Fred Bailey

In the first edition of the Dublin Winterfest: Ski Your Heart Out skiers were treated to fun vibes, quintessential New England skiing, lots of sun, and a hint of firewood fumes. The day kicked off with a mass start race for high school and master skiers. It was a four lap affair on an uphill/downhill course with a mix of snowmaking and natural snow, winding through the beautiful Sapporo and Placid trails at the Dublin School Nordic Center.

As the snow changed from hard granular to soft corn, the races transitioned to a stadium loop for the Lollipopers, complete with name-sake lollipops. The lollipop skiers were led by Dublin headmaster Brad Bates in a fantastic all Green suit. The lollipop race was followed by a single lap of the adult course for the older BKL skiers, in mass start fashion. The BKL skiers raved about how fun the downhill was! Up next was the awards ceremony, where all the age group podium skiers received gigantic cookies. The day was concluded a few more laps of easy skiing by many of the competitors and a round happy birthday for the whole field for one of the local masters skiers. A big thank you to the Dublin School and Dublin XC for hosting an awesome event!

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Rankings
Thaddeus Rogers Photos
Staff Photos

Downeast 18km Freestyle Loppet

Adventurers, challenge seekers, and distance lovers – the Downeast 18km Freestyle Loppet is making a return for its second year.  Hosted by the Downest Racing Team, the race will take place this Sunday at Quarry Road Trails due to lack of snow on the coast. The snow making loop should provide excellent conditions and great spectating opportunities. Whether you want to race or cheer on your friends and/or family, this event is the place to be this weekend! So gather up your skis and support crew and enjoy the atmosphere. This race is part of the Part of the NENSA Marathon Series and scored to NENSA Zak Cup and Club Cup.

It was a fantastic day for skiing at the Caribou Bog Race in Orono, Maine, hosted by the Penobscot Valley Ski Club. Blue sky, lots of sun, and firm classic tracks made for a great experience. There were lots of smiles coming from the participants. This race was the 5th event in the NENSA Marathon Series. Racers had the option of skiing 10, 21, or 33km. With 70 entrants, this made the largest edition of the Caribou Bog Race in its modern form, with a healthy boost from outside the Bangor area.

The course has a great mix of single, double, and triple track sections, with gentle undulating uphills, fun downhills and a healthy portion of double pole terrain. The scenic woods trails wind through lands managed by the Orono Land Trust, including passing by many beautiful ponds, bogs, and a reintroductory Chestnut tree plantation. Despite the lack of abundant snow depth, the organizers put in a lot of hard work between trail surface upgrades in recent summers and lot of shoveling to insure the best snow depth possible, resulting in very good conditions!

The recently renovated lodge offered a clean and cosy post race experience. More than half of the field gathered for snacks, social time, and awards. Age group and Overall podium skiers were given Caribou Bog Post cards and some cool schwag from local retailers. After the awards, a slew of raffle items were doled out, including vests, alpine jackets, drink packs, rental vouchers, and racer director hot sauce! This event has a great vibe, fun skiing and it’s certainly one you want to experience. The Penobscot Valley Ski Club also hosts a freestyle version of the event including BKL races.

Results
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Staff Photos

Winter is in full swing. The busiest weekend on the NENSA calendar is coming right up! Whether you’re up for a guided tour, want to try Paintball Biathlon or some great low key racing opportunities nearby – there’s an option for you. These are wonderful events that you don’t want to miss! Click on the blue links below for more details.

MNC Skiathlon

The Mansfield Nordic Club is hosting their annual Skiathlon – where skiers switch from classic to freestyle skis mid-race. Included in the day’s event offerings and Back by Popular Demand: “What the Heck, I’ll Try It” 5km Freestyle (your choice of technique) as well as a slew of Bill Koch youth races. This race is part of the NENSA Zak Cup and Club Cup Series.

Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe

Carter’s XC Ski center is hosting a Moonlit guided tour. Learn about the history of the area, observe native plants and animal tracks, and discover more information about nordic skiing, outdoor recreation and more. After the guided tour there will a bonfire and snacks at various rates provided by a local chef. This is part of NENSA’s 2023-24 Community Tours & Events. If you are coming to Bethel for the Flying Moose, this a great way to loosen up after a long drive and share some great entertainment the evening before.

Flying Moose

This year marks the 33rd annual edition of the Flying Moose Classic.  This fun and exciting event starts at the Bethel Inn Resort and takes you through the rolling hills and forest lands of the Bethel Inn and Inland Woods + Trail’s in Bethel, Maine, providing you with a wonderful scenic adventure. Skiers can select from either the 12.5KM or 25KM course, also a 3km Sit-Ski & Middle School race and 1KM kids race that will take them over fun little obstacles and zig-zag pathways.  Awards and cookies to follow at ~12:30 p.m. with a special after party event at Carter’s XC Ski Center (12:00-5:00 p.m.). This race is part of the Part of the NENSA Marathon Series and scored to NENSA Zak Cup and Club Cup.

Dublin Winterfest: Ski Your Heart Out 

Dublin School’s winter carnival, called Winterfest, celebrates the middle of winter with a weekend of outdoor games and competitions.  This year, we are adding a NENSA Popular ski race to the calendar for the first time.  All ages and abilities welcome.  Race and play in the woods on our rolling Morton Trails-designed ski trails.  To celebrate Winterfest and Valentine’s Day, we will host a 10km freestyle open race and 2.5km BKL race.  Get ready to race your heart out! This race is part of the NENSA Zak Cup and Club Cup Series.

Gunstock Paintball Biathlon

The Gunstock Nordic Association is hosting their annual Valentine’s Paintball Biathlon race this weekend. This event is a big hit with skiers young and young at heart. If you’ve ever want to try biathlon, it’s a great way to get started. This event is part of NENSA’s Community Tours and Event Series. Check out the video from 2022 to get a sense for how it works.

Tour de Greensboro

The Tour de Greensboro is a non-competitive classic style ski tour event located in the beautiful town of Greensboro Vermont. The course is a 25 km single loop starting and ending at the Highland Lodge with a 15 km cutoff for those who prefer not to ski the entire distance. Participants will experience some of the best classic skiing in New England with spectacular views along the course incorporating the Greensboro Trail System and private trails that are graciously opened to the public only during this event. Registration has reopened with about 10 spots available – secure your today, they will go fast!

Para Nordic skiers were out in force at the Weston Ski Track last Saturday when U.S. Paralympics Nordic Ski Team coach BethAnn Chamberlain organized a skills development clinic in cooperation with Adaptive Sports New England and the Weston Ski Track.

On limited terrain but good conditions, skiers with a visual impairment were joined by standing skiers with a physical impairment and sit-skiers ranging in experience from first timers to seasoned veterans.  Coaches included Paralympic gold medalist Dan Cnossen, Paralympic bronze medalist Joe Walsh, U.S. Para Nordic national team member Heather Galeotelanza, Olympic biathlete Kristina Sabastianski, and a strong cadre of volunteers.  

Designed to be both fun and educational, the clinic was a huge success.  Skiers returned home with increased skill, confidence and contacts.  Chamberlain for her part, was excited about the outcomes and is looking forward to a second trip to New England in March to follow up with clinic participants and to meet more athletes interested in Para Nordic racing.  Athletes who have a physical disability or a visual impairment are encouraged to contact BethAnn or Joe Walsh at Adaptive Sports New England for more information.  Check out the NENSA Para Nordic Skiing page for more regional Para events this winter.