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January 06, 2025

Gather 'round, frostbitten friends and fans of Nordic skiing, as we relive the latest snowy saga of laughs and lunges! Our tale begins with Tiril Udnes Weng, the cross-country queen whose dreams of glory have been viciously snatched away by the nemesis of glandular fever. It seems her ambitious race in Trondheim has turned into more of a triathlon between bedrest, couch, and refrigerator. "I Googled it," she laments, diagnosing her recovery with the same hope and resignation of an eager first-year medical student. Meanwhile, she stares longingly out her Trondheim apartment window, wondering if her absence will be felt more keenly by her team or her cats.

Then there's the illustrious Tour de Ski, which somehow manages to hold the elegance of a bride keeping a stiff upper lip over spilt champagne. This year, the "tour" was limited to fewer geographic stops than a cautious snail, with most of the action taking place at Automobile-length intervals. FIS seems to consider the mere act of moving people between two fairly close hills the skiing equivalent of heavy cardio. With many dropping out faster than popcorn in a hot pan, the athletes wrestled with soggy tracks as enthusiastically as cats with baths. Oh, and nearly half of the women skiers decided to skip the whole debacle altogether. Truly, the timetable of competition is more exciting than the event itself—if only we could write tours with a sense of adventure to match these athletes' daring runs!

Meanwhile, the dashing daredevils of ski jumping attempt to ignite some fire with words rather than flight, as FIS promises that equality in airtime between men and women will finally take off in the sporting world. Future hills may see both genders racing each other fearlessly over snowy precipices, a move that's as progressive as it is startling to anyone observing from below. Such a bold announcement is enough to send skiers' spirits soaring with anticipatory elevation leaps, no doubt practicing their mid-air form in delight. 🎿

Finally, we witness the delight of a new young champion, UAF’s Kendall Kramer who skied to triumph in the United States championships, wearing the crown of the 20K classic mass-start race like the snuggest knit hat. With nary a care for tourist stops or jumps over gender barriers, this skier from the University of Alaska Fairbanks demonstrates sheer grit and grace, rolling over slopes and collecting her victory with a jubilant "hooray!" that echoes in the frozen morning air.

Ah, such stories of snow, slalom, and sport spice our tales and warm our glacial nights. May the wind be forever at their backs and their skis well-waxed as we watch them write the next thrilling chapter of the Ski Saga!