Katherine
Himes
Katherine
Himes has been ski racing for eighteen years. She began racing in
high school, and lengthened her race distance to marathons during collegiate
skiing at the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
This year she is focusing on going faster by forcing herself to enter short
(15K and under) races. She's a bit apprehensive about this plan!
Highlights of her ski career include:
2nd place in the classic division of the
Birkebeiner, 2nd place at Mora Vasaloppet, winning a race at the Badger
State Games, competing on three 24 hour relay teams in Canada, the 1996
Junior Olympics in Maine, and coaching women on improving their ski technique.
Favorite places to ski:
Baker Park; Mont Sainte Anne, Quebec;
West Yellowstone; and, of course, Theodore Wirth.
When not skiing, Katherine enjoys running
marathons, road biking with her husband, and strength training with Piotr
Bednarski's training groups.
Her day job is in the Provost's Office
at the University of Minnesota where she puts her Ph.D. and MBA to good
use!
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Photo complements of Skinny Ski.com
Dave Nelson
Skinnysky Race
Team
David Nelson took his non-standard
training practices to a new level this summer. In addition to repeatedly
climbing the stairs of their new home while working on the interior, he
also started doing long-distance, high-speed rollerskiing. After training
weekly with Josie, her sister Siri and husband Ben, they all completed
the 50 mile bike tour in Mora. Josie was quick to remind Dave that he didn't
technically complete the event, since he wasn't on a bike. Dave is confident
this will be his best season ever, since their garden produced a record
crop of potatoes, his favorite fuel for training and racing.
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Photo complements of Skinny Ski.com
Josie Nelson
Skinnysky
Race Team
| If you have met Josie on the
ski trails, you will probably agree that she is one of the friendliest,
most exuberant skiers you'll find. If you haven't met her, listen for her
chatting, encouraging others, or just singing as she skis. Josie prefers
the classical technique, because she finds it "easier to ski next to someone."
This year Josie is looking forward to skiing in the HolmenkollenMarsjen
classical marathon in Norway, where there will be thousands of new skiers
to meet. Hope you're working on your Norwegian, Josie! |
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Photo complements of Skinny Ski.com
Grant Nelson
Skinnysky
Race Team
| Grant Nelson is an athlete
& dentist in Duluth, MN. During the non-skiing months, Grant enjoys
lots of variety in his training including, canoeing, hiking, running, kayaking,
rollerskiing, house-building, ... The house-building activity has been
interfering recently with some of his other passions & often times
provides very little ski specific training. With winter, however, skiing
tends to take priority over most other things. Grant competes in most of
the large local ski races, but likes the idea of racing to train, rather
than training to race. |
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Bryan Wickenhouser
(aka Wick)
Crested
Butte, Co
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34 years old and originally from Wisconsin. Having grown up playing soccer
and Alpine ski racing, it was a natural move out to Colorado for
me after college. I’ve been a member of an adventure racing team, Team
Solomon/Crested Butte for the last 5 years. My specialties are mtn.
biking, trail running and the behind the scenes business end of the
team. I run my own small business, so it affords me the time to set my
own schedule for training & work, while managing the team's business
end of things. If I'm not working in the Winter, its a safe bet I'm out
skiing! Skiing lately for me has meant a lot more Randonee racing,
with a base of XC skiing. I am a board member at the Crested Butte
Nordic Center for the last five years and have been with Fast Wax for the
last four. My goal for the 2008 Winter is to be named to the United
States Ski Mountaineering team that will be competing over in Switzerland
at the World Championships.
For more information about myself
and my team go to www.teamcrestedbutte.com
Think Snow! |
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Andy Schakel
| I was first
introduced to nordic skiing when I was 9 years old after moving to MN from
Missouri. My first race was through the Bill Koch Youth Ski league
and after that . . . I was hooked. I skied for Stillwater High School
and then the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. I currently enjoy
competing at local citizen ski and running races. I get support from
Atomic and Fastwax, and I train with the Vakava Race Team through Finn
Si Su. I am also a new member of Team Synergy through Endurance Athletes.
I try to balance my life among work, family and play. In my prior
life, I worked as a physical therapist but then decided to go to medical
school. I am currently completing my residency in Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation through the U of MN. Most of all, I am happily married
and glad to be in MN with family and friends – loving life! |
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John Stamm
Afton MN.
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Wynn Roberts
Grand
Rapids MN.
| I am 19 years old and from the town of
Battle Lake MN. I have a younger brother and sister.
My family has been skiing since I was 9 years old. My favorite place
to ski is Spidahls Ski Gard near Fergus Falls MN. I am also a member
of the Fergus Falls Rifle club. My hobbies include skiing, biking,
hiking, shooting. The best expierence I've had in skiing is the chance
to go to Argentina. This will be my 3rd year on the junior national
team for biathlon. My favorite race todo in MN is the Black Lake
Loppet do to it's "sweet" style. You have to eat a donut and have
a coffee half way through the race. It also starts in a time back
style so the finish is usually a sprint of all abilities. Currently
I've been attending the Fergus Fall Community college. |
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Dave Christopherson
Photo complements of Skinny Ski.com
Don Pollari
Salt Lake
City, UT.
| Don Pollari started skiing
at the age of 4, spending his most enjoyable winter days at Mont du Lac
ski area outside of Duluth. He alpine raced competitively through college
at the University of Minnesota Duluth and the University of Montana. After
moving back to the Midwest from Montana he took up cross country skiing
and now only occasionally, if ever, rides a ski lift. In 1996 he moved
to Salt Lake City and (flatlander that he is) is still striving to fully
adapt to high altitude nordic racing. A perennial highlight is making the
Birkebeiner pilgrimage. With a beautiful new daughter in the household
Don is soon to make a planned transition from career to stay-at-home Dad.
Many kilometers will be put on the child chariot next ski season. |
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Dave Cahill
Norwich, Vermont
| Dave, age 30, works as a Vermont state prosecutor by day
and skis by night. He advises would-be criminals to not even think about
trying to get away on skis, especially with the wrong wax. He is married
but isn't thinking about kids just yet. (He took it as a sign when he couldn't
keep the potted cactus in his office alive for longer than six months.)
Dave and his wife, Janet, typically ski 8-10 marathon races a year. In
2009 he won the Lake Placid Loppet 50km race on the 1980 Olympic course,
and he managed a 37th place finish in the Birkie. |
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Adam Loomis
Eau Claire, WI
I am a 16 year old Nordic Combiner from
Eau Claire, WI. I started cross country skiing at the age of three,
and went off my first ski jump when I was ten years old. I travel
throughout the mid-west and nation for ski jumping and nordic combined
competions. I am a member of Chippewa Valley Nordic, Eau Claire's
high school club team. I spent the majority of the summer training
in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Park City, Utah. I run cross
country at my high school, and also enjoy playing tennis, biking, water
skiing, and hiking.
This past winter I competed in my fourth
Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Junior Olympics in Ishpeming, Michigan.
I won the ski jumping individual competition, and finished second in Nordic
Combined. At the Senior National Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined
Championships I placed 13th in the Nordic Combined and 26th and 28th in
the ski jumping event. In the next few years I hope to qualify for
Junior World Championships as a Nordic Combiner. |
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Josh Valen
Team Norway
Josh Valen is 19 years old he is coaching
for Team Norway and Mukwonago High School. He is racinag
USSA and FIS this year in his spare time.. He was on the varsity
ski team at Mukwonago High School for all four years. Those four years
the team took 2nd, 7th, 1st, and 2nd at the state meet.
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Vickie Valen
Vickie Valen has been skiing
since she was two, and has been racing for five years. Vickie took 2nd
overall in Wisconsin Junior Race league last year. Vickie is moving up
to USSA this year. Besides racing Vickie also enjoys playing soccer.
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Zack Valen
Team Norway
Zach Valen is17 years old and currently
on Team Norway in Iron Mountain, Michigan. He races FIS and USSA
for Team Norway. Zach also races for his high school, Mukwonago.
Zach as a sophomore was selected to the Wisconsin All-State team.
He also was a junior Olympian in 2004.Zach is currently a junior and is
expecting a great season this year.
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Ed Anderson
Farmington Hills, MI
| Racing for 22 years,
Ed left an athletic career as a soccer and lacrosse player to ski, run
& bike. He's run about a dozen road marathons, including Boston,
Grandma's, Columbus, Detroit, Columbia (SC) and, trail marathons where
he's placed as high as 5th. He lives in Detroit and does most of his ski
racing in Michigan for the Hanson Hills/Cross Country Ski Shop Ski Team.
Training in the off season includes trail running, mountain biking and
lots of roller skiing at the local metroparks. His best ski race finish
was 113th at the Birkie at age 41, and last year for his 19th Birkie at
age 54, he was 198th. He has surgery scheduled in February that will keep
him from making this years Birkie his 20th but he's already planning his
return to racing next year that will include the Birkie as well as the
Masters World Cup races in Sovereign,British Columbia. |
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