APU Nordic Ski Wax Clinic

Join APU Nordic Ski Center and the Anchorage Museum for a Ski Wax Clinic as part of the Snow Fliers Exhibition on the First Friday in February, the 7th, from 6pm-9pm in the Art Lab. Join APU Nordic Ski Center Coaches for live wax technique and demonstrations throughout the evening. The event is free to attend. As part of the Anchorage Museum’s First Friday, Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Ski’s aren’t necessary to bring, unless you have specific questions about your own skis!

The Snow Flyers Exhibition celebrates the ways we recreate and travel on snow and showcases how Northern ingenuity has for centuries inspired people to adapt winter gear, equipment and machinery for survival, sport and transportation.

One type of Northern ingenuity involves the tool that Nordic Skiers have been using for years – ski wax! Ski wax is what helps you go, glide, kick and move. What’s a constant conundrum to many is – How do I wax my own skis? What types of ski wax should I use? What ski wax is best for different snow conditions and temperatures?

Luckily, we have experts, like the APU Nordic Ski Center coaches Eric Strabel, Galen Johnston and Sam Sterling, who will be showing you techniques and will be answering your burning – or freezing – questions on all things Nordic Skiing and ski wax at the Ski Wax Clinic on February 7th.

The sport is now ever changing with a recent ban of Fluorocarbons – a chemical used in many ski waxes that all Nordic Ski Athletes use to compete locally and in World Cup and Olympic Races. Conversations and ingenuity are currently underway world-wide to develop a new type of ski wax, compatible for racers and Nordic skiers alike for the sport. Now, the Nordic Community is forced to adapt their winter gear and equipment in order to get skiers alike to go with new and different types of ski wax. Eric, Galen and Sam will be doing a talk before the ski wax demonstrations on this recent development and what that means for the sport of Nordic Skiing.

RSVP Now!

If you’re interested in joining, please feel free to RSVP on this page. It is free and open to the public!

For more informaition about Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, the Snow Flyers Exhibit and more programs, visit here: https://www.anchoragemuseum.org/visit/calendar/

Coach Bios & APU Nordic Ski Center

If you would like to read up on the APU Nordic Ski Center, the coaches and learn more about the program, please click here. https://apunordic.com/about/coaches-staff/

Eric Strabel
Junior Program Coach / Program Manager

Eric grew up in the Mat-Su Valley and had a successful athletic career before becoming a coach. In high school he won the overall state ski championship three times and had a top 10 finish at World Juniors. He later achieved 2nd place finishes at NCAA and USSA National Championships. Eric graduated from UAA in 2005 with a Bachelors degree in civil engineering. Eric is a competitive mountain runner, winning the Mount Marathon race three times and held the men’s race record from 2013 to 2015. He loves to spend time with his wife Denali, often exploring Alaska’s wilderness. Eric enjoys coaching junior skiers to enjoy the sport, pursue their goals, build character, and bond with teammates.

Sam Sterling
Junior Program Coach

A native of Truckee, California, Sam attended and skied for Williams College as a Geoscience undergraduate student. He came to Alaska in 2010 “just for a summer” and has been coaching with the APU Junior Program ever since. When not coaching the junior team, Sam can usually be found exploring Alaska’s backcountry.

Galen Johnston
Devo Program Coach / Master Program Coach

Galen was born and raised in Talkeetna, Alaska. He first learned to ski as a mode of transportation from his home, to the nearest road a mile away. Galen grew up climbing, skiing and travelling with his parents from a young age. His family often camped out in venue parking lots the night before Besh Cup races (even in Fairbanks.) At age eleven Galen became the youngest person to summit Mt. McKinley. This upbringing instilled an adventurous and playful spirit in Galen that he still holds onto. Galen skied for Susitna Valley High school until his senior year when he enrolled and raced for APUNSC through the Early Honors program. Galen then pursued studies at University of Alaska Anchorage and raced for the Seawolves for two seasons. Since then Galen has coached a variety of teams in the Anchorage community from Jr. Nordic to the APUNSC masters team. He is currently enjoying his role as Devo Coach, Masters Coach and fill in tech for the Elite and University teams. Galen will also assistant coach at East High for his second season this winter and hopes to find some time in between all of it to adventure in the mountains…on skis of course!