Thanks.

Saw this on Faster Skier-so excited. Interested in seeing how Jessie Diggins does in classic after her wins this past week. Never strong in classic, but has been working on it this off season. Two of the top women out pregnant too-Marit and Kikkan.

and WC Biathlon starts Friday too. http://www.biathlonworld.com

The best time of the year!

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

Classic skiing will be really interesting this year. Especially since many skiers have done a lot more double poling during the summer. In the season opening in Norway almost all the men used double poling on the 15k and 3 women did on the 7.5k. The skiers are double poling hills that were unthinkable just a few years back. This strength will also help on the V2 in skate.
The USA needs to step up on the classic. We need more nations at the top to make the sport more than just Norway and Sweden.

I've never XC skied so I had to goggle double-poling. Looks tough to me.

http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/...erful-double-poling/

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Train safe & smart
Bob

Here you have a better video from the sprint at Beitostolen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFOtsG1ng8

Here you have a better video from the sprint at Beitostolen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFOtsG1ng8
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That was cool, thanks.

I read this too.
https://www.thesnowpros.org/...-Country-Skiing.aspx

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Train safe & smart
Bob

It is too bad that classic has turned into a double pole event. They should almost paint lines in the snow, when double pole is illegal and you have to stride it out. Back in the 80's diagonal stride was being made obsolete by skating until they broke out skating as a separate event. Maybe they need to break out double poling as its own event, and re instate classic and have only certain zones where double poling is permitted which could be similar to using a skate stride in classic events when you need to change lanes. Other than that, you use your legs and arms. Its gotten a bit ridiculous now.

In this case, classic turns to the "racing walking" of nordic skiing. The weird event that is the slowest way of getting point A to B, but still a valid technique and the most simple means for a human to get around on skis on snow (just like walking is on land).

I think it is amazing how much better the skiers are in double poling. Now the challenge is to make race courses that are hard enough to use grip wax. A good example is the sprint course in Drammen, it changes and then all had to use grip wax. The courses in Falun and Holmenkollen also have the long hills you want to keep the classic striding.

But all classic long distance races will be won by double poling, including the US Birkie.

I am SO looking forward to the world cup starting this weekend. I am also looking into going to some of the races in Canada this winter.

I think you are missing the point. It's not like you can magically get more hills at every venue. Like back stroke or breast stroke which are slower, diagonal stride is a valid technique. It is worth preserving as its "own technique event". Just introduce a double pole event on top of skate and classic and make double poling illegal in classic diagonal stride only events. I understand on flats and slight uphills that this would be a bit weird, but so is race walking.

the wax techs are happier...

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

Glide waxing has become a lot more complicated these days due to all the choices. You have structure, flex, HF, powder, coating, top coating etc. When it goes wrong you are out. Just look at Norway in Sochi and during the 10k for women in Falun.

Grip wax is not that hard. You start cold, Swix green spray klister with V30 on top and then build layers to the days choice. For long distance and/or old and icy snow use Guru Wax. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QHy-rCBYao

Here you will find a lot of information about all thing waxing, it is from Knut Nystad http://knutnystad.com/smoretips-2/ also check out the videos.

oh im familar Halvard. Ive raced for 25 years. but removing even 1 or variables makes a techs job easier. for DP only id guess a higher camber skate ski with a mostly linear grind to match the snow...then all the glide tricks you know.

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http://www.pbmcoaching.com
USA Triathlon Level 3 Elite Coach
USA Cycling Level 1 Elite Coach

For the bouble poling they use classic skis. A softer tip or front part of the ski will help going uphill.

I do not think anyone will double pole the sprint in Kusamo. But you never know

I think you are massively over complicating glide waxing and under representing grip waxing. Ski flex has a massive impact on classic skiing. The wrong flex on certain days will do way more harm than bad wax on a skate day. I'm quite certain that the World Cup guys aren't just randomly putting on spray keister and adjusting a top coat. Interesting perspective from someone who apparently follows skiing so closely.

I think your idea of having no double pole zones would be very effective. Mandating an all diagonal stride event would be quite ridiculous though. They would only need to mark the uphills above a certain %grade as no double poking and that would basically solve the problems.

FIS will eventually get around to enforcing better rules. They let a lot slide in terms of technique violations. I think most racers that go with skate skis in a classic sprint are violating the rules, just no one calls them on it.

The two part of your post in bold would bring things back in the right direction.

Hokksund RULES

Here you have video from the finale
Men https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od2dHGj1LfQ
Women: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCQl5F9nXfc

The Kuusamo course is hard so everybody used grip wax.

Again Vinnie has updated his channel on Youtube. It is the go to place for xc-skiing videos with English commentators.
https://www.youtube.com/...assicSkiTrack/videos

Thanks, just spent some time watching today's racing!

You could tell before they start from the way they kept their skis moving on the start line before the gun.