Pre-Trip- by Lauren Jortberg

As I landed at Denver International Airport after a very long day of traveling from Houghton, Michigan; first by van and then by airplane; it all set in that I would soon be getting back onto a plane, this time destined for Ornskoldsvik, Sweden with the NNF U18 Nation’s Cup Team. It has been my goal to qualify for the U18 Nation’s Cup Trip ever since my older sister Jessica qualified five years ago. My coach, Adam St. Pierre, is the trip leader this year, which made representing the USA at the U18 Nation’s Cup an even more important goal for my season.

Ski racing in Houghton was an experience I will remember forever. I’ve never been so cold racing. With wind chills of -20 degrees, I greatly looked forward to returning to dry, sunny and warm Colorado! I was also excited to be heading home achieving a goal I’ve dreamt about for years. 

When I got home from Houghton, I embraced the 65 degree weather in Boulder and got my vitamin D levels back to normal, training some on rollerskis in town and some on snow at our home area, Eldora Mountain Resort. After nationals, my focus was building my training volume back up. I went on many long easy skis to keep my fitness up. I also got back into racing a few weeks later racing at the CU invitational 5k skate in Steamboat, Colorado and the “Slush Cup” skate sprint at the SuperQualifier in Soldier Hollow, Utah. 

It felt good to put a bib on with less than two base layers underneath, and race in the warm Colorado sun. Racing the CU invitational improved my FIS points for Sweden and also gave me a taste of the European competition I would soon be racing against. I raced the skate 1k sprint in Soldier Hollow to get some speed for sea level racing. With extremely warm temperatures and mostly man made snow, it became very slushy right away. By the time 700 racers went through and the heats started, the snow had deteriorated to knee deep mashed potatoes. The snow in Sweden could be very similar to the snow I raced on in Utah, and I’m glad to see this type of snow at this event. I hope my preparations this season both before and since nationals will allow me to reach my next set of goals.

I am very thankful for the all the opportunities NNF has provided me to enhance my ski training and racing; helping me take my skiing to the next level. I have been to the U16 National Camp and Western REG to train with the best skiers and learn from the best coaches in the country. I look forward to many more great experiences thanks to NNF and will do my best to represent NNF, USA, BNJRT, and myself at the U18 Nation’s Cup Competition.