June 17th, 2009
Mitch Prevot from Burke about to log a good time in the Hallsta Test in Solleftea, Sweden.
The third full day at the Solleftea Ski Gymnasium’s Summer Sk School was a busy one. On the docket were an uphill running time trial, a multi station classic roller ski work out, and the raft trip postponed from earlier in the week. All went off smoothly and our kids were strongly in the mix.
The Hallsta Test is a time trial up a long two km of road that starts near the base of the ski area here and ends midway up one of the steeper pitches. It is a long standing tradition at the Ski Gymnasium, and many World Cup and National Team athletes from Sweden have times in the book. Fifteen second interval starts send the athletes running and ski-walking for personal best times. The staff of the ski gymnasium uses it as a measure of engine capacity. It is tough. A Swedish team skier called home from the Olympics in Calgary to talk to coach Bengt Stattin, and said “Bengt, the courses here are really, really hard!” ” Are they harder than the Hallsta test?,” was the reply. A thoughtful silence followed and then the athlete said, ” No. They are not. Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
The men’s record is in the 7 minute range and women’s in the nines. Those were Olympians. Our kids all had strong performances led by Jack Hegman, with a 9:53, and Mitch Prevot in 10:01. Winning today was the Vancouver World Cup sprint relay gold medalist Robin Bryntesson with a 9:18. Hannah Boyer was our first girl at 11:11. Our two youngest were the two fastest today. Working as a team blind skier Zebastian Modin and his guide Albin Ackerot, an alum of the Summer Ski School and now in the Sport science program at the University in Ostersund, finished in a respectable 12:10.
We’ll follow up on the Classic Ski, Raft trip, and today’s 3 hour bog run in the next post.
Solleftea Coaches Tony Gustafsson and Bengt Stattin timing the Hallsta test.
Best, Pete Phillips
Pictures By Erik Nilsson
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