Jim Fredericks Interview

Jim Fredericks started Nordic skiing at Johnson State College and then became its head coach for all ski sports starting in 1973. As well as being one of the East’s fastest racers, Jim worked at Craftsbury starting their Nordic Ski Center. Jim then turned to coaching starting the successful Green Mountain Valley School Nordic program. From 1986 to 2006 Jim ran the Nordic Race Department at Rossignol which really defined his career. A Vermonter through and through, when Rossignol moved from Vermont to Utah, Jim remained in Vermont and took the role of the Catamount Trail Association’s executive director. Jim also started the Race to the top of Vermont, a run and bike up Mt Mansfield’s toll road. Jim and his wife JoAnne live an active life skiing, paddling, and running in northern Vermont near Craftsbury, VT. Jim has been a mentor for me as so much of my ski racing and professional career has been in cooperation with him. During the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, perhaps nobody was as influential as Jim Fredericks on the US Nordic ski racing scene.