After what seemed like an eternity of the transition season, the BSF Pro Team finally found perfect corduroy and conditions in West Yellowstone. After getting housing set up, shopping for lots of food to keep us fueled all week, and negative COVID tests before leaving, we packed up the van and headed out. 

The primary focus of last week’s training sessions was getting comfortable on snow, testing out new skis, and a few intensity sessions, mainly consisting of time trials. The trails at the Rendezvous Nordic center are primarily all one direction. This makes it very easy to not have the trails feel crowded, and you can focus the entire time on your technique and speed, rather than dodging other nordic skiers. However, it can make it hard to find friends and teammates to ski with, if you don’t plan to meet ahead. I found that out a few times.

A few other teams from the west made the journey over, which allowed for solid competition and fun training days. It is always fun the change things up and ski with old friends from college! The sessions were long but we broke them down by doing video and technique sessions throughout. Most days it was hard to complain about being out on the trails for so long; the tracks were firm and fast, the sun was shining, and the early season stoke level was high!

The men and women were in separate houses, but alternated cooking meals. On Thanksgiving, everyone cooked a dish and we all enjoyed the meal together, eating too much food, and finishing off with too much pie, an all time classic Thanksgiving problem! This was a special Thanksgiving for coach Newell, because it was his first time in the U.S. in almost 15 years. He said “there was no place I would rather be”, whether or not he was lying is up to speculation!

All in all the BSF Pro Team had a very useful, effective, and fun Thanksgiving camp in West Yellowstone. As we travel back to bone dry Bozeman, the future of racing is very much up in the air, and while things are changing daily, one thing that remains constant, is the level of energy and dedication that the Pro Team has moving forward into the season! Stay Tuned!