Julia Kern is a professional cross country skier for Team USA, my own teammate on the SMS T2 Ski Team, and my friend. She has many podiums to her name, from eastern cups in New England, to Junior Nationals, to World Juniors, and even on the World Cup. Despite her many accomplishments in the sport, Julia’s love for sports doesn’t end with skiing - an avid basketball player, surfer, mountain biker, rock climber, backcountry skier, the girl can do it all! On this episode, we chat about her story, growing up in Boston but learning to ski in Germany with her German grandparents. She also tells us about her first international race experience as a 14 year old, the obstacles she’s had to overcome from injuries, the effects of the Covid pandemic, and what she’s looking forward to as the season approaches.

I couldn’t think of anyone I would be more excited and comfortable with bringing on as my first podcast guest. I feel like Julia and I were chatting just the way we do when we’re training, traveling, or just hanging out together…. Please welcome, Julia Kern!

Welcome to Extra Blue! Extra Blue is a podcast about cross country skiing; sharing stories, race results, training insight, innovation in the sport, and inspiration for the next generation. Whether you’re an experienced racer competing at the highest level or a beginner getting out on fish scales, I hope to share with you the passion and love for this crazy sport.