January 29, 2009
“The Sweden Trip”, a training tour of Sweden and Norway is ON for the eighth year.
Posted by: Janice SibiliaSummary: The Ski Gymnasium in Solleftea, Sweden has sent the official invitation, the dates for the Summer Ski
School are set and we are getting the word out early so interested parties can do some planning.
“The Sweden Trip”...The trip is an immersion in the training culture of two of the world’s top Cross-country ski
nations and an opportunity to get a first hand taste of Scandinavia from the shores of the Baltic to
the Sognefjord in Norway. It isn’t just a look. Participants are there, in it!. During the first week
participants live with Swedish kids, and work with top athletes and coaches including World Cup
winners Emil Joensson, Robin Bryntesson, Britta Nordgren and Charlotte Kalla. The second half
of the trip is in Norway’s Jotunheimen region above the fjord country. Training on snow takes
place twice a day with teams from all over Norway.
The trip is early in the summer as that is when the school in Sweden is best able to schedule the
guest athletes. It also guarantees the best snow in Norway. This year’s dates for initial planning
are June 10 – 30. Participants from J3 — OJ are welcome to apply. Space is limited to 12 athletes.
Interest is already active. Applicants should be eager about the sport and familiar with it. It is a
training trip. We keep careful track of athletes to make sure the hours and training loads are
appropriate to age, and to previous training and later training plans. For this reason we like to
know a bit about plans and training histories.
Flights can be arranged individually according to a group schedule. This allows “Air Miles” to be
used. We try to fly close in to our final destination (normally Ostersund) to minimize the time
spent on the road, and maximize the time on the ground.
References are available from former participants on both sides of the Atlantic, across the US
and Canada. If you would like more information, references and an application for the trip please
contact Pete Phillips, the Head Nordic Coach at Burke Mountain Academy.
pphillips@burkemtnacademy.org or gamlefisken@yahoo.com. You are welcome to phone as
well. 802 626 1516 ext 1010.
