Lillehammer

We had a great week in Lillehammer, Norway, eating delicious food, maybe a little too much salmon, (but we couldn't help it ourselves it tasted SO good!) and checking out some new courses on the World Cup Tour.  We also capped the weekend off with a tie to our best ever relay finish of 3rd on Sunday.  It was a real fight for every place and we were in a full on snowstorm, which made for exciting racing.  For the first time ever at a World Cup in Europe the US entered two relay teams in Sunday's 4x5k event.  It was amazing to be able to have everyone racing and to have 8 strong women over here to represent.

Our two women's relay teams!  

We were able to replicate our performance from Gallivare, Sweden last year and take home third place.  It was almost as exciting the second time around!  I am not sure standing on that podium with your teammates ever becomes anything less than magnificent.

Kikkan, Sadie, Jessie and me sporting the relay leg warmers.  We actually had two different pairs of leg warmers so that both teams were able to sport them in true USA relay day fashion.  It takes a full team to make a day like Sunday happen and it's what makes relays so cool and special for me.  Everyone plays a role that is equally as important as the next persons and together we achieved a result that we are very proud of.  A huge thanks goes out to all our staff and wax techs who nailed the skis yet again as well as all of our fans, family and supporters.  Thanks a lot for believing.

Oh and this also happened this weekend.  Sadie Bjornsen in the leaders chair, and not for just a short stint!  If she isn't careful, Sadie is going to stay there for the whole race one of these days!  She ended up 7th on the day for the second weekend in a row.  Leading the team and really CRUSHING it!

Doing a bit of racing.  That is me in the tuck behind.

Will Sweetser (Kris Freeman's wax tech and support staff), me, Kris and Sophie.

Day 1 on the new tracks in Lillehammer.  These tracks are in the same stadium as the Olympics were in 94, but the courses are new, and they are awesome.  Really tough terrain which makes for exciting and extremely challenging racing.  And on a nice day the view is not too shabby either.

Sophie and I enjoying a bit of sun on our faces!

Me and Soph again on a different ski.  Soph and I didn't race the classic 10k on Saturday, so we were able to do a lot of training together this week which was really fun.  On Friday we went up to explore some different trails 20 minutes from the venue.

Soph and I after our ski at Nordsetter.

Much of the team also went up to train on some other trails about 40 minutes from Lillehammer just to get some easier terrain.

The girls skiing together.

We just arrived in Davos, Switzerland where the World Cup continues this weekend with a 15k Individual start skate race on Saturday and the first skate sprint of the year on Sunday!  The weather for Davos this week looks incredible with highs in the mid 40's and lows overnight in the mid 20s.  And SUN SUN SUN!! Time to get some Vitamin D in!