News

Cross-Country Skier Always Wanted to Compete in Olympics

Kris Freeman is one of America’s top cross-country skiers. Most people know little about him, or his intensity.

For the last 9 years, doctors have worked closely with Kris to stabilize and monitor his diabetes. And from monitored workouts, they figured out how to control his sugar levels.

Kris has been using the SkiErg to recover from surgery and train for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. WMUR in New Hampshire shares his story.

Challenge Yourself in the 2010 Tour de SkiErg!

The newest of Concept2's individual challenges, the Tour de SkiErg features a different event each week in February. Challenge yourself to complete all four distances!

All you have to do to take part is complete each of the following four events during the timeframes indicated and log them in your Concept2 Online Logbook:

  • Week 1, Feb. 1–7: 5000 meters
  • Week 2, Feb. 8–14: 500 meters
  • Week 3, Feb. 15–21: 2000 meters
  • Week 4, Feb. 22–28: 10,000 meters

Participants who meet the challenge can enjoy:

  • Name inclusion on the Challenge Honor Board.
  • A specially designed downloadable certificate.
  • The option to purchase Tour de SkiErg items from our third-party fulfillment vendor.

To take part, all you need is a Concept2 Online Logbook account, which you can set up quickly and for free at concept2.com/logbook.

SkiErg World Sprints 2009 Results

Thank you to the 400+ competitors who made our 1st Annual SkiErg World Sprints Indoor Skiing Competition a huge success!

Results are now final and posted here. We will be contacting race organizers regarding age group winners so that we can ship prizes. Our age group winners will be receiving engraved cowbells to help ring in the snow season! The coveted SkiErg hat will also be awarded to the top three times in each age group.

Our new world record holders for the men and women are:
Zachary Hall, USBA National Team, 3:14.6
Jennifer Wygant, US Army/USBA National Team, 3:45.3

There were also great performances across many of the age groups! Take a look. Youth results sorted by ski age groups are also available here.

See how you stack up year round! The Concept2 Logbook allows you to log your workouts online and, if you choose, to rank your best times with others across the country (and the world!) in the Online Ranking. Ranking distances range from 500 meters to the marathon (with timed 4-minute, 3-minute, and 60-minute options as well), so there is something for everyone.

Feedback on the event can be emailed to Meredith at Concept2. We’re hoping to upload results in real time next year to make the competition even more fast and furious.

Kids competing at the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont, U.S.

SkiErg World Sprints 2009 Blog Roundup

The SkiErg World Sprints attracted a lot of attention all over the world, with plenty of people blogging about their experience. Here’s a roundup of some the pieces about the day. If you know of any others, drop us a line at meredithh@concept2.com.

  • “The results are in for the First Annual SkiErg World Sprint Indoor Skiing Championships and CSU's Andy Milne (USA) beat Tallinna SK's Mihkel Klementsov (EST) by ONE SECOND.”
    SkiTrax

  • “We participated in the SkiErg World Sprints last weekend - this was an event organized by Concept2 to promote the new erg.”
    Bowdoin Nordic

  • Videos of Italian competitors at the SkiErg World Sprints
    YouTube

  • “Kids of all ages showed up to the Green Mountain Valley School this Saturday to try out Concept2's new SkiErg machine. More photos can be found on NENSA's Flickr page.”
    New England Nordic Ski Association

  • “We ended right at lunch time and headed into the SMS dining hall for a refueling break, maximizing the glycogen window. Then we hit the SkiErg for the SkiErg World Champs! The team was a little off after the run but rallied for some pretty nice times.”
    SMS Nordic

  • “The scene Saturday morning in the Gym for the World Erg Sprint and BKL rollerski day.”
    Green Valley Mountain School Nordic Ski Team

Racing in Trento, Italy

SkiErg World Sprints 2009

Date: Saturday, November 14, 2009, 1 p.m.–5 p.m. (or anytime November 14–15, 2009).
Location: Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury, Vermont and other locations around the U.S. and the world!
Details: Kick off the racing season! Race your best 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg to win prizes (or bragging rights)!

The 1st Annual SkiErg World Sprints Indoor Skiing Competition will debut on Saturday, November 14, 2009 at Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, Vermont, hosted by the Craftsbury Green Racing Project. Skiers of all ages are invited to join the fun in this free 1000 meter competition. All participants will receive prizes; prizes will also be awarded randomly and for any new records set in each age group and gender.

Skiers who are unable to travel to Craftsbury, Vermont can also compete worldwide at either one of the satellite locations listed below or enter their result via the Concept2 Logbook.

Check the updated Honor Boards to see the latest results.

SkiErg World Sprints Locations

Please contact the individuals below for more details and times for satellite SkiErg World Sprints locations.

Name Location Contact
Centro Sportivo Arcivescovile di Trento Trento, Italy Emanuele Romoli
Community Rowing Inc. Newton, Massachusetts Bruce Smith
Craftsbury Sculling Center Craftsbury, Vermont Oliver Burruss
CrossFit USA Berlin, Connecticut Merle McKenzie
Fitness Club Sparta Tallinn, Estonia Mihkel Klementsov
Glenn Goodman GBG Painting, 6053 Alden HWY, Bellaire, Michigan 49615 Glenn Goodman
GMVS Waitsfield, Vermont Justin Beckwith
Idaho Nordic Boise, Idaho Joe Jensen
Northeast Passage Durham, New Hampshire Cathy Thompson
Olympic Training Center Lake Placid, New York Patrick Coffey
Rebound Physical Therapy 155 SW Century Drive, Bend, Oregon 97702 Jenny Haynes
Rebound SPL and PT Clinic Bend, Oregon Denny Dragan
Rudy's Gym McCall, Idaho Ed Elliott
Stratton Mountain School Stratton, Vermont Sverre Caldwell
Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation Sun Valley, Idaho Rick Kappala
U Can Row 2 Inc. Houghton, Michigan Terry Smythe
Velocity Sports Performance Franklin, Tennessee Amy Cotta
Williams College Williamstown, Massachusetts Aubrey Smith

Skiers from colleges in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Utah will be competing.

We also expect international skiers from Austria, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom to race.

Towers of Power at Green Mountain Valley School

The Nordic Ski Coaches at the Green Mountain Valley School in Waitsfield, Vermont, are kicking up their training with the Concept2 SkiErg:

“In under 2 minutes, I fried most of my upper-body, my abs, and my quads. I even got that familiar old feeling of acid-in-the-throat for the few minutes after the test. It doesn't always have to be fun, to be fun.”

Read more about the Towers of Power.

Idaho Nordic Sponsorship

Concept2 is now a sponsor of Idaho Nordic. Idaho Nordic has incorporated the SkiErg in their strength circuit and is testing athletes’ average wattage.

FasterSkier Review

Topher Sabot at FasterSkier.com on the Concept2 SkiErg:

"The Concept2 SkiErg is a revolutionary device that provides an excellent ski-specific upper body workout. It is ideal for testing and interval training, and definitely has the potential to make you a faster skier."

SkiErg Tweeples on Twitter!

Join the SkiErg community on Twitter, where you can follow our latest news and musings.

Facebook Fans

Skiers can now connect on Facebook via the Concept2 SkiErg page. Post your SkiErg photos, discuss your training, and connect with other fans!