Photos by www.competitiveimage.us photographer Phil Bowen.

Chris Cook in Borlange.  This kid is fast - he won the prelim sprint at Jr. Worlds some years back and was NCAA champion as well.  This year he won his first US Title.  Though not consistantly among the top qualifiers yet he has been up there this season and will be up there again.

Wow. Canada's Kershaw.

Kikkan Randall leading her first heat.  Just real real fast.

Torin Koos warming up.  A good warm up must have some easy skiing, dynamic stretching, some sprints and some race pace efforts of several minutes.  Got to warm up the engine all the way.  Koos hasn't been totally healthy since before the Davos race... rather long time ago... and hasn't been able to get in much good training.  Health is a real issue being on the road together for months at a time.  Previous to getting sick Torin was going great guns - qualifiying second in Oberstdorf, winning an OPA cup sprint.  Great things to come from our man Koos.

Roar Lillefjell - USST wax tech.  Races were packed together at the Olympics.  Then we traveled up to Salen for the Vasaloppet, non-stop to Borlange for the sprint, then the Pursuit in Falun and today was the Drammen sprint.  That was two weeks straight of racing, then Vasa, Borlange, Falun and Drammen.  No rest for the weary.  Luckly, in Roar's own words, "I don't get tired.  Har Har Har Har."

Kikkan Randall winning the "small final" taking 5th in the Borlange World Cup.  This sport takes some patience.  Kikkan has been hammering away at this for years now... and will be working on it for years more.  At the same time there is no time to waste.  If you want to get there start doing it right and in a big way starting... how about like right now.

Great Job Kikkan!

Sara Renner enjoying another moment on the podium (with Folis, Bjorgen).  It has been said before, but it is important to understand - the Canadian women and the Canadian men are the product of a system of development, a product of a lot of hard work, confidence and a strong team atmosphere.  This does not happen by accident.

(Images by www.competitiveimage.us - photographer Phil Bowen.  You might remember Phil as a skier from Grand Marais, MN who skied at Carleton and also for the Subaru Factory Team.  Thanks for coming over to take shots Phil - he isn't paid by Team Today to do this - so thanks also to Competitive Image for letting Phil donate his time and the images to us.  If you all out there want some great ski shots go to their website.)