Summer Speaker Series

NNF Summer Speaker Series

In-depth talks on the latest advancements in ski and endurance performance

NNF Invites Community to New Summer Speaker Series, First Virtual Talk June 6th

The National Nordic Foundation (NNF) is announcing a new virtual summer speaker series, and invites skiers, coaches, and supporters from across the country to attend our first offering with American distance running record holder Grant Fisher on Thursday, June 6th at 5:00pm EST.

Each talk in our Speaker Series is free to attend, with a recommended donation going directly to NNF to support our Pillar Projects this summer, and beyond. This is a crucial fundraiser for our summer athlete development camps, so if you are financially secure, NNF asks that you please consider a donation. Each presentation will be limited to the first 300 registrants. A recording will be made available only to those who have registered prior to the event. Donation and registration links for each talk can be found below.

The NNF Summer Speaker Series serves a dual-purpose in benefitting the American ski community; offering an exceptional sport education opportunity while helping power the grassroots movement to bring the latest ideas in training and developmental philosophy to US skiing’s program. By doing so virtually, NNF is committed to making the latest knowledge in endurance sport and skiing training accessible to all those parties interested in pushing our sport, and community, forward.

Upcoming Talks

Bonus Talk: July 18th at 6pm EST: “The Day it All Came Together” – We’ll talk with Minneapolis World Cup winner, Gus Schumacher, and one of his coaches, Kristen Bourne, as we get into a variety of topics. Gus is a 2020 World Junior champion, who, following that magical week in Germany, quickly made the transition to skiing full-time on the World Cup. In his first season of World Cup racing, Gus finished in the top-30 12 times. But for the two seasons to follow, he struggled with periods of overtraining, and experienced performance flats. In the 2021-22, and 2022-23 seasons, he finished in the top-30 just three and seven times, respectively. We’ll talk about some changes he made to break free from his slump, that lead us all to witness this thrilling past year, which included 20 top-30 finishes, a fourth place, and of course, one of the most exciting wins in the history of the sport. We all know how that day felt to each of us, and this is our chance to hear it from the man who sat in the leader’s chair for 20 minutes.

Thursday, June 6th at 5pm EST: A Conversation with American Distance Running Great Grant Fisher Grant Fisher is a Canadian-born American professional distance runner who currently holds the American national records for the 5,000m (12:46.96) and 10,000m (26:33.84), both set in a breakout 2022 outdoor track season. NNF is especially fortunate to hold this interview-style conversation with Grant immediately prior to his departure for the American Olympic trials for the 2024 Paris games! Grant’s current residency in Park City, UT, home of US Ski and Snowboard, has led to incredible informal opportunities for U.S. Ski Team athletes to learn from their peer in running, and we’re excited to bring that collaboration to the entirety of the U.S. ski community in this talk!

RESCHEDULED – July 8 @ 5:00 p.m. MDT / 7:00 p.m. EDT: Strength Training with Veteran U.S. Ski Team XC Strength Coach Tschana SchillerTschana Schiller serves as the Director of Sport Science for Action and Endurance Sports at U.S. Ski and Snowboard. She has led the U.S. cross-country ski team’s strength training for a decade, and been a crucial component in implementing progressive strength development in U.S. skiing. Her NNF talk will include a two-part, interactive session: 1) a 30 min classroom-based lay out to strength training theory, and 2) an on-floor demonstration of strength technique for exercises both cutting edge and time-tested.

Wednesday, June 19th at 2pm EST: V2, Double-Pole, and Striding Technique with Team Aker Daehlie Coach Hans Kristian StadheimHans Kristian Stadheim is a longtime friend and partner of the U.S. Ski Team through his time as an endurance performance researcher in his native Norway, and role as Great Britain Ski Team’s Head Performance Coach. His current role is as a coach for the innovative Team Aker Daehlie in Norway, where he works with current U.S. Ski Team athlete Sophia Laukli. In his NNF talk, he will demonstrate contemporary developments in technique and training being discussed in Norway.

Friday, June 28th at 7pm EST: Race Day Execution with BSF Pro Team Coach, Former U.S. Ski Team Athlete, and Three-Time World Cup Podium Skier Andy NewellAndy Newell is a former 16-year member of the U.S. Ski Team, and four-time American Olympian. After one of the most successful careers in American skiing history, Newell has parlayed his experience and attitude as a student of the sport into a successful coaching career with the Bozeman, Montana based Bridger Ski Foundation Pro Team. His NNF presentation will discuss critical pillars that make up a typical race day, including warm-up strategies, visualization practices, and his specialty, the execution of sprint heat race tactics.

NNF Speaker Series FAQ

Where

Virtual! Through the registration links below.

Who

Each talk limited to the first 300 registrants.

When

Every week in June, see details above. More dates TBD…

Each talk available to registrants as live session and as recording.

Cost

NNF asks for a voluntary donation for those that are able, in support of our Pillar Projects.

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