American XC prepping for Cup season

I can't tell you how delighted I am to have a blog with Universal Sports; it's quickly become the source of Nordic news for the serious racer and those with a simple affection for the oldest skiing events in the Olympic games.

I look to provide you tidbits of behind-the-scenes items and focused writings on the Olympics ahead, college skiing news and great Nordic skiers past and present. I started skiing cross-country in 1966 and have spent my life as a coach, administrator, reporter and TV commentator. It is a sport that I love, but also, it's people and friendships made over time that have given me the true enthusiasm of a fan.

-- Last weekend was a very tough one for the women ski jumpers who have been embroiled in legal battles for some years -- all with the hope of getting full medal status at the Olympic Winter Games. Finally, after going to the Court of Appeals in Vancouver, the three-judge panel found in favor of the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee, so no Olympic entrance for these lionhearted women at the 2010 Games. Some think that there is a strong chance for Sochi in 2014, but they need the International Olympic Committee's approval, and after all this, it could be harder to get. The IOC was not terribly pleased by this action. The women jumpers are strong though and have shown tremendous spirit and it will happen at some point, because of what you have so courageously done. It's well worth admiring.

-- The Austrian ski jumpers are leaving the warm, sunny climates of Egypt to begin jumping on snow. My buddy Florian Kotlaba, the public relations man for the Austrian team, told me, "I cannot tell you who's the best jumper from the camp, but I can tell you who is the best water polo player."

-- The opening of the FIS World Cup circuit is but a week away in Norway, and pretty much everyone has rolled into town (Beitostoelen) already. This past weekend an FIS race was held with a strong field. Not surprisingly at all, Norway's powerful Petter Northug won the men's 15km skate race by 11 seconds over Italian veteran Georgio Di Centa. Third place went to Russian Alexander Legkov. It was a fantastic day for American Kris Freeman who finished in fifth, a scant 15 seconds out of the podium.

The legendary Marit Bjoergen -- who has somewhat of a reputation for inconsistency -- won the 10km skate race in Beitostolen. Her compatriot Kristin Stoermer Steira was second, less than one minute back. To illustrate the depth of the Norwegians: They took five places in the top 10 -- no surprise there folks! In the same event, U.S. head coach Pete Vordenberg was shown some promising outings by his skiers. Liz Stephen was 16th while Morgan Arritola was 24th.

From Norway, Vordenberg told me, "Waxing was not hard at Beitostolen." It was easy -- cold classical wax for the sprinters. For the distance skate, it was about minus-five degrees Celsius, but there was rain during the classic event. The weather was similar to, "Whistler-like conditions."

Vordy reported everyone is healthy and happy on the U.S. squad and that training has been very good. They will stay in Norway until the World Cup opens next week.

There were sprint races too in the Norwegian north country. Timo Andre Bakken and John Kristian Dahl of Norway and Russian Alexander Legkov shared the top three steps on the podium after favorites Simen Oestensen and Petter Northug both took tumbles in the heats. Andy Newell of Shaftsbury, Vermont along with Leavenworth, Washington's Torin Koos placed in the top 20 as well.

In the women's sprints, Petra Majdic of Slovenia -- second overall last season -- nabbed the prologue win and then dominated the field. Norwegians took the next two spots with Maiken Caspersen Falla and Kari Vikhagen. Further, it was a fine start to the season for 2009 Worlds silver medalist Kikkan Randall who finished in ninth.

-- Many of the ski jumping teams are training on real snow at the Arctic Circle town of Rovaniemi -- a land shrouded in darkness much of the day but with bright lights on the ski jumping hills. Last Saturday, the Finns held their first official competition of the season on the K90 hill. This event was also a qualifier regarding who starts for their respective teams when the jumping World Cup opens up in Kuusamo in two weeks time. In a pit of a surprise, Ville Larinto had two leaps of 95m and 97m to win the event with 254.5 points. The supremely gifted Janne Ahonen -- who has returned from retirement dreaming of jumping in Whistler at the Games -- was second with jumps of 91.5m and 97.5m. While it was a confidence booster for Larinto, Ahonen said the second place was okay for him: "My first jump was not good at all. Maybe I was even too relaxed. The second one way okay, and in general I am satisfied with my jumps."

The Finnish, who have a profound love of ski jumping nurtured amongst the steel gray winter sky and the pine forests, have a team with depth. In third place was Matti Hautamaeki, who had suffered a knee injury previously, but it appears it doesn't bother him any longer. Surprisingly, Harri Olli was back in ninth place. Jarkko Saapunki, head coach of the "Flying Finns," must be very pleased to see the team flying so well.

-- Those of you who follow ski jumping closely will recall that the FIS ski jumping committee experimented with some new rules during this summer's Grand Prix. The rule has to do with ongoing changes in the in-run length and what start bar one goes out of -- all trying to make things very fair for each jumper. Now it has been announced that these rules will only be used at select events only. The FIS tour from Jan. 30 to Feb. 7, which includes stops in Oberstdorf, Klingenthal and Willingen, will be among those selected events. They will also be in effect in March when the competition moves to in Lahti, Kuopio, Lilehammer and Oslo.

-- Silvio Fauner, Italy's cross-country head coach, who some remember from his days of skiing the old USSA Super Series, told me yesterday that one of his top guys, Renato Pasini, took a hard fall roller skiing in late September and is continuing to have problems with his shoulder. He trained a great deal of October in an aerobic program that excluded any arm work. While he is regaining form, Fauner cautioned us not to expect much in the early races for Pasini, but that he should be in fine form for the Olympic Games.

-- Also, over the weekend a pre-Cup FIS Nordic combined race was held in Rovaniemi, Finland. No Americans took part, but Austrian Felix Gottwald won the combined followed by Finnish skier Hannu Manninen -- both are back this season from retirement. Gottwald's compatriot Mario Stecher was third.

-- Canadian skier Devon Kershaw, from Canmore, Alberta scored his first win of the season in a 15km skate in Bruksvallarna, Sweden. Second went to Johan Olsson of Sweden's Asarna IK Club. Alex Harvey of St. Ferreol-les-Neiges, Quebec was 14th.

-- We leave you today on a sad note, as we mark the passing of Nikolai Anikin, who died last Saturday in Duluth, Minn. following a two year bout with cancer. Nikolai was part of the then-Soviet Union's cross country ski team that won a gold in the relay in 1956 at the Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITA. This gem of a man, who was born in Siberia, earned three Olympic medals at a pair of Olympic Winter Games. He was later a coach with the U.S. Ski Team, and then helped found the Gitchi-Gami Sports Association for a decade, before the program ended.

He was well liked and was a very gentle man, despite his legendary strength. I have many memories of Nikolai, but one of the best ones was from a New Year's Eve years ago when he insisted we cut a hole in the ice at John Caldwell's sauna pond and jump in. It was pretty damn cold, but it was a tradition for him and I dared not let him down.

He leaves his wife of 51 years Antonina, a son Nikolai Jr, and a daughter Irina.

He was always a source of never-ending good cheer.

Our sport was all the richer because of you, Nikolai. Thanks for the friendship you gave so freely to all of us and for the generations of skiers you inspired.