Former Norweigian Coach Samdal claims Bjorgen's coach is lying
Published: Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:38 PM MST
Updated: Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:41 PM MST
Former Norwegian womens head coach Svein Tore Samdal is upset at current womens coach Egil Kristiansen. He claims that Marit Bjrgens boss is lying.
Last seasons Norwegian womens head coach Svein Tore Samdal has up until now consciously avoided commenting on neither Marit Bjorgens results nor other cross country related issues in the media. He broke that silence following this years coach Egil Kristiansens comments in Norwegian newspaper Adresseavisen.
Kristiansen claimed (following Bjorgens poor results in the 10- K freestyle race. (See "Not in shape" http://www.fasterskier.com/news4065.html) that he had tried several times to get hold of Samdal on the phone without succeeding. He also claimed that Marit Bjrgen's training program this season is almost identical with what she did during Samdal regime the last several seasons.
"Totally false!"
"What Kristiansen says is not correct. First of all, I dont understand why he is making such comments in the media. Why not make this simple and talk to me directly? When he in addition claim that he has tried to get hold of me several times, why dont I have his number on my display once in 2007? I havent talked with Egil Kristiansen since last fall," says Samdal.
He is also considering the claim that Bjorgen is training the same way as last year as totally false.
"I have enough contact with Marit (Bjorgen) and others to know whats being done at camps. Its very far from what we did last year. They were very direct in making it known that that they were going to make changes this spring, and thats fine. Every coach should be able to choose his philosophy, but you should then stand for this," says Samdal.
"I havent bothered commenting on this before now, but I have to say something when the national team leaders are lying. The people can believe whoever they want," adds Samdal.
Samdal's principles:
Adresseavisen talked to both Egil Kristiansen and Kristin Strmer Steira yesterday. Kristiansen claimed on Monday that Steiras change in direction away from Samdals principles was the reason she is now back among the Worlds best skiers (3rd in the pursuit and 4th in the 10km).
Steira hit the wall early in the fall and used two months with very easy training to recover. Steira is saying that it probably wasnt training alone or isolated that set her back. Steira also said that she started using last seasons training program after the set- back, and that this saved the season. The program consists of Samdals principles with blocks consisting of hard and frequent (daily) interval session, followed by easier periods between the blocks.
"There have been a few changes, but I followed the same principles as last year after the setback, that saved the season. Egil Kristiansen is completely aware of my training program, underlines Steira.
Kristiansen disagrees with Steiras comments.
"She has used some blocks, but a reduced version. Its light version of what she used in 2005/2006 and her training was very controlled," says Kristiansen.
Svein Tore Samdal is saying this about Steiras training:
"Kristin had problems this fall and it had nothing to with training. She got a program from me after this and she used this for a period before she continued training as she had in the previous seasons."
Marit Bjorgens record:
Overall World Cup winner 2005/2006
Overall World Cup winner 2004/2005
Overall World Cup 2003/2004: 2.
Olympic silver 2006
World Champion 2005
Tour de Ski 2007: 2
World Cup 2007/2007: currently in second place
Number of World Cup starts: 109
Number of World Cup podiums: 41, including 27 first places
Number of World Cup points scored: 4945.
Editors note:
Beckie Scott, Canada used a program similar to Samdals principles in the 2004/2005 and the 2005/2006 season.
Beckie was 4th in the pursuit at the 2005 Worlds after taking more than 4 months off that summer.
She had her best ever season in 2006 with 9 World Cup podiums including four victories. She was also second in the overall 2005/2006 World Cup.
Hilde G. Pedersen, Norway credited using Samdals principles for finally winning a World Cup race at age 41 in 2006.
**Torbjorn Karlsen was Beckie Scott's coach.
Source: Langrenn.com and Aftenposten.no
