Birkie Fever!

Technique and Wax Clinic for the Big Day

The biggest show on snow is nearly upon us!  It’s time for a last minute technique tune-up, a few fresh layers on the race boards, and most of all, time to get fired up about the big day!  Join us on Thursday, February 18^th at Tower Ridge Ski Area for all of the above.  This amazing event will start with an on snow technique clinic lead by a professional Nordic skier, and then move inside the chalet for a light meal and wax demonstration by a Swix wax representative.  Don’t miss this opportunity to make 2010 your best race yet!

The clinicians:

Kristina Owen is a professional athlete skiing for CXC Team Vertical Limit.  She started her skiing career in her home state of Washington, and migrated to the Midwest for college.  She is a 2007 graduate of Michigan Tech University with a degree in Mechanical engineering.  She was a multi sport athlete for the Huskies, competing in Cross Country, Nordic Skiing, and Track and Field.  She is a 3 time NCAA All-American in Nordic skiing, as well as a former Junior National Champion and U23 World Cup competitor.  As a member of CXC Team Vertical Limit, she races domestically at an elite level and conducts clinics throughout the Midwest.  She is a two time Birkie participant, with a top finish (so far) of 8^th overall female.

Josh Korn was once a member of the Eau Claire Ski Striders and learned to ski through their junior program.   Coaches such as Karen Possley and Noreen Leahy shaped his development as a skier.  He was a 2005 graduate of University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, with a degree in Human Biology and an emphasis in Sports Exercise Science.   He was a standout member of the university’s NCAA Division 1 ski program for 4 years.  He currently works as an industry rep for both Swix and Salomon.  He is competitive in the Midwest citizen racing circuit, with five years in the Birkie’s Elite wave and top finishes in many Midwest marathons.

Tentative Schedule:

4:30-6:30         Technique Clinic

Good technique is efficient technique…and efficient technique means you can fly up those Birkie hills faster, and with less effort!  Kristina will take the main group through a series of fun drills designed to teach and enforce proper skate technique.  These drills are suitable for everyone from beginners to more advanced skiers (and are often used by the CXC team members themselves).  If there is a large enough interest in a classic only group, Josh will lead a similar progression of striding drills.

6:30-7:00         Skier Social

Put on some dry clothes and grab a light dinner.  We’ll provide chili, cornbread, and a dessert.  Then relax and find a seat for the wax clinic to follow.

7:00-8:00         Wax Clinic

Josh will lead a step by step waxing demonstration good for both training days and the big race.  Long range forecast will be posted for the Birkie, and he’ll show you exactly how to apply the current Swix wax recommendations for both the skate and classic races.

8:00-???           Open Question and Answer Session

Any and all of your skiing related questions answered.

Registration will be day of clinic, but please RSVP to ko@kristinaowen.com so we have an idea of how much food to prepare.  Any questions or comments can also be directed to that address, or to Ski Strider member Michael Howe at hower@uwec.edu.

Masters Skiers: $50

College students: $30

High School-Middle School students: $20

Terms: Cash is preferred, but checks can be made payable to Josh Korn.

Cya there!

This post was written by KO at 7:36 pm, Tuesday, February 9th, 2010, and is filed under "Uncategorized ". You can leave a response here, or send a Trackback from your own site.