Some thoughts to end the Nordic season

The French Ski Federation has just wrapped up their National Championships in the town of Les Roussess, for all Nordic events.

Ski jumper Vincent Descombes Sevoie won the individual title. Sevoie, 26, had a pair of jumps of 82 and 86 meters to win. Second place went to Emmanuel Chedal, while third place went to the French Nordic combined champion and overall combined World Cup winner, Jason Lamy Chappuis. Caroline Espiau took top honors in women’s ski jumping, with Julia Clair was second.

The powerful French cross-country star, Vincent Vittoz, announced that he would continue on with his racing career for at least one more season. The 34-year-old said that, “there will be some really nice races next season including a World Cup at home (in La Clusaz) and the World Championships in Oslo.”

Vittoz has seven career world cup wins, and was also a world champion from Oberstdorf in 2005. Vittoz said he would not even rule out skiing until 2014 in Sochi.

One French skier that will step down is 27 year-old cross-country skier Cecile Stori, from the Haute Savoie region. Despite helping her team to an impressive 7th place relay finish in Vancouver, she has reportedly lost the motivation to ski at the elite level any longer.

The newest tour event on the circuit will be unveiled this week, with the Tour de Barents, getting underway on Wednesday (April 7), in both Norway and Finland. The events first event will be held in Vadsoe, Norway with 5 and 10km classic races. Some of the world’s best, who long to keep the season going for a little longer, are planning to take part are Vancouver’s double bronze-medalist Lukas Bauer, Frenchman Jean-Marc Gaillard and perhaps Norway’s Odd-Bjoern Hjelmeset.

On the women’s side, Norwegian Kristin Stoermer Steira, and Finn Pirjo Muranen and Riitta-Liisa Roponen are expected to attend. The series will travel from Norway to Inari and Rovaniemi before putting the bookends on this season on April 11th.

The FIS Continental Cup for cross-country proved unparalleled success as the minor league to the FIS World Cup circuit. The COC winners are allowed to start in next winter’s World Cups, some even skied at the World Cup finals in Falun. These races are held around the world, in Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe along with the U.S. and Canada.
At season’s end the winners of the FIS Marathon Cup were announced, which include top-level performances at many of the traditional marathons, like the Marcialonga (ITA), the Dolomitenlauf (AUT), the famed Vasaloppet, and the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet. The winners were Jenny Hanson of Sweden, and for the men, Fabio Santus of Italy.

Don’t forget the FIS Congress that will be coming up in Antalya, Turkey from May 30 to June 5. I’ll be covering that congress and will provide you with regular reports on new award venues for championships events, how the Nordic calendar will look for next season, and possible rule changes.

There’s still ample snow in the mountains in New England if you what to extend the season, get some exercise, while enjoying the sun and the corn snow.

See you soon, ski friends.