Upcoming Schedule-- Thank You Sponsors!

I have set up my upcoming travel schedule which is aimed at soaking up opportunities and getting in as much high level racing as possible. I hope gain experience traveling and racing abroad and improve my points in a season before World Championships. Here is my proposed schedule:

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Anchorage, AK (USA): training block (Jan 20-29)
Canmore, AB, (CAN): World Cup sprint race (Jan 30th-Feb 8th)
Silver Star, BC, (CAN): training block (Feb 9th-14th)
Vancouver, BC and Whistler, BC (CAN): cheer at the Olympics (Feb 15-20)
Zieglebrucke (Swizerland): Swiss Cups (Feb 21-March 3)
La Fleclaz (France): OPA Cups (March 3-8)
Rogla (Slovenia): OPA Cup Finals (March 9-14)
Garmish (Germany): FIS races (March 15-18)
Fort Kent, Maine (USA): Supertour Finals (March 19-31)
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These two months traveling around the world and finding hotels and condos in fancy resort areas will not be cheap. I usually try to be as frugal and thrifty as possible-- sometimes to the bewilderment of others. My savings will go quickly, but this is what I have been saving for and I think my money will be well spent. This nordic racing dream would not become my reality without the generous support of my sponsors. In particular, I want to thank Joy Backstrom and Katie Pirano of the Physical Therapy Place, LLC and Doug Pauly and staff of the Northern Fruit Co for their financial support. Additionally, I want to thank the people have opened up their homes, fed me, offered their Airline miles, and have helped me cover costs of living on the road. Thank you-- you know who you are! I will look forward to representing my sponsors, my hometown, and my country to the best of my ability as I embark on the adventure ahead.

Methow Valley Supertour

The Supertour circuit continued last weekend in the beautiful Methow Valley of Washington. The weekend featured a 1.3k sprint and distance classic race. The final sprint result couldn't have been better as far as Wenatchee's Northern Fruit Co. is concerned. Laura Valaas (right) and Katie Ronsse (left) are the Northern Fruit Co.'s sponsored athletes who finished 1-2 respectively in the sprint A-final (Ed Stockard photo).

In addition to financial support, the Northern Fruit Co. has generously been fueling the APUNSC elite team by shipping us boxes of highest quality of apples as we have been traveling to different race venues across the US and Canada. Valaas and Ronsse in West Yellowstone, MT with a few fresh, crisp high octane "Pink Lady" apples.

Caitlin Compton (CXC), Rhonda Jewett (Alberta World Cup Academy), Laura Valaas (APUNSC), and Katie Ronsse (APUNSC) round the first turn in the women's A-final of the Winthrop Supertour race (Magic bus photo).

Drew Goldsack (Canadian National Team) and Torin Koos (US Ski team) cruising under a banner of flags in the mens sprint final (Ed Stockard photo).

In the classic distance race we raced through the woods up and down an Alpine hill since there wasn't quite enough snow in Winthrop to make a classic track, even with all the shoveling work of the volunteers. It was a great test of making the best with what you have and making things work in conditions that are very tricky. I was humbled by the skiers who made this look easy.

Overall, it was a great weekend of racing and I'm looking forward to exploring more of the trail system in my next trip to Winthrop!

Home for US National Championships

I made it home in time for the holidays and US National Championships after concluding our 5 week early season race circuit in Canmore, AB. After my first sprint heat of the championships Peter Valaas asked me, "Katie, were you smiling during your race?" I told him I certainly wasn't trying to smile, but I probably did have a huge grin plastered to my face because I was having so much fun.

Here are a few of the reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed racing on my home turf:

1. The home town crowds were AWESOME. There were hundreds of helpful volunteers and hundreds of people who came out to cheer. It was exciting to have family, new friends, old friends, former coaches, and other nordic skiing enthusiasts scream "GO Katie!" as I raced past. It sent chills up my spine and pumped energy through my veins. Lindsay Williams (US Ski Team), Katie Ronsse (APU Nordic Ski Center) and Holly Brooks (APU Nordic Ski Center) finish one of the classic sprint heats (Magic Bus Photo).

2. Getting to relax at home with close family and friends, eat home cooked meals, and sleep in my own bed was sure wonderful. I also had as much wild Alaskan salmon as my heart desired, thanks to a Libby Brothers Co. fish sponsorship. Here's Jus out for a cruise from the cabin. The highlight of my break before nationals was getting to hang out at the Libby cabin.

3. Home courses at sea level. Katie Ronsse, Laura Valaas, and Caitlin Compton-- sea level born skiers in the skate semifinal (a Laura Gardner photo).

4. Massages from Michael Henrich, my very helpful massage therapist. Michael usually works out of the West AK Club but came out to Kincaid to offer Kikkan and I massages in between our prologue and heats. Ronsse in the classic prologue race (an Anchorage Daily News photo).

5. Getting to do my easy workouts with family and friends. Skiing with famly/friends doesn't feel like "training" and it's something I would choose to do with my free time anyway.The Ronsse family on the Lekisch loop, January 2010.

I also got to ski with the up and coming fast female girls of Alaska. Ronsse and Valaas as mentors at the Fast and Female event organized by local superhero, Kikkan Randall(A Magic Bus photo). Several of the top elite racers volunteered their day to inspire and empower the young skiers of Alaska. It was supposed to be the young skiers inspiring the elite racers...but I felt pretty inspired myself to see 300 Alaskan girls stoked to ski around on a blustery day.

Another great thing about this years National Championship was that even though there were cold days, it was never too cold to race!
The skate sprint day was cold and clear but beautiful and race-able. (Rebecca Dussault #5 and Katie Ronsse #15, Anchorage Daily News photo).

Overall the championships went off smoothly and I had two top-10 performances (with a 6th place in the classic sprint and a 7th place in the skate sprint). That definitely wont put me on the Olympic team, but I did earn the opportunity to represent the US as part of the Nations group in the World Cup in Canmore, AB! More to come on my upcoming schedule...