---

Snowbasin Nordic Challenge 2010:
Rebuilding a Guatemalan Hospital

More than 2,000 miles separate doctors from Ogden, Utah and Guatemala in Central America. .With support from Snowbasin Sun Valley Resort and The Utah Nordic Alliance, a group of doctors are launching the Snowbasin Nordic Challenge on February 15, 2010.

 

---

Nine-Day Sun Valley Fest:
All Things Nordic

The new Sun Valley Nordic Festival, January 30 – February 7, 2010, will feature nine days of activities, races, clinics and fun events, along with a $49 nine-day valley-wide Nordic ski trail pass and discounts on demos/rentals, lodging and dining.

The idea was to create a weeklong event that capitalized on the Boulder Mountain Tour ski race and build in new activities that might encourage racers to come a few days earlier, but to also have activities that non-race skiers and families could enjoy. Read more.

---

Freeman Overcomes Diabetes:
Aims for Gold

Kris Freeman, a member of the United States cross country ski team, has a story unmatched in Olympic competition history. Freeman, 28, is the first athlete with Type 1 diabetes to compete in an Olympic endurance event.

Diagnosed in 2000, doctors initially told Freeman he would have to give up his dream to win an Olympic medal in cross country skiing. Freeman recalls, “I was very concerned that I was going to have to stop racing. Not trying to race never occurred to me. I was going to try and if I failed, I failed, but I was certainly going to go as hard as I could to continue on the career path I was on.” Read more.

---

Ski Legend Nikolai Anikin Remembered

Nikolai Anikin, a three-time Olympic medalist for the Soviet Union and then a coach in the U.S. for 20 years, died of cancer November 14, 2009, in Duluth, Minnesota. One of his prize pupils was John Bauer, who won all four races at the U.S. Nationals in 1996 and skied in the 2002 Olympics. Bauer wrote an article for Cross Country Skier two years ago, which you can read here.

---

Snowshoe Update

By Lou Dzierzak

Once thought of as quaint decorations hanging crisscrossed over a winter cabin’s stone fireplace, today’s snowshoes reflect state-of-the-art designs, construction methods and materials.

According to the Outdoor Foundation’s “Outdoor Recreation Participation 2009 Topline Report,” 2.9 million people went snowshoeing in 2008. That represents a 21.8 percent increase from 2007. Read the story here.

---

Montana Development Aims at Sustainability

A new development near Red Lodge, in south-central Montana, will include a limited number of widely spaced homes, access to ski trails and will showcase sustainable living. Aspen Ridge Ranch offers just 10 lots on 250 acres, with common ownership of the rest of the property. Read the rest of the story here.

---

The New Whistler Olympic Park

Click on the photo for a larger version.

What has almost 500 inches of snow annually, 35 kilometers of recreational trails and brand-new everything? If you answered the new Olympic Nordic venue in Whistler, BC, you win. Recreational trails? "It's much more about the legacy after the Games," says the venue's designer, John Aalberg. Read all about it in our new digital magazine. Also, see many more photos in our online photo gallery.

---

An Explanation of Balance

From the elite racer to the beginning five year-old, and everyone in between, balance can make the difference between skiing that is fun and skiing that is a chore. Along with core strength, technique training and mental visualization, improving balance is one of the essential skills for a cross country skier. Read more and see the illustrations.

 

 

---

Tamarack Lodge:
Where History and Nature Collide

Tamarack Lodge, nestled in the Inyo National Forest of the Mammoth Lakes area of California’s Eastern Sierras, offers up a charming combination of history and natural beauty resulting in a delightful setting for cross country skiing. Read on . . .

 

---

New Equipment for 2009-2010

Every season, equipment manufacturers roll out their latest and greatest new gear.Cross Country Skier annually brings you a preview of the newest line-up of skis, boots, poles, waxes and accessories. We have the scoop on new developments in design and technology – in bases, flexes, cores, foot lasts, binding interfaces, materials and cosmetics. So if you are a techo-weenie gear geek, this is the article for you.

---

Dryland Drills

No snow where you are? Check out these dryland drills to keep you in shape (both physicaly and mentally) for the upcoming season. (Note -- the link will take you to our digital magazine.)

 

 

---

Pre-Season Strength Workout

October 10, 2009 - It's not too late to get started on strength training for the 2009 season - but you better start soon. Take a look at one training plan, and many suggested exercises, to help you have your best season yet.