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People (Interviews)

Catching up with Eric Carter before Trofeo Mezzalama

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Eric and Pascal happy to win a Euro skimo race!
Eric and Pascal happy to win a Euro skimo race! Photo by ISMF.
With Eric spending last couple of months skimo racing in Europe and waiting for the ever postponing Trofeo Mezzalama (newest date is May 2nd) I sent him a few quick questions to catch up.
Coming off a successful Pierra Menta with Nick Elson, he will be partnering for Mezzalama with our Swiss friend Pascal Egli, with the third teammate still to be determined.
Eric and Pascal managed to win a 2-day Ski Ecrins skimo race in France two weekends ago!
Q: After placing 15th at Pierra Menta and winning the Ski Ecrins 2-day teams race how do you feel about Mezzalama? Who are your teammates?
Lars Erik and Pascal were supposed to be the team but due to postponing Lars Erik has to go back to Norway and can’t stay, so if anyone knows of someone looking for a team please let us know!
I think we have a good shot at a decent placing in Mezzalama depending on who jumps in as our third. We were assigned bib #11 which might be a good sign 🙂
Regardless, as long as we don’t have any equipment, illness, or crash issues and just ski smoothly, I’m sure we will be quite happy with our race.
Q: How was your April in Chamonix? What did you get up to?
Since Mezallama got postponed, Lars Erik and I took advantage of the good conditions in Chamonix for a rip up and down Mont Blanc last week. Not particularly fast since it was beautiful and we couldn’t stop taking photos! I felt good at the altitude though and am feeling the most acclimatized of my life!
Since the last World Cup, I’ve been skiing but summer has arrived in full force in Chamonix, so I’ve spent quite a bit more time taking the lift up high and doing some fun and easy alpine climbing which is a nice change.
Eric and Lars Erik atop Mont Blanc.
Eric and Lars Erik atop Mont Blanc.
Q: When are you coming back and what are your summer plans?
I will be getting back right after Mezzalama, and I’m really looking forward to getting back to Squamish to see everyone and jump into BC summer.
I’ve got some running plans and want to do lots of rock climbing but nothing set in stone. For running races, I won’t do an ultra this season but a few others: Sea to Summit race at the S2SG, Kusam Klimb, Broken Goat VK, Survival of the Fittest, Comfortably Numb, Grouse Grind Race, and perhaps some more.

Jeannie Wall interview: North America’s Skimo Pioneers Series

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This is a second 5-question interview with someone that can be considered as one of North America’s skimo pioneers.
» The first one in this series was an interview with Andrew McLean.
» Interview series archive – North America’s Skimo Pioneers Series.
Series supporters:
This interview series is presented by Skimo.co and Cripple Creek Backcountry.
supporters

5 Questions for Jeannie Wall

Jeannie racing somewhere in Europe, sporting the first generation of the legendary Scarpa F1 boots.
Jeannie racing at Pierra Menta, sporting the first generation of the legendary Scarpa F1 boots.
Many of you most likely have never heard of Jeannie Wall so here are couple of facts to provide you with context:

  • Jeannie raced skimo between 2002 and 2006,
  • she placed 5th at the 2004 World Championships in a vertical race,
  • finished 4th at the 2005 Pierra Menta,
  • and she won won the famous American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race in 2002

Q1: Jeannie, what is your sporting/racing and outdoor activities background?
Team sports through high school, then triathlons, Nordic racing, ultra running racing, some bike racing,  intermittent climbing and bc and resort skiing.  Ran around the woods, lake and hood as a kid. I had a lot of energy 🙂
Q2: When and why did you decide to give skimo racing a serious shot? What did you think of the sport at that time?
After I missed the US Olympic Nordic Team in ‘02, I went on to win the overall women’s title at the 2002 American Birkebeiner Nordic ski race, which was a dream. But I was tired of Nordic and its politics and not being in the mountains. I loved downhill skiing, the mountains, and climbing, so right after the Birkie, I jumped into the Jackson Hole Nationals Rando race.
I already knew I loved the sport as I had done an overnight skimo race in mid 90’s in Sweden, the Kebnekaisa Classic 2-day race. As a team of 3 women, we dug and slept in a snow cave, it was crazy stormy out. The wind was howling and everyone was digging bivy caves into this snow burm, and we felt like a chain gang. I absolutely loved it, but we had no races like that back in the US at the time so I pursued Nordic racing.
Then in 2002, we started having more US rando races and the combo of uphill/downhill/endurance and other skills opened up a new world to me that was so much more fun, interesting and challenging for me than Nordic. I was hooked after Jackson.
Q3: Can you list a couple of your biggest accomplishments in skimo, in other sports and/or in the mountains?
Nordic:
I went to the Olympic Trials in Alaska when I was 26 having done only 5 nordic races in my life, and no coaching, I knew nothing really, just loved to ski and did a lot of it. I ended up getting two 6th place finishes and missed the Olympic team by one slot. There was a big article in the local paper on me. It was thrilling as I had no expectations. But my biggest reality check on politics came with it. I was told I was “too old” for the US Nordic team.
I decided not to give up my day job and went on to win most skate marathons in the country, but was forever deflated to not have a chance to get some US team coaching and race for the US in those years just after that. I lost all respect for the US Ski Team administration after I saw them do the same thing to many of my fellow racers and friends.
Skimo:
Racing the Pierra Menta with Emma Roca was all time high, not because we had a good race, but because I learned so much more about what a partnership in racing could and should be. She taught me so much about the give and take, it’s part of why I’m now so taken with climbing. Honestly, it is exhilarating to win races, but the experience of skimo that endures with me are the people I met and skied with, it was the richest and most fun group of passionate people I can imagine and I feel so lucky to have been part of it all and their lives.
Being in the top 3-to-5 with the men in most US rando races, and winning the women’s was great, but as we know, it was a very small field at the time. I’m so glad it’s growing. Being in the top 5 in my first world cup race in Andorra was super inspiring as I had no idea where I stood and was terrified. It was the same with being in the top 5 of the World Championship uphill race. I had frustratingly slow skins, but to be up there with the top women in Europe was so fun and inspiring.
I think the biggest accomplishment I can take from my skimo racing is to have learned from Emma, to have learned that’s it not about winning or losing, it’s how you play the game, it’s how you support your partners and others with you in the mountains, no matter what. With climbing that can mean life or death. With racing, it is a matter of integrity, meaning and the richness of life and races. If someday, I can say I really understand and live accordingly, I’ll have accomplished something meaningful. Otherwise, it’s just another race.
[For more details on North American skimo history see our Manual for Ski Mountaineering e-book.]

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Ski mountaineering in Switzerland.
Q4: What sports and activities do you enjoy the most these days?
Climbing in the mountains both alpine and rock with great partners. Backcountry and ski mountaineering with great friends I trust and enjoy, waking in my Westy Bus with my guy and a fresh cup o’ jo, that’s where I find much of my joy and sustenance.
Q5: With years of experience from multiple sports, what would be the two most important pieces of advice you would give to new comers into skimo?
Find a fun partner and do a team race!  Go suffer on skinny race skis downhill as much as you can. Go to Europe and race and meet all the amazing people in and around the sport.

Beyond

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30 questions for Karl Egloff: The new Aconcagua speed climb record holder

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Today, I am very pleased to bring you an interview with Karl Egloff, the new Aconcagua speed climb record holder with a time of 11h 52min! He kindly agreed to do it for SkinTrack readers.
Mountaineering and trail running community knows Aconcagua (6,962 m or 22,837 ft) very well, however, many learnt about it only in December last year. Kilian Jornet, the famed Catalan runner and ski mountaineer, set a new speed record for ascent and descent on the mountain.
Jornet demolished the previous record by about one hour and set the new mark at 12 hours 49 minutes following the normal route, with a start and finish in Horcones that sits at altitude of 2850m and about 30km away from the summit. Pretty much all of us thought the record would stand for at least couple of years but fast-forward to Feb 19, 2014 – only two months later – and Karl Egloff broke Jornet’s record by a whopping 57 minutes!
Without further due, let’s learn as much as we can about a man that was flying low under the radar for very long time.

Karl Egloff interview

Q: Karl, first of all, big congratulations on your amazing performance! What did you feel in the last hour as you were running back to Horcones?
Thank you so much Stano and SkinTrack! I was feeling many emotions during the record.  I knew all the time that I had one hour of advantage so I tried to stay focused and enjoy coming back to where I started.
For me the return from Plaza de Mulas down to Horcones, were the most difficult kilometers (23 km) because the weather changed and it started to snow with heavy wind and temperature dropped down. I was cold and my legs were tired.

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Emotions take over once back in Horcones.
Q: You are quite unknown compared to other mountain speed goats such as Jornet or Ueli Steck. Can you tell us where did you grew up and what sports did you participated in?
My mother was Ecuadorian (unfortunately, she passed away when she was 49 and I was only 16), my father is Swiss.
In Ecuador football is not a sport, it is a religion. I stared at an early age to play football. When I was 17, I moved to Switzerland and my father wanted me to study before focusing in any sport career. I tried to play football in my spare time. When 26 I returned to Ecuador and finally tried to get professional in football but I was too old and I had a serious injury in my abductors, so my doctor asked my to use the bicycle for recovery. This is how I started in mountain biking and immediately fell in love with the sport.
A few months later, I started competing in local races. I was an elite mountain biker from 2008 through 2014, earned 70 gold medals for Ecuador, traveled worldwide to compete in mountain bike events.
In the meantime I never stopped working on my true passion, being a mountain guide. I guided local and international expeditions to Peru, Nepal and Tanzania. At the time my clients rested and in order to keep in shape, I went out for a run in the altitude. That is when I realized my strength in this activity. In 2014 I traveled to Kilimanjaro for the 4th time as part of a commercial trekking tour I was hired to lead, and I tried the Kilimanjaro speed record. After I achieved this incredible record I slowly switched from mountain biking to the world of trail running, speed climbing and strengthening my mountaineering.
Q: When did you realize you wanted to go up and down mountains really fast?
karl-egloff-aconcagua-6On December 12, 2012 I was invited to climb Cotopaxi fast with a friend of mine. I broke the speed record and since then I started to see how amazing this sport could be after guiding almost 16 years.
Q: How old are you?
33
Q: What other sports do you actively do?
I do rock climbing from time to time.
Q: In running, compared to others, do you feel like you excel in going up or down? Which one do you like more?
Both, I love to climb definitely but technical descents are also very exciting for me.
Q: Do you do many races or you race only occasionally? I haven’t seen you in any results before, but of course, I do not follow all races.
I started with trail events last year. I participated in three races in 2014 and won all three. This year I have some more in planning and I hope to do one or two also in Europe.
Q: Our readers are very active and many are competitive mountain athletes, so they would like to know more about your training and preparation. How did you train for Aconcagua in the last 2-3 months, did you do lots of high intensity intervals or lots of volume?
Two months of biking training after Kilimanjaro record, then two months of altitude training with a lot of nights over 3500m, and some interval training over 5000m. Then three weeks before travelling to Argentina I focused on trail running events to train my heart to maintain rhythm.
Looking up the valley towards Aconcagua.
Looking up the valley towards Aconcagua.
Q: How did you acclimatize for Aconcagua? What did you do in the last 3-4 weeks?
I climbed Aconcagua and reached summit three times in eight days. I slept three nights in a row at 5500m, and did intensity training at over 6000m.
Before travelling I  did a lot of acclimatization in Ecuador, the greatest country to do trail and mountaineering in the Andes. We have quite a lot of mountains and altitudes for training: 4000m, some 5000 and even a 6000m mountain.
Training with his running partner on Aconcagua.
Training with his running partner on Aconcagua.
Q: Did you use an altitude sleeping tent in your preparation/training?
No, there are none here in Ecuador. I went to the mountains and slept over 5000m with the best natural view to enjoy!
Q: Why did you choose end of February for your speed attempt?
Because it is cheaper to enter the national park, and because my clients had carnival holidays and could travel. Then because the weather is ok, colder and much more windy but not so many tourists. This trip was planned a year ago.
More training on Aconcagua.
More training in high winds on Aconcagua.
Q: What and how much did you eat and drink during your Aconcagua speed record? If you could include breakfast and dinner the night before that would be awesome.
Dinner was pasta, breakfast just fresh fruits and carbs drink. During the record a lot of electrolytes, gums, sugar, chocolate and hot tea.
Q: Where did you have your support people positioned on the mountain? What did they provide and what did you carry?
At 7km at Confluencia, César Alvarado for support in low camp. At 23km (base camp) Nicolas Miranda, expert Ecuadorian mountain guide and adventure athlete was waiting for me – I changed shoes, ate something and he joined me to the summit. Ivan Herrera was waiting at the cave at 6700m before the last climb with hot tea, clothes and some food. The way down, from the summit to the gate I went all by myself.
Karl's support team consists of family and good friends.
Karl’s support team consists of family and good friends.
Q: Did you use the same shoes and socks on the whole route or did you change?
I changed shoes on Plaza de Mulas on the way up and changed socks and shoes on the way back at Plaza de Mulas.
Q: Running 12h alone is a long time, what did you think about during all that time?
I was thinking 80% of the running time about the record time, making calculations. When I was feeling weak I started to think about the main reason why I was there for – my girlfriend, my family, my friends and all the people who were supporting me.
I raced in adventure races over 3 or 4 days. During those races, you sometimes don’t thing about anything, it’s like a blanco moment, but during the Aconcagua record I was very focused all the time.
Q: You beat Kilian’s record on Kilimanjaro in 2014 by about 30 minutes. Based on that, how much did you think you could go faster on Aconcagua?
Yes, by 32 min in 2014, my time was 6h 56min. For Kilimanjaro I trained good but didn’t feel that I was at my best shape. When I came back, and with the experience in Africa, I knew how to get well prepared and focused on Aconcagua. We knew we had a chance so we trained for it really hard.
Karl on the summit of Aconcagua.
Karl on the summit of Aconcagua.
Q: You work as a mountain guide. How do you balance that with training since guiding can be quite demanding? What are your recovery techniques – massages, nutrition…?
I’m sponsored by a sports medicine company were I get all the massages and health check-ups, but as a guide during the high season (Nov-Dec-Jan) I’m more on the mountains than at home so I recover on the mountains at the base camps.
It is demanding so sometimes when I’m guiding and come back home the only thing I do is intensity training to keep fit and avoid injuries.
» Visit Karl’s guiding company website – Cumbre Tours – if you are planning trips to South America or around the world.
Q: What is your favourite testing mountain or a climb? Is it steep, technical, or not so much?
I live just 10 min away from a steep hill where I train every day. It is technical, it is steep and it is almost at 3000m – a great hill just in front of my door.
Q: Any other bigger mountains?
Cotopaxi volcano (5,897m) and its national park is probably the best scenery for me for training. It is just 1 hour away by car and you have amazing landscapes at 4000m altitude to trail above the giant glacier.
Q: At what altitude do you live most of the year?
2800m
Q: Who inspires you the most and why?
Roger Federer because he is a gentlemen and a great sportsman. Kilian Jornet because he is an incredible athlete and has broken the traditional rule of “not to run on the mountains”. Reinhold Messner because he made what impossible things possible.
And my mother, she was fighting years against cancer and prepared us during her sickness for life.
Q: Are you going after Kilian Jornet’s records or are you just going after the same summits but he happened to start his project sooner?
I’m going for the 7 summits because they are commercial, they have records, they are in books and people know all of them. The Himalayas is far away for me economically right now, but I hope one day we can have a chance to go for it. I also want to cross the Antarctica, which I dream about since I was a kid.
"Starting line" at Horcones.
“Starting line” at Horcones.
Q: What other mountains or trails do you want to go climb or run fast?
All emblematic and symbolic mountains in South America, Europe and Himalayas if I have the health, the team and the money.
Q: Would you consider attempting the Matterhorn record? Or do you think to go faster there requires too much risk taking?
I have never climbed Matterhorn. My sister got married in Zermatt but we did not have time to climb it. I hope I will get the chance and then I will talk about a record.
Q: Do you have any sponsors? What running shoes and clothing do you use?
I’m sponsored by Mammut gear in Ecuador so I use Mammut shoes. Compressport is also sponsoring me internationally. I have also several other sponsors in Ecuador.
Q: Do you follow any special diet – vegetarian, vegan, paleo…?
No, I’m a big meat lover. I eat whatever I want and have never had a diet. Life is too short for diets but I eat healthy.
Q: Do you use energy gels in your training, or just in racing and speed attempts?
Just in racing and speed attempts, never in training because I have from time to time stomach problems.
Q: Do you drink beer or wine? Which are your favourites?
I drink some wine, I love cabernet sauvignon or a good merlot. Argentinian, Spanish and Chilean wines are great. I drink beer from little local brands.
Q: What is your favourite place to visit?
So far, Rome was amazing. I hope that one day I can travel more around New Zealand and around Asia as well.
Q: What is your favourite music or band?
Nickelback, Marc Antony, Latin Music and English 80-ties.
Karl celebrating right after the great performance with his father and friends.
Karl celebrating right after the great performance with his father and friends.

Andrew McLean interview: North America’s Skimo Pioneers Series

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This interview kicks off a series of quick 5-question interviews with people that can be definitely considered North America’s skimo pioneers.
Without revealing the actual names, we are going to talk to some really interesting “skimo old timers” over the next few weeks.
» Interview series archive – North America’s Skimo Pioneers Series.
Series supporters:
This interview series is presented by Skimo.co and Cripple Creek Backcountry.
supporters

5 Questions for Andrew McLean

I am thrilled to start this series with Andrew for couple of reasons:

  • He is a person I tried to follow in my first ever skimo race on the North American continent (around 2002/03, I don’t exactly remember).
  • He was the very first person I interviewed for SkinTrack back in 2009.
  • And obviously, he is a North American ski mountaineering icon!

Q1: What is your sporting/racing and outdoor activities background?
I started skiing when I was about four years old and then rock climbing in my 20’s.  When I started working for Black Diamond Equipment in 1990, I became interested in backcountry skiing as it was a perfect hybrid of two sports that I already loved.
Q2: When and why did you decide to give skimo racing a serious shot? What did you think of the sport at that time?
I first knew about skimo racing from a trip to France where I saw a result sheet from a previous race and couldn’t believe how fast people were covering such amounts of vertical!  I started to look into the sport and thought it would be fun to bring it to the US.  John Scott at Life-Link had held a race at Jackson Hole the previous year, and the next season Black Diamond got on board to host The Powder Keg.
[The above paragraph refers to a period around 2000-2003.]
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Q3: Can you list a couple of your biggest accomplishments in skimo, in other sports and/or in the mountains?
I finished second place overall in the Dynafit/Life-Link series, which was fun, but I think some of my favorite skimo moments were putting on the first World Cup races in the US.  It was a two year process, and aside from becoming an International Judge, I had to complete quite a few other criteria, including holding a demonstration race.
The first World Cup was fantastic as some of the Swiss and Catalonian teams showed up and impressed everyone with what was possible in skimo racing.  The second year of the World Cup had even more people and we were able to do it on a fun, challenging course in great conditions.
[For more details on North American skimo history see our Manual for Ski Mountaineering e-book.]
Q4: What sports and activities do you enjoy the most these days?
Ski touring, especially to new and exciting places.  I also do some mountain biking, rock climbing and mountain unicycling.

Andrew and his partner used kites to reach ski lines on Baffin Island.
Andrew and his partner were (one of) the first to use kites to reach ski lines on Baffin Island.
Q5: With years of experience from multiple sports, what would be the two most important pieces of advice you would give to new comers into skimo?
Enjoy the overall event and the people.  Regardless of how well you do in the race, you will learn a lot about becoming more efficient in the mountains, which means more vertical, more powder and more smiles.

Beyond

» You can follow Andrew’s adventures and activities at http://straightchuter.com/.
Keep checking back and follow SkinTrack on Facebook, Twitter, or subscribe on YouTube.

Lindsay Plant (USA): Skimo Racer Profile Interview

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Lindsay racing through Verbier during the 2015 World Championships Vertical event.
Lindsay racing through Verbier during the 2015 World Championships Vertical event.
We caught up with Lindsay Plant, the leader of the Team USA at the 2015 Skimo World Championships and asked her a few questions about her training and racing season.
Lindsay had a great World Champs, finishing 14th in the vertical event, 20th in the individual event, and 6th overall in the teams event paired with Jessie Young.
Where are you based out of?
I am based out of Carbondale CO, so I train mostly at Sunlight and Aspen Highlands.
What do you do in real life? How does that impact your ability to train and race?
I work for a family practice doctor at Glenwood Medical Associates, full time. I am also a mom to my 18 month old daughter, so that absolutely impacts my training as my time is very limited and has to be pretty structured.
How long have you been skimo racing? 
This is my 3rd season of skimo racing, I had to take a year off when I was pregnant but kept on skinning while I was pregnant.
I grew up skiing, but I came into skimo racing through my passion for endurance training, I have been a runner most of my life and loved skiing, so the thought of putting the two together was extremely appealing to me which directed me into finding skimo racing.
In the summer I do a lot of trail running and have been getting more and more into mountain biking, with a little road biking on the side.
photo 4Can you describe your training routine?
Due to my job and wanting to be with my daughter as much as possible, most of my workouts are high quality and short, lots of intervals, race pace tempos and a lot of zone 2 base work. Every once in a while I will get out for a big day at a higher elevation and lots of vert.
You just skied at World Championships, how long has this been a goal?
I have had a goal of racing at the World Championships for 3 years now. I wanted to try to go the year I got pregnant but that obviously put an end to that, so I have had that goal in mind since then.
I did have to adapt my life to make the team and travel to Europe by intensifying my training a bit more and pushing some other “life things” aside for a bit while I did this.
Racing above the clouds.
Racing above the clouds.
How was your World Championships experience?
The experience at the World Championships was incredible and a once in a life time experience. I had such an amazing time, racing with the Europeans and experiencing their mountains and courses. It was incredible.
I am very psyched with my racing, I felt strong and felt properly trained for the races, however, I was a little bummed I got a really bad chest cold and wonder how well I would have done if I wouldn’t have been sick, but in any case, I gave each race everything I had and left nothing on the course, so I couldn’t be happier and more satisfied with that.
Do any of the races stick out in particular and why?
I have to say the vertical race sticks out, it was such a cool experience racing through town and in the clouds, breaking through into the sunshine and having so many people cheering you on throughout the entire course, it was something I’ll never forget.
Each course was really enjoyable though they were all fun and challenging. Comparing these races to the ones in North America, the thing that sticks out the most was the crowds cheering everyone on which intensified my excitement and motivation to push harder. And of course the double skin track was pretty awesome too.
What are your other racing goals for 2015?
I have 3 more races this season which I hope to do well in, I’m racing with Stevie Kremer at the Power of 4 in Aspen, I have high expectations for that race! Then I’ll be racing at the US Nationals in Crested Butte, and the Grand Traverse at the end of March. Hoping to place well in each of those.
As to right now, I would love to try to make the 2017 US team again and race in Italy, so we shall see.
What kind of equipment do you race on and how long are your poles?
I am currently racing on La Sportiva gear, I have the Stratos Cube boots, the RSR bindings and skis and poles. My poles are 130cm. I love my gear, especially my boots!
The top American men and women in the Teams race. (L-R) John Gaston, Max Taam, Jessie Young, Lindsay Plant.
The top American men and women in the Teams race. (L-R) John Gaston, Max Taam, Jessie Young, Lindsay Plant.

Interview with Founders of The Summit Skimo Club in Colorado

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In recent year or two, a couple of non-profit skimo clubs have emerged throughout the US and so we have decided to interview the people behind them to find out what their mission and goals are.
Below, we are talking to Teague Holmes, a prominent racer himself, who represented all founders of the Summit Skimo Club in this interview.
» Website for Summit Skimo Club
What is Summit Skimo Club? Is it about skimo racing or ski mountaineering in general?
The Summit Skimo Club is a group of ski mountaineering racers from Summit County who wish to introduce, grow, and support ski mountaineering racing in Colorado and beyond.
How did you decide to create a skimo club?
We have enjoyed running around the mountains on super light easy equipment, competing in the races and just having so much fun with this sport that honestly we just want to share it! It’s different than using traditional North American standard heavy equipment and ‘skinning’ uphill or taking hours to ski one backcountry line. It’s fast, fluid and easy!
We all realized there were a few youth involved in Skimo racing so one of the primary motivators for the creation of the Summit Skimo club was to give youth an opportunity to try it out and be supported in their efforts if they choose to race.
When did you start your club and who are the founders?
Jon Lowe, Joe Howdyshell, Ram Mikulas and I with Pete Swenson as key catalyst, founded Summit SkiMo this past August (2014).
summit-skimo-club-3-photoWho do you hope to attract?
We are trying to attract all ages in the community that are interested in human powered skiing. We have a race focus and we all know how racing builds fitness, skills and efficiency to better enjoy all types of human powered skiing. We are emphasizing youth involvement. We are trying to make it easy for folks to experience Skimo Racing by building a community, organizing various group skis/training sessions, providing coaching, race support, and partnering with our local ski shops – Mountain Outfitters of Breckenridge and Wilderness Sports of Dillon, and vendors like Scarpa / SkiTrab, Dynafit, Hagan, and Camp Equipment.
We see this as a community club of all ages pooling their collective knowledge, enthusiasm and resources to support each other now and as it grows down the road. The community will build summit skimo.
In which areas are you trying to reach out to people and pull them into skimo?
Folks that seem to be interested in Skimo Racing typically are already active outdoor athletes. Trail runners, mountain runners, triathletes, mountain bikers, climbers, Nordic skiers… I personally came from a combination of rock climber, left service based big mountain skiing competitor. I found Skimo racing combined my love of climbing mountains fast and light, with my passion for ripping down. What got me hooked was the easy accessibility to the backcountry that the light easy walking equipment opens up. It’s like you spend a little time Skimo racing and it’s free pass to run around up-and-down the mountains with ease. Total freedom.
Will you be organizing races, holding weekly training nights? What will be your activities?
Currently our primary events are weekly group skis. The crew also rolls to races together and we will eventually hold a race or two. Tuesday’s and Thursday’s are a high end workout group. Some faster racers really putting it to each other with intervals. It’s always better to suffer with friends right? Sound like folks enjoy how hard they can train with others out givin’r together! Tuesday is at Keystone and Thursdays suffering goes down in Breckenridge.
Sort of alternating Saturday and Sunday you’ll find more of an all-inclusive touring group. The group leaders focus on a variety of relatively safe terrain. A couple groups usually form and beginners can enjoy a relaxed pace and some helpful tips and tactics to make it easier and more fun.
We are developing a youth racing team. We are lucky to have a professional Nordic coach Joe Howdyshell, one of the founders. Some of the other founders and volunteers have experience coaching, teaching skiing and guiding. We also have coaching available for some folks trying to achieve their first Elk Mountain Grand Traverse finish.
How many members do you have so far?
We have 17 adult members, and 4 youth between the ages of 13 and 18. We have 8 coach/volunteers.
One component of the mission of the Summit Skimo Club is to create an avenue for youth to try Ski Mountaineering Racing. We will support any age that can fit into a SkiMo race boot! More USSMA races like Irwin and the Crested Butte races put on by Elk Mountain Events as well as The Wasatch Powderkeg and Others have a U23 and U18 category. We hope to help more young men and women get out to the races and partner with event organizers to accommodate the shorter courses better suited to youth involvement.
Is skimo popular among youth in your area? What are your plans to attract them more?
There are many youth in Summit County, Colorado that get involved in winter sports with their parents and community enthusiasm. We have a few local race series and a classic Bike-Ski called The Imperial Challenge. Many kids get their start with various outdoor winter sports and racing with the the High School Nordic Team or in Alpine racing with Team Summit as well as a few Freeride/Freestyle teams.
Our hope is kids can combine their skills and love of skiing developed in these fantastic teams and enjoy the life long sport and challenge of Ski Mountaineering Racing. We don’t want to pull kids from these well established teams but to give kids an opportunity to explore another exciting aspect of the winter sport we all love!
How do you deal with safety for group training sessions?
Our Group Training sessions are at ski areas and in generally ‘safe’ backcountry areas. As much as we all know that important avalanche education and Backcountry skills are essential the Summit Skimo Club is not currently in the business of teaching these skills. We do have resources, members and coaches with training and always recommend taking classes from the American Avalanche Institute or AIARE before venturing into Avalanche Terrain.
How much is the membership and what will it get you?
Membership is $50 and it provides:

  • Group tours on weekends
  • Adult workout/training groups on Tuesday and Thursdays
  • Coaching
  • Race support
  • Discounts on the best Skimo equipment from Scarpa/Ski Trab, Dynafit, Camp Equipment and much more from Mountain Outfitters Breckenridge and Wilderness Sports Dillon.

Thank you

We thank Teague for his time and wish the whole club all the best with their goals and activities!

Podcast interview with Doug Sproul on creating a ski guidebook + discussing the Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing

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Have you ever wanted a ski guidebook with 80% of pages being pictures with skin tracks and ski lines right on them? How about having Google Earth ski touring maps right on your smartphone?
In today’s podcast I went on to interview Doug Sproul who is the author of the most comprehensive ski guidebook I ever saw (and you most likely too). The guidebook covers terrain of the famed Rogers Pass (Glacier National Park, BC) that is arguably the best place for touring and ski mountaineering in North America.
Doug has been selling a PDF version on his website for some time but feedback from people ultimately  pressed him to think about printing. Since the publishing, production and shipping costs are very high he is running a KickStarter campaign right now. If you would buy this book anyways then now is the time because if you don’t buy it via KickStarter before Nov 26th then everyone just gets their money back and no book will get printed.

Listen or download

At the beginning, I am giving a short preview to our e-book Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing.

In this episode we discussed:

  • Intro to Manual for Ski Mountaineering Racing.
  • How Doug created the book by learning every piece of software.
  • What lead him to creation of such a comprehensive tool and take years out of his personal life.

Resources related to this podcast episode:

Please leave a comment below if you liked the episode or give me some feedback of how can I improve future ones.
Thank you!

Interview with Travis Brown and Peter Knight – two young Canadian skimo hopefuls

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On the European skimo racing scene 24-years old racers are not considered youngsters anymore but in North American skimo terms that’s almost as young as they get.
Travis Brown and Peter Knight are two Canadian skimo racers with good potential – both of them have good engines and they are quick learners. On the interesting side, both of them are from prairies of Alberta and both of them came into skimo from different sports – one from running, the other from mountain biking.
Warning: In case some answers seem a bit weird then know that both of these guys have good sense of humour 😉

Travis and Peter on the summit of Mt Joffre in Alberta during their 11 hour mission. Details coming below.
Travis and Peter on the summit of Mt Joffre in Alberta during their 11 hour mission. Details coming below.

Enter Travis and Peter

Q: What is your athletic background? What are (or were) your main sports?

Travis on the track.
Travis on the track.
Travis: I ran track and cross-country for 5 years at the University of Calgary (1500m, 3000m and 10km XC). Then in need of something new, I picked up trail ultra-running when I graduated last spring.
Peter: I’ve been mountain bike racing more seriously since I was 16. I do some cyclocross races in the fall as well. I used to race on the road, but I got tired of playing silly mind games for 4 hours on a Sunday, so I got out of that before I got taken out in a big crash.
Q: What are your biggest (racing) accomplishments in those sports?
Travis: Won the Stampede Road Race 5km in 2012, Calgary; Mother’s Day race 5km; 3rd place CIS Academic All Canadian 2012; and most importantly I am a 3 time BSD Beer Mile champion (I have yet to attempt the Beer Skin, but I think my skills should transfer over well).
Peter: I’ve squeaked onto the provincial team a couple of times and I’ve battled for a couple of top 5’s in Alberta Cup races. The local mid-week mountain bike world championships win has thus far eluded me.
[Stano’s note: Beer Skin was a race I organized a week ago – involved drinking 4 beers over a 500m skin climb.]
Peter ripping the single track.
Peter ripping the single track.
Q: When did you start skiing and ski touring?
Travis: I started cross country skiing with my family when I was 2, and didn’t downhill ski until about 6 years ago. I dabbled in touring (read: slogging in alpine boots and Marker Dukes) during my first few years of University, but hadn’t done a ton until the last couple of years.
Peter: I think I was on skis when I was 4 and I started ski touring when I was 18.
Q: When did you discover skimo racing?
Peter during his first skimo race back in 2010.
Peter during his first skimo race back in 2010.
Travis: I first heard about skimo because some of the top trail runners use it as winter training (Killian Jornet, Luke Nelson, Max King etc.).  Being an injury prone runner always looking for low impact ways to boost my fitness I decided it was a perfect thing for me to try in the winter. My first race was the 2014 Castle Mountain Skimo Race and involved a lot of crashing and botched transitions.
Peter: My first race was the 2010 Dogtooth Dash. I was meaning to race the Sunshine 5000 in 2009 and 2010, but I had to do homework those weekends.
Q: Looks like both of you got hooked on skimo racing quite easily. What are the main reasons?
Travis: I love spending time in the mountains and skimo lets me get into all the areas I frequent in the summertime in a completely different way. When you can go touring and have fun with your friends for the day and call it training you know you’ve hit gold. I also love the mix between aerobic fitness, technical skills (transitions etc.), and finesse (downhill skiing).
Peter: Skiing up and down mountains as fast as possible and having races to keep me motivated is a much better way to stay fit through the winter than riding an indoor trainer, or struggling biking through the snow. I enjoy racing and I’ve met some interesting people, so I’m definitely hooked on the scene! That and “National Team member” will sound really good when I’m trying to launch my motivational speaking career.
Q: Which aspects of skimo racing were the most challenging to you? How did (or still do) you tackle them?
Travis: The technical side of the sport such as skinning technique, kick-turns, downhill skiing and transitions are still my weaknesses. Training at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary definitely helped my transitions because it’s only a 125m lap, so you end up doing lots. But the other stuff you can’t work on there, so I try and get out to the mountains as much as possible on weekends. I’ve also spent lots of time watching videos on sites like SkinTrack picking apart transitions .
Peter: I am certainly not fearless on the descents in either mountain biking or skimo and speed there will come with more skiing and leg strength. I sometimes have a bit of trouble skinning fast and opening up my stride on flatter sections, so I think I have to spend some more time on the classic XC skis.
Peter chasing Travis at the 2014 Canadian Skimo Cup final race.
Peter chasing Travis at the 2014 Canadian Skimo Cup final race.
Q: How do you think skimo training and racing is beneficial for your other sports?
Travis: Because skimo very closely mimics the bio-mechanics of running without the impact, I’ve noticed a big boost in my running strength and endurance so far this spring because I can maintain high volume of training all winter. I also find the change in sport helps to keep my motivation levels high, and by the end of ski season I am ready and excited to jump back into running.
Peter: The race length is about the same. On steeper climbs the motions are fairly similar. I’m getting some racing in while others are riding indoor bikes! The beating the legs take on the descents must be good for the bones!
Q: How do you train during the months without snow? Only running and biking or other activities as well?
Travis: In the summer, I stick to mostly trail running, with some time on the road bike and in the gym. I also spend some time out with friends climbing, hiking etc.
Peter: Only biking for me. Or sometimes I’ll hike up a mountain and ride my bike down and call it “training”. Not much running for me, I think the furthest that I have run is 8km! I keep telling myself to do more running to work on my stride but never get around to it.
travis-brown-running
Q: What do other athletes from your previous sports say about you racing skimo? Were they even aware of it before you exposed them to it?
Travis: I spend a lot of time explaining what skimo is, or they say “ohhh that’s that thing Killian does in the winter isn’t it?”. A lot of them think I’m a little crazy, but I try my best to convince them to give it a try.
Peter: I think everyone that I’ve talked to is intrigued by the sport, but I don’t think that they had heard about it before. Some have seen the videos. Maybe they’ll give it a more serious look if I could throw down an impressive early season result.
Q: Where do you guys live, work and train these days?
Travis doing what skimo racers can call training - ski touring.
Travis doing what skimo racers can call training – ski touring.
Travis: I’m currently living in Calgary, working as a personal trainer and during the week I trained at Canada Olympic Park (125 vertical meters of groomed ice) and got out to the mountains to ski in Banff and Kananaskis almost every weekend.
Peter: Edmonton. I do my skiing based out of Canmore on the weekends when I decide to make the drive.
Q: Ideally, where would you want to live, work and train in the future?
Travis: I would love to live out in the mountains, but will be going back to school soon, so that probably won’t happen. Calgary isn’t too bad because it’s about an hour and a half to get to the closest good skiing.
Peter: Anyone know of a ski town with mechanical engineering jobs?
Q: Do you have a coach? If not, where do you look for guidance and information?
Travis: I’m self-coached. I have a pretty good grasp on training concepts from training for track, getting a Kinesiology Degree and being a Certified Personal Trainer. I’ve also done a bit of reading on what others are doing for their skimo training (aka blog creeping) but for the most part I just adapt my typical running workouts to the skis.
Peter: Mountain bike racer Matt Hadley has been coaching me since the fall.
Q: From your point of view, is there anything specific skimo in Canada lacks to attract more new people? And is there anything specific that skimo in Canada has better over other sports?
Travis:
I think the biggest area for improvement is access to information about races, and race registration. Coming from running, where the racing scene is well established and race details and registration are available months in advance finding info on skimo was quite difficult. I’m used to planning my race season 6-8 months before, being able to easily look up previous results etc. and had to work very hard to find out information about skimo when I was first starting.
The best thing about this skimo community is how friendly and genuinely nice everyone is. I felt very welcome, even at my first race when I knew nobody, and have met a ton of great people from all over North America at every race since (Even the legendary Stano!). These friendships have led to some epic ski days, with more to come.
Peter:
Judging by what is popular these days, I think skimo is missing mud, barbed wire, electric cables, chasing zombies, coloured flour, standardized distances, mass marketing email lists, and $200 races. On a more serious note, a “grand” course or stage race and mid-week races might attract more people.
What does skimo have over other sports? In Skimo, you can race along alpine ridge lines, bomb down descents and it’s all over in couple of hours, so you still have time to do a couple of laps off the lift after. And not many sports in Canada have Stano!
Stano:
Thank you boys very much, but don’t get too friendly as I might have one more good season in me 🙂
Q: What would you advise to young trail runners and mountain bikers if they want to try skimo so they have a good experience right the first time?
Travis:

  • You don’t need the lightest gear to have lots of fun, but it definitely helps if you want to be competitive.
  • Practice with your gear to get it dialed in before you get to the start line. You can save a lot of time with efficient transitions.
  • Don’t forget to practice skiing downhill on your race skis too! I’ve always considered myself to be a good downhill skier, but felt like a 4 year old getting off the magic carpet my first time using race skis off-piste.

Peter:

  • Try a race. It doesn’t matter what you have for gear; if you are fast, you will pass people on lighter gear.
  • Find a good group to go skiing (“training”) with.
  • Understand that there are technical elements that make skimo unique: transitions, descents, steep skinning, kick-turns. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t have these dialed right away, they will come with practice.
Peter manged to get a good form at the end of the 2013 season and became Canadian National Champion.
Peter manged to get a good form at the end of the 2013 season and became Canadian National Champion.
Q: You guys recently did a one day assault on Mt. Joffre in Kananaskis country, Alberta. You did in less than 11 hours, tell me about the adventure.
Peter:
Mt. Joffre (3450m) is located in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in Kananaskis country. It is the highest mountain in K-country and one of the 11,000 footers of the Canadian Rockies. It is usually done over 3 days and the guidebook claims a round trip distance of 28km, but our GPS’s were reading closer to 40km and 2150m of vertical when we got back to the car just under 11 hours after starting.
I have been fascinated with this mountain ever since I read a trip report from a day trip 2 years ago. I made an attempt but bailed just 250m from the summit as we didn’t have the cojones to continue up the face. And I realized that having a good and fast partner would be crucial for a fast and successful attempt.
It seemed that Travis was keen on going for a long tour but it had snowed the day before so the Wapta traverse probably wouldn’t be very fast and there was the potential of getting shut down by clouds on the Balfour Col. He suggested going for Joffre, so we headed out from Canmore in the other direction!
Q: Compared to trail running gear, skimo gear is expensive, but compared to mountain biking or cycling it is fairly cheap. Can you provide brief summaries for both sports of what you need to enter with a total price at the end?
The below prices are for new gear.
Travis – trail running gear:

  • Trail Running Shoes $130-180
  • Hydration system: $30 (Handheld) $90-180 (pack)
  • Some longer and more remote races have required gear (Toque $20, lightweight windbreaker $70, gloves $20, survival blanket $10, headlamp $40-180)
  • Other than that, you can wear any regular running clothing you already have (shorts T-shirt) or spend up to $150 on each of those for fancier compression gear
  • Total: $400-450
  • Basic: $160
  • Top of the line everything: around $1000

Peter – mountain biking:

  • Bike: Hardtail – $2000+, Full suspension – $3000+. Add another $1000 each for Carbon frame/wheels.
  • Kit (shorts/jersey/socks): Usually ~$200, but you might want to have a couple of sets, unless you really like doing laundry!
  • Jacket: if you want to stay warm while training or racing when it is cold or wet: $100-200.
  • Shoes: $200. Some people have separate shoes for their road bike so double that.
  • Helmet: $100, does the trick.
  • Sunglasses: $75
  • Gloves: $40
  • Tube/pump/multitool: $40
  • Total: $2750+
  • And all of the parts you will break!

Stano – competitive skimo racing gear:

  • Race skis: $650 and up
  • Skimo boots: $750 and up
  • Bindings: $500 and up
  • Skins, 2 pairs: $250 and up
  • Skimo race suit: $300 and up
  • Pair of XC ski poles: depending on quality but as low as $40
  • Avalanche gear (beacon, probe, shovel): $350 and up
  • Helmet: $150, but cycling or climbing helmet is OK too
  • Wind breaker jacket and pants: $150 and up
  • Total: around $3000
  • And you probably own all the other things already (base layers, ski clothing, goggles, sun glasses…)

Q: What skimo gear are you currently racing on? Any plans to change or upgrade? If yes, then to what?
Travis:

I had some older gear for my first race but upgraded pretty quickly when I realized its limitations. I’ve really enjoyed my current setup, but might look into some Alien 1.0’s in the future when I win the lottery.
Peter:
Dynafit DyNa World Cup skis, Low Tech bindings, and Pierre Gignoux XP444 boots. If I was able to ski more, I’d think about getting a second pair of the entry level race boots for training, etc… Oh and 140 cm poles and I am 187 cm tall. You forgot to ask that!
Stano – just for comparison:

Wanna try skimo too?

Are you in a similar position as Travis and Peter were only few years ago? If yes, don’t hesitate to reach out via email or simply leave your question below and we will answer ASAP.

Interview with Tom Goth – the 2014 US SkiMo National Champion – on inspiration, training and gear

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Few weeks ago, I was trying to figure out who to approach for the next SkinTrack’s interview when I thought of Tom Goth.
I thought of him because I didn’t think our North American skimo community knew much about him – he seems to keep more private than others – yet he was quietly collecting podium placings over the last two seasons.
Fast-forward few weeks and, what a coincidence, Tom became the US National Ski Mountaineering Champion in individual race on March 15th at Crested Butte.
He is 28, is a member of the US National SkiMo Team and La Sportiva athlete living in Salt Lake City, UT.

Tom Goth on his background and inspiration

The end of a 15k ft day on Mt Timpanogos. Jason Dorais and I skied the Grunge Couloir, East Ridge and the West Face and tagged the North, South, and Main Summits.
The end of a 15k ft day on Mt Timpanogos. Jason Dorais and I skied the Grunge Couloir, East Ridge and the West Face and tagged the North, South, and Main Summits.
Q: When did you start ski touring and skimo racing?
Before discovering skimo racing, I was a resort skier who dabbled in ski touring for a while. Despite its appeal to me, it never really took hold until 2010/11. That’s when I had a parking lot run-in with skimo evangelist,  Andy Dorais.
After the seed was planted it has been a progression in gear acquisition, increasing training and racing. It’s become my main sporting focus during the year.
Q: What inspired you to start racing in this sport? What do you like the most about it?
Skimo shares the attributes of other endurance sports, something which has always appealed to me. As a lifelong skier, it was a natural decision to pick up the sport as I became aware of it.
Often skimo is referred to as a complete sport – aerobic capacity on the climbs, strength and power on the descent and technical ability with transitions. I think this is true, but for me the real gravy is that training is so much fun. Squeezing in few thousand vertical after work, something which would have seemed like half-day tour a few years ago, feels like freedom.
Despite a lackluster winter in the Wasatch, there was still some fun steep skiing to be had late season. Photo by Jason Dorais
Despite a lackluster winter in the Wasatch, there was still some fun steep skiing to be had late season. Photo by Jason Dorais
Q: What is your athletic background? What other sports do you race or do now?
I did some competitive running in high school and college, but didn’t take training very seriously. One obstacle to consistent training was my passion for skiing.  After college, I picked up triathlon during the summers. I learned some discipline and put together improved results, including a top ten Ironman finish and two trips to Kona.
To focus on skimo, I’ve taken a break from long course triathlons. I’ve moved the cycling and running off-road to get more vertical in the summer.

On training and becoming faster

Q: I would say that you had a pretty fast rise up the US skimo ranks, by the way, congrats on becoming the US SkiMo National Champion a month ago! What do you think were the most crucial elements and factors that allowed you to develop so quickly?

The start of the US National Championships individual race. Photo by Dominique Maack.
The start of the US National Championships individual race. Photo by Dominique Maack.
Thanks! I was happy to hang on to my fitness after a long season.
I think with any endurance sport, the most important aspect of training  is consistency. I’ve been lucky enough to put together consistent training this season and over the past couple years. Across all sports, my progression as an endurance athlete has been very linear.
With regards to skimo, my biggest leaps have been with sport specific skills, such as descending and transitions. It may sound obvious, but the best way to get better at descending on race skis is to train on race skis. Many of us have more desirable skis to take out on any given day, but if you embrace the skinny skis it pays off in races.
Q: You raced in Europe and attended the SkiMo World Champs for the first time last year. What was your experience like? What surprised you the most? And what did you find different?
Racing in Europe was awesome. The depth of field, the perfect skin tracks, the long climbs and descents, and the atmosphere in general made for a great experience.
Glide. I was most surprised by the amount of glide some of those guys were getting. Whether it was on the flats or the low angle climbs, their technique and skins allowed them to move really fast!
I think with ISMF sanctioned races in the US our courses are continuing to improve. However, the courses at world champs were impressive. There was no hacking straight up a mogul field. It helped that they had an army (literally) putting in the double track.
Can't believe I managed a smile. Photo credit ISMF.
Can’t believe I managed a smile. Photo credit ISMF.
Q: How do you structure your training year roughly — what sports, when, and how much time?
This season 2013/14 looks like:

  • October – December: Uphill running and early season skiing
  • December – March: Competitive skimo season (20 – 40k vertical ft and 15 – 25 hours / week)
  • March – May: Spring adventure skiing
  • April – September: Mountain bike, trail run and some swimming (10 – 20 hrs / week)

Q: Do you do any strength training? If so, is it skimo specific or more general?
No weight training during the competitive season. I may include some during the off season. Downhill running is also something I rely on during the off season.
Q: Do you have a coach?
No, I don’t.
Q: What are your future skimo racing and athletic goals?
For next year, it’s to race well at the World Championships in Verbier. It would be great to make another trip for one of the Big Three as well.

On the Grand Teton last April - the photo was taken just above the Otter Body on the East Face. Photo by Jason Dorais.
On the Grand Teton last April – the photo was taken just above the Otter Body on the East Face. Photo by Jason Dorais.

On nutrition and gear

Q: Do you follow any specific diet? (vegetarian, Paleo, LCHF…)
I find it hard to subscribe to any dietary dogma, but I do like the Paleo and LCHF ideas. I fuel my training and racing with typical sports nutrition, but generally eat whole unprocessed foods for meals.
Q: What race gear have you been using this season?
La Sportiva RSR skis, Stratos Cube boots, RSR bindings and multiple brands of skins. The La Sportiva partnership has worked out great. Going from not racing on their gear to getting my best results has been a huge validation for me. I’m stoked on their products.

As an alternative to the altered Grand Traverse, 7 of us traversed the La Sals South to North. We hit 11 named 12,000 ft peaks. It was redemption for a failed attempt last season.
As an alternative to the altered Grand Traverse, 7 of us traversed the La Sals South to North. We hit 11 named 12,000 ft peaks. It was redemption for a failed attempt last season.
Q: When racing, do you use a bottle or camelback?
16 ounce soft flask(s).
Q: If you could ask anyone from the whole world skimo racing community one question, who would it be and what would you ask?
That’s a hard question! But right now I’m geeking out on gear, so I’d love to check out the production process of the La Sportiva Cubes. Hopefully soon there are more full carbon race boots than plastic on the market.
Q: For all SkinTrack reader’s that ask me whether I am obsessed with skimo racing poles length, here’s my signature question: How tall are you and long are your poles? 🙂
6’2” (188 cm) and 140 cm.
My first ski descent off the Grand Teton was a great one! Tagged the Otter Body in prime conditions. Photo by Jason Dorais.
My first ski descent off the Grand Teton was a great one! Tagged the Otter Body in prime conditions. Photo by Jason Dorais.

Racer Profile – Meredith Edwards (USA)

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mere raceMeredith Edwards is a fellow Dynafit USA athlete based out of Jackson Hole but currently spending a season racing in Europe. She is the lone athlete representing Team USA on the World Cup so far this season and has performed admirably despite that. We tracked her down coming off the most recent World Cup in Italy for a quick racer profile so we all know who is standing up for North America in Europe. Read on…

In her own words:

My background and favorites

I am originally from Pennsylvania but based out of Jackson, WY. For the 2013/14 winter I am splitting my time between Chamonix and Beaufort, France.
My Favorite place to ski in the US is Grand Teton National Park – Teton Canyon, Table Mtn to be exact. In Europe, I have really enjoyed my time in Beaufort. It’s everything you would hope France would be. Beautiful town, great mountainscapes and wonderful people.
For the past 5 years I have worked with mental and behavior kids at a school in Jackson. Basically, I teach life skills. I have a degree in Exercise Physiology from University of Louisville. I was a two time Division 1 athlete in Field Hockey and Track & Field.
I started skiing at the age of two and started racing around 8. My father was my coach when I was in my teens and I raced till I was 18. When I moved to Jackson in ’07 everyone told me I need to do the skimo race at the village. It took me a couple of years to get the gear but my first skimo race was at Grand Targhee with powder skis mounted with race bindings and second hand race boots 🙂 Pretty much after that I was hooked.

mere beaufort

I had some injuries a couple of the years but as of last year I started to take it seriously. I’m an ultra-runner during the summer and skimo is the perfect sport to stay in shape in the winter and easy on the body. I feel it’s a perfect fit for me.
My favorite race in the US is a hard choice between Jackson Hole and  the Wasatch Powder Keg in Utah. I think Chad Brackelsberg puts on a hard but fun race. The course is a lot of fun with different terrain and technical climbs. It’s also great to have three days of racing – sprint, individual, and teams. As for Jackson, climbing out of Corbets Couloir is always fun and Alta Chute and Tower Three are always a great ski. In Europe, the Verbier World Cup (next year’s Worlds course) is great. It’s steep right from the start to a gliding section to a beautiful peak. It’s long and technical. I think its going to be a great course for Worlds.

This season and racing in Europe

mere rope skiI am currently a Dynafit summer athlete and sponsored by my home gym: Mountain Athlete. They have been great at making me strong and getting me back into shape. I was unable to run this summer due to ankle surgery and they really worked hard with me to keep me strong and going. You can check them out on Facebook. I ride on all Dynafit equipment and really love how they perform. I race on Dy.N.A. and train on PDG. I love my PDG’s – I literally take them down everything and anything.
I find the courses in Europe are very technical for me. I have worked very hard this season to change my stride. I don’t glide well and when you have a course like this past weekend where it is very flat you need to glide.
The Pitturina World Cup went ok for me. The sprint is not my race but I am definitely improving. I missed the semi-final by a couple of seconds and I just need to get faster at my transitions. In the individual race, I had a great start and was in a small pack of women but on the start of the second ascent I broke my pole. I didn’t receive one till the top transition. I find for me, coming from the US, it’s hard to compare myself to the top women but if I look at the gap between me and them and focus on closing the gap, I see that I’m improving a lot and closing in on time. I was 16th in the  sprint and 15th in the individual.
Overall, it has been my hardest season but also a great learning experience. I have never had gear issues before racing in Europe but this year I have broken three poles and a binding! It’s a huge part of racing. Every race is filled with new experiences and things to learn and it has helped my overall ability.
Up next, I will be coming back to the States to race the North American Championships (Wasatch Powder Keg) and US Nationals (Crested Butte). I thought I would do only three World Cups but looking at my overall ranking there are four  women with the same amount of points and I think if I finish out the next two races, I will definitely be in the top 20 (currently I am 22). I would love to do Pierra Menta but I am looking for a partner, and the week after I will be doing Tour du Rutor.
Thanks Meredith and good luck!