Each Thanksgiving we used to have several XC-ski development team athletes from the USOEC site as guests for dinner, via my involvement with the site and XC programs in Marquette. During one of those dinner prep. conversations a couple of USOEC athletes related the first-day introductory conversation with their new Cross Country Coaching staff "advisor" Nikolai Anikin and his wife Antonina. The US Olympics Organzation officials had swapped a pair of downhill coaches with the USSR for the Anikins. Nikolai was a celebrated XC skier, medaling in two Olympics and coached several Olympians in the Soviet XC team's program. Atonina had won silver and bronze in previous Olympic classic races, one of the USSR's top performers in Olympic competitions. At that time interval, routine doping was a rumor swirling around the Soviet block ski programs, as well as for some European XC skiers and programs. One of the US skiers was talking about skiing in a race in Estonia, having to deal with drunks wandering out onto the course and crowd members chanting, Ha, ha, ha, U. S AHH!, as he or any US skier skied past them. The conversation evolved eventually to Nikolai's introduction to the team members his first day at the facility. He was standing at the front of the room discussing his approach to systemized heart-level training and the value of keeping detailed training manuals, when he was asked about recovery approaches; did he support active(engaging in low heart rate elevating exercise) or passive(rest) recovery, and in what proportions. He was nearly finished with his answer, when he stopped and turned to one of the U.S. Coaches to ask him, "Vere es de Doktorr to administare recovery medicine?" The door "swung open" for the folks in the room as a number of knowing smiles were exchanged among audience members and coaching staff...low dose steroid use was a common practice in their training program!
I took part in a multi-day classic technique clinic that they taught for the Superiorland Ski Club. I learned a great deal, despite the language barrier. Antonina would just swat you with her ski pole to get your attention to demonstrate what she wanted to correct in your form...I got swatted a couple hundred times.
The Anikins defected to the U.S. when their visas neared expiration, settling in Duluth, Mn.