New season, new faces: Coach changes in Cross-Country Skiing

Wed, May  20, 2009 - By FIS

As is often the case before an Olympic season, the changes in the coaching ranks of the FIS Cross-Country World Cup teams have been minimal. Here is a summary of some that have come to the attention of FIS so far:

In Canada, new Senior National Team Coach will be Norwegian Inge Braten. The well-known coach Braten has helped guide some of the world's best Nordic athletes, including the legendary Bjørn Daehlie, to success. He succeeds Arild Monsen (NOR) in Canada. Meanwhile Monsen has moved to Sweden where he will be engaged as the new men's sprint coach.

In Germany, the German Ski Association announced some changes in the ladies team already before the end of the season. Ismo Hämälainen (FIN), who left the team for personal reasons, has been succeeded by 37-year-old Janko Neuber. The former World Cup athlete Neuber was previously responsible for the training base in Oberwiesenthal and will also continue to serve as the personal coach for René Sommerfeldt and Tom Reichelt.

Adriano Iseppi, Chief of Cross-Country, will be leaving Swiss Ski at the end of July. The coaching staff around Head Coach Markus Cramer will remain unchanged. In Sweden, Gunde Svan, currently Chief of Cross-Country, will leave his position as he considers to have reached his goals of re-structuring the team and establishing a sound economical foundation for it.

In several countries, negotiations are still underway and the new appointments will be announced shortly. Teams continuing with their current staff into the season 2009/2010 include Finland (head coach: Magnar Dalen), Slovenia (head coach: Ivan Hudac) and France (head coach: Pierre Mignerey).

Contributed by Sandra Spitz