The men's 4 x 10 k relay itself lacked for drama, but fortunately there's plenty going on in the Norwegian team for us to talk about. Devon and Nat are back to break down Russia's convincing win in the relay, the most disappointing silver ever for Norway and a gold-like bronze for France. Send questions and feedback to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com . We'll be back Wednesday. Related reading: “Burmania”: Swedish xc skier’s snack-sampling video goes viral in China The Chinese Ski T...
Feb 13, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 56
OMG that was awesome. Devon and Nat are back to break down an epic finish to the women's Olympic relay, with some details on the Russian victory, the surprise German silver and Jonna Sundling helping to deliver a bronze for Sweden. Plus some notes on the Americans in sixth. Send questions and feedback to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com. We'll be back tomorrow.
Feb 12, 2022•55 min•Season 2Ep. 55
We've got our latest episode straight out of China to break down Iivo Niskanen's dominating win in the Olympic 15 k individual start. We talk about some of the drama on the Norwegian team, cover the American and Canadian results and bring on special guest Vahur Teppan, a retired Estonian athlete who coached members of China's national team for the past four years.
Feb 11, 2022•39 min•Season 2Ep. 54
The pod is back to recap a good old-fashioned individual start throwdown, with special guest Kristin Størmer Steira. We break down Therese Johaug of Norway's nail-biting win over Finland's Kerttu Niskanen and another nail-biting race for third between Finland's Krista Pärmäkoski and Russia's Natalia Nepryaeva. And we discuss questions about the U.S. team selection for the upcoming women's relay, and the pressure cooker environment of the championships. We'll be back after tomorrow's men's 15 k....
Feb 10, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 53
Get your cheese doodles ready. Here's Nat and Devon breaking down (and celebrating) an historic day for the U.S. A bronze medal for Jessie Diggins stands as the highlight - she's the first American woman to win an individual medal - but there were several other steps taken forward by the men and women wearing stars and stripes. In particular, Rosie Brennan popped the second fast time in qualification. Overcoming a bad pole plant-induced fall in her quarterfinal, she powered through to take secon...
Feb 08, 2022•46 min•Season 2Ep. 52
We're back with a recap of Russian Alexander Bolshunov's dominating victory in the Olympic 30-kilometer skiathlon. We break down the dramatic start to the race, the Russians' epic performance, Iivo Niskanen's heroic effort to hang on to a bronze and the huge time gaps we saw to even some of the sport's biggest names. And we talk about doubts about Bolshunov's success. We'll be back periodically during the Olympics — send questions and comments to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com . A...
Feb 07, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 51
Kicking off the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games with a look into the women's skiathlon. Co-host Nat Herz was on site during the race, braving the wind and cold to collect deeper insights into the scene, while Kershaw gives his hot take as a very-well-informed armchair quarterback. Note that Kershaw picked two of the top-three athletes correctly in his pre-Olympic podium picks: unsurprisingly, the favorite, Therese Johaug took gold, while Natalia Nepryaeva (ROC) earned silver instead of the bronze Ker...
Feb 05, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 50
This episode of the Devon Kershaw Show breaks down the lead-up to the Olympics with special guest star Alex Harvey, the Canadian World Championships gold medalist. Harv and Kersh make their podium predictions for the six Olympic events; we discuss the nightmare scenario with COVID cases inside Norway's national team; and Nat checks in from his quarantine in Los Angeles in advance of his flight to Asia. We'll be back periodically during the Olympics — send questions and comments to devon@fastersk...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Season 2Ep. 49
In this episode of the Devon Kershaw Show, we bring back Zach Caldwell, one of North America’s leading ski and wax experts. We get into the arcane and arguably misguided rules around the use of fluorocarbon waxes at high-level races, along with potential challenges for wax and ski technicians at the little-studied Beijing Olympic venue. You can find a host of resources from Zach on skis, wax, and grinds that might more-directly apply to your own skiing and racing at CaldwellSport.com . We’ll be ...
Jan 16, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 48
You asked, now Devon is answering. We’re finally here with a long-promised mailbag episode for you this week. Devon takes us through questions from more than a dozen listeners; we cover World Cup competition formats, tactics, training, broadcasting and a bunch of other random fun stuff. We’ll be back soon with coverage of Olympic team selection and hopefully some more intel on the Olympic venue in Beijing. Send us questions and feedback to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com ....
Jan 11, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Season 2Ep. 47
We’ve got extra-special Alaska-based guest Kikkan Randall joining us for this episode to recap the 2021/22 Tour de Ski. We break down a rough finish for a head cold-afflicted Jessie Diggins, some sensational skiing by Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, and some lingering questions about Olympic preparation. We’re planning a mailbag episode in the next few days; send your questions to devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com . We’ll be back soon!...
Jan 04, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Welcome back to the Devon Kershaw show for our Tour de Ski stage 3 and 4 recap. We get into Frida Karlsson’s withdrawal from the tour after her egregious take-out of Jessie Diggins in Saturday’s classic sprint. We also cover Calle Halfvarsson and Joanna Hagström delivering for Sweden, Johannes Klæbo giving a couple of beat-downs, and Diggins’ come-from-behind win Friday. We’ll be taping a mailbag episode next week — send us your questions at devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com . And ha...
Jan 01, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 45
Welcome back to the Devon Kershaw Show. This week we have an under-the-weather Rachel Perkins, filling in for Nat Herz, to breakdown the first two stages of the Tour de Ski in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. From winter storm conditions for the 10/15k classic that contrasted a clear and fast opening freestyle sprint, there was plenty to note in these first two stages. We also discuss translating top results in qualification to advancing into the semifinals and finals, Diggins and Kern’s power that ear...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 44
We’ve got a special edition of the Devon Kershaw Show for you this week with star American cross-country skier Rosie Brennan. After more than a decade of international racing, Brennan had a breakout season last year with World Cup wins in Davos. She’s had more strong results this year, including a podium in Lillehammer and two near-misses in her return to Davos. Brennan hails from Utah; she’s a graduate of Dartmouth College and currently trains with the Alaska Pacific University elite team. We’r...
Dec 24, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 43
This week’s edition of the Devon Kershaw Show comes in hot with a recap of the city sprint in Dresden, Germany. The breakdown includes solid American results and a tragic crash for a Canadian sprinter, plus some Kremlinology about Alexander Bolshunov and the Russian Ski Federation, discussion about the internal dynamics of the Swedish sprinters and a reminder about how you’re lucky to live outside Norway if you want to go to the Olympics for cross-country skiing. Send your questions to Devon at ...
Dec 19, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 42
Davos brought another entertaining weekend of racing for American ski fans, with Rosie Brennan in the mix in both competitions, a podium from Jessie Diggins, and and breakout performances from Hailey Swirbul, Sophia Laukli, and Novie McCabe. Devon Kershaw and FasterSkier’s Nat Herz take us through the results with special guest Eirik Brandsdal, the longtime, now-retired Norwegian World Cup sprint racer. Have questions for Devon or Nat? Send them devon@fasterskier.com and nat@fasterskier.com to h...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 2Ep. 41
It was a hot weekend of racing in Lillehammer, with another epic Johaug-Karlsson duel, some legit results from American racers and some breakout performances from some new names. Devon Kershaw and FasterSkier’s Nat Herz break it down, with the added bonus of Kershaw’s firsthand experience of waxing for the Canadian team on-scene. Come for the race breakdowns, stay for the monologues about TV production and the cross-country ski boot supply chain. Send your questions to Devon at devon@fasterskier...
Dec 05, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 40
We’re back with this week’s episode of the Devon Kershaw Show! Devon and FasterSkier’s Nat Herz break down the World Cup’s exciting season-opening weekend of racing in Finland, along with a special guest: U.S. Olympian Sadie Maubet Bjornsen, who retired in the spring. The trio breaks down Ruka’s frigid temperatures, legit results from North American racers, Frida Karlsson’s surprising victory over Therese Johaug, and some Russian men’s distance domination — with the inevitable aside about doping...
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 39
The Devon Kershaw is back from summer hibernation! This week, Devon takes a break from medical school to break down the first big tune-up races of the season in Muonio, Finland. Joining him are the show’s new co-host, former FasterSkier reporter Nat Herz, along with Canadian athlete Russell Kennedy, who popped a huge result in one of the races in Finland. Russell catches us up on the European circuit; we also discuss Charlotte Kalla’s recently awarded honorary doctorate degree, disgraced former ...
Nov 18, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 38
With wildfire smoke obscuring mountain views and compromising easy breathing in much of the West, it’s safe to say it is summer. In this episode of the Devon Kershaw Show, we mostly chat with Zach Caldwell of Vermont’s Caldwell Sport. Last season, during one of our conversations with Zach, we discussed some ideas we’d like to see in terms of an enhanced broadcast from FIS for their cross-country World Cup coverage. Zach came up with some interesting concepts — you’ll have to listen to the episod...
Aug 25, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 37
When it comes to the leading research regarding nordic sport, we often associate Dr Øyvind B. Sandbakk with publishing keen information regarding high performance. Sandbakk is the managing director at the Centre for Elite Sports Research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. Beyond just simply chit-chatting about the current state of affairs regarding cross-country skiing in Norway, Kershaw discusses the recently published paper titled, ‘"Preparing fo...
Jun 25, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 36
There was a time when the Canadian National Cross-Country Ski Team was the North American team to watch. As skiers like Kikkan Randall and Jessie Diggins found their footing, Becky Scott, Chandra Crawford, and Sara Renner were medaling at the Olympics. Alex Harvey and Kershaw won team sprint gold at the 2011 World Championships. And Harvey continued to romp - winning the 2017 World Championship gold in the 50k. Along the way, like many programs, Canada has enjoyed roster and coaching continuity....
May 06, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 35
The main point of the weekend was the coronation of Jessie Diggins as the overall winner of the cross-country World Cup. She becomes the first American woman to do so. Historic? Yes. Adding to the crystal collection, she'll haul across the Atlantic on her trip home the distance globe too. We discuss the racing in Engadin, Switzerland which consisted of mass start classic races on Saturday and fun point to point skate races on Sunday to close out the season. And on the podcast to discuss the raci...
Mar 15, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 34
We are catching our breath here with Alex Harvey with the 50 k classic rundown on the podcast. On another planet where the perceived forces of good and evil do not wear Lycra, this race is simply catalogued as another classic, not a mega-classic. Such is life and such is racing. This 50 k classic monster came down to the wire as Russia's Alexander Bolshunov and Norway's Johannes Høsflot Klæbo flowed into the final straight. Here's the replay from today's race report: No matter how you look at it...
Mar 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Here's Therese Johaug after her dominant 30 k classic performance at the 2021 World Championship: “I never have been in such good shape. I am so happy. I’m 33 years and I know I’m getting older and older and I know that this time ends soon, so I am just so happy.” What the World Cup field has historically known is a Johaug in shape. Outright, she's likely the best distance skier of all-time. What the field of skiers witnessed today was Johaug as clutch as ever. She soloed off the front early in ...
Mar 06, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 32
One can expect some tactics during a 4 x 10 k relay in heavy snowfall for world championship glory. To summarize nearly two hours of racing in three sentences there was this: Russia off the front, then in the middle. Norway in the middle, then off the front. Then Klæbo becoming the king of coy as he tempts Bolshunov and pounces for the win. This 4 x 10 k relay provided a wealth of storyline threads to consider. There are good skis and bad skis. Good legs and some not-so-good legs. Teams with no ...
Mar 05, 2021•59 min•Season 2Ep. 31
The facts are this: with Johaug in the 4 x 5 k relay mix Norway remains a force late in the race when the skate legs ensue. Today in Oberstdorf, Johaug took over the race and made it a relative yawner up front. The real action was for third place where the U.S. and Finland threw down. Over 20 k of racing came down to the final straight when Krista Pärmäkoski and Jessie Diggins drag raced. Pärmäkoski crossed first securing third for Finland, while the U.S. settled for fourth. In this episode: 45 ...
Mar 04, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 30
For what it is worth, and it is worth something, the 15 k interval start skate at the 2021 World Championships in Oberstdorf, Germany lived up to the hype as the race of truth. Coming in, we would have expected Russia's Alexander Bolshunov to search, seek, and destroy every centimeter of this salted and then melting course. It was a grind for all. And throughout the laps on a brutal course, the Russian was subdued by a Norwegian trifecta on the podium. Hans Christer Holund took the win. And even...
Mar 03, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 29
In today's 10 k story on FasterSkier , here's how it began: "The high pressure continued at the 2021 World Championships on Tuesday in more ways than one. Oberstdorf, Germany’s temps hovered around 50 degrees Fahrenheit for the start of the women’s 10-kilometer individual freestyle, and a rarefied number of skiers poised to step on the podium. The pressure cooker that is the individual start, with skiers setting off at 30-second intervals was on display from the first earnest pole plants out of ...
Mar 02, 2021•45 min•Season 2Ep. 28
In this episode, we speak with Zach Caldwell -- Putney, Vermont ski whisperer and wax nerd at Caldwell Sport. We’ve received questions from listeners asking about the difficulty of waxing (for both skate and classic) as well as ski selection when the temperatures spike beyond the melting point for snow. That has been the case in Oberstdorf, Germany the last week, site of the 2021 Nordic Ski World Championships. That said, it’s a “rest day” at World Champs, so no race breakdown in this episode — ...
Mar 01, 2021•35 min•Season 2Ep. 27
