In the spirit of sibling rivalry, Erik Bjornsen isn’t letting older sister and U.S. Teammate Sadie get all the glory. A Washington state native, Bjornsen easily made the jump from collegiate racing to the world stage.

The trend has been an upward one for Bjornsen so far in his young career, and 2013 was no exception. In addition to making his World Cup debut, Bjornsen had top-10 and top-15 finishes at U23 World Championships and three podiums at National Championships, including his first U.S. title in the 15k freestyle. He also skied in his first World Championships, finishing 14th in the team sprint, and capped the year with two SuperTour Finals victories.

Bjornsen tore up the SuperTour scene in 2012, with enough impressive finishes to take third overall in the four-part mini-series. He also made his mark on the collegiate scene, earning All-America honors as a freshman at Alaska Pacific University.

If Bjornsen can continue to follow the path he has currently set for himself, look for the young skier to make his Olympic debut in 2014. After that, who knows what heights this promising competitor will reach.

ERIK SAYS
This past ski season has been a breakthrough for me. I have been skiing on the domestic circuit for the past five or six years now, and, for the first time, I go to the start line knowing that if I put together a good race I can win it.  

It's such an awesome feeling and I hope I can someday have that confidence on the world stage. I want to be fast enough to feel like I'm one of the best in the world and I hope to have a gold medal to prove it.

Outside of competition, I enjoy working with young skiers. I want to inspire kids and teach them that sports can be a lot of fun and a great way to spend time with their friends. I also want to show them that if they work hard at their sport it can lead to a lot of awesome opportunities in the future, similar to the opportunities I have been given.

FIRST TRACKS
Bjornsen started downhill skiing as a young child. But when his family realized cross country skiing in Methow Valley, WA was some of the best in the region, they made the switch, and he has been competing in cross country ever since.

OFF THE SNOW

A Washington state native, Bjornsen is presently attending college at Alaska Pacific University. When he’s not training, doing schoolwork or off racing overseas, he likes to explore Alaska. “It’s a beautiful place that is very peaceful. All my problems and worries seem to go away when I'm miles away from civilization, throwing a hook out into a stream packed with salmon.”