Prince of All Media

There can only be one "King of All Media", and I guess Howard Stern has that title wrapped up.

During the last few years, Lasse has arguably been the King of All UAA Ski Team media, but his graduation has left an opening that Étienne Richard seems destined to fill. 

Over the weekend, I had a few errands I needed to take care of in the Matapédia region of Quebec. As I was driving around in my rental car, flipping through the stations, I suddenly heard a familiar voice, talking about life in Alaska and skiing for the UAA Ski Team:  

Étienne's Radio-Canada interview (you need to scroll across to 8h47)

(Be sure to keep listening at the end, after Étienne hangs up the phone when the hosts think he's not listening and start describing him with words like "cute", "handsome", "charming", etc...)

Eventually, I needed to make a stop for gas and donuts and I picked up this month's issue of Graffici (where I get all my Eastern Provinces news) on the way out the gas station door. It didn't surprise me at all when I flipped to page 27 and found Étienne once again hogging the sports page. 

Étienne Richard - Graffici December 2013

Kincaid Snowmaking Update

The good news is we have snowmaking at Kincaid now.
The bad news is we have 66% less snowmaking than we thought we'd have.

Read more here

It's a great day to be a Seawolf!

UAA Ski Team Trivia
Name the skier:

First correct answer gets a start in next weekend's opening World Cup race in Kuusamo, Finland.**
(**I have no authority to enter you in this or any other World Cup Race, but if you get the answer right, you're probably already already on the start list.)

Snowbound!

I missed most of this week's ski practice because I was stuck on Kodiak Island in a snowstorm.  No planes were able to get in or out for a while, so I had to wait for the storm to pass through before coming home. But the storm headed toward Anchorage when it left Kodiak, which meant I was able to fly over it and land in Anchorage just in time for its arrival here. So I got to enjoy the same snowstorm twice!

This morning we did skating intervals in freezing rain at Kincaid. It was raining pretty steadily, but the temperature was well below freezing, so the rain froze solid wherever it landed. We came back to the parking lot to find the cars encased in ice.  It made for a fun drive home.

Everyone thought it was pretty cool that Étienne could roll the window all the way down without the "ice window" breaking.

Marincicle and Synnøvsicle

The rain has now turned to snow, and the forecast is for heavy snow tonight.  Let's hope...

Hillside Living

Over the weekend, the team was invited to Bob and Koni Arnold's house for dinner, where we enjoyed the most delicious food I can remember, and a panoramic nighttime view over the city's twinkling lights. With Etienne's birthday recently, we even had a little party for him (and got to hear Synnøve sing Happy Birthday in Norwegian). Thank you so much to the Arnold family for letting us tromp around your house and make a lot of noise, and for the wonderful dinner.  Coach Andrew kept asking me, "Have you tried this ham?  Have you tried it!? It's amazing!"

What's more scary - the spooky photo that looks like the team is having a séance, or the one with the lights on where where we look like a bunch of muskrats caught in the car headlights?

Thank you to the Arnold family for a wonderful evening full of epicurean delights!

Ski Team Trivia

Name the skier, the ski team, the race, and the year.
There's no prize for anyone who gets the right answer, but I bet you'll feel proud of yourself.

Friday Fun

Skating intervals today in Anchorage in our new zoot suits.

Alex Loan was focused and strong today.

Étienne Richard bringing a double-dose of style to the Hillside trails in a new ski suit and a new moustache.

A teachable moment: Andrew picks up some post-interval advice from Andrew.

In the Ferry Terminal Parking Lot

Earlier today I had my TV tuned to the Danish channel as I was working on something at home, not really paying attention to what was on, until suddenly the sight of our old friend Lasse caught my eye!  So I put down what I was doing and watched for a minute.

(Click on Lasse's nose for the video)

The interview was over before it began, but it did leave me with a few questions:

-Your parents are still letting you drive the family car, Lasse?  I thought that was a temporary thing back in August.  Now you've talked them into letting you drive it across Scandinavia?  With those persuasion skills, you're going to make quite the lawyer, I guess.

-You stop the car in the ferry terminal parking lot, take all your crap out of the car, rummage around in your ski bag, and then load it all back into the car...  Be honest, Lasse: wasn't this just a dog and pony show?  I don't believe that you actually needed anything out of that ski bag.

-OK, my Danish is a little rusty, but didn't I hear the sports anchor say that the Olympics will be held in January next year?  A little more research next time perhaps...
-And speaking of the anchorman, if you find out what his t-shirt says (under his sport jacket) please tell me.  I'm dying to know.
-ROSSIGNOL!!!  Wow Lasse, who've you been hanging out with?

So Lasse is off to race in Scandinavia.  If he skis fast later this month, he has his ticket to the Olympics.  We're all behind you here in Alaska, Lasse, and looking forward to news of good results in the coming weeks!

Today at Kincaid Park...

...looked like this:

Pati and Synnøve

Synnøve, wearing UAA's new ski suit for 2014.

Mackenzie, Pati, and Synnøve

Just the Facts

Where:  At the end of my driveway.
What:  The beginning of winter, apparently.
When:  About 10 minutes ago.
Why:  Because I bet Lucky is wondering if he's ever going to go rollerskiing again after today.

Today at the Ski Jumps

It went something like this:

No snow in town yet, but the ground is frozen.

Synnøve racing the clock.

Sprints at the jumps.

Today at the Biathlon Range

I'm back from the Nevada desert and California beach today. Back from 75 degrees and swimming in the ocean to 25 degrees and rollerski intervals with the UAA Ski Team at Kincaid Park.

Riding across Nevada. I try to stay off the pavement.

During the warm-up this morning. The women's team, with coaches Andrew and Nicole.

Pre-interval instructions from Andrew at the biathlon range.  No interval photos were taken because I was in the thick of it.