John Morgan90 said:It’s no wonder you guys can’t catch a break with the passes; it's pretty obvious you've been cursed...
The issue isn't just about my pass not working; it's that nobody can get one when they actually want to hit the slopes, and the crowd just keeps growing every single year. Instead of being able to head out to Mount Rainier, we’re forced to pack up and fly abroad just to get some decent snow time. It’s especially frustrating for the rowing and kayaking teams, who rely on skiing as their primary off-season conditioning. 🙂
You honestly think that’s enough for the snowcats to actually pull a trail?! If that’s the case, why aren't they grooming up at Mount Rainier when there's easily twice the snow there? They’re claiming they don't have enough—maybe 50 or 60 centimeters tops. I just don't get what the big deal is. It wouldn't even take them twenty minutes to get it done!
You’ve got a point there, but the FIS officially sanctioned the competition, so that's that. My main hang-up is figuring out what kind of sponsor we could actually land. Let’s be honest—we’re living in America, where cross-country skiing is pretty much a niche interest that nobody gives a second thought to. In this country, the only thing sponsors, journalists, news outlets, and the general public actually care about is football. And here we are, wasting our time with cross-country skiing and these endless threads where we just vent and moan. That’s exactly why I’m suggesting we start acting like a civilized community by actually writing about the sport and sharing our experiences from the trails back home and abroad. We should be helping one another out, because honestly, that might be the only way to actually find some joy in this sport. That’s really the reason I posed the question in the first place.
Regarding cross-country skiing, I’m genuinely curious about how much snow coverage we actually need for the trails at the summit to be usable. I ask because back when we had about 24 inches early in December, the tracks weren't even passable, despite plenty of people showing up ready to hit the slopes. It seems to me that the conditions over in the Rockies have been significantly better this season. I’d appreciate some insight on this.
John Morgan90 said:Like I said before, this whole situation is just pathetic. When I brought up the HOO and mentioned that meeting with Mateša earlier today, I was calling out nothing but empty rhetoric. It’s obvious you guys aren't capable of delivering any real results, so you resort to these dirty little tactics just to grab some headlines and line your own pockets. And don't even get me started on the falsified results... Brenda Williams6
I’m not going anywhere. I’m right here. But honestly, I think it's incredibly out of line to carry on a conversation this way. You think you've unmasked me? For what? Because I posted news from the FIS on a forum? Sophia, I have absolutely nothing to do with the results, let alone anything about lining my pockets—that kind of accusation is honestly beneath you. And now it seems you're even trying to pin the falsified data on the FIS. As far as this thread goes, I’ve got nothing left to say, especially to you, since it clearly feels like you’ve developed a personal vendetta against me.
http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.ht...C&raceid=18833 PDF results
Look, all I wanted was for us to give a little credit where it's due and celebrate young Edi Dadić's performance, but it seems like people around here find it impossible to acknowledge anyone's success unless it’s some massive, career-defining victory—regardless of how significant the competition actually was. My intention was to offer him a few words of encouragement and motivation to keep his head up, but instead, it looks like he isn't getting any support from this group at all, just a barrage of discouraging comments suggesting that his efforts and his results don't mean a thing. So, honestly, maybe we should just move on to a different, slightly more upbeat topic regarding skiing—something like discussing the best slopes, terrain, or gear instead. 🙂
Alexander Phillips80 said:We’re sitting here acting like this is some major European Championship when we’re really just talking about a tiny field of 18 racers—eight of whom were locals—and none of the heavy hitters from the big skiing nations showed up, let alone cared about it. Can you actually point to where the FIS officially labeled this little gathering as a championship?
It’s right there in the FIS results if you bother to look.
John Morgan90 said:Look, Brenda Williams6, I honestly can't follow your logic; you’re twisting the results and trying to convince everyone around you that they’re seeing things. The kid is undeniably talented, but that talent is in serious jeopardy because he might end up hitting a wall thanks to people who manage him by manipulating outcomes—the same kind of people who have already effectively gutted cross-country skiing here in the States, and you're clearly playing right into their hands. The U18 European Championship isn't even an official sanctioned event, and that race on March 13th in Ramsey wasn't some grand championship at all; it was more of a local sports festival where about 80% of the participants were just average Austrians, along with a few Canadians, Italians, and of course, Americans. You really ought to check out M. Krmpotić’s commentary in the New York Times from March 17th titled "Manipulating the Public to the Detriment of Sport"—maybe then you'll see sense. It's a pathetic situation when news of a "European Champion" hits sites like Croski, Hoo, and other outlets while his supposed "coach" and "director" continue to peddle falsehoods. I should point out this isn't the first time this season we've seen results being doctored, though I'm holding out hope that the officials over at the US Ski Association and the US Olympic Committee will step in before it's too late.
And there goes Sophia Richardson77 again, absolutely fuming.
By the way, I caught a clip on NBC today showing Edi meeting with Mateša for a consultation. So, I'd like to think that constitutes enough of a response for you. As for Mr. Krmpotić, I can tell you he also reported that this year's marathon winner was R. R., which anyone with eyes knows is a lie. Perhaps those journalists should actually bother fact-checking before they print incorrect data in the papers. Unfortunately, we all know this isn't just some isolated incident. 🙂
Alexander Phillips80 said:You're just spinning the numbers... If we actually look at the results for anyone born between '90 and '93... it’s only 114! http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/607.ht...&rec_start=100
Look, the whole argument here is that the kid is currently leading his age group, which right now means anyone born from '93 onwards—essentially everyone under 18. It should be pretty obvious to everyone watching that once he starts competing against the older crowd next year, say up to age 21, those results are going to take a massive hit.
Regarding MK, the FIS has officially designated this competition as a European Championship, and that is how it's recorded in the official standings. I’m telling you again, I didn't pull this out of thin air.
And honestly, why can't we just give the kid his due? He caught a lucky break—maybe it's a once-in-a-lifetime fluke, or maybe it isn't—but regardless, that result is etched in the record books forever.
Alexander Phillips80 said:What are you even talking about? Which age group, which ranking, which Japanese person or Canadian?
Look, I’m not making this up; I’m just relaying the official data straight from the FIS website, specifically the most recent rankings. Check it out for yourself at this link.
Anonymous said:🤦 Taking 19th place in a field that deep is worth way more than some random win in Austria...
The kid clearly has raw talent, but I don't see who actually cares about hearing he’s a European champion or ranked 3rd in the world. By the way, he did take first at the North American Cup competition over at Igman this past weekend...
🙂
Look, there's no denying the kid has talent—he’s definitely got something worth watching. And I honestly don't get why nobody wants to give him his due. I mean, in any real sport, that kind of achievement matters, even for us Americans who seem to only care about gold medals. We also need to consider the uphill battles our athletes constantly face in general. It’s like that old saying goes: Americans will acknowledge everything about you except your success. As soon as someone starts making waves, no matter how big or small, there’s always a crowd waiting to tear it down. But this? This is a legitimate win. So, I'm tipping my hat to the kid. Kudos to him, and keep pushing forward. 😉
Anonymous said:If that’s the case, how did he end up finishing only 33rd, 35th, and 19th in his age group at this year's European Youth Olympics—especially when you consider the Scandinavians, Russians, Germans, and Estonians were all competing there?
Look, everyone has their ups and downs. I’m not sitting here claiming he’s the greatest to ever do it, but he took first place, plain and simple. At the end of the day, who else was on the field doesn't change the result. A medal is a medal, and a winner is a winner. Honestly, I just hope we see more performances like that, even if they are facing the kind of heavy-hitting competition you're talking about.
Alexander Phillips80 said:There were only 18 competitors in the whole thing, and half of them were just some B-tier Austrians. You didn't see any Norwegians, Swedes, Finns, Germans, Russians, or any other heavy hitters showing up, because this wasn't even a real European Championship—it was just some continental trophy for under-18s, lacking medals and without an actual champion... 🙄
And look, Edi is currently sitting at third on the FIS rankings for his age group. He’s only being beaten by a Japanese kid and a Canadian.
Joshua Johnson said:Alright, has anyone actually tackled that trail up in the Catskills? How long is it exactly?
My kids from the club and I headed out there this past weekend; we had a ton of snow and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Honestly, though, that trail is one of the tougher ones you'll find in the States in terms of how it's laid out.
The run is about 2.1 miles and it hasn't really been groomed by a snowcat. 1.2 miles, it’s roughly 1.2 km with a 600m drop.
Sophia Richardson77, I think you’ve got your wires crossed here. I don't know how things used to be back in your day, but around here in the States, the administrative heavy lifting is handled by the secretary, while the kids are actually coached by someone with a Master’s in Kinesiology, an education degree, and international certifications in cross-country skiing. Look, if you have a bone to pick with a specific organization, go take it up with them directly. And if you just happen to have a grudge against cross-country skiing itself, please, do us all a favor and find something else to obsess over so the rest of us can just enjoy the sport in peace. Best,
Jeffrey Cook78 said:Yeah, well, I was just looking for an old crest to stir up some nostalgia from back when we were kids and everything seemed simple, because back then, we didn't understand much about anything else besides skiing—but now you two are acting like you're headed straight into a battlefield.
Anyway, I'll see you out on the slopes, and we'll see who's actually leading the pack.
Cheers to both of you.
And Brenda Williams6, you can just send me that info via private message if you want. If you can't post it publicly, no worries; I've already got a few people asking about it.
You’ve got a point there. Honestly, all I’m trying to do is get today's kids and the rest of the community interested in cross-country skiing again. I've got plenty of folks ready to jump on the offer once they see it. Hopefully, our paths cross on the mountain. I'll reach out via PM with the details. LP
John Morgan90 said:Whoa, Brenda Williams6, take a breath—you’re getting worked up over nothing because you clearly missed the mark on this one. You’ve still got some growing up to do if you want to understand the kind of crowd you've decided to run with; otherwise, hats off to your effort, but believe me, I know exactly how the sports scene works in the big city and out at the Aspen Ski Club because I’ve been around the block a few more times than you have. I actually reached out to some buddies over in Six Mile today who know the inner workings of the ski club, and they basically just echoed everything I was thinking. The reality is that the club is being run by someone who essentially gutted Six Mile Skiing in the first place, and get this—the club’s headquarters is registered right at this individual's home address (Z. M.). It’s not exactly your fault since you're the secretary and all, but then you've got the headquarters for that Biathlon club sitting right next door at the residence of another person (K. V.), who has been working hand-in-hand with the first guy to systematically dismantle the skiing tradition here in Six Mile. To those of us living in Six Mile, it seems pretty obvious how these old clubs were sacrificed just to pave the way for these new private outfits, and honestly, you can't really complain when you're aligned with Bukovac. If you look at the national team's results—which are also under the thumb of these same people—it's my opinion that they are well on their way to destroying cross-country skiing in America altogether, though the folks over in Gorski Kotar seem perfectly happy to settle for the crumbs, staying quiet while certain individuals scoop up all the cream. And as for this claim that you're paying for everything out of your own pocket, tell that story to someone who actually believes it; I’ll just ask you this: what vehicle are you using to shuttle the kids out to the Aspen Ski Club, or are you picking them up in a fleet provided by the Ski Association? LP
Look, let me set the record straight: I used to be the club president myself, spending days out there grooming the slopes at the Aspen Ski Club, and don't you dare try to tell me that manual labor like mowing and digging is part of our official job description. I personally drive the kids to the mountains in my own car, and the parents pitch in whenever they can. If you're so skeptical, I can show you the bank statements and every single transaction from the moment we took over this club, showing exactly how much money we've received from the Ski Association. It's a flat zero. It’s clear you don't have the slightest clue about the uphill battles we deal with every day. As for the accusation that (Z. M.) ruined cross-country skiing, that's just a lie; he’s actually the only one left in the cross-country scene who is still pouring every ounce of energy into developing the sport. Whatever the others did isn't my business, nor does it have anything to do with me or this club. And regarding the national team, just look at the data: compare the number of snow days available during training now versus years ago, or look at how many competitions they attend compared to the past. Results are the coach's responsibility, not ours. LP
John Morgan90 said:Hey to all my old runners from Six Mile, I’m checking in from Slo where I’m currently living and working, and I honestly can't believe people are even talking about cross-country skiing at Aspen Ski Club anymore. The Aspen Ski Club does have ties to the former club, but they’re acting like total outsiders when they were actually the ones who dismantled the long-standing tradition of Six Mile Skiing just to serve their own petty interests—and now they show up acting like some kind of saviors.... If anyone is curious, just look up the registered addresses for the clubs in the official registry; you'll see one is the Aspen Ski Club and the other is a Biathlon club, which makes it pretty obvious who these people really are. 👎 By the way, I think I might still have the old crest somewhere, I just need to dig it out...
Sophia Richardson77, don't start a war here; if anyone's acting like an outsider, it's you, coming all the way from Slo and having the nerve to attack Americans who are actually putting in honest work. I’m the club secretary, I’m 25, and I live over in Bukovac; I spent the entire summer maintaining the trails at Aspen Ski Club and brainstorming ways to get people interested in cross-country skiing there again. You haven't the slightest clue how many times I've been shut down by local parks departments or the Ski Association, but despite all that, we managed to bring kids into the club, we have programs for community engagement and recreational skiing, and we're even hosting the open championship race on December 19th, 2010—which I am personally funding out of my own pocket, scraping everything together simply because I love this sport. As for the registry, feel free to go ahead and look it up, then tell me exactly what connection you think exists between the old club and the Biathlon club. Go ahead, check the website too and see if you can find a link there either.
If you’ve got any interest in cross-country skiing, mark your calendars for Saturday, December 4th, 2010. We’re all heading up to Mount Rainier to meet the Snow Queen around 11:30 AM. The Aspen Ski Club is actually putting together a little ski school for the day, so it’s a perfect excuse to show up, give it a shot, and just enjoy the atmosphere with the rest of us.