Lorin Paley, an 18-year-old telemark racer, from Steamboat Springs, CO is on board as a Talus-sponsored athlete sporting the ColdAvenger. She is a motivated US National telemark ski racer who is dominating her sport this season. Lorin has placed in almost every race she entered. Last season, Lorin won two gold medals at the Junior World Championships in Kreischberg, Austria in the Sprint and Sprint Classic. She also place second overall at the 2009 US Nationals in a tiebreaker based on overall time.
I was first approached by Lorin’s parents at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City in 2009. Lorin competes all over the world she felt the ColdAvenger would be useful. In an email she sent to me she asked whether the ColdAvenger would be appropriate for her. “…because temperatures were 25C while I was racing down the course at high speeds… I have never raced in such severe temperatures. As it turned out I took 3rd place, but find myself sick for the next set of races in Rjukan. Perhaps if I had your ColdAvenger face mask I would not be sick.”
courtesy: Lorin Paley
Now fully protected with the ColdAvenger Pro, Lorin is racing all over the world in World Cup Telemark races in Norway, US, Spain, France, Bjorli, and Rjukan. A number of these races resulted in some impressive podium stands for Lorin. This is quite a great accomplishment for a young woman competing on a global stage. Not only is she busy training and racing, she is working to bring a telemark introductory class to middle school students in Steamboat Springs, CO and helps to organize a regional races in that state. She also works as an Outdoor Ambassador in the Outdoor Nation Program which focuses on getting youth involved in the outdoors.
I just received an email from Lorin in Europe updating me on her races and what she’s up to.
courtesy: USTA website
Hi John,
Today was a beautiful day in the Pyrenees. There was no rain and the sun was shining. I didn’t think telemark races could occur during good weather, but alas, today proved me wrong. Since I took so many days off healing my calf and didn’t do the gates during the training day, I skied the same way Serena Williams plays tennis: it took me a set to warm up. The first course was super quick and turny, an unforgiving situation for my sluggish feet. I made the jump line way too easily (men’s line plus), but overall I was in fifth (after three mystery penalties). Second run was a taste of redemption. I executed a strong run in the gates, getting good angulation at the tops of my turns, and had another strong skate, but since they moved the jump line down I didn’t make it. Amelie won(of course), Sandrine came in second, Susan Scheller, who was in third, crashed, and Katinka had a bobble, so at the end of the day, I ended up in third.
So that’s the update folks. In between cheese tastings, shopping in Barcelona, and otherwise getting lost somewhere in the Spanish countryside, a telemark race broke out and I did pretty good. Looking forward to another sunny day.
Hasta luego,
Lorin Paley
Results: http://home.online.no/~tgunlei/wcspa110w.pdf or telemarkski.org
Thanks Lorin! Good luck with the rest of the season and stay warm over there in Europe Look forward to your next update. And congratulations on joining the ColdAvenger team.
John B. Sullivan, III aka ColdAvenger Pro
