CB Nordic team steps up training for upcoming season

Champions are made in the summer

Every year Crested Butte Nordic Team (CBNT) coach Duncan Callahan takes it up a notch—and that continues to pay off once the skis hit the snow.
Summer training is nothing new for the CBNT, especially since Callahan came in to coach. Every summer he’s got the team involved in dry-land training with a variety of activities including roller skiing.
While it’s not mandatory, the local Nordic kids have taken to the schedule and participation remains consistent.
“If they are in town, they show up,” says Callahan.
This past summer two CBNT skiers, Ian Boucher and Forrest Smith, took the next step. While their friends were walking out of the school bound for summer vacation, Boucher and Smith headed to Bend, Oregon for a summer Nordic camp that mixed dry-land training with on-snow work outs.
“There were some really positive things this summer,” says Callahan. “I think we’ve gotten to the point where we can take it another step next summer.”
Callahan and the athletes maintained a strength training and roller ski program through the fall and once the 11 athletes regrouped for the start of the winter season on November 1, Callahan could already see a difference.
“They came in November mostly pretty fit,” says Callahan. “They’re way more advanced this time of year than they were last year.”
The team spent the first couple of weeks of November getting ski time on the Lily Lake trails and continued endurance work in town as they prepared for their annual trip to the West Yellowstone Ski Festival November 18-27.
The ski festival offers up 45 kilometers of groomed trails and brings in hundreds of Nordic skiers gearing up for the upcoming race season—adult elite racers, the top collegiate racers, and the everyday enthusiast.
“All of the teams from the west show up—it’s a big scene,” says Callahan.
Callahan admits his athletes came into the festival tired from a solid two weeks of training at home but he still saw some impressive results as they faced up against their competition for the first time this season.
Boucher, who just made the jump to the J1 age class, finished top seven in his age group in his three races and Callahan expects him to climb the ranks as the season progresses.
“He looked smooth and controlled, just not quite race-fit yet,” says Callahan. “He’s going to be ready to go once the season starts and will start beating some of those racers that beat him.”
Smith is primed for a breakout season this year, racing as a second-year J2 and posted top three results among his peers in his races in West Yellowstone.
“Forrest is definitely on track to improve on last season,” says Callahan. “He just needs a little refinement.”
Fellow J2 athlete Prawit Durgan is also on track to take his racing to another level with a fourth-place finish among J2 skiers in his first 10-kilometer race of his career.
While Callahan believes Boucher is a “shoo in” to make Junior Nationals this season, he feels Smith and Durgan should make the cut as well.
“Both of those guys will be battling for a Junior National team spot in the Rocky Mountain Division,” says Callahan. “That’s their goal and they’re on track.”
Second-year J1 racer Sophia Deer is coming into the season injury-free, and Callahan is excited about her prospects this season.
“She skied great,” says Callahan. “Her technique has always been smooth and now she’s using it to go faster.”
Sara Sherman makes the big step to the J1 age class this year and should shine in the longer distance races. Younger brother Kai posted great results last season as a first-year J3 and should build on that this season as a second-year J3.
“He’s kind of a beast,” says Callahan. “I’m expecting big things from him.”
Callahan will take seven or eight skiers to Steamboat this weekend for two days of racing against their Rocky Mountain Division peers, and Crested Butte will host the first Junior Nationals qualifying race of the season December 17-18.
Callahan, assistant coach Emma Lohr and introductory program coordinator Lindsay Records move into full swing next week as the CBNT program kicks into gear across all disciplines and ages next week. Fourteen athletes will begin the biathlon program and 40 skiers will kick into the introductory program. Callahan, Lohr and Records will rotate through all of the programs each week to keep the skiers moving forward.
“We’ve got some flexibility, which is awesome,” says Callahan.