Eske Roennau

Nordic Skier

The Roaring Fork Valley is one of the most ski sport-oriented valleys in the world. Before I moved to the valley with my family, my entire life had happened in the flat grey lands of Denmark. By no means is Denmark a bad place but the contrast with a mountain town like Aspen is huge. In my 9 years of attending school in the Aspen District, I couldn't help but be immensely exposed to Nordic skiing. “Nordic? Yeah, the one where you have skinny skis and run uphill.” After answering that question too many times, I reached the middle school age where I realized AVSC, the local ski club, was the place to be, if you wanted to ski. Over the years I worked through the Devo program and finally joined the AVSC Nordic National Comp team. It was there that my improvement really started. Through many hours spent on skis and many more thinking about snow, I found myself in a position where I was pretty strong. 

          Five years ago, I met Mark and Maddy who had a few years earlier experienced the worst thing that can happen to a parent. They lost their beloved son Karl Artur Severson. Meeting Mark and Maddy changed my life through their ongoing and constant support of my skiing career. Receiving the Karl Severson scholarship has allowed me so many opportunities I would have never been able to experience had it not been for the Scholarship. Over time, and through their support, my improvement led to my qualification for events like the FIS World Junior Championships and the European Youth Olympic Festival, on behalf of the Danish National Team. Qualifying for these events is one thing, but traveling there and racing on competitive equipment is another. Mark and Maddie's support has thoroughly changed my life for the better in ways I could not have imagined. The sport of Nordic skiing is significantly influenced by what skis you have and how fast they are. At a certain level of racing, you need to be on fast skis to even compete. If it had not been for Mark and Maddie, I would not be on the equipment that allowed me to be where I am today. 

          Knowing that I owe my ski career to the scholarship of Mark and Maddy, makes the hard work that much easier. Putting in the extra mileage on the long runs and staying up late in the wax room is nothing compared to what Mark and Maddy have done for me. I proudly wear the KAS pin to honor Karl in my everyday life and try to live up to the support his parents give me. I love keeping Mark and Maddy updated by sending them pictures and keeping them involved in my career. 

          This year I am racing for Bates College, a small liberal arts school on the east coast, with a D1 Nordic program. This year I will compete in US Senior and Junior Nationals, Super Tour, NCAA Carnival Circut, and FIS World Junior championships all due to the support of Mark and Maddy and the Karl Severson Scholarship. I will forever be grateful to Mark and Maddy for everything, and of course, Karl.