Justin Beckwith

As we bravely stride into 2021 we are fortunate for folks like Bob Haydock who are adapting to a Virtual world by creating competitive and fun-focused events.  The Bogburn motto has always been, “anyone who takes this race too seriously will be disqualified.”  In all, 86 participants from nine clubs took part in the event.  The event was scored to both the Zak Cup and the A Hall Mark of Excellence (Club Cup) standings.  Rankings here. Results here.  Keep reading below for a wonderful view into the mind’s eye of Damian Bolduc from NWVE about how he prepared and executed the 2021 Bogburn.

The Bogburn dates back to 1986 and has only been cancelled four times due to lack of snow.  As you can see from the above historical results there have been some impressive names on the leaderboard!  We look forward to next winter when we can hopefully travel to North Pomfret, Vermont and celebrate a set of tracks winding through the woods.

While in-person events are starting to happen across New England, many locally organized, there is a new season long Craftsbury Marathon Virtual Challenge that has recently been released.  You can find complete information about that here: https://www.craftsburymarathon.com/

Stay safe and keep skiing.

Virtual Bogburn 2021
by Damian Bolduc (interspersed with participant Strava maps)

The Bogburn has always had a little lore surrounding it. While there is not really a question in the mantra “Ski the Bogburn,” there are things that need to be answered. What is a Bogburn? Bob Haydock, the long-time director of the race, can eloquently answer that, but it never satisfies Why the Bogburn? Of course, once you have Bogburned, you most likely will have the answer ingrained in you as the name suits the experience so well, and you will keep coming back for more. After a night of restless contemplation of how to attack the Virtual Bogburn, I rose to the occasion a bit grumpy due to a lack of sleep.

Eric Tremble, NWVE – Craftsbury
Questions of what I should do for a course kept me awake. Should I find the longest downhill I can and go for time? Should I trespass and set a track for a warm-up and then ski the race? How equivalent to the traditional Bogburn should I be? Should I go over to Hazen’s Notch and ski the Ted Means course? Maybe climb Burnt Mountain, start at the top and use the runout on Route 58? Should I ski Dante’s Loop, away from spectators and everyone? Would all the mass I have added to my abs shock the SMS and GRP Teams? Will my uniform even fit this year?

I decided to go to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center and slug it out on the humanmade loop. So, the decision answers the question, What would the Bogburn be like if it were held on a course, I can ski rather than one I fight against? I know it is a copout, and perhaps I will try the Dante’s idea this weekend to make it more legit, but as I said, I spent a lot of energy overthinking it and ended up just wanting to get it over with. A Bogburn truism.

The course was the Craftsbury Manmade Outer Loop. I extended it as much as possible. I had a homologated course with bomb-proof tracks—a far cry from the usual. There were no water bars; my poles never punched through the ground up to my grip, the tracks never went into that ten-meter section where I am pretty sure it is just set mud after the earthen dam. Mud tracks are fine as long as they are not frozen. There were no hairpin turns, and there was no reason to thrash. It was a tame course designed and groomed by a team of perfectionists.

Elissa Bradley, Ford Sayre – Woodstock

So, my physical condition is not the usual as I have not even done 20% of my racing quota this past year. Only six running races. No December ski races. Only one, more challenging ski effort last Saturday. Thus, all the mass I have added in the off-season.

I started at the Yurt and went out on Lemon’s, taking the Ruthie’s Cut Off onto Screaming Mimi and cresting the hill at Coaches Corner into the dip into the lower field, up Teaching Hill, across the Upper Field, onto Round-a-bit to the Junction with Murphy’s, back to the old clubhouse between the Activity Center and Events building, down Teaching Hill back to the Yurt. To get to 13km and change, it was 6.5 laps of this finishing at the Coaches Corner. So, seven Screaming Mimi’s.

Carole Van Dyke, Stowe Nordic – Trapp Family Lodge

The conditions were excellent. Pistenbully 400 groomed, temps steady in the high 20’s, overcast with no wind. At the end of my warm-up, I inspected what SMS was using for kick. Some type of red, Rode WC -1-7, and some Oslo Violet. I was kicking fine on my Rode Multigrade Violet. I was using my trusty old RCS’s with whatever was on them from before as my base. This is another Bogburn Truism. Not your best skis, and not a lot of prep. I also make sure they are a little slick so as not to rip out the soft tracks (if there are any left) on the traditional course.

I did not feel great; I was compromising what I really wanted to do mentally and was fatigued by the abandoned grandiose ideas that kept me up most of the night. After a 2.5 lap warm-up, I stripped to my racing threads and the Bogburn magic began. While this loop pales in comparison with the Bogburn course, it is still demanding.

Justin Beckwith, Mad River Nordic – Catamount Trail

I got underway in my usual fashion and was launched into the racing zone. An easy start can do that. I kicked up Screaming Mimi fine and thought that this was not going to be too bad. I found the trouble spot on the loop to be the Upper Field to Round-a-bit. I guess getting the heart rate up on Mimi; then a brief recovery turned Teaching Hill into a kicker that launched me through the ceiling. Going into the double-pole hurt, and for yet another season, I was reminded I ought to work on that. Don’t worry; I won’t.

During my race, some GRP and SMS Men were doing different workouts. It was nice to have some speedy company. The coaches were out, so of course, I had to try to step it up a little under their critical eye, especially after Pepa’s presumption that the GRP would pass me at my pedestrian pace when skiing the weekend prior. At the Bogburn, I am familiar with being passed by someone wearing a bib number twenty-plus mine. Here my age was greater than twenty of theirs. We were all cordial, but there may have been some confusion about why I was dressed up in a racing suit and going for it with everything hanging out.

A Master’s practice was also taking place. World Master’s Medalists Trina Hosmer (Stowe Nordic) and Peter Harris (Craftsbury) were participating. So more familiar masked faces from the races were there. The Bogburn Magic continued as I checked my progress, thinking I must be close to done, only to find I was halfway. Just like in the real Bogburn! Do I really want to do this again!? I did. Heidi Caldwell cheered me as I trudged over the top of Screaming Mimi, recognizing I was up to something. I shouted, “Virtual Bogburn!” She kicked it up a notch with excitement – “nice, GO GET IT.” Mansfield Nordic’s Tom and Sheila Weaver gave encouragement at least once every lap. The racing mentality stuck through-and-through.

Cipperly Good, NWVE – Quarry Road Trails

So, while not the usual Bogburn, many of the event’s key aspects remained in place. The anticipation, the dread, the wax, and ski selection, trying not to get caught, the slow burn flaring into anaerobic despair on a course that will not give up, then starting the second half. The internal battle of mind over muscle and the encouragement out of the blue just when you need it most. So, to answer my question, “What would the Bogburn be like if it were held on a course, I can ski rather than one I fight against?” A blast getting a 13km PR!

There is virtually only one way to find out the answer to what the Bogburn can bring you this year – Ski the Bogburn!

The Quarry Road Eastern Cup Opener paints a realistic picture of what the races will look like for the majority of our 2021 season.  It’s a little quiet, safer than your local grocery, and a lot of fun!  Many thanks to Steve Fuller, Ian Tovell and Bill Harmeyer for creating this piece.  We will continue to document our major races and share the victories of every in-person event this season.  Read on to learn about NENSA’s December Challenge, Popular and Eastern Cup Racing opportunities.

Scheduling continues to be fluid as snowpack and regulations oscillate in the early winter.  With every event — big or small — we are gaining confidence and reaffirming that we have appropriate protocols in place to protect the health of both our NENSA family and communities we visit.  Virtual events or hybrid in-person / virtual events will continue to bring the community together and provide competitive opportunities regardless of the cards we are thrown.

December Club Cup Challenge

Last month we launched the December Club Kilometer Challenge #DCKC — 13 clubs mobilized and reported 60878.85 kilometers of skiing!!  Mansfield Nordic started a massive charge from the get go, leading the contest for most of the challenge, with consistent skiing, whether on snow or pavement.  Soon, Ford Sayre activated some 187 skiers to eclipse the Mansfield juggernaut and a back and forth battle ensued for the last week of the competition.  All this time the crafty and robust CSU / Eastern Mass Nordic squad was meticulously logging some serious K’s – backed up by fitness monitors.  It was the home based Christmas camp, typically held at Mount St. Anne, on the Weston patch, that led this team to the top of the Virtual Podium.  In all, 131 CSU / EMN skiers logged an average of 124 km / per skier over the four weeks.  Congrats to all our participants – you can see full DKCK results here – and updated A Hall Mark of Excellence (Club Cup) results here.  Our forever fashionable sponsor, SKIDA, has provided headbands for CSU/EMN, and they along with Ford Sayre and Mansfield Nordic scored valuable points toward the $9000 purse provided by Kathy and Marty Hall to spur Club Development.

We will continue to total kilometers skied throughout the season in Eastern, Zak and Club Cup racing.

Popular Racing 

Bogburn Virtual Edition:

It’s not too late to join Zak Cup stalwarts for the 2021 version of one of the most iconic races in New England.  The competition runs from January 3-9th and reminds us why we love skiing — sliding through the woods with two slippery planks.  As you plan your route don’t forget to keep the race motto of, “anyone who takes this race too seriously will be disqualified” and find some fun single track or off track skiing.  This is one of the first opportunities for all senior and master skiers to get some “points on the board.”  BKL entries have no cost.  Register on SkiReg and check the event Facebook site.

Ain’t Nothing But a Ski Race: 1/10

The newly branded Nonstop Nordic club in Maine is providing awesome opportunities for skiers of all ages and abilities to compete in the state of Maine.  Check out their website for more details. Ain’t Nothing But a Ski Race is the second of a seven event series.  Ain’t Nothing But a Ski Race will be held at Quarry Road Trails.  Bravo!  Prizes by Boulder Nordic East.

Celebrate Good Wax, Come on!: 1/16

Nonstop won’t stop.  The series visits Pineland Farms – the home of our NENSA offices – maybe our Operations Manager will take on his first ski race?

Freeman Frost – White Mountain Challenge: 1/23

Another staple race that is adapting to Covid times.  Jackson XC is excited to host an in-person 22km (marathon) event for those who can attend.  The organizing committee is also finalizing plans for a virtual component that will safely allow for One Day Club Championships continuity.  Overall Club Ranking will provide a “double score” to the A Hall Mark of Excellence (Club Cup).  The in-person event will have distances for M7+ and BKL skiers.

Gunstock Freestyle Zak Cup: 1/24

Gunstock has moved their event a week later to let Mother Nature (and some snowmaking love) give the best opportunity for an awesome race.  New Hampshire provides a unique opportunity for folks to get to an in-person event.  Registration is open.

I Wanna Ski with Somebody: 1/30

One more for good measure. Nonstop visits the Libby Hill Forest Trails in Gray, Maine.

Eastern Cup

The Rodrigues Cup – Vermont Cup #1: 1/16

Craftsbury is an invaluable partner and continues to do what ever it can to support the sport of cross country skiing.  Regulations have allowed for snow competitions to start in a restricted fashion for Vermont residents.  Please visit the event site for more details.  This race will replace the 1/2 event on the Junior Ranking List.  5/10/15k clasic interval start.  Again Bravo!

Prospect Mountain Vermont Cup #2: 1/23-24

NENSA is so excited to bring Eastern Cup to Prospect Mountain.  Race specifics will develop in the next week.
January 23: Classic sprint 1.2k
January 24: Classic interval 5k U16 / 10k men & women

Sugarloaf Eastern States Cup: 3/19-21

Due to current restrictions of intrastate competition in Maine, and the opportunity for a festive Championship Event in late winter, the Sugarloaf event has been moved into March.  Stay tuned for exciting updates of how many juniors might wrap their 2021 racing season.

All other Vermont and Eastern Cup events are set to move forward — stay tuned to NENSA updates.  The calendar will be updated here.

Bib and Chip

We’ve re-opened a third window for “Bib and Chips” as we are confident we will be able to host Eastern and State Cup events.  This window is open until January 31st — if you plan to race in these events please register or contact us.  Bullitt Timing will be reaching out to larger clubs for mailings or you might receive your bib/chip/schwag bag at the first event you attend.

Pending U.S. Ski & Snowboard Memberships

If you registered for a U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership this year please make sure you are marked as “Current.”  Those with “Pending” memberships will jeopardize their ability to participate in sanctioned events.

Thank you all — see you on the trails.

We’re less than a week to the first day of winter, and despite challenges, there are options for skiing — not to mention a nice little Nor’easter is about to clip much of New England!  Please be safe out there folks – stay local – and help us maintain the health of not just our skiers, but all the communities we visit.  If you feel off – DON’T GO.

Quarry Road Opener

The amazing crew at Quarry Road Trails and Ski Club pulled off another successful Opener – with races for all age groups spread responsibly throughout the day.  There were 99 registered racers – who navigated health screens and did a great job abiding by mask mandates (a 2020 reality).  The Opener also kicked off our Zak Cup competition, providing the first on-snow-in-person event for the the 2021 season.  Check out flyingpointroad for stellar photos of the event.

Zak and Club Cup

Zak and Club scoring look a little different this year with accommodations to provide competitive experiences for all, with a focus on getting clubs active throughout the season.   Zak Cup rankings have been updated for the first time this season and we have some clubs really getting after it in the December Club KM Challenge.  We’re recording overall kilometers skied throughout all the events that will score for the overall Club Champions – incentivized by the A Hall Mark of Excellence award money.  We’re about to break 10,000 kilometers halfway through December.  There are a smaller number of events this season due to COVID complications – so get planning and figure out how you will make your mark.  Popular Race Calendar.

Stay tuned for updates on the Jackson Jaunt – which now has both a 5km and 10km option with added demand for races from junior competitors.  Registration for the Virtual Bogburn will open on December 21.

Eastern Cup Opener at Quarry Road Trails

Quarry Road is all in for this weekend’s Eastern Cup Opener.  Now branded as a “Maine Cup,” this event is only open to Maine residents to abide by State Guidelines.  All competitors who have registered for Bibs and Chips and will be attending this race will receive their Bibs and Chips at the event.  Due to the reduced numbers of competitors 30 spots have been opened for junior skiers who do not hold U.S. Ski & Snowboard licenses – these competitors will race after the NRL skiers, receive temporary bibs and chips, and be listed on the NENSA Junior Ranking List.  Again safety is paramount – please take extra care to read all pre-event emails – and respond to your Health Screen promptly.

December Club KM Challenge:

There are currently eleven clubs participating in the DCKC — logging nearly 8000km to date, or roughly 500km per day.  As a reminder you can reach out to the Competitive Program Director directly to share club activity or update your data on the #DCKC form here.  There are likely many kilometers that haven’t been recorded or submitted – there’s no cost to NENSA clubs – and $9000 of reward for the top three clubs over the course of the season.  Get out and enjoy the upcoming snow and join in the fun!

All photos @flyingpoint

NENSA introduces Kathy Maddock, Dublin XC and Justin Fereshetian, Quarry Road Trails as your 2019-2020 Coaches of the Year.  These two role models were integral in the development of their clubs — which are now strongholds of the East.  Maddock joined forces with the Dublin School Nordic Center, which opened in 2014, to create robust programming that spans BKL, Juniors and masters skiers.  Fereshetian was named the Program Director and Head Nordic Coach for the City of Waterville at Quarry Road Trails last year where he heads year round programming.

Kathy Maddock is a veteran of the New England ski community, as an athlete and a coach, and in recent years she has helped grow Dublin XC and the Dublin School to become, “one of the strongest youth programs in New England.”  Kathy not only supports her home club, but has been a key coach at U.S. Ski & Snowboard Regional Elite Group (REG) camps for many years running.

Kathy’s racing career began in Massachusetts where she was the first High School Girls Nordic Ski Champion.  She continued skiing at Dartmouth College, and went on to race for the US Ski Team — competing in multiple World Cup competitions.

“Skiing fast, whether it’s flying down a hill, accelerating out of a corner, or double-poling to a finish-line is one of the best feelings there is. I coach so that I can help others find–and fall in love with–that feeling.” KM

Kathy’s coached juniors at Souhegan High School, Stratton Mountain School, and with previous programs in Dublin.  She’s been a part of Junior National Coaching squads and led New Hampshire Team’s at U16 and Eastern High School Championships.  Not only is she a U.S. Ski & Snowboard L100/L200 certified coach, she’s helped instruct many New Hampshire coaches to gain their certifications.

“If I had to describe Kathy Maddock’s coaching style I would say she makes skiers faster with laughter! Her athletes simply love going to practice and Kathy knows how to create a team culture where everyone enjoys skiing with one another. While racing and training are important to Kathy I think I am most impressed with her ability to show young people the joy that skiing can bring to their lives. Her leadership, enthusiasm, and passion for the sport of cross country skiing can be felt throughout the New Hampshire skiing community. Congratulations to Kathy on this well-deserved honor!”  Brad Bates, Head of School, Dublin School

“Over the past ten years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be mentored by Kathy both as an athlete and as a coach. Throughout this time, she has continuously met me where I am, but has quietly demanded excellence — first athletically, and now in coaching. Her coaching style, built on knowing each athlete as an individual and building rapport from there, is what I have tried to emulate in my first few years coaching. Kathy’s efforts to unite the southern NH and Massachusetts ski communities demonstrates the incredible impact that collaboration can have in providing high level coaching to our athletes.”  Cate Brams, U20/U18 Girls Coach, Eastern Mass Nordic (the “new” CSU)

Justin Fereshetian took the reins as the Program Director and Head Nordic Coach for the City of Waterville at Quarry Road Trails in 2019.  He hit the ground running with big dreams for the the historic Quarry Road site along the Messalonskee Stream — first developed in the 1930’s.  The trails, bolstered by the support of the City of Waterville and an amazing group of volunteers developed a new vision of outdoor recreation in 2007.

“I am really excited about the coaching piece of the job. It’s a passion of mine,” Fereshetian said. “I am also looking forward to the programming because there’s a lot of really cool things happening here at this venue, and it’s awesome to have a part in what is going on to help it progress to the next level.” JF

Fereshetian’s initiation to coaching and leadership began at the Outdoor Sport Institute in Caribou, where he served as the Nordic Development Director / Head Coach and Initiative Coordinator.  During this time Justin served as a Wax Tech for Team New England at Junior Nationals in Lake Placid, NY.  This summer he created  a workout for Virtual REG Camp and led a coaching group in the program that reached over 100 New England athletes.  During his young career he has helped train 17 athletes who have qualified for the New England Junior National Team including the first Quarry Road Trails athlete this winter.

At Quarry Road Justin wears many hats, including trail maintenance, staffing, snowmaking and event management.  Last winter the boundless enthusiasm of Justin and his crew allowed for the shift of the Eastern Cup Opener from Sugarloaf to Quarry Road on the drop of a hat.  They had done their work and made snow in every possible temperature window for the past month — and despite unforgiving weather were able to create a track of the highest quality.  They also built in some terrain, in the form of two large rollers directly in front of the timing house — creating a visible “new school” feel to cross country skiing. It created too many smiles to count.

Fereshetian attended the University of Maine at Presque Isle, receiving a degree in physical education.  He was a standout runner and cross country skier who competed at Junior and Senior Nationals, the EISA circuit and NCAA’s.  Like Maddock he is an active coach, who trains alongside his athletes and has the ability to jump into competitions when the moment arrises.

“The remarkable thing about Justin is his versatility, he is just as comfortable teaching elite skiers as beginners, he is extremely patient and listens carefully to each person because he is vested in their progress and success. He is a firm advocate for his athletes making sure that they are being treated fairly and their safety and well-being are the prime considerations.” Ole Amundsen, parent and Quarry Road Trails

“I’m so happy to hear that Justin has been chosen for this award! He puts in a lot of hours outside of his regular workday that exceeds expectations!  He supported me throughout the season for the Eastern Cup races last year by doing an amazing job waxing my skis … Sometimes he would just know that I was nervous without me saying anything and would give me some really great advice on how to have the best race possible, which helped me feel more prepared for the race.  I been working with him since this spring and thanks to his training plan and amazing feedback, I can see and feel myself getting stronger and faster. He also makes practices fun by incorporating sprint simulations into our workouts or doing agility courses that make me go out of my comfort zone.” Emma Charles, Quarry Road Ski Club

We congratulate both of these terrific human beings and coaches — can’t wait to see them out on the trails, having fun and no doubt instilling the love of skiing into countless new skiers.  We are so fortunate to have such a strong skiing culture in New England.  Kathy and Justin are shining examples of who we strive to be.

As anticipated, our racing calendar is, and needs to remain fluid – increased COVID case numbers and health care stress throughout New England reinforces NENSA’s paramount focus to protect the health of our membership and the communities we reside in.

While there will be undeniable disappointment with some decisions, we can all take solace in the creative programming available for the next month and a half — find motivation in cooling temps, a start of a snow-base, and the addition of regional on-snow racing!  Cross country skiers are leaders – we must all be vigilant and do our part over the coming weeks “to abide” above our regional guidelines.  We’ve laid down some brilliant plans and protocols, including the New England Cross Country Promise – now is the time to stay focussed on adherence to exemplary behavior – which includes a reduction in our personal travels.  To steal a phrase from Killington Mountain, “Help us get Open, and stay Open.”  We’re all in this together.

Eastern Cup & States Cups:

NENSA is committed to holding all of our events to the highest health standards, and Maine is currently under guidance to host events without cross-state participation.  Quarry Road Trails and Sugarloaf will move forward with their scheduled races, December 20th (QR) and January 23-24th (Sugarloaf) — for residents of Maine only.  These races will be rebranded as “Maine Cups” and scored to the Junior Ranking List.  All registered out-of-state racers will be refunded entry fees in full.  Due to this limit on attendance, both Quarry Road and Sugarloaf might be able to offer more opportunity for open registrants and masters.  Registration for Sugarloaf will open in January.

In Vermont we will likely see limited shift in regulation until after the New Year.  NENSA is working with Craftsbury and Prospect Mountain (our listed January events) and will update the status of these races as guidance comes from the state — potential postponement dates are likely to be announced.

Our February events are still scheduled as planned and we will continue to monitor regional regulations and update the community.

Eastern Mass Nordic is in the beginning stages of developing “State Cup” racing in Massachusetts.

NENSA is committed to providing race experiences for our developing skiers and we will focus on “State Cup” events and scoring those races to the Junior Ranking List.  We are optimistic the end of the winter will allow for more opportunities and races similar to a typical Eastern Cup.  We thank you all for your continued resilience and point you towards local opportunities including Popular Racing.

Popular Racing – Zak Cup / Club Cup / A Hall Mark of Excellence:

The Popular Race calendar and Zak / Club Cup scoring pages for 2020-2021 have been updated.  While these events have typically been focussed on the masters population they now have added value to all levels of skiers in the pandemic climate — these scheduled races give “race start” opportunities and help promote the guidance of staying close to home.  Some events will be offered that are only Virtual, some will be duel (in-person / Virtual), and some might be forced to become Virtual.

The December Club KM Challenge is off to a strong start – with Mansfield Nordic already logging 2000km since the beginning of the month.  It’s not too late join in the fun and there is financial incentive this year to show the strength of your club with the – A Hall Mark of Excellence Award – offering $9000 of incentives for the three top Club Cup teams.

This weekend brings us the first Zak Cup race at the Quarry Road Trails – albeit limited to Maine residents.

Jackson XC is excited and planning to host the Jackson Jaunt on December 27th — this could be an excellent opportunity for juniors who were planning to attend the Quarry Road Eastern Cup.  As with all races – please register early – it is so important to the organizers to be able to plan and provide for safe events!

Bob Haydock has created an elaborate and well-vetted Virtual version of the iconic Bogburn Classic.  This race gives all of our masters and club participants an opportunity to compete and engage with their peers throughout the region and beyond.  Stay tuned – registration is slated to open on the 21st.

The Popular Race schedule has robust offerings into late January, February and March — you know we will keep you posted!  In the meantime — enjoy the building snowpack in your backyard, your local touring centers, and as you head out for organized events — be safe and have fun!!

We are all eagerly awaiting the beginning of the race season and doing snow dances.  Unfortunately, due to current Vermont Guidance the opening Vermont Cup has been removed from the calendar.  Quarry Road has gotten a jump start on their snowmaking and is optimistic to host their Opener on December 6th (popular race only / no chips) and the Eastern Cup Opener on December 20th.  Registration for the Eastern Cup Opener will go live tomorrow.  Registration for later Eastern and Vermont Cups will be moved closer to race dates so we have the most up to date information before opening.

We ask that all competitors who intend to race at the Quarry Road Eastern Cup Opener register to purchase their bib and rent their chip by tomorrow’s 5pm deadline.  You can do that here.  Please also take the time to thoughtfully make your season long race intents in the custom questions — this is very helpful for planning and creating safe event schedules.  We will email a list of bibs and chips that will be sent in bulk to larger clubs shortly after registration closes (to all that registered) — the remainder will be picked up at the race site on the date of the competition.  Bib and chip assignments will be listed at: https://www.bullitttiming.com/events/NENSA-bib-chip

We will also reopen bib purchase and chip rental for a second session — from December 2nd through December 31st — for Vermonters and those who might have missed the current window.  There is no penalty for waiting until the second registration if you do not intend to race at Quarry Road.

Thank you all for your patience and resilience in these unprecedented times — NENSA will continue to make every effort to make safe competitions available throughout the season and we can’t wait to see you out on the tracks.

While we don’t know what the beginning of this season is going to look like NENSA is working hard to try and keep our population enthused, excited to ski, and provide some incentives for your clubs to work together as a team!  We’ll be unrolling our Popular race schedule next week – which will include Virtual Events so people can participate in BKL, Club and Zak Cup racing regardless of where they live.  Our Club Cup rankings have taken on new meaning this season with the gracious support of Marty and Kathy Hall – with a carrot of $5000 going to the top ranked club at the end of the year, $3000 to the second place club and $1000 to the 3rd place club/school.  This ranking will be based on rollerski races we hosted, Eastern and Vermont Cup races, and the Popular Race calendar (which will include Virtual events).

To kick us off and get teams together we created the December Club KM Challenge – it’s designed to be simple and driven by the leaders and coaches of our awesome NENSA clubs.

December Club KM Challenge  #DCKC

Join NENSA clubs of all walks for an inclusive kilometer logging challenge.

Club points will be awarded to 2021 Club Cup rankings – A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.

The team with the most kilometers skied (or rollerskied) will net 300 points, 2nd – 200, 3rd – 100, 95, 90, 85…

REGISTER HERE

The goals of the Challenge are to:
– Bring some certainty to the beginning of the season.
– Unite teams and clubs that might be physically separated during this period.
– Log some of your first kilometers of the year.
– Get clubs psyched to ski and boost club participation.

How it will work:
– NENSA coaches or club leaders register their team / club on SkiReg
– Challenge runs from December 1 to midnight December 31
– Clubs are encouraged to report kilometers weekly:  add photos / videos and share notable moments – impressive skis, beautiful scenery.
– No cost for NENSA clubs.

What do you get:
– Winning club will get #25in20 branded Skida headbands (until our supply runs out)
– Clubs score points toward the yearlong A Hall Mark of Excellence Award  of  $5000 1st place, $3000 2nd place and $1000 for the 3rd place club/school.
– Get stoked and fit for the 2021 Season
– Add your club’s kilometers to our season long goal of logging 250,000 K as a community!!

49 Pineland Drive, New Gloucester, Maine 04260 | (207)688-6503 | Fax: (207) 688-6505

While we are living in such a dynamic time – especially with the current regulations in Vermont – NENSA is here to bring us together and #getskiing

Our @tokous Marathon Challenger hats arrived with NENSA “25 in 20” branded labels yesterday – last year we had a record of 24 folks who completed the challenge.  They will look sharp heading into 2021!!

Look forward to an update about Popular Racing next week – and the announcement this Friday of a December Challenge designed to give clubs and teams the opportunity to “ski together” even if they aren’t physically together.

These beautiful #wasatchhats are shipping today – see you out there.

– NENSA Staff

#25in20 #letsgetskiing #letitsnow

In 2014 NENSA began the tradition of honoring the top ranked male and female Eastern Cup skiers with the Gallagher Award.  NENSA is pleased to announce that Abigail Streinz (Fort Kent Outdoor Center) and Will Koch (University of Colorado) are the 2020 Eastern Cup Champions – their inspired efforts are a perfect way to celebrate Mike Gallagher’s legacy as an athlete, coach, and community leader.  The two skiers who win this award each year do so by being consistently dominant in New England’s premier race series (winners are determined by the lowest average points from seven of the nine EC events).

This year’s winners are both soft spoken leaders among their peers — and exhibit the grit and creativity needed to be successful in the sport of cross country skiing.  Whether they are “taking full advantage of the weather and landscapes available .. in the boonies of northern Maine” or developing “50km over distance workouts on a unicycle or “inventing” a three hour strength in the gym,” Streinz and Koch march to their own beat.

Abbee skied last season with the Craftsbury junior squad where she was a consistent top-ten skier and had two podium finishes.  In her two races at Junior Nationals in Truckee, California she placed second in the U20 sprint and sixth in the individual classic.

“Abbee is a super hard-working skier who finds the motivation to do a whole lot of training all on her own.  She’s straight up tough, totally unafraid to do the hard work in gnarly conditions, and doesn’t shy away from training her weaknesses. One of my favorite things about Abbee is that she’s incredibly humble, too—you’d never know that she’s a ripping fast skier just by talking to her. Abbee’s also awesome at stepping up and doing the not-super-fun tasks on team trips, like making dinner, doing the dishes, and generally making sure that the team can keep functioning. It goes along with her “get it done” mentality. It’s great to see her earn the Gallagher Award!”  Anna Schulz, Craftsbury

Will Koch who hails from the Stratton Mountain School program was a stalwart competitor on the Eastern Cup circuit for four years.  This season he found himself on the podium five times including three victories.  The highlight of his young career to date came at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and Valle de Joux in Switzerland where he earned a bronze medal in the 10K classic last January.  Will also went on to win the classic race at Junior Nationals and place second in the sprint.

This spring NENSA had a fun interview with Will and Andrew Newell.

“I only had the pleasure of working with Will for one year, but his work ethic, attention to detail, and respect for his teammates impressed me.”  Alex Jospe

“As a coach, it has been rewarding to see Will’s development as a young athlete throughout the years. From the early days as a winter term student coming out and chasing around the senior T2 Athletes on roller skis and snow, to now coming into his own as one of our countries top junior’s, Will’s development has been his based on his strong work ethic, creativity and playfulness. He is there hammering hard with our group on interval days, but equally at home on a 7 hour adventure run across the Green Mountain Forest. His holistic and mature approach to training and skiing is something all New England Junior athletes should aspire to. You have to do the hard work, but you need to love and enjoy the process to make it in this sport!” Patrick O’Brien

“What sticks out most to me with Will is that he is a student of the sport. He doesn’t want to just know what to so, he wants to know why. When you know why, you can take ownership of what you are doing.” Sverre Caldwell

Will joined the University of Colorado Buffalo’s this fall.

We congratulate these skiers and thank them for reminding us of Mike Gallagher’s competitive spirit.  Mike was a three-time Olympic cross-country skier and the Head Coach of the US Ski Team from 1980-86.  You can read more about Gallagher here on fasterskier.com

NENSA is following the recent developments with Vermont, Maine and other New England state regulation changes and as always we are committed to the health of our communities first and foremost. We’ve been diligent with our planning as we knew setbacks could arise. Please know that we are committed to hosting Vermont and Eastern Cup racing that is compliant and safe.

The Craftsbury Vermont Cup Opener on December 19th cannot be hosted under current Vermont Health Guidelines.  Vermont will reassess this Emergency order on December 15th.  If we do not receive updated guidance allowing us to host in-person this event will be cancelled, however we are optimistic we will be able to host Vermont races later this winter as scheduled, and if need be in accordance with our Covid Contingency plans.

Quarry Road is preparing to host an Opener Race on December 6th as well as the Eastern Cup Opener on December 20th.  They like many touring centers across the East have turned on their snowmaking guns to take advantage of this cold weather window.

Registration for all Vermont and Eastern Cup racing will open on December 1st.

One of the cornerstones of our Covid Protocols is the use of a single bib and chip for the season.  This program allows venues to have limited bib pickup and reduced volunteer staff, as well as helping with potential race attendance and Health Screening.  As expected regulations are forcing us to be nimble – if you intend on racing in December please register before the end of the month.  We will reopen a second wave of registration December 2 – 31 to allow for those unsure of there plans.  Please note that during registration you will be asked your “race intents” – please check the events you intend to attend.  There is no added cost or commitment to the event, but is very helpful to anticipate and if needed be limit the number of competitors at the event.

Keep safe, keep skiing.