SkiErg World Sprints attracts new talent

Fri, Nov  19, 2010 - By Suzanne Hudson

November 19, 2010 – Morrisville, VT – Both skiers and non-skiers alike succeeded in the 2nd Annual SkiErg World Sprints; Christopher McLaughlin, who uses the SkiErg at home for fitness, set a new men’s new world-record time of 3:01.9, while CXC Team Vertical Limit member Jennie Bender won the women’s event in 3:51.6.

McLaughlin, 39, started rowing and skiing after years of lifting, work and running hurt his knees. The Concept2 Indoor Rower and SkiErg provided him with a low-impact full-body workout. He uses the Concept2 rankings and logbook for motivation while he works out at home. When asked about his new World Record, McLaughlin humbly replied “I’m sure there are guys out there who are faster than me than me, they just haven’t surfaced yet”.

On the women’s side, winner Jennie Bender, who has skied at the 2008 and 2009 World Junior and U23 Championships, has been using the Concept2 SkiErg for training with CXC Team Vertical limit, a post-collegiate program that supports athletes with elite aspirations. “[The SkiErg] is good for analyzing double-pole technique and getting in a hard effort inside that’s ski-specific” says Bender. Bender competed at The Fix Studio in Minneapolis, MN, which hosted a SkiErg World Sprints race as a fundraiser for her and fellow Olympic hopeful Matt Leibsch.

The SkiErg World Sprints, hosted by Concept2 CTS on November 12-14, had over 500 participants from 10 countries skiing 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg between November 12 and 14. Participants can compare their times because each SkiErg includes a self-calibrating Performance Monitor. As Bender noted, “Ski racing has so many variables that make comparisons difficult, that its cool to have a universal competition for skiers all over the world.” Skiers submitted their time to be ranked at Concept2 to see how they compare before the official ski season begins.

Athletes from age 5 to 86 participated in this year’s World Sprints; the SkiErg is a low-impact exercise suitable for all ages. Concept2 offers rankings and challenges to help keep skiers motivated throughout the year. More information on the SkiErg is available at concept2.com/ski.