NENSA’s 2025 Season Artwork by Gracie Rizio
Since the fall of 2023, NENSA’s tagline has been #SkiingBetterTogether. While the message is straightforward—skiing with others—what does this mean to us at NENSA?
We believe that the greatest catalysts for improvement and personal growth are not solitary; success is richer when shared with friends, teammates, and the community. Our 2025 Season artwork was inspired by this very idea.
The scene is set in early March 2024, at Mt. Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, NY. The U20 Men’s 15km classic mass start race is about to begin, and it’s one of the final starts of the day. The conditions? “Slop” doesn’t even begin to describe it. Just over 45 minutes later, four New England skiers were celebrating a 1-4 podium sweep. This achievement was especially meaningful, as these athletes have been longtime friends and training partners.
The teal figures in our artwork are inspired by images of each skier during that race. They all met through NENSA programming, and over the years, they’ve trained and competed together at various events and camps. This shared journey is a perfect example of how NENSA programming supports the development of skiers throughout New England.
All four skiers began their careers in the Bill Koch League (BKL) and have progressed through our programs over the years.
A core tenet of our BKL philosophy is to inspire a lifelong love of cross-country skiing in children throughout New England. In the artwork, the four navy-colored BKL-aged figures cast in shadow are their younger selves—the version of them that first fell in love with the sport. Our hope is that no matter their age, skiers carry with them the magic, joy, and camaraderie they experienced as kids at Bill Koch practices, where laughter and play were paramount. Success naturally follows and is even sweeter when it happens together.
Skiing is much better when our NENSA community comes together. The 2025 Season is upon us, and we expect it to be the best one yet.
