Oslo 2011 Day Eleven: Men's 50K Skate

For the last day of the World Championships in Oslo, the sun was out and a record number of spectators flocked to Holmenkollen to see the 50K Men's race, arguably the most prestigious race in the nordic skiing world. Organizers estimated that more than 100,000 fans came out to the race today! Talk about a lively atmosphere... If I was racing 50K with the fastest athletes in the world, I would depend on that crowd to get me through! 

Petter Northug was the 2009 World Champion and 2010 Olympic Champion in this event and had a target on his back during this race. Not only was he defending his 50K title, he was also defending his actions from Day Nine's relay, when he snowplowed to a stop right before the finish line and waited for rival Marcus Hellner in a teasing gesture that sent hard feelings to many Swedes. Would these antics make life on the race course difficult during the last race of these Championships? It sure didn't seem that way. Northug, as expected and celebrated by Norwegians across the country, skied his way to the top of the podium and secured his title as "King" of the World Championships in Oslo.

Teammate Tord Asle Gjerdalen took bronze the bronze medal. Sjur Roethe, also of Norway, was fourth. Only one man could break up the Norwegian trio: Maxim Vylegzhanin, who took home the silver medal. Even after 49K, Vylegzhanin had some kick left in him and challenged the lead pack on the final climb before entering the stadium. Northug followed, kept pace, and made his move where he has all week. Victory came shortly after.

Noah Hoffman was the big star of the American team today. He stuck with the lead pack a long time, even making his way to second place at one point. I was a bit worried that he was going to blow up completely, considering the distance still to go, but he stayed within striking distance of the leaders well into the race. He finished in 30th. Lars Flora was 39th, and Tad Elliot only three seconds behind in 40th. Billy Demong, an Olympic gold medalist in Nordic combined, stepped up to the starting line after Kris Freeman decided to sit out. Demong finished in 51st place.

Additional Links:
Full Results
Recap of Day Ten: Women's 30K Skate
Inequity on the Course- Why don't the women race 50K?
FasterSkier's report on today's race

Oslo 2011 Day Ten: Women's 30K Skate

Quite the day in Oslo! Therese Johaug earned the gold in a stellar preformance, outpacing teammate Marit Bjørgen and Polish superstar Justyna Kowalcyzk. Johaug had never won an individual championship or World Cup, so it goes without saying that this was a big victory.

First lap, lead pack: Bjørgen, Johaug, Steira, Kalla, Kowalcyzk

It was clear who the big players were from the early stages of the race. When the racers first passed me, Bjørgen was leading, with Johaug, Charlotte Kalla from Sweden, and Kowalcyzk on her heels. Gradually the lead pack disintegrated as Bjørgen, Kowalcyzk and Johaug moved away. Around 15 km, Johaug applied enough pressure to creep away from the other two ladies, opening a gap that she continued to increase as the race went on. She spent the second half of the race out in front, excelling on the climbs where she is strongest and maintaining her intensity on the flats. Therese came across the line 44 seconds before Marit, a feat that many were unsure was possible from anyone. Kowalcyzk was third, finishing over a minute and a half back from the golden finisher.

Johaug, out in front

The American women put in a strong performance today and had the results to prove it. All four athletes placed within the top 25! Liz Stephen was the fastest finisher in 16th place and Kikkan Randall was two positions behind in 18th.  Morgan Arritola was 21st, and Holly Brooks finished in 25th.

American women working together- In black: Arritola, Brooks, Randall

Congrats to all the competitors! These athletes put in one heck-ova' performance this week, and this race was quite the finale!

Additional Links:
Full Results
FasterSkier reports on the American women's results
FasterSkier reports on Johaug's win

Oslo 2011 Day Nine: 4x10K Men's Relay

Norway is back on top! The men's relay skied to victory this afternoon at Holmenkollen in a race that kept us all guessing until the last kilometer. Various European ski superstars all had their chance in the mix, from Alexander Legkov of Russia to Marcus Hellner of Sweden and many in between. While Hellner couldn't quite keep up with Petter Northug's kick at the end (more on that below), the Swedes still walked away with a not-too-shabby silver medal. Team Germany was third. North America was represented as well, with the Canadians in 12th and the American team finishing in 14th place.

How does the relay work? Each leg is 10K. In this "mixed" relay, the first two racers ski classic technique, and the final two competitors skate.

The race went back and forth constantly. The play-by-play would be way too much for the casual reader, but if you are interested, you can find it here. The "newsworthy" section comes down to the last kilometer. Northug had been sitting back during his entire 10K leg, letting the others do hard work in front. On the final climb into the stadium, he made his infamous move, regaining control over the field and turning on the afterburners that the Norwegian fans had been waiting for all day. Northug had enough of a lead that he was able to ham it up with the crowd, mimicking Alex Harvey's "Shush" to the crowd from Day Seven's team sprint. The real stunt was as Northug was about to cross the finish line. Instead of the classic arms-up celebration, the feisty Norwegian slammed on the brakes, snowplowed to nearly a complete stop and waited until Hellner was almost beside him to step across the line. (See video here.)

Of course, a media frenzy broke out over the move. A Swedish TV Commentator said that Northug is "a wolf along the tracks, but at the finish, he is a pig." Others claim that if he was strong enough to have that much time to spare, he deserves to have his fun at the finish line.

My opinion? I was really starting to gain a new respect for Northug! I felt like he was busting his way out of the bad-boy persona that he had been pigeonholed into, especially with his gracious comments toward Hellner on the first day of the Championships. But I just can't feel good about this move. All it was missing was a stuck-out tongue and a "Na-na-na-na-boo-boo!" There is plenty of ways to celebrate a great ski, especially when you are on your home turf with thousands of spectators cheering for you. In the sake of good sportsmanship (and common decency), grow up.

There is only one more men's race- the 50K on Sunday. We will see if these antics will make it any easier for Northug to get a little help in the tracks. Something tells me he will be fighting an uphill battle. Others agree.

Additional Links:
Full Results
FasterSkier's play-by-play
Video of the final climb and finishing antics
Recap of yesterday's Women's relay
Recap of Day Seven: Team Sprints (Women and Men)

Oslo 2011 Day Eight: 4x5K Women's Relay, Men's Ski Jumping

The Norwegian ladies reclaimed their spot on the top of the podium today, winning the relay by over 30 seconds. Sweden took second and Finland was third. The American women took ninth place. Team Norway consisted of the same line-up that took Olympic gold in Vancouver last year, and their win was no surprise. That fact didn't make the spectators any less excited to see Bjørgen come down the finish stretch first, proudly waving the Norwegian flag.

How does the relay work? Each leg is 5K. In this "mixed" relay, the first two racers ski classic technique, and the final two competitors skate.

A friend of mine had an extra ticket for the Men's Ski Jumping (Large Hill), and graciously invited me to join her! I had never seen a ski jump event before, and both of us were a little foggy on the specifics of the sport, but that didn't stop us from appreciating just how incredible these athletes were. Our conclusion about the sport: It must take a lot of guts and physical strength, and you sure don't want to crash. According to my Wikipedia research, scores are not only awarded by distance jumped but also factor in wind conditions and style points. Aerodynamics, athlete weight and specialized technique has a lot to do with jump success, but my knowledge stops there. (If you know a good source for information about ski jumping, leave a comment!)

The fog continued to hang over Holmenkollen and it was so thick when we first arrived that we couldn't even see the hill! Eventually, we were able to make out the red line at the base of the jump, then the OSLO written in the center, and finally the jumpers themselves. The fog rolled in and out and we made sure to see every athlete we could while the clouds were away. For most of the event, we had no idea who was jumping or what constituted a "good" jump, but it was fun to be part of the action and watch the flying competitors do their thing! Austrian skier Gregor Schlierenzaur won the event, and fellow countryman Thomas Morgenstern was second. The bronze medal went to Simon Ammann from Switzerland. Peter Frenette, the lone American, finished in 35th place.

Additional Links:

Full Results: 4x5K Women's Relay

Full Results: Men's Ski Jumping

Recap of Day Seven: Team Sprint

FasterSkier's article about the U.S. Women's relay

Oslo 2011 Day Seven: Team Sprints

The Canadian men were the stars today at Homenkollen! Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey took gold in the team sprint, followed by the Norwegians, Petter Northug and Ola Vigen Hattestand. The Russian team, consisting of Alexander Panzhinskiy and Nikita Kriukov, took the bronze medal.

How does a team sprint work? Each team is represented by two athletes who tag off after completing loops of the course. The  competitors each skied the 1.3K (women) or 1.5K (men) course three times.

Alex Harvey in the individual sprints earlier this week

The Canadians have proven their strength: Harvey won the 30K Pursuit during the U23 Championships this January, then took the bronze medal in the sprints at Drammen the weekend before coming to Holmenkollen. Devon Kershaw doesn't have shabby results either: he won the sprint in Toblach, Italy in January and took bronze in Oberstdorf Germany a few days later. They were expected to do well, but the Norwegians were, without a doubt, the favorites to take the gold. As we should all know by now, anything can happen in the sprints.

Harvey pulled through in the finishing stretch, double-poling past Hattestand to upset the Norwegian expectations. Harvey put his finger to his mouth to "shush" the roaring Norwegian crowds, acknowledging that he had snuck up on the Norwegian team, and that they would be disappointed.

In a post-race interview, Devon Kershaw's comment that "the 2,500 people that follow cross country skiing in our country will be pretty excited" caught the attention of the Norwegian press. It is such a stark contrast to Norway, where thousands of fans have filled the stadium everyday of this Championships.

The American team was Andy Newell and Torin Koos. They finished the day in 10th place.

Heja Sverige! (Go Sweden!)

While the North American men mixed it up on the podium, Scandinavians were dominant on the female side. It was the Swedish team, Charlotte Kalla and Ida Ingemarsdotter, that walked away with gold for the ladies. Kalla is one of my favorite skiers, and although I still hold a little grudge against her teammate, Ida Ingemarsdotter, for causing Kikkan Randall to fall during the quarterfinals of the individual sprints, I was happy to see the Swedes finish first. Aino-Kasia Saarinen and Krista Lahteenmaki from Finland took the bronze, and the Norwegian duo, Maiken Caspersen Falla and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen were third.

The Canadians team, made up of Daria Gaiazova and Perianne Jones, came across in sixth place. The Americans (Sadie Bjornsen and Kikkan Randall) were ninth.

Additional Links:
Full results: Men
Full results: Women
NRK's report of the Canadian win
Recap of Day One: Individual Skate Sprints

Oslo 2011 Day Six: Men's 15K Classic

Norway came home with two medals today, but no one could touch Finnish skier Matti Heikkinen's performance. Finishing over 13 seconds ahead of the field, there is no question that he deserves the gold medal. Norwegian skier Eldar Roenning took the silver, and teammate Martin Johnsrud Sundby earned the bronze.

Lukas Bauer from the Czech Republic showed up ready to race at Holmenkollen. He has a history with this event- he earned the silver medal in the Olympics in Torino 2006, and took bronze in at the World Championships in 2009. Bauer looked strong throughout the entire race. Not many tall men can make classic skiing look graceful, but Bauer pulls it off! He finished in 7th place today.

Kris Freeman lead the Americans, coming in at 24th. Noah Hoffman was 29th and Lars Flora was 39th. Simi Hamilton rounded out the US contingent in 51st place.


Additional Links:

Full Results
Recap of yesterday's race: Women's 10K Classic
FasterSkier's report of the day

Oslo 2011 Day Five: Women's 10K Classic

The winning streak continues! Marit Bjørgen donned the golden winner's jacket again after an incredibly close 10 K classic race today at Holmenkollen.

Marit accepts her third gold of the World Championships

It was a 'nail-biter,' one for the record books as Polish superstar Justyna Kowalczyk attempted to chase down the unbeatable Norwegian. Early on, it looked like she was going to do it- after starting 30 seconds behind her, Kowalczyk had gained 11 seconds in the first 2.2K! But you never know until all of the finishers cross the line. That statement couldn't have been more true today.



Bjørgen collapsed across the finish line and waited face-down in the snow to see the Pole fight through the last 100 meters, waiting on the commentator's call as to who would take the gold. In the end, Bjørgen came out four seconds ahead, leaving Kowalcyzk the silver medal once again.

Although Marit's medal count was what made the headlines, the Finnish skiiers put in performances worthy of note. Four of their competitors placed within the top 10, with Aino-Kaisa Saarinen taking home the bronze. Krista Lahteenmaki was 5th, and Pirjo Muranan finished three seconds behind her in 6th place. Kerttu Niskanen was 8th.

Holly Brooks led the American women in 27th place. Sadie Bjorgen and Kikkan Randall followed in 29th and 32nd, respectively. Ida Sargent was the final finisher from the US in 51st place.

Additional Links:
Full Results
FasterSkier's report of today's event
Recap of Day Four: Men's 30K Pursuit
Recap of Day Three: Women's 15K Pursuit
Recap of Day One: Skate Sprint

Oslo 2011 Day Four: Men's 30K Pursuit

Petter Northug of Norway topped the podium today, taking his "golden revenge" against the Swedes who beat him to gold the last few races. It was no walk in the park, though. Northug sat back for entire classic leg, staying within the lead pack, comfortable in the 'teens. The 80 other competitors put up quite the fight in the skating section, especially those feisty Canadians. Alex Harvey was the name buzzing on the radios as we listened in from the woods surrounding Holmenkollen. Harvey made a gutsy breakaway 18K into the 30K race, not long after the leaders had transitioned into their skating gear. I was pretty sure that he was going to hold on to the lead until the end- he seemed strong and the time ahead of the pack was steady (this was partially thanks to his teammates, especially Ivan Babikov who slowed the pace to allow Harvey some wiggle room). He maintained the gap until the last loop (less than 4K to go), a pretty impressive position to hold in a field of the world's fastest skiers. But the pack caught up, with Northug and teammate Tord Asle Gjerdalen chasing Harvey down. It came down to the athletes who still had some fuel to sprint. Among those were Marcus Hellner of Sweden (Day One sprint champion), Northug, and two Russians, Maxim Vylegzhanin and Ilia Chernousov. The last 500 meters put the crowd on the edge of their seats, and Northug pulled through for the win. Vylegzhanin and Chernousov brought home silver and bronze, respectively.

Kris Freeman was the top finisher from the US in 29th place. Noah Hoffman finished in 37th place.  Lars Flora was 53rd and Tad Elliott finished close behind in 55th place.

It was a great day today- the morning started out sunny but the clouds moved in not long after. The crowds on the trail near Frognerseteren were even bigger than yesterday! The action continues, so don't put your cow bell away quite yet! Tomorrow is the Women's 10K Classic. Stay tuned!

Additional Links:
Full Results
Recap of the Women's Pursuit yesterday
FasterSkier's full report of the race

Oslo 2011 Day Three: Women's 15K Pursuit

This morning was the Women's 15K Pursuit and Norway came out on top yet again. Marit Bjørgen won with Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland in second. Fellow Norwegian Therese Johaug had an excellent race and brought home the bronze. The top three finished within 10 seconds of each other, but fourth place (Charlotte Kalla of Sweden) was almost a full minute behind the winning time.

photo courtesy of newsinenglish.no

How does a pursuit work? The race consists of both techniques- classic and sprint. The racers start off on one set of equipment (today they started on classic skis) and then switch to the different technique part-way through the race. This transition zone is a tricky component and adds yet another variable into the race.

I was able to see the racers about 5K into their race on the classic leg. Here is a video of the first few racers- Kowalczyk is leading, followed by Bjørgen and Johaug.

As you can tell, the fog was THICK. Johaug said during the post-race press conference that she could hear the crowd but not see them. Despite the less-than-perfect conditions, the trails were still lined with spectators in high spirits. I was able to ski to the race course from my apartment (how cool!) and was joined on the trails by hundreds of other spectators commuting on skis.

Liz Stephan was the top finisher from the US in 24th place. Holly Brooks was right behind her in 25th, and Jesse Diggins was 28th. Morgan Arritola rounded out the American contingent in 43rd.

Additional links:

Full Results
Recap of Day One: Skate Sprint (Women and Men)
Recap of the Opening Ceremonies
NRK's article about Marit's second gold (translated into English)

Oslo 2011 Day One: Skate Sprint

It was an emotional day at Holmenkollen, but the source of that emotion depended greatly on what continent you call home. 

Randall after the fall, behind the pack

The racers today were fast and aggressive, exactly what you would expect for the first day of the biggest competition of many of the athlete's careers. That aggressiveness paid its price, though. The heats were full of near-falls, tangled skis, and full-out crashes that (unfortunately) weeded out some very strong contenders. Among those, sadly enough, was Kikkan Randall.

Kikkan qualified with the ninth fastest time, and was looked strong during the prologue. She started her quarterfinal out in good position, a steady third, keeping her kick until the end. Unfortunately, the end came much before she planned when she tangled up with Swedish sprinter Ida Ingemarsdotter and came to a complete stop. She finished the round 12 seconds behind the field.

With amazing maturity and perspective, Randall told FasterSkier: "You know, a race like this is too hard to pin all of your hopes on. I gave it what I had today. It's unfortunate, but that's what happens."

Chandra Crawford, Canada's foremost athlete and Olympic Gold medalist from Torino, had her own mix-up with fellow racer, and it happened to be right below where I was standing. Here is a picture (no zoom) of Chandra Crawford's quarterfinal. Below that one is a zoom of the same photo, so that you are able to see the ski-on-ski action. Laure Barthelemy (Bib 8) from France skis right over Crawford's ski, resulting in a few missteps that cost her the chance in the semifinals. Like they say: This is sprint racing- anything can happen.

You can guess that this didn't go well.

Norwegians Celine Brun-Lie and Maiken Caspersen Falla met the same fate due to falls. Italian racer Renato Pasini took a face-first digger right before the finishing stretch and was also eliminated.

But there were a few bright spots in the crash-filled afternoon. First and foremost, from an American perspective, I was quite proud that three US women moved into the quarterfinals! Jessie Diggins, a 19-year-old standout who is making her World Cup debut this season, was one of them. She proved that she can run with the big dogs as she progressed out of the qualifiers and stuck with the pack in her quarterfinal. Sadie Bjornsen also moved on to the quarterfinals after qualifying in 28th place.

Petra Majdic brought home the bronze. Arianna Follis of Italy took second. The gold went to Marit Bjørgen, and the spectators couldn't have been happier. In a post-race interview with NRK, she said that she could hear the crowd chanting her name. "It was incredibly fun to meet their expectations." 

Northug and Modin in the semifinals

The hero on the men's side is Marcus Hellner. After qualifying with the fifth fastest time, the Swede flew through his quarter- and semifinals, right into the (stacked) final. Although Hellner was definatly considered a major contendor for the win, I think that the other men in the final took away some of the spotlight and allowed him to ski without a huge target on his back. He was going up against two Norwegians: the favorite, Petter Northug, and the returning 2009 World Champion in the sprint, Ola Vigen Hattestad. Two teammates joined him in the final: Emil Joensson, who won the sprint in Drammen last weekend, and Jesper Modin, who had the fastest qualifying time of the day. Peeter Kummel of Estonia rounded out the field.

Hellner, dominating his quarterfinal

Hellner smashed the final into pieces. He extended his lead continually along the 1.4K course and put on his boosters with half a kilometer to go. His speed was unmatched by the other five racers and he proved to be untouchable in the event. His teammate Emil Joensson placed third, placing Norwegian star Petter Northug in an uncomfortable Swedish sandwich on the podium. Northug openly dislikes losing to Swedes, but in an uncharacteristic graciousness said that "Marcus was so strong today. He deserved to win."

Exciting, heart-wrenching, and energizing would be how I would describe today's races at Holmenkollen. And in the words of the new World Champion Marcus Hellner, "This is only the beginning!"

Links:

Here are the women's and men's results.

Video of Marit Bjørgen's win.

Videos of the various women's crashes.

Article in English about Hellner and Bjørgen's wins.

My recap of the Opening Ceremonies.

Inequity on the Course: 50 km at Holmenkollen

Arguably the most distinguished race in the Nordic skiing world is the 50 km, and although it is included  every year in the World Championship competition elsewhere, it's home is Holmenkollen. Oslo 2011 Sports Director John Aalberg concludes that "everyone in the cross-country skiing community will see the winner of the 50 km as the toughest skier of the season and of the World Championship." The course is notorious for long climbing sections this year won't disappoint: the route creeps awfully close to the 2000 meter upper limit of the allowed elevation gain window. Competitors will race 52.8 km with 1998 meters of elevation gain this February in Oslo.

photo courtesy of sports.yahoo.com

Yet a huge percentage of racers at the World Championships won't get the chance to prove themselves on the course of all courses. Why? Cause they're girls. The women will be racing 30 km, as has been the case for many years. Most races on the World Cup circuit are like this- besides sprints, women always race shorter distances than men, usually with less climbing.


Professional female skiers like Norwegians Marit Bjørgen and Kristin Stormer Stiera are questioning these race layouts. In January 2010, Stiera says it is a "little strange" that girls are almost always going shorter distances than the boys.

So why is it that women race shorter distances and climb less than the men?

Marit Bjørgen, photo courtesy of dagbladet.no

In a dialog after a recent article, Martin Hall claims that "Bjørgen doesn't know what she is talking about" when she claimed that "It's really no tougher for us (women) to race 50 k than it is for the guys, and we are totally prepared physically to race it." He writes:

"...men are stronger, they have more muscle mass, they carry less fat, men have bigger hearts and lungs, and biomechanically men are built so they can go faster then women—it was our goal to make it so there would be the least amount of comparisons."

Is the inequity a calculated decision to keep things as even as possible, to challenge the women at the same level as the men, taking into account different gender physiology? Has FIS decided to maintain the status quo because it keeps the racers closer together, making for a more entertaining race? Or is it because officials are concerned with male racers getting "girled"? If the latter is the case, get over it. It is obvious that women ski racers are strong- why shouldn't they get the opportunity to seek the prestige of the Holmenkollen 50 km?

Photo courtesy of usskiteam.com

And what do the FIS officials think? At the beginning of last year, Vegard Ulvang, a Norwegian former cross country skier and current FIS Chairman, supported and agreed with the voices of women racers calling for equality in race distances. He says he is considering extending the length of women's races but will need help from national associations to make meaningful changes.


Marit Bjørgen asked that her comments "serve as an intial request" to the FIS Committee to include women in the 50 km. Whatever the driving force behind the inequity is, here's to hoping that the voices of women racers at the World Championships are heard and respected. 




For more information and perspectives on the topic:

Nordic Commentary Project
Nordic Ski Racer

Holmenkollen 2011

The FIS World Ski Championship is being held in Oslo this year! The event includes 21 events over 11 days, and is sure to be action-packed. This will be the fifth time that Norway will host the international competition, and the country's deep-rooted history of cross-country skiing is sure to be capitalized. The event will include cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, and ski jumping.

Organizers expect over 300,000 spectators to flood the town this Feburary. This will be the biggest public event in Norway since the Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 1994! What will that mean for Oslo?

Cross-country skiing (langrenn, in Norwegian) has long been ingrained in Norwegian society. The first recorded ski race for civilians was in Tromsø in 1843, but the Norwegian military had been hosting competitions since the 1670s! The sport of biathlon has roots to these military contests. Norwegians started the sport of ski jumping in the early 1800s, dominated early on, and continue to hold (and break) records and win competitions, even as the sport grows in popularity. Holmenkollen has become a Mecca of sorts in the ski jumping world.

Visitation will have a huge impact on the city. Hotels and restaurants will be especially busy during the week of competition, and the transportation sector will receive an extra load, especially Line 1 to Frognerseteren. Organizers are teaming up with local schools to develop waste reduction and management systems to keep the event as clean and environmentally friendly as possible.
The Outdoor Recreation Act allows citizens to use public land for recreational purposes, and the rules will not change during the week of races. In fact, it is a Norwegian tradition to camp out in the woods during a ski competition, and if you are brave enough, you can pitch your tent in a designated camping area. Bathroom facilities are available and firewood will be for sale.

There will be giant screens at various locations to broadcast the action for those spectators who are not in the arena. Every night, beginning at 19:00, there will be a stage show and the medal ceremony at University Square. Cultural events, including a parade and craft stalls will be going on throughout the week of competition.

NORWEGIANS TO WATCH:

Norway is ranked 1^st in the Nations Cup ranking, and both the women and men are forces on skis. There is a tradition of winning that stems from this country, and many are expecting that ritual to continue this year at Holmenkollen.

Marit Bjørgen is the headliner for the Norwegian women. She is unstoppable, winning every individual-start race that she has entered this winter. A rumor is floating that she will win all of her events at Holmenkollen. but the talent does not end there. Keep your eyes out for Therese Johaug, who took second in the Tour de Ski this winter, is sure to uphold her nickname of "Energizer Bunny." She is a force to be reckoned with on any climbing section and will be a true competitor at Holmenkollen. Astrid Uhrenholt Jacobsen and Kristin Stoermer Steira are other names you are sure to see on the schedule.

photo courtesy of LA Times 

Peter Northug is the notorious "Bad Boy" of cross-country skiing but has the results to back up his strong personality. His gold medals from last years Olympic Games in Vancouver set expectations a bit higher than usual. His younger brother, Tomas, will also be a name to look for. The Norwegian sprinters will put on a good show in Oslo. Oystein Pettersen, John Kristian Dahl and Anders Gloeersen are all top competitors for Norway.


This is a Not-to-Miss event! The competitions kick off on February 23rd at noon and is free and open to the public. The last race is March 6th. the last race is You can find more information at oslo2011.no.

Welcome, December!

November was the toughest month for me in Norway thus far. The darkness was setting in, classes were coming to an end, and the month seemed to drag on without promise of the light at the end of the cold, dark tunnel. 

To wrap up November, I went for my first classic ski of the season! It was so cold in the morning that I deciding skating would be miserable, so I hopped the first T-bane into the city center, bought some kick wax (and maybe a few other ski related goodies...), and scooted my way through Nordmarka for a marvelous afternoon on the trails.

My journey took me to Ullevalseter, then on to Holmenkollen. I left my apartment at 2 PM, and just an hour later, the track lights flickered on. I had some incredible fading-sun views when I reached Frognerseten, a few kilometers above Holmenkollen. The picture doesn't do the view justice, but here it is anyway:

This morning I wanted to give December a proper welcome so I set out to watch the sunrise. The great thing about living at 60〫North latitude this time of year is that you don't have to wake up ridiculously early to watch the sunrise. In fact, I slept in, enjoyed a cup of tea, bundled up for my morning walk and still had plenty of time until the sun came up. I took the following picture at 9:00 AM on the dot:

I couldn't help smiling all the way back home. The sun's presence the past two days has put me in a great mood and wiped away any residual November funk. With the countdown until I see Paul well under three weeks, this month is looking good already!

Happy December from Norway!

Holmenkollen

Today, I made the voyage up to Holmenkollen! The weather forcast was for sun, and I wanted to make the most of it. I had read that the admission to the Ski Museum also paid for a ride to the top of the infamous ski jump.

If you are interested in skiing, Norway is the place to be. The history of the sport dates back too far to remember, and the cultural support and involvement defines the nation. From the native people in the north to the King, skiing is part of Norwegian blood.

Replica of a ski-making shop

Speaking of Norwegian history, what the heck is Birkebeiner?

Birkebeiner was the name of a rebel party in Norway started in the late 1100's. "Birkebeiner" means "Birch legs." Some say that the party was so poor that their shoes were made from birch. Others claim that the name originated from the birch leggings they used as gaiters to protect from the snow.

The picture below depicts two Birkebeiners and the King's infant son in 1206. The event went down in history, painting the Birkebeiners as brave and honorable people. The young heir eventually ascended to the throne.

"There was a civil war in Norway at the time, and the best skiers amond the Birkebeiners, Torstein Skeivla and Skjervald Skrukka, carried the heir to the throne to safety from Lilehammer across the mountains to Osterdalen, and on to Trondheim."

Now, the Birkebeiner is best known as an annual ski marathon covering 54 km from Rena to Lillehammer. Participants must carry a backpack weighing at least 3.5 kg, simulating the weight of the royal baby.

Soldiers on skis were common in Norway's past. Before the country entered into the union with Sweden, many armed ski soldiers were posted on the border. They had the advantage since they were much more mobile than the Swedes on horses.

Sketches of a Norwegian soldier's ski drills. 

My mom taught me the same thing! You can ski anything as long as you know how to "STEP TURN and TRAVERSE!" 

Part of the museum was dedicated to the clothes and equipment of the sport, and how gear has evolved.

King Haakon's ski boots and knitted ski mittens

Rudimentary bindings

I think my parents may have this jacket! It's in a museum, guys.  

Baskets of these poles are made out of wood, bone, and antler

Things have changed a bit, huh?

An interesting tidbit about wax, courtesy of the Holmenkollen Ski Museum: 

"Tar, resin, pitch, or tallow was often applied at low heat. Sometimes the base was even greased with leaf fat, butter, cheese, or herrings. Parafin or stearine was used as a glide wax. Every skier concocted his own 'secret' mixture."

"In 1902, Th. Hansen started to mass produce a tar wax called Record. Strange ingredents such as bicyle inner tubes, vinyl records and various wax products were mixed together in a big cauldron to produce this original ski wax."

Well, it isn't Cera F, but it worked for them!

The wax bench through the decades

I am here confirm the beliefs of JH nordies: Yes, blue extra is the world's best selling ski wax. I heard it from the source!

The ski jump is an integral part of Holmenkollen and has helped make this quiet hamlet famous. Norwegians started the sport of ski jumping in the early 1800's, dominated early on, and continue to hold (and break) records and win competitions, even as the sport grows in popularity.

A replica of the ski jump from centuries past

After a long wait in line (I'm getting used to long "queues," it's a European custom apparently) I headed up to the top! Taking the elevator up made me think of how nervous I would be if I had to jump the thing, not just look off the top of it.

Imagine this as your starting gate...

Oh, and did I mention that the view was pretty good, too?

I had a blast at Holmenkollen today. Only one thing would have made it better- SNOW. All in good time...