Happy Holdiays

I am spending today with my family and I hope that all of you are around people who you care about.  Enjoy the winter weather, or summer if you are in Australia.  My parents and I have created a maze of trails for my dog in our backyard, as the snow is too deep and tough for her to get through on her own, she does these sprints through our snow packed paths and puts on quite a show.  Anyway, pictures to come....Happy Holidays!

Colors

Day off after two days of racing.  Our first sprint of the season was on Saturday and a 10K skate followed on Sunday.  It was great to be racing on a loop again, as West's out and back classic race and point to point skate race made it difficult to have much terrain change.  Our coaches dialed the wax both days and worked their tail ends off helping us out.  Canada is into getting things done quickly, which is awesome, especially on sprint days.  Saturday's race was done in an equally efficient manner, sending all 100 dudes out, one every 15 seconds, and then immediately, with no break, all 50 girls out right behind the last boy starter.  If having a girl start 15 seconds behind you when you are a junior boy doesn't get you going, I don't know what else would.    As a coach trying to get splits for his athletes, it was a cluster, but as a skier it was pretty fun.  

Silver Star is beautiful and it is always fun to stay in one of the houses on the knoll whose color is one that your mom would never think to paint your own home.  Bright yellows, greens, blues, purples, pinks, you name it, and in many cases the trim is an equally exciting shade, making the house look all the more inviting.  After all, anyone who lives in a house whose shade is a bright pink, must be one of the more friendly people you will ever meet.

Taz Mannix starting off

Mo hammering

Noah hanging with Frederic Touchette

 

Coming through the stadium for Lap 2

Weirdo skiing with Kristina Strandberg

Kuzzy starting things off

Things are great here, but I have to say, our cheer squad from West was missing in a big way...

The Drive....

Yesterday, our Continental Cup (CC) Team got in the car at 6 am and drove the 16 hours it takes to get to Silverstar, BC.  We are all a bit sore and stiff today, but very happy to be here.  Here are a few more pictures from West Yellowstone, as our internet connection is much better here.  

Leif Zimmermann after a great race on Saturday

Our strength coach, Alex Moore made the trip from Park City for the week.  

He is from Australia and is the guy in shorts running behind me... 

Alex having a little "squat picnic" with our PT Aaron Saari on the trails.  These guys were the best cheerers out there.  On Saturday they both showed up in shorts and T-shirts, clad with pots and pans (drums) and parked themselves 500 meters from the finish and at the bottom of the biggest hill on the course.  They banged the drums for every skier and had full on bruises on their legs from hitting these drums so hard all day long.  Best cheering squad I can remember.  Someday they need to go to the Vassaloppet just to cheer because they would be the life of the party, and that is saying something since all 70K of the course is a party.  Big thanks to these guys for making the trip, bringing their expertise, and cheering like hell.

Members of the CC Team doing a presentation in West last week

Left to Right: Lindsey Dehlin, Lin Willi, Noah Hoffman, 

Garrott Kuzzy, Morgan Arritola, Matt Gelso, me

Thanksgiving

Tax Mannix

Noah Hoffman on his way to a 4th

Rosie Brennen, Lindsay Williams and Lindsey Dehlin skiing hard in the classic race

Thanks to Dan Dehlin for the photos.