American veteran racer Andy Newell was lit up by the lights of the Alpsensia Olympic Stadium on Saturday night. Leaning alone on the railing in the media zone, he looked quietly over the medal celebrations… Read More »Goals: Reverse SplitsâWomen wanted relay medal; men had another hope
American womenâs cross country head coach Matt Whitcomb is anything but understated in his opposition to the casual penalties handed down to Russian athletes, suspended from the PyeongChang Olympics after being found guilty of doping… Read More »Matt Whitcomb: good, clean, sportâOutspoken critic of doping, American coach helps fallen Russian in menâs classic sprint
A decade before tennis legend Billie Jean King whipped Bobby Riggs in straight sets at the Houston Astrodome on national television in 1973 my mom was suspended from Burlington High School for wearing pants. Pants.… Read More »All That Glitters is, Actually, Gold: American women show heart, tears and progress in 4x5km relay
As part of an upcoming print feature, Cross Country Skier magazine caught up with several members of Craftsburyâs Green Racing Project, including U.S. biathlete Susan Dunklee. Read, in her own words, about her path from collegiate… Read More »Susan Dunklee: A Green Team Racer Chasing Gold
This season FIS changed the World Cup schedule by eliminating 5km races for women, eliminating all relays and reducing the number of skiathlons and team sprints to one each. For the most part, these changes… Read More »Diggins Reacts to World Cup Schedule Changes
By November 24th, the best cross-country skiers in the world will make their annual pilgrimage to northern Finland to kick off the opening races of the World Cup season. This year, however, their schedule looks a bit different. The 2017-2018 World Cup Calendar decreases the variation in race distances and formats, a change that aims to build interest in the sport but has created frustration among some of its athletes. The current World Cup schedule features primarily 10kms (15km for men) and sprint races, includes a single skiathlon, a single team sprint and a single 30/50km. It also eliminates all 5/10kms and team relay events. The World Cup schedule has historically boasted a wide range of race formats from the 2.5km prologue to 20km mass starts. The more uniform schedule simplifies the sport, but at what cost?
