73,755.75. The number of kilometers New England skiers have logged in competition (whether virtual or in-person) this season is a clear sign that skiing DID in fact happen this winter! Races have been smaller and organizers have been creative with formats and schedules allowing for skiers of all abilities to gather safely — but the skiers and their energy have remained constant. As we start to see our first serious meltdown ski areas are open and the racing continues!
Many clubs are energized by A Hall Mark of Excellence – a season long competition that ranks the top overall 20 male and female finishers in every event that has been listed on our “Eastern Cup” and Popular Race schedules. The intention of the award, which pays out $5000 – 1st, $3000 – 2nd, and $1000 – 3rd, was to encourage participation and performance across all of our adult competitions. While the larger clubs do have a distinct advantage for the top spots, the generosity of Kathy and Marty Hall has created a club based ranking system that captures the majority of our competitive winter programming. Tune into the Rankings Page to see how the last few races sugar out — currently Craftsbury has a nine point lead over Mansfield Nordic for the top honors. Ford Sayre, Stratton Mountain School and Eastern Mass Nordic (CSU) are also in a tight race for third place.
NENSA will be scoring five more events to this awesome competition: the Rangeley Loppet & Burt Kettle Classic that happened last weekend in Maine, the Long Hall Loppet at Jackson, NH this weekend, the Craftsbury S’Ender on the 21st and to wrap it all up Mansfield Nordic will be providing a Virtual opportunity for all clubs to join in the New England Club Relay Championships. There really is something for everyone – so get out there and have some fun!