climbers and mountaineers wishing to wear their VERTIX 2 off-wrist for more technical pursuits. 

Made from high-grade aluminium and weighing just 40g, the VERTIX 2 Carabiner includes several safety features such as a Locking Gate, Trigger Lock, and Release Trigger, allowing for the secure keeping of the VERTIX 2 when both hands are unobstructedly needed. 

Built for the demands of expert climbers 

The VERTIX 2 Carabiner is built for the demands of expert climbers like COROS Pro Athlete Tommy Caldwell and is ready for anyone who wants to wear their VERTIX 2 off-wrist.   

Whether ascending a technical crack-climbing route or hiking in the wilderness, full GPS tracking operation will continue to work flawlessly in the all-new carabiner. If you want to keep tracking your heart rate data, pairing it with any external Heart Rate Monitor will ensure you never miss a beat.

Other features include a Screw Stopper – which prevents the Carabiner’s locking screw from being over-tightened, as well as strong backplate protection to keep the VERTIX 2’s Heart Rate and SpO2 sensors from encountering damage due to scratches and scrapes.

• Not built as UIAA-certified climbing safety equipment.
• Not appropriate for motion sensing data, such as cadence, jump rope counts or strength training reps.

COROS has also announced that its Multi-Pitch Climb mode will be renamed to Outdoor Climb mode as it now has the ability to track both Multi-Pitch and Single-Pitch climbing.

ABOUT COROS WEARABLES

COROS is a performance sports technology company that helps athletes train to be their best. For COROS, it’s all about the outdoors, mountains, and a passionate, active lifestyle. We combine high-grade hardware with innovative technology to provide endurance athletes with the gear they rely on in the world’s most extreme environments. Advanced technology with an efficient and intuitive user experience is at our core. When you use a COROS product, you know you are getting a tool that has been designed, tested, and perfected for the athlete by the athlete. COROS users have set World Records and been to the highest point on earth, pushing our products to the extremes. 

At COROS, creation and innovation are never-ending. Our customers, the athletes, make COROS – be a part of our community @COROSGlobal on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. #ExplorePerfection

COROS announces its biggest app upgrade ever, gives deeper insights with EvoLab updates, adds navigation to the PACE 2, price adjustments, integrations, and more!

COROS Wearables Inc., makers of GPS sports wearables and training software, today announced the launch of its new mobile app, more accurate and detailed EvoLab stats, new watch firmware, and new API integrations with Google Health Connect, Intervals, and HRV4Training. The company also announced a price adjustment and credit offer of its APEX 2 models to offset the fluctuational change of the USD. 

In its ‘biggest app upgrade to date’, COROS has redesigned its mobile companion app, which now features four simple pages, Progress, Activities, Explore, and Profile. As well as many standout features, there is a new Explore Page which includes an In-App Route Builder allowing users to draw, edit, erase, and download custom routes for runs, cycles, and more. 

Users can add Waypoints to routes; save locations from both on the app and directly from the watch, and the Map Manager allows you to download/delete maps on your watch directly from within the COROS app with the APEX 2/Pro, and VERTIX 2 watches. 

As well as the app, COROS has also released major updates to EvoLab, making it even more accurate in measuring benchmark fitness metrics. The update also makes it significantly easier to access EvoLab data and adds new Running Fitness and Training Status scores while also offering new tests like a guided Running Fitness Test and Resting HR Test.  

Perhaps one of the best releases in this firmware update is the addition of breadcrumb navigation for the PACE 2. COROS’ CEO, Lewis Wu, said: “We know that to get the most out of road training, you require navigation. This update brings greater convenience for road athletes and increases the market value of the PACE 2 far beyond what our competitor can offer. By offering this update, we can also allow our users to benefit from the new Explore Page and route builder.”

Starting Apr 20th, 2023, COROS is also adjusting the retail prices of its APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro watches in the markets using the following currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, and CAD. 

Due to recent updates to the USD currency exchange rate, Wu said, “We feel it’s right to adjust our pricing to make our products more competitive and to pass those savings on to our consumers.” To check if you’re eligible and for instructions on how to apply, please review the guidelines here.

COROS says this update also includes support for (1) Google Health Connect. Android/COROS Users can now access Peloton, WeightWatchers, MyFitnessPal, Google Fit, and more through the COROS and Google Health Connect API. (2) Support for HRV4Training, offering insights to help quantify stress, better balance training and lifestyle, and improve performance. As well as (3) Support for Intervals.icu, Dangelo, and Fourth Frontier.  

Firmware as part of this release is available now for users to download through Mid-May when it is expected to have been fully rolled out to all users. Some items, such as API integrations and some firmware features, are in the closing beta stages however, it is expected that everything will be fully operational by Mid-May. 

ABOUT COROS WEARABLES

COROS is a performance sports technology company that helps athletes train to be their best. For COROS, it’s all about the outdoors, mountains, and a passionate, active lifestyle. We combine high-grade hardware with innovative technology to provide endurance athletes with the gear they rely on in the world’s most extreme environments. Advanced technology with an efficient and intuitive user experience is at our core. When you use a COROS product, you know you are getting a tool that has been designed, tested, and perfected for the athlete by the athlete. COROS users have set World Records and been to the highest point on earth, pushing our products to the extremes. 

At COROS, creation and innovation are never-ending. Our customers, the athletes, make COROS – be a part of our community @COROSGlobal on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. #ExplorePerfection

Registration is now active with more Loppet details below and on zone4.ca.  Sign your family up at zone4.ca (search bar Menihek Nordic Ski Club) and create your own memories.

This year, race distances offered are 10 km skate/classic/snowshoe, 20 km and 30 km as well as the 2.5 km and 5 km for children & their chaperones around Tanya Lake.  The 20 km and 30 km races will start at 9:30 am on Tanya Lake (by the old scout hall parking lot end).

20 km skiers go to Duley Park then return to White Wolf Snowmobile Club and 30 km skiers go to the NL border before returning to the snowmobile club.  The 10 km skiers/snowshoers will start at 10:30 am – Duley Park.  Buses leave the Walmart parking lot at 9:45 am.  The children’s races will start at 11:00 am – White Wolf Snowmobile.

More info here.

Whistler attracts adventurous travelers from around the world with its unparalleled access to world-class recreation and outdoor experiences. From thrilling winter activities to indulgent award-winning dining and captivating art exhibitions and cultural experiences, Whistler makes it easy to plan a multi-day Nordic escape.

Not sure where to start in planning your getaway? Here’s how to make the most of your time while in Whistler.

Stay & Nordic Ski From $233 CAD pp/pn

Stay longer and save more when you package a Nordic Ski Lesson with your accommodation to receive a discounted rate!

Package includes:

• 3 nights’ accommodation in a deluxe hotel room for 2 adults
• 2 x adult Discover Classic Nordic 75-minute lessons with a 10 AM start
• 2 x trail passes and rental equipment
• Unlimited use of rental equipment and trails on day of lesson

Valid for winter arrivals through March 12, 2023.

View package details at whistler.com/Nordic.

Just a two-hour drive from Vancouver along the awe-inspiring Sea to Sky Highway. Featuring over 160km of trails sweeping across pristine mountain wilderness, Whistler’s extensive cross-country ski trail network means plenty of variety for all ability levels.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive in and explore Whistler’s three world-class Nordic locations all easily accessible from the buzzing Whistler Village.

Read more here. 

Stay longer and save more when you package your accommodation with a Nordic Ski Lesson and receive the best value.

Whistler Nordic Skiing Packages

3 Nights & Discover Classic Lesson from $204 CAD per Person, per Night

Package includes:

• 3 nights’ accommodation in a deluxe hotel room for 2 adults
• 2 x adult Discover Classic Nordic 75-minute lessons with a 10 AM start
• 2 x trail passes and rental equipment
• Unlimited use of rental equipment and trails on day of lesson

Valid for arrivals from December 17, 2022 – March 12, 2023.

Learn more at whistler.com/Nordic

Dear US nordic skiing community,

The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) would like to extend a sincere thank you for the astounding display of generosity and belief in supporting a world-class skiing development system during last week’s Drive for 25. We are humbled, and incredibly grateful, to be part of a grassroots movement propelling our sport forward in this country. This year’s Drive for 25 further demonstrated that our American ski community is a rare one where all of its members are working for good of this sport that we all love, and not for ourselves.

Between mail, online, and general donations, the US nordic community raised $110,609 from 1211 during last week’s Drive for 25. Crossing the threshold of raising $100,000, and the threshold of 1,000 donations, unlocked a pair of matching grants worth $100,000 apiece, or $200,000 total. With those goals achieved, the total raised from our Drive for 25 totaled $310,609, making it the largest Drive for 25 in our organization’s 20+ year history.

To have our biggest fundraiser ever in a non-Olympic year is impressive. To do it in a single week is a dizzying accomplishment. That is what the US nordic community stepped up to do last week; demonstrating an ongoing commitment to building a nordic skiing program that can compete with any in the world. With this funding, the National Nordic Foundation has a strong base from which to bolster its financial health, support our pillar projects this season, and fund innovative and forward-thinking approaches to sport development for some of the most promising skiers in the world. We want to thank everyone who donated, our ambassadors who fundraised, and the entire ski community from coast-to-coast for making this year’s Drive for 25 a special moment in our sport that will have a lasting legacy stretching out from here into the future.

Sincerely,

The National Nordic Foundation

Yuriy Gusev (Board Chairman), Matt Whitcomb, Joey Caterinichio, Sophie Caldwell Hamilton, Laura McCabe, Kikkan Randall, Erika Flowers, Reese Brown, Ben Theyerl

REGISTER

The Sovereign 2 SilverStar Ski Marathon located just outside Vernon, BC, is in the last few days of early bird pricing.  Early bird pricing ends Nov 20^th.  Register now and not only do you save money, but you also have the opportunity to win one of two free packages for lodging right on the mountain for the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of the event.  Vance Creek Hotel and Silver Star Mountain Resort , accommodation partners for the event, have generously provided these draw prizes.  Anybody that has signed up from the start of registration until Nov 20^th is eligible to win! Winners will be notified by Nov 27^th.

The event also includes a Club Championships which awards $2000 and an award to the club that has the most members that cross the finish line in any event (host club not eligible, pro-rated by total number of club members and travel distance to the event, club must have a minimum 100 club members as of the end of 21/22).  If you finish on both days, you count twice!  Current early leaders are: Whistler Nordic, Pembina Nordic, XC Bragg Creek, Hollyburn, Yellowknife, and it changes all the time as the competition is tight!  Bring some friends and maybe bring back $2000 to your club!

The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) today is announcing a new virtual speaker series, and invites skiers, coaches, and supporters from across the country to attend its first offering with renowned American physiologist Dr. Stephen Seiler on Friday, November 11^th at 1:00pm EST.

This inaugural lecture will be free to attend, with a recommended $25 donation going directly to NNF to support our Pillar Projects this winter, and beyond. Donation and registration for Dr. Seiler’s talk on November 11^th at 1:00pm EST can be found here and here. Limited to the first three-hundred participants.

The NNF virtual lecture series serves a dual-purpose in benefitting the American ski community; offering an exceptional sport education opportunity while helping power the grassroots movement to bring the latest ideas in training and developmental philosophy to US skiing’s program. By doing so virtually, NNF has committed to making the latest knowledge in nordic skiing accessible to all those parties interested in pushing our sport, and community, forward.

Friday, November 11^th with Dr. Stephen Seiler – Dr. Stephen Seiler is a renowned American physiologist who currently serves as Professor in Sport Science at the University of Agder in Kristiansand, Norway. He is a leader in the field of endurance training processes, and a lecturer who has been featured around the world. A compelling storyteller, Dr. Seiler uses his scientific expertise alongside an understanding of both American and European sport cultures to impart endurance training principles within their cultural context. His work on polarized training has helped develop the “5 training zone” (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) and “80-20” aerobic-intensity rules that are common nomenclature in ski training in United States skiing today. With his background in American sport and intricate knowledge of endurance, Dr. Seiler presents on the latest thinking in an ever-evolving field crucial to success for skiers and coaches at all levels.

Spring Sale prices are here both online and in-store!! From skate skis to skin skis we have sales on every ski in the store. We are offering 20% off all skis in-store with additional discounts up to 40% off on specific skis! We still have an excellent selection of skis ranging from touring to racing. Act quickly as many skis we have in stock at the moment have limited sizes/availability!

Use code “SpringSale” at checkout for 20% off everything including items already marked down!

Rossignol R-Skin and Salomon RC10 Eskin 40% off with additional discount!

Call us at the shop (763-420-8981) or email info@pioneermidwest.com for specifics regarding regarding ski sizing and fitting.

20% off on All Poles

If your poles didn’t make it through the season in one piece, now is the time to capitalize on some great pole deals on every pole left in stock. Lengths are limited and longer poles are only getting harder to find so snag a pair before they are gone!

KV+ Poles: 40% off
Salomon S/Lab Poles: 30% off
Swix Poles: 20% off

Shop Poles

Every Boot is on Sale

As part of our spring sale pricing all boots are 20% off! Boots have continued to roll in all season long, so if you have been waiting to upgrade now is the time! We have a ton of Skate, Classic, and Touring boots still in stock so don’t wait and miss out on the best boot prices of the year.

Shop Boots

Wax and Tools Clearance

Fill up your wax box with new wax and tools to ensure fast skis heading into the rest of the season! With huge carryover going into next season on many products, take the opportunity to pick up some of your favorites at discounted prices for a limited time. Give us a shout and we will share what waxes and tools we use most in our own shop area!

Rex Wax: 30% off
All other wax and tools: 20% off

Shop Wax and Tools

Huge Clothing Sale

Stay dry and fresh this spring with 40% off on all clothing! We still have a huge selection of closeout clothing that you can utilize the additional discount on during the sale.

Use code “FreshandFast” on all clothing!

With a cry of triumph and relief, Therese Johaug of Norway crossed the finish line of the final event, the 30K Freestyle. The outstanding Norwegian was putting a golden exclamation point at the end of the extremely successful Winter Games for the Fischer Race Family: 57.3% of all Nordic medals were won on Fischer skis. Take a closer look at the disciplines in which cross country skis are used, and it’s 62.3% of medal winners who relied on the total Fischer package of skis and boots, with 75.4% also using the TURNAMIC® Binding Set-Up. Fischer sent the clear message that as the most successful ski, boot, and binding brand by a huge margin, they are once again the clear number one in the Nordic market.

In total, 39 gold, 27 silver, and 32 bronze medals went to Fischer Race Family athletes. These 98 medals fell just five short of eclipsing the fabulous total medal haul in Sochi 2014, which still marks the most successful Olympic Games in company history. Just as eye-catching as successful was the use of the new Speedmax Helium skis and Speedmax boots, which caused a real buzz in Beijing (CHN) with their design in bright neon yellow and black.

In the very first event, the women’s Skiathlon distance race, Therese Johaug, Russian Natalia Nepryaeva, and Austrian Teresa Stadlober were extremely impressive in a Fischer sweep of the top three places, each wearing new equipment on her feet. Individual Olympic gold had been missing up to this point from the extensive collection of Therese Johaug. And this currently dominant cross country racer was not yet done: Therese Johaug then captured gold in the 10K and 30K, thereby announcing herself as the most successful female athlete in the Fischer Race Family in Beijing. On top of this, Natalia Nepryaeva claimed Relay gold along with Russian compatriot Yulia Stupak, plus bronze in the Team Sprint. After a surprise Relay silver medal by German skiers Katherine Sauerbrey and Katharina Hennig, the latter of the two then had an even more surprising- though certainly well earned- gold in the Team Sprint. Kerttu Niskanen of Finland had to settle for silver by a mere .4 seconds in a Classic thriller, then made up for that to some extent with an unbelievable finish line sprint to also take bronze in the final event, the 30K.

Her brother, Finnish skier Iivo Niskanen, coolly scooped up a complete array of medals to take home, with 15K gold, silver in Team Sprint with countryman Joni Mäki, and bronze in Skiathlon. Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo secured even one more gold, winning the Sprint; the Team Sprint with fellow Norwegian Erik Valnes; followed by a bronze in the 15K; then finally a bronze in the Relay with teammates Hans Christer Holund and Emil Iversen. Russian Denis Spitsov added more gold in the Relay and silver in Skiathlon, while countryman Ivan Yakimushkin took silver in the 50K event (shortened to 30K). In the Relay, Russians Veronika Stepanova, Alexey Chervotkin, and Sergey Ustiugov contributed gold, while Ebba Andersson and Frida Karlsson contributed bronze, playing significant roles in the extremely successful showing of the Fischer Race Family.

The most industrious of all the Fischer medalists in Beijing was Norwegian biathlete Johannes Thingnes Bø. He set the standard there as a four-time Olympic champion in Sprint, Mass Start, Mixed Relay, and Relay, plus bronze medal winner in the Individual. Right behind him was Frenchman Quentin Fillon Maillet, who also took home five medals as the Olympic champion in the Individual and Pursuit, as well as runner-up in Sprint, Mixed Relay, and Relay. Norway’s Tarjei Bø enjoyed earning his first individual Olympic medals with a bronze in Sprint and silver in Pursuit, to go with his golds in Mixed Relay and Relay. Sweden’s Martin Ponsiluoma did his part for Fischer’s outstanding medal tally with silver in the Mass Start. The Russian team even fielded complete Fischer foursomes in the Mixed Relay, as well both Relays. Russian athletes Uliana Nigmatullina, Kristina Reztsova, Svetlana Mironova, Irina Kazakevich, Alexandr Loginov, Maxim Tsvetkov, Said Karimulla Khalili und Eduard Latypov quickly raised the Fischer medal count with silver in the women’s Relay, and bronze in both the Mixed and men’s Relay. Latypov also took a Pursuit bronze. On the women’s side, Tiril Eckhoff of Norway earned the full medal array with gold in the Mixed Relay, silver in Mass Start, and bronze in Pursuit. Denise Herrmann of Germany took gold in the Individual, and bronze in the Relay with compatriot Franziska Preuss. Sweden’s Linn Persson and Hanna Öberg were Olympic champions in the Relay, while Justine Braisaz-Bouchet of France finished up by easily taking the Beijing Olympic title in the final women’s Biathlon event.

In the Nordic Combined, black and yellow dominated the podiums as well. All the Olympic champions, as well as 16 of 18 medal winners outfitted with Fischer jumping skis, as well as cross country skis, bindings, and boots enjoyed success.

In the first competition, from the small hill, Vinzenz Geiger of Germany turned up power over the final kilometers to take the win over Joergen Graabak of Norway. The experienced Norwegian then took gold on the large hill and led his teammates and compatriots Espen Bjornstad, Espen Andersen and Jens Luraas Oftebro to the Olympic Team competition title. Oftebro had previously taken silver on the large hill, ahead of former champion Akito Watabe of Japan. With another strong cross country performance, Vinzenz Geiger secured silver for the German team, featuring Fischer athletes Julian Schmid and Eric Frenzel, ahead of the Fischer foursome from Japan: Yoshito Watabe, Akito Watabe, Hideaki Nagai and Ryota Yamamoto.

In Ski Jumping, Ursa Bogataj of Slovenia, Katharina Althaus of Germany, and Nika Krizar of Slovenia provided a Fischer medal sweep in a brilliant performance off the hill. The two Slovenians also took gold in the turbulent Olympic debut of the Mixed Team competition. The Austrian eagles Stefan Kraft, Daniel Huber, and Jan Hörl put up performances that earned gold in the Team ski jumping competition, while Germany’s Karl Geiger took bronze in the Iarge hill Individual jump, then battled for Team bronze with compatriots Constantin Schmid and Markus Eisenbichler.

You have probably seen a lot of yellow skis in the early World Cups and Ski Classics if you have been streaming races this year.  What are those skis?  They are the new family of Speedmax skis with some interesting and effective variations.

FISCHER’s NEW SPEEDMAX PROVED TO BE THE “GO TO” THIS SEASON.

The “go to” workhorse for the broadest range of conditions is still the highly vetted Speedmax with the proven 610 Mold.  This is what both the men’s and women’s overall champions at the 2022 Tour de Ski relied on for most of the events.   The Speedmax wins in any given track condition. The new yellow version has a lower and lighter tip for faster turn over and better climbing.  The ski is still available in either a Plus or Cold version with the Plus being the better choice for universal conditions.  The Speedmax still relies on Cold Base bonding with Air Core construction and High Modulus Carbon laminates to be fast and light.

The  new Speedmax 61K was sent to a few dealers and elite racers earlier this year with the traditional graphics.  It was originally meant as a Soft track specific ski and it definitely is for the general racing public.  However, Fischer’s accomplished athletes started using the 61K on tracks that were not at all soft.  With well developed technique, elite racers were able to maintain stability on firm tracks with the 61K and garner glide that is grand and heroic.

What is the 61K?  Fischer uses two primary molds for their skating skis: the 115 and the 610.  Skis with the 115 have a long wheelbase with extended contact zones that dissipate the skier’s weight.  Skis with the 610 mold have a shorter wheelbase with relatively short contact zones.  The 61K takes the 610 mold and shortens the wheelbase even more which creates rather soft tips and tails.

Who will benefit?  It is true that some stability is sacrificed by this flex pattern.  However, that makes the glide of the 61K extremely fast.  Advanced skiers who can maintain high tempo V2’s even on less than ideal tracks will love the 61K.  Do you have to be Johannes Klaebo or Natalia Nepryaeva to handle these skis?  No, but you better have well developed technique if you want to use the 61K on a rather firm track.   As mentioned above, the 61K Speedmax was originally designed as a soft track ski.  The flex pattern makes this ski very controllable and extremely fast in soft track conditions regardless of skier ability.

Next up is the all new Helium.  The lightest racing ski on the market.  Unfortunately, the Helium will only be available in very limited numbers.  The goal with the Helium was to make an ultra light ski that did not sacrifice durability, speed or stability.  The first step in achieving that goal was to create an all new core for the ski.  Fischer came up with the Bidirectional  Air Core which is essentially taking Air Core material, run it perpendicular to the core, and have it make up most of the sidewall.  This is far lighter than traditional construction and provides for a beautiful flex pattern and outstanding durability.

The second step for the Helium was creating the Helium Shield.  Fischer engineers created a unique weave of High Modulus Carbon intertwined with Fiberglass for an extremely light sheet that keeps the Speedmax strong and provides great torsional rigidity for effective stability.

Fischer will have these new skis available to test and try out at the post Birkie demo at the start area on the Sunday after the Birkie.  They look forward to your input.

First, and perhaps most exciting, the Speedmax Helium was introduced to the line. The new Speedmax Helium Skate Plus offers maximum performance at a revolutionary weight of only 950g thanks to new bidirectional Air Core, Helium Shield and World Cup Tip. Cold Base Bonding provides improved wax absorption and the liquid waxable sidewall made of base material offers optimal gliding properties through reduced friction.

The world class performance of the Speedmax Skate Boot starts with a world class fit for stability and efficient power transfer. A new lacing system and racing last secures the foot, while the light, strong sole and Zero Play Hinge guarantee precise, smooth movement to save valuable seconds. The RACE CODE seal confirms you’re wearing World Cup equipment.

The ultralight pro level Speedmax Classic Boot also got some love this past year. A lighter, more flexible 2-piece sole and excellent fit provides needed stability. Designed with lightweight lateral support and a smooth forward flex for the perfect bend of energy transfer and control.

Annual classic ski race features 30k, 15k, & 5k distances

Crosscut Mountain Sports Center is delighted to announce the “first” annual First Security Bank Sacajawea Classic on Saturday, February 12. Three distances are available: 30k, 15k, and 5k. Additionally, kids 12 and under ski free in their own race. Crosscut’s facilities will open at 7:30am on race day, with the first racers starting at 9am.

Registered racers are welcome to stay and ski free on Crosscut’s 45k of pristine trails on Sunday, February 13. Refreshments will be provided in the warming shelter from 10am-2pm.

“We are keen to kick off our first annual Sacajawea Classic race at Crosscut! We are eager for this race to gain traction and draw with the Nordic community and attract skiers from across the nation to travel to beautiful Bozeman each winter and enjoy what Crosscut and our local communities have to offer. Good luck to all skiers!”, stated Crosscut executive director Jen Beaston.

Registration is open at: https://www.crosscutmt.org/sacagawea-classic and discounted hotel rooms are being offered at the Hilton Garden Inn for all participants. Cash prizes of $250, $500, and $1000 are up for grabs for men and women in the 30k division.

For more information visit: www.crosscutmt.org.

This Tuesday, October 26th we will be hosting a rollerski clinic with Wisconsin native and US Ski Team athlete Kevin Bolger! Kevin will be doing a meet and greet with a clinic and workout focusing on technique at Elm Creek Park.

After the clinic, follow us back to the shop for food/drinks and a small get-together, we will be following social distance guidelines as well as requiring masks in the store for the event.

The clinic starts at 5:30pm at the Elm Creek Beach parking lot. Check out the Facebook event here!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Rossignol Group appoints new U.S. Alpine Race Manager

World Cup veteran Shawn Gaisford to bring a wealth of race experience to U.S. market

Park City, UT – Aug 31, 2021 – Rossignol Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Shawn Gaisford as the new U.S. Alpine Race Manager, effective immediately. Gaisford will be responsible for working with Alpine Race coaches, athletes, and clubs across the country; overseeing the Group’s Junior Race and sponsorship programs; working closely with the Group’s dedicated network of Race dealers; and coordinating with the U.S. Ski Team for Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange and Look brands. 

A former World Cup technician with 15 years of experience servicing athletes on the WC circuit, Gaisford experienced his first victory at the 2009 Kvitfjell Downhill with Manuel Osborne-Paradis. Working with a diverse roster of athletes from the U.S., Canada, Switzerland, and France throughout his World Cup career, Gaisford also attended the Winter Olympics in Vancouver (2010), Sochi (2014), and Pyeongchang (2018) as a supporting technician. 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Shawn come down and assume this role for us in the U.S.,” said Thor Verdonk, Global Race Business and Alpine Technical Product Director. “Shawn’s vast experience will be incredible assets as we continue to boost our race program in the U.S. After spending his entire professional career in the international race community and working closely with some of our top international athletes, I’m not only confident he’s up to the task at hand, but look forward to watching him cement our position on top of the podium and accelerate our presence in the U.S. marketplace.    

“I’m very proud to be able to contribute to growing the passion for ski racing across the U.S. and very excited to take on this next challenge,” added Gaisford. “Racing is entrenched in the DNA of these legacy brands, I suppose much like myself. I look forward to getting to know and work with all of the coaches, race program directors, dealers, and athletes in the U.S. and driving our race programs in the years to come.”

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After nine years, the Borah Foundation is passing ownership of the Borah Epic to the

American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation

Hayward, Wi. – August 5, 2021 – The Borah Epic was founded in 2013 with the intent of hosting an unforgettable mountain bike race on the pristine singletrack trails between Cable and Hayward, Wisconsin. Since its start in 2013 with less than 200 participants to its most recent 2021 event with close to 1,000 riders, the Borah Epic has paid tribute to some of the Midwest’s best trails.

The ABSF is flattered to be selected to take what the Borah Foundation has built and nurture that into the future.   Two very important parts of the ABSF mission are to host World Class Events and help people of all ages get outside and lead a healthy active lifestyle.

“It is enormously flattering to be selected to nurture the Epic event into the future.  Our entire staff and events crew is ready to dig in to make sure that we propel the event positively.  We will endeavor to honor the past while providing an expanded future for the event,” noted Ben Popp, Executive Director of the ABSF.

The ABSF is excited for the future of its Bike brand with the popular Fat Bike Birkie on the famous American Birkebeiner ski trail, the Telemark Ascent going into its 2^nd year with a combination of singletrack and ski trails that expose riders multiple times to the incredible views from the top of Mt. Telemark, and now with the addition of the historic Epic event – one of the most important singletrack races in the Upper Midwest.

“Ski, Run, Bike, Live are all equally important elements of the ABSF brand, and the Epic will be a foundational element of the Bike brand into the future,” says Joe Vadeboncoeur, COO of the ABSF. “Our family of cycling events and the MTB trails project at Mt. Telemark will all help expand the ABSF bike brand to it’s potential.”

The Borah Foundation and the Epic event, have provided a donation to the CAMBA trails organization in the past, and as the new owners of the event, the ABSF intends to continue to contribute to the CAMBA trails via the proceeds from the Epic Singletrack event.

“We could not be more excited about transitioning the Epic to ABSF, I’ve witnessed firsthand the ABSF’s ability to host world-class events,” Chris Jackson says of ABSF. “I am extremely confident in their ability to take the Borah Epic to even greater heights, continuing to build upon what we have started.”

ABSF is currently preparing for the 10th annual race and will be releasing more details soon. Interested riders can find more information at www.birkie.com.

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About the American Birkebeiner® Ski Foundation and Birkie® Events
Located near Hayward and Cable, Wisconsin, the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is known for its signature American Birkebeiner Ski Marathon held each February. Today, the Birkie brand has grown to over 45 different events spread over 13 different weekends and to encompass a year-round lifestyle that provides healthy, active events for thousands of outdoor fitness enthusiasts of all levels. www.Birkie.com

About Borah Teamwear

Borah Teamwear is one of the leading custom sports apparel companies in North America, producing high-quality custom gear for cyclists, runners, triathletes, and skiers. All of Borah’s products are 100% custom-made at the company’s solar-powered headquarters in Coon Valley, WI, where the latest technological advancements in sustainable apparel design and production are utilized.

Media Contact

Kate Barido

Marketing and Communications Director

kate.barido@birkie.com

Partnership Contact

Jeff Hommes

Sponsorship Director

Jeff.Hommes@birkie.com

The Fort Kent Outdoor Center is now accepting applications to our Post Graduate training program for Nordic and Biathlon Programs. There are currently openings for 4 full time athletes at this time to live in the Jalbert Athlete Residence

Please follow this link for information about the program and how to apply

https://www.fortkentoc.org/programs/

The University of Maine at Fort Kent has just announced that 5 scholarships will be given to five athletes that are enrolled in the FKOC PG program. Check out UMFK programs at this link

https://www.umfk.edu/

These programs are offered on a first come first serve basis, so send in your applications soon to be considered.

This unique trip is a skier’s dream: behind-the-scenes tours of the Fischer, Salomon & Atomic ski factories in Austria with Birkie Champion Matt Liebsch, owner of Pioneer Midwest. Skiing on the Dachstein Glacier above Ramsau. Skiing in the ski tunnel in Planica, Slovenia. Running, hiking, and roller skiing with stunning views when you’re not on snow. Away from the trails, sample some of the best wine, beer, and dishes the two regions have to offer, and enjoy the support of your local trip leaders along the way.