Published: Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:00 AM MDT

After three successful seasons as one of the most dominate cross-country ski teams in Canada, it is with regret that the INDi2010 Racing Team announces that it will dissolve for the 2008-2009 season.

Editor's Note: This is the second top Canadian team to fold this spring, following in the footsteps of the X-C.com Race Team (read the article on the dissolution of X-C.com)

The decision comes after yet another successful winter, which saw the team qualify all six athletes for World Cup competition in Canada, collect numerous NorAm Cup and National Championship medals, and rack up an impressive 51 podium appearances. Tight team comradely and continued success makes the decision very difficult, but ultimately future international success has been given an absolute priority, and other opportunities for further performance have become available to much of the team.

The INDi2010 Racing Team was founded in 2005 by a group of athletes looking for a team structure that would allow them to achieve international excellence in the absence National Team support. Over three winters the team has seen a star-studded cast including Gordon Jewett, Rhonda Jewett, Jeff Ellis, Karla Mika, Adam Kates, Tara Whitten, Robin McKeever, Mark Doble, Skeets Morel, Tasha Betcherman and Dan Roycroft. The team was founded on the principle of an athlete managed program in which the athletes were directly responsible for running the team, and while this makeup allowed for great flexibility, it was also an additional burden for the athletes to compete at an international level while also managing the program.

The highlights of the INDi2010 program were numerous and included multiple World Cup and World Championship appearances, as well as dominance in North American events with US SuperTour, NorAm and Canadian Championships titles a common occurrence. For a self managed group of athletes the 190 podium appearances over three seasons are nothing short of spectacular.

“Its really sad to close the doors on the team. It was the best three seasons of my ski career, and what we achieved together is infinitely gratifying,” said Gordon Jewett, one of three team members who has been part of the INDi2010 program since it's inception. “At the end of the day we all have to make decisions that give us the best chance of reaching our ski racing goals, but it's very hard to split up a group of athletes that I felt were so mutually successful.”

Team cofounder Karla Mika added, “We achieved so much together as a team and although I am sad that we are not continuing, I also realize that change can be a very good thing. I honestly believe that it will be the catalyst that propels us towards our individual goals.”

While the initiative for the INDi2010 program came from the athletes themselves, the network of support behind the team was the cog that allowed the team to operate as a well-oiled machine. The athletes are grateful to all of the individuals and sponsors who made this initiative possible over the past three seasons.

Coaches and Technicians
Genevieve Renart, Mike and Judy Mappin, Zach Caldwell, Mike Cavaliere, Dave Morel, Ulf Kleppe and Mike Neary.

Corporate Sponsors
Fischer, Exel, Alpina, Digica Computers, Bow View Homes, Podiumwear by Bora, SkiTrax Magazine, SOLDA', Canmore Nordic Sport Services, Brooks Canada, Canmore Printcraft, CIBC Wood Gundy, Fresh Air Experience, Icebreaker, Start Ski Wax, Scott Manktelow Design, SOS Headwear, Cross Country Alberta and the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation.

Individual Supporters
Jamie Coatsworth, Ann Gallie, Joan, Chris, David McDonald and Gary Gilles, Brenda Gallie, Paul, Wendy and Amy Kates, Jack Cook, Rich McKenzie, Jennifer Groundwater, Scott Manktelow, Dougal McCreath, Dale and Nianne Foley, Deborah dePass and Ian McQueen, David Guttman, Patty Glover, Silvia Stettler, Alex and Lorraine Sandau, Bulkley Valley Ski Club, Harry Vanderlugt, Don and Dianne Ellis, Will and Sheila Davis, Jane Gallie, Nancy McFadyen, Jerilyn Roycroft, Greg Goodwin, Philip Betcherman, Teresa White, Cindy Sandau, The Wiercinski Family, Jeannie McBroom, Dominic Bradford, Michael Jewett, Jana Mika, Dan Gilligan, Rick Morson, Robin Sandau, Chuck and Mary Whitten, Nuno Borges and Franny Jewett, Angus Doughty and Sian-Lee Leyshon-Doughty and Richard Lemoine and Debbie Friendly.

Without the support of these individuals and organizations the INDi2010 concept would have died a quick death. All of the athletes that have been a part of this program are grateful beyond words for the helping hands that pushed them along the trails and up the mountains over the past three seasons.

The current members of the INDi2010 Racing Team, while scattering, continue to pursue their Olympic dreams in the coming seasons. Gordon and Rhonda Jewett have joined the new Alberta World Cup Academy, Dan Roycroft and Tasha Betcherman have joined the Callaghan Valley Training Centre, while Skeets Morel and Karla Mika continue to chase international results with individualized programs.

The Independent Nordic Development Initiative, which is the non-profit organization behind the INDi2010 Racing Team, will continue to operate under the guidance of many of the current team members. The intention is for this organization to continue to support the Canadian ski community in pursuing grassroots development opportunities in the future, in an effort to ensure that Canadian ski racers have the necessary support to pursue their international dreams.

The INDi2010 Racing Team at the 2010 Olympic venue for the 2008 Canadian Championships in March (left to right: Skeets Morel, Tasha Betcherman, Gordon Jewett, Karla Mika, Dan Roycroft, Rhonda Jewett).

The INDi2010 Racing Team at the 2010 Olympic venue for the 2008 Canadian Championships in March (left to right: Skeets Morel, Tasha Betcherman, Gordon Jewett, Karla Mika, Dan Roycroft, Rhonda Jewett)

You have to see it to believe it or as the Chinese say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Natalia Va-Dufresne and Laia Tutz, the Spanish Olympic Women 470 duo, is currently in Qingdao in order to start their intensive training preparation for the upcoming Olympic Games, to be held in the Chinese coastal city in less than 2 months from now.

The two Spanish sailors wanted to start the training today (Friday) but had to face an unexpected and very tough situation. A thick carpet of algae covered tens of square kilometers of the bay, making it virtually impossible for their small yachts to navigate. According to the UK newspaper Telegraph, this is “the worst algae blight in living memory”. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: America’s Cup Management] As a consequence of the continued uncertainty around the 33rd America’s Cup caused by the Golden Gate Yacht Club’s legal manoeuvres, AC Management and the Spanish institutions (Central State, Valencia Region and Valencia Municipality) have been left with no option but to revise the terms of their relationship, ending the contract signed in July 2007 that named Valencia the Host City for a multi-challenge 33rd America’s Cup in 2009.

The two parties have entered into a new agreement that concludes months of discussions trying to adapt the contract signed after the success of the 32nd America’s Cup to the current legal context. Under the new agreement, the organisation and exploitation of the Port America’s Cup facilities will be managed by the Spanish institutions from 1 July; the 33rd America’s Cup teams retain the opportunity to continue using their bases and the majority of administrative benefits for teams and personnel remain in force until the end of 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Ericsson Racing Team] Ericsson Racing Team has today presented the final piece of the puzzle for the Volvo Ocean Race. Ericsson 4 was officially unveiled to an invited audience of Ericsson employees and guests, at the teams boatyard next to the Global Headquarters in Kista, Stockholm.

The day was doubly significant in that it marks 100 days to the opening race in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008/09 on October 4, 2008.

Ericsson Racing Team created a bespoke boat yard right next to Ericssons global head office to build the two new boats, Ericsson 3 and Ericsson 4. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Green Team] The Green Team has officially been re-named after securing title sponsorship from a syndicate of Chinese companies.

The team will now be officially known as The Green Dragon Team for the 2008-09 race. The team livery will be unveiled over the coming weeks.

The team already holds strong Chinese links with construction of the boat taking place at McConaghy Boats in Zhuhai. It is the first Volvo Open 70 boat to be built in China.

We are delighted to be able to finally announce our title sponsorship, said Jamie Boag, CEO of The Green Dragon Team, at the official announcement in Beijing. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Alinghi] Alinghi, Defender of the 33rd Americas Cup, begins the next phase of training towards a possible multi-hull Deed of Gift Match in 2009 and steps up a gear to two-boat training with the ORMA60s Foncia and Banque Populaire IV in Lorient, France, from 30 June until 5 July.

The Swiss team intends to continue its big boat and multi-hull development through this platform: We now need to hone our boat handling skills, manoeuvres and mark approaches by matching up to another boat, says Alinghi team skipper and tactician Brad Butterworth. Having crew on both ORMA60s will increase our learning curve exponentially and marks the beginning of our two-boat training programme towards a multi-hull Americas Cup. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Groupama] For want of quantity, the quality was very much in evidence at the Trophy SNSM with the two leaders of the ORMA series, namely Banque Populaire and Groupama. Accompanied by some excellent crew members, Franck Cammas and Pascal Bidgorry relished the fifty hours or so over a course unanimously agreed to be “superb”. Winner of the 2007 edition, the Basque skipper of the blue boat didn’t manage to double his stake, preceded by 6 minutes over the finish line in Saint Nazaire by Groupama 2.

In the lock leading to the competitors’ basin, Groupama 2 was wisely waiting for the gates to open. On the quay, the crew was all smiles, not simply because they’d completed the 560 mile course but rather because they managed to catch up with their rival and then get past them after trailing by up to 14 miles at the midway mark.
Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: BMW Oracle] Working with experts at North Sails in the USA, BMW ORACLE Racing’s sail design and production team are now well underway in developing the huge new sails required for the 33rd America’s Cup.

The sail design team is headed by BMW ORACLE Racing sail trimmer Ross Halcrow (NZL), and includes designers Laurent Delage (FRA), Robert Hook (AUS), and Juan Meseguer (ESP). Delage brings valuable multihull experience from North Sails France. Hook, another North Sails veteran, was with Emirates Team New Zealand in the last America’s Cup. Meseguer, who runs the North loft in Valencia, returns to the team from the 32nd campaign. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Team Origin] Mike Sanderson onboard SPEEDBOAT in the Newport to Bermuda Race :

Position as at 2222 EDT time on Sunday 22 June, 80.2 miles to go doing 10.8 knots in 9.1 knots of wind; Il Mostro (PUMA) 45 miles behind and Rambler 14 miles behind them

If a race record is surprisingly slow there is often a very good reason for it…. it usually means that the race is sailed in a pretty tricky piece of water rather than the fact that not fast boats have competed in the race previously.

Once again the 2008 Newport to Bermuda race is showing why this record is one of the toughest ones to nail. A distance of 630 miles one day is a number that we hope we can boast about as being a daily run on Speedboat, and so to be settling into day three with still 150 miles to go just doesn’t seem right for such a speed machine, considering the fact that we have never totally parked up. Read the rest of this entry »

[Source: Team Origin] Well the goal at the first meeting to frame the concept of what the New “Speedboat”was going to be, and its objectives was always quite clearly defined as to a line honors win in the 2008 Newport Bermuda race, at just after 8 am this morning local Time we cruised across the line enabling us to tick that goal off, a 250 mile beat in between 7 and 10 knots of wind meant that the record was long gone, but as I mentioned yesterday the time to be able to test and play around with different modes upwind has been priceless. Read the rest of this entry »