Event: Cross Country Skiing
Birthplace: Minneapolis, MN
Team Years: 9
Height: 6-2
Weight: 185
Club: Leavenworth Winter Sports Club
School: Utah '04, Westminster College Graduate School, MA
Equipment: Rossignol, Rudy Project, Exel
Sponsors: USA Pears, Toko
OLYMPIC HIGHLIGHTS
- 2010 Olympic Winter Games
-26th in the individual sprint classic event
-9th in the team sprint free
-13th in the 4x10-km relay classic/free
BIOGRAPHY
The son of a former U.S. biathlon skier, two-time Olympian Torin Koos started skiing early growing up in Washington state. Racing "was a natural progression." He skied and ran cross country, plus track and field for the University of Utah and, given a World Cup start when another athlete was sick in 2001, Koos made the most of his debut, finishing 12th in a sprint. He hasn't missed an Olympics or World Championships since then as he became the first U.S. Ski Team racer fully committed to sprinting.
UPDATE
Torin had a solid 2009 season and was in top form heading into the World Championships with an eight place just six days prior. Unfortunately, at Worlds he fell out of the start gate and the rest is history. But, according to coaches, we never really got to see him at his best. For 2010 he is focused on his double poling, and has added a bit more speed training early in the summer. Look for him to come out firing and have the training background to hold it through the season.
OLYMPIC SEASON
Koos paired a set of U.S. Super Tour wins with a top 10 World Cup finish to set his Olympic campaign into motion. Koos's results are consistently improving as he heads into Vancouver in February.
FIRST TRACKS
The first-born to a onetime U.S. Biathlon Team athlete, Koos skied cross country from the start, but didn't race until he was 12. He was ninth in the sprint at the 2000 Junior worlds, and skied and ran for the University of Utah where he was a three-time NCAA First Team All American. He was called to replace an ailing athlete during the pre-Olympic test races in 2001 and, in his World Cup debut, qualified ninth and finished 12th in the FR sprint. It also earned him a ticket to the 2001 World Championships.
FIRST WORLD CUP
Jan. 14, 2001 at Soldier Hollow, UT (12th in pre-Olympic test FR sprint)
OLYMPICS/WORLDS
2009 - 43rd in FS sprint, 11th in CL team sprint. 2007 Worlds - 22nd in CL sprint, 19th in sprint relay. 2006 Olympics - 36th in FR sprint (sick for CL team sprint). 2005 Worlds - 32nd in CL sprint, 14th in FR team sprint (with Andy Newell). 2003 Worlds - 32nd in FR sprint. 2002 Olympics - 35th in FR sprint. 2001 Worlds - 29th in FR sprint.
I AM
Working on a masters in communications at Westminster College...Long hikes or runs in the Enchantment Mountains range back home...If I'm not skiing, I'd like to broker Washington State pears to market worldwide...My iPod-with-recorder (my top gotta-have when I travel) includes Hendrix, AFI and Modest Mouse...The oldest of three (younger brother and sister), my father is a health care administrator, Mom's a school teacher, bro plays NAIA football for Waldorf College (Iowa), Sister is in a physical therapy Ph.D program...
Image by USSA
