Justin Beckwith

Last weekend over 500 citizen racers competed around New England in four different events.  Two of the events the 350.org Race for the Snow and the Geschmossel were a part of the 2020 Zak and Club Cup.  Ford Sayre also hosted the Silver Fox Trot at Rikert (write up in preceding Breaking News post) and Craftsbury hosted an informal Team Sprint.  All the events attracted nearly or over 100 competitors and the Silver Fox topped out with over 200!  One thing all the events had in common was a great community vibe – while there is certainly Olympic talent in every race there are also new faces and learning experiences taking place.  NENSA is thrilled to see the concept of Popular Racing taking hold and we look forward to the meat of the season coming right up!

Speaking of NENSA racers, our masters, seniors and Club Cup skiers are filling the ranking lists and stirring up friendly competition.  Over 150 skiers are listed on our rankings pages representing 40+ clubs.   With so many races to chose from the competition will be close all winter.  If you have never been a member, you can “Get Skiing” and join for your first year of racing or renew your old membership – lots of folks are doing it!

This weekend we have two Zak / Club events on the calendar – with a mass start freestyle race at the conclusion of the Lost Nation Cup in Craftsbury Saturday and the Freeman Frost White Mountain Marathon Sunday.  Both events are likely to draw nice fields -pick your challenge: freestyle, classic or ironperson (do ’em both)!  Don’t forget there is another fun option too – including an adult field – down at Mountain Top for their 15th annual Paintball Biathlon Race!

Now sit back and read a nice recap from the Geschmossel – cold snow, kick wax and clear skis – something we can all get used to…

It was a fantastic day to be skiing, and the NENSA Popular Race Series is taking off.  It is great to see so many people jumping into the races, whether for the first time or for the first time in a while.   The Geschmossel field was double what it was last year!

“Oh, what a difference a week can make!  After last weekend’s no holds barred Bogburn bash held in balmy weather on a deteriorating course, the NENSA Series Racing returned with the more refined Geschmossel.  There was a huge turnout for the 47th Annual Geschmossel held in what many considered perfect classic conditions.  While the meaning of Geschmossel, according to Frank Feist (CSU), is far from refinement, it is what we have come to expect when Mount Washington Nordic is our host.

Upon our early arrival, it seemed we were late.  Even though we beat our arrival time by 10 minutes and rolled into the parking lot at 9:20, a majority of the racers were already hustling around getting things in place for the race.  It is around this time of the season that excitement in the series takes hold. The Geschmossel sometimes serves as a bit of a reprieve from die-hard racing, as mostly Masters gather for a race that is a little different for the folks that have to go back to work on Tuesday, but this year that would not be the case.  NWVE took an early lead in the club series, and CSU is sure to have smashed that to pieces with their home Race For Snow, on Sunday, and other clubs are seizing on getting their members out in force.  The series is shaping up, and the plotline is a little different this year.

We set about testing our wax options — lots of greens to choose from as well as a couple of blues.  The packed cold powder and forgiving course made waxing a matter of subjectivity depending on how “toothy” you wanted your wax.  We found ToKo Mint, and Rode Green to be the speediest, with Guru Green offering a little more kick but still quite fast.  VR30 and VR40 delivered very positive kick as well, but going that warm was not necessary.  Rode Alaska was chosen to offer a speed shell over the wax of choice, though it was not tested before the start, and probably improved speed in theory only.  Sometimes that is all it takes anyway.

The race was held on a closed course this year, which involved doing laps.  We started on the driving range behind the Nordic Center and after a hairpin turn and dramatic reduction in lanes headed out Perimeter.  The loop we did twice was up Sebosis and down Dark Forest.  There was a lot of double poling, and most of the inclines were of a gentle grade. The snow was fresh-packed powder, and the course had great coverage thanks to a foot of new snow over the weekend.  It was amazing skiing and hard to believe that less than a week before, there were 0 kilometers open at this venue.  Due to the course being closed, the NWVE Fan Club was re-routed the long way around, which was a beautiful ski but was such a long way that they missed most of the field.  NWVE brought along a photographer for this one too, but they slept through the race.

With ten minutes to go, racers gathered and reluctantly stripped to their race suits in the cold and windy conditions.  The temperature hovered around 10-degrees for the race.  We picked our spots on the start and reminisced about races past.  Race Director Veronica Fernandez gave some quick instructions, NENSA’s Executive Director Amie Smith, used her magic watch to provide us with a minute, then a 30-second warning, and before we knew it we were on course!

Considering the size of the field and the tight corner, racing got underway with a clean start.  After looping around the driving-range, racers started to spread out down the long flat stretch of Perimeter to the loop.  It is flat starts like these that often remind many that they should be working on double poling in the offseason, though the thought of it is never appealing.  I comforted myself with thinking that all the canoeing I do counts as many people went by me.  The race leaders quickly established themselves.  Sam Evans-Brown (Concord) went out aggressively, Chris Burnham (NWVE), Adam Terko (MNC), and Tyler Magnan (NWVE) tried to match the pace as best they could.  A chase group was close behind and included Eric Tremble (NWVE), Eric Darling (NWVE), Nate Laber (MNC) John Sakalowsky (CSU).

Dennis Page (Nansen) and Michael Millar (MNC) were too far back in the field to make the breaks and took the helm of the main field.  As the gentle climbing began, a few changes in the order took place; the most significant was Chris Burnham taking advantage of his aggressive kick to drop Adam Terko, who opted to try the double pole thing on this course.  As the field took shape, small gaps opened up, and smaller packs formed.

On a fast course, gaps are hard to close, and it is typical for the race field to spread out with 3-4 second breaks appearing insurmountable.  Bryce Wing (Ford Sayre) valiantly tried to keep pace with Eli Gallaudet (CSU), Ari Ofsevit (CSU), and Rob Bradlee (Wide Meadow).  Drafting Bryce was Kathy Maddock (Dublin), Stephen Wright (NWVE), and me hanging on with all I had after the start but happy to be able to stride a little.   Andy Milne (CSU) and Ed Hamilton (NWVE) raced stride for stride as they have since their BKL days pulling a long train with the likes of Charlie Gunn (Black Water), Nat Lucy (Unattached), Alex Jospe (SMS/CSU) and Peter Harris (Craftsbury).  With Kathy near the very front of the field, a contingent of many of the top women formed around Alex.  Sara Falconer (MNC) Erin Waters (Concord), JoAnn Hanowski (MNC), and Grace Castonguay (Kennett) were a great representation of the deep talent in the women’s field. NWVE’s Kyle Darling and Sarah Pribram were keeping pace with Jim Fredericks (MNC) as Robert Faltus (CSU) stalked carefully behind.  NWVE’s Liz Hollenbach and Jonathan Rodd also paired up racing with Bethel Outing’s Ian Blair.

A little further back was the Trina Train.  The effect returned yet again as racers surrounded Stowe Nordic’s, Trina Hosmer.  This time it had the familiar faces of Jessica Bolduc (NWVE), John Lazenby (Onion River), Jonathan Chaffee (Ford Sayre), as well as a rare weekend race appearance by Steve Messier (Unattached).  Do not underestimate the tactics of the phenomenon that often surrounds Trina in a race.  She knows what is going on (people do not want to get “Trina’d,”) and has a reputation to maintain.  While you may get think you can get an advantage, she is tenacious, and we are merely the fodder that fuels her quest for the grander goal of Nordic World Masters Gold.  Oblivious to the cutthroat racing tactics at play within this pack, as it is Trina holding her own against everyone else, Executive Director Amie was enthusiastically bestowing personalized accolades just as Jessica was dropping the F-Bomb not realizing it was Trina squeezing her off course in the lap area.  “Finishing races is important, but racing is more important” (Dale Earnhardt).  Perry Bland (NWVE) had a lot of friendlier company skiing with Melissa Manning (NWVE) and John Witmer (NWVE) as well as Christopher Naimie (Bow Nordic) and Gordan Scannell (Schussverein).  They picked up the remnants of the Trina Train aftermath and invited them to ski in a friendlier pack.

Cipperly Good (NWVE) joined us for this one and found herself racing with some of the large contingent of women that MNC brought to the race.  Cipperly skied with Renate Adamowicz (MNC), Ellie Bouffard (MNC), Karen Allence (MNC), and the much humbler David Hosmer (Stowe Nordic). Though he has been known to brag about the number of Nordic Masters Medals won between him and Trina.   Cipperly was slightly disappointed that she had quite a bit left in the tank upon finishing but was happy with the excellent conditions and connected with her parents to extend her ski after the race.  Sara Mae and Larry Berman (CSU) returned to the club series action exclaiming great satisfaction with the wonderful conditions as they cruised to victories in their respective categories.

As the race played out, the action got more exciting during the final kilometers.  Sam Evans-Brown was uncatchable.  Chris Burnham’s move on Adam Terko was effective, but on the home stretch, Adam was closing quickly.  Nate Labor broke from the chase group with Theodore Mollano (Hopkinton) and challenged Tyler Magnan, though Tyler held them off at the line.  Eric T. and Eric D. found themselves in a sprint with Eric T. taking it by a second, thankful he put the Rode Alaska speed shell on his skis just before the start.  I put a gap on Stephen and Kathy, having some fast skis, and a little more pop on the steep uphill. It was enough to hold them off as they closed on the final stretch. Bryce faded after his aggressive start, and Nat Lucy broke though the pack to overtake him.  Ed dropped Andy going with the break that Nat made along with Charlie Gunn.  Alex held off a few Senior Women, and JoAnn stayed right on their tails.  Kyle powered away from Sarah, trying to close on Jim, who held his advantage to the finish.  Liz was able to overtake Jonathan, though Jonathan was breaking in a new pair of poles to replace the one broken at the Bogburn.  Even though things got testy between Trina and Jessica on course, they were cordial at the finish with Jessica offering some of her signature ginger molasses cookies.  Jessica rebounded from the deep powder and overtook Trina on the gradual climbs up Sebosis never looking back.  Perry raced conservatively but was pleased with his result.  Melissa, John, and Chris were also quite happy as they enjoyed the ideal classic skiing conditions.  Cipperly was happy with the day, and plotting for not only next weekend, but next year too.

A brief awards ceremony was held quickly after the race for the overall winners, and the rest of the field enjoyed eating medallion sugar cookies and drinking warm beverages.  Spirits were high with many smiles for those who had just Geschmosseled Bretton Woods style.  Many headed back out to ski more of the picturesque trails while others made their way home.  It was a fantastic day to be skiing, and the NENSA Popular Race Series is taking off.  It is great to see so many people jumping into the races, whether for the first time or for the first time in a while.   The Geschmossel field was double what it was last year!”

Damian Bolduc is a prize winning sports writer from the Northwest Vermont Endurance and the Chair of the NENSA Masters Committee – read more from Damian by clicking the link above.

For many in Central New England Saturday morning started with a gray dawn — the beginning of a second meltdown of a so-far-mostly-forgettable snowpack of a winter — but as one climbed and twisted their way into the hills of Pomfret, Vermont they found a surreal sight.  Perfectly placed amidst deep snow, full snowbanks, and just enough parking spots – a ski race was being staged that had the atmosphere of a familial afternoon cookout.  Bob Haydock’s trails have always greeted skiers of all ages — 228 this year to be exact — with rolling and challenging single track terrain.  The timing of the event could not have been better for the 2020 edition, with ample snow to ski on throughout the day, yet unseasonably warm weather that had many racing in short sleeves or even shorts.  A mere twelve hours later and the event would not have been possible.

Before we recap the racing action at the Bogburn – we want to introduce this weekends upcoming citizen racing options under the perhaps the most aptly titled event of the weekend – the “Race for Snow.”  For the fourth year in a row, Madeline Kitch and her high school friends in Boston have led this ski race to draw attention to climate change – this year’s addition drew the attention of Bill McKibben.  Listen to a thoughtful message from McKibben here.

There are two Zak and Club Cup events including Sunday’s – 350.org Race for Snow in Boston – and Monday’s 47th Annual Geschmossel Classic at Bretton Woods – both of these races need a positive report on Thursday to pull off the events (stay tuned).  Don’t be discouraged – every effort will be made to host these races.  There are also two alternate events on man made loops,  the Silver Fox Trot hosted by the Rikert Nordic Center Saturday and Craftsbury Team Sprints on Sunday.  Have no fear – you will have the opportunity to ski!

While the weather and snowpack hasn’t been predictable the depth and resilience of New England’s skiers is unmatched.  The Bogburn brought together skiers from big clubs and small clubs alike — with a morning filled with Bill Koch races, from first time racers to spandex clad chargers.  In fact the numbers for Bill Koch skiers have been at a record high for the last two years and that is a great sign for our community.  The afternoon was filled with well over a hundred adults striding around the trails.  With temperatures hovering around 5o degrees racers were testing sticky klister combinations, zeros or even skin skis – all yielding similar results with a singular glazed track around most of the course and sticky, easier to grip snow on the sides of the trail.  Skiers had to be patient with their kick and smart about how they poled as there were small holes and punchy sections — for some of the late starters a few corners had broken fragments of pole as added obstacles.

Pictures of the Senior / Masters Race by Jamie Doucett.
Pictures of the BKL Race by Jamie Doucett.

Dartmouth skiers, Molly Gellert and Cameron Wolfe, set the pace of the day in the women’s and men’s races completing the 13km course in 50:38 and 45:11 respectively.  Emily Stitt a former Middlebury Panther and Luke Costley a former Williams Eph set the pace for the Seniors (23-29 years of age) – this is the newest class we are recognizing in Zak Cup scoring for 2020.  It’s great to see talented skiers continuing to train and compete or balance some competition with giving back and coaching with local clubs – the seniors are the masters of the future!

Speaking of masters, it was a star studded field with Adam Terko (Mansfield) M1 and Neal Graves (Stowe) M2 taking spots in the top-10 overall.  There were men in every age category from M1-M8, but it was senior skier, Chris Burnham of NWVE, who now has three races and stands atop the Zak overall rankings.  The women’s race had skiers from the M2 – M6 age groups with a powerful masters trio of Kathy Maddock (Dublin XC), Elissa Bradley (Ford Sayre) and Sara Graves (Stowe) taking the top-3 spots on the day.  Sara Graves who is now one of two women with three starts takes over the overall Zak lead from senior skier Anna Bizyukova of UVM.

Although there was strong representation by Dartmouth, Ford Sayre and Mansfield Nordic – NWVE continues to surge to the front of the Club Cup scoring starting of 2020 just how they left of 2019.  You can check out complete Zak and Club Cup rankings here.

So the only real question is where are you skiing this weekend?!

This March a staff of fourteen will lead the 2020 New England Team at Junior Nationals in Truckee, California.  The Championships will be held between March 9th and 14th with three individual and one relay competition.  New England athletes are selected by season long rankings from four Eastern Cup weekends – bringing the strongest regional U16 – U20 skiers together for this National Championship.  Although athletes strive for individual success – New England strives to promote a team culture – and the team reflects the depth of talent found in our home region.

This year’s coach and service staff represents all four states of the New England division and brings together a wealth of experience from local to international competition.  The staff composition is aimed to promote coach development within the region and provide top-level support to our athletes – whether they are seasoned junior racers or making their first trip to Junior Nationals. This volunteer staff will work together to support a team culture, helping our athletes excel and enjoy the experience of racing at the national level.

2020 JN Staff:

Matt Boobar – Head Coach (SMS)

Amie Smith / Preston Noon – Team Leaders (NENSA)

Age Group Coaches:

Evan Kendall – U16 boys (Dublin School)

Sara Falconer – U16 girls (Mansfield Nordic)

Ian Tovell – U18 men (Falmouth High School)

Hilary McNamee – U18 women (Ford Sayre)

Andrew Magnus Nesbitt – U20 men (Berkshire Nordic)

Adam Terko – U20 women (Mansfield Nordic)

Wax Techs:

Patrick Casey – Lead Kick (Holderness School)

Colin Rodgers – Lead Glide (Green Mountain Valley School)

Cate Brams – Service Staff (CSU)

George Forbes – Service Staff (Stratton Mountain School)

Justin Beckwith – Service Staff (NENSA)

Some thoughts and history about the staff:

Evan Kendall, “raced in Eastern Cups in High School and college as well as NCAA central races and (skied) JN’s 2014 for New England.  I have also spent a season coaching with St. Michael’s College and as the EISA media intern.”  Evan now coaches at the Dublin School.  “I bring race specific experience that comes from racing JN’s and NCAA regional races myself as well as college XC running experience. I also have a high degree of experience leading trips of all types through work at boarding school and summer camps.  I feel confident in my ability to connect and emotionally support a group of young athletes and help them to be in a position where they are mentally ready to give their best effort.”

Sara Falconer has been coaching with the Mansfield Nordic Club for five seasons.  She has also been a masters coach.  As a junior she was a part of the Alaska Pacific University junior team, and went on to race for a season for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  “I am approachable and relatable, so athletes can feel comfortable coming to me with concerns.  At the same time, I am organized and hold athletes to a high standard – so I will ensure that athletes leave on time, have focused study halls, and follow the rules associated with the trip.”

Ian Tovell joins us from the Falmouth High School in Maine where he helped lead his team to the Class A Championship last season.  Ian brings,  “positive energy, an eagerness to learn from the other coaches, and ensure that the kids are not only having fun, but are in the best mindset to go out there and have the best race they can, all while helping New England bring back the (Alaska Cup) trophy again. I have a lot of experience just skiing in general and can bring a lot of racing expertise the team as well.”

Hilary McNamee is a Dartmouth graduate and former D-Team Coach, she now leads the Ford Sayre Junior Program as Head Coach and Nordic Program Director.  She has competed on many levels of the racing scene, from Junior Nationals to Biathlon Junior Worlds, and is known for her sprinting prowess.  Hilary loves to ski and coach – and also brings a great sense of humor with, “A solid 401(k) for a gal my age, a large air miles portfolio, a faux furry apex predator vest, and a set of bananagrams with two full sets of letters.”

Andrew Magnus Nesbitt brings a neat blend of competitive and coaching experience including competing for Team New England in 2011, and working for two years as a wax tech with Intermountain (2017 & 2018).  He also coached at Soldier Hollow, Utah for 3 seasons.  On top of that he brings, “Fitness and an outsider’s prospective to the waxing game while knowing a bit about western snow. Also, a representative to a title sponsor (LL Bean)!”

Adam Terko was “a high school and junior competitor within NENSA, collegiate competitor (4 years) and assistant coach (3 years) at St. Lawrence University.”  He has led the Mansfield Nordic Club since 2015 and been a valuable member of the New England JN staff for the past three years.  Adam is, “hoping to bring together groups of skiers to have one the best, if not THE best, week of their ski racing careers so far!  The New England team is a dynamic and amazing group and it’s always a privilege to be a part of it.”

Patrick Casey has four years of international level coaching experience (U.S. Ski Team) as well as coaching at JN’s 10 times between New England and Intermountain.  Always humble, Mr. Casey quips, “I can work hard.  I will be fit for wax testing.  I have been skiing and ski coaching a long time and I have many weeks of experience working in a wax trailer with a World Cup wax team.”  The Head Coach of the Holderness School will lead the kick service staff — with keen attention to making exceptional kick to glide ratios.

Colin Rodgers, a Vermont native and former national caliber racer, continues to lead the XC Program at the Green Mountain Valley School’s Nordic Program.  Colin brings experience and energy to the team and wax room, having worked for years with the Sun Valley Gold Team and U.S. Ski Team on international trips. Colin is one of the hardest workers and most likely will be the fittest wax tech in Truckee — he will lead the glide service team and ensure NE skiers have slippery boards.

Cate Brams was a standout junior racer from CSU who went on to ski for Middlebury College and the Sun Valley Gold Team.  “This is my first year coaching with CSU.  I’ve learned a LOT about how different athletes respond to stimulus, and how those responses influence team dynamics and individual / team results.”  Cate and fellow CSU alum, Corey Stock, just wrapped up a successful week of coaching and waxing for the CSU program at U.S. Nationals in Houghton, Michigan.

George Forbes has been coaching for three years at the Stratton Mountain School and before that he spent two years with the Burr and Burton High School team.  “I’ve worked mostly with U14-U16 racers as a coach, but been helping wax tech and test for juniors of all ages on our team.  I also took the helm of waxing and testing for the U16 Championships last year for team Vermont.  I love cross country skiing and get intense enjoyment out of helping kids have as much fun as I am.  Plus, I love making fast skis!”

Justin Beckwith, the Competitive Program Director for NENSA, will join the team after returning from World Junior Championships in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.  This will be his third year on the NE service staff when JN’s are hosted in Truckee – he will serve as the utility man and make sure the vibe is strong during the long hours of work in the wax cabin.

Matt Boobar from the Stratton Mountain School, and Amie Smith, Executive Director of NENSA, are at the helm of Team NE for the 6^th year in a row. Their leadership and organization – both prior to the trip and on the ground – as Head Coach and Team Leader are a huge part of what makes New England a contender year after year!  Both are committed to making sure all the little things go right to give us the best chance to bring the Alaska Cup home again.  This year Preston Noon, NENSA’s Operations Manger, will intern as Trip Leader.

 

Congratulations to the athletes named to the teams that will represent the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Oberwiesenthal, Germany and the U18 Scandinavian Championships in Falun, Sweden. The teams are named based on results at the L.L. Bean U.S. Ski and Snowboard National Championships that are ongoing in Houghton, Michigan. The top 6 athletes based on World Cup scoring of the best 2 or 3 races are named to the team. Full qualification standings are here.

For more details on selection criteria go here: World Juniors Selection Criteria or U18 Selection Criteria

Your World Junior Championship Team:

Gus Schumacher– Alaska Winter Stars

Sydney Palmer-Leger– Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Johnny Hagenbuch– Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Kendall Kramer– Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks

Luke Jager– University of Utah

Sophia Laukli– Middlebury College

JC Schoonmaker– University of Alaska Anchorage

Novie McCabe– Methow Valley Nordic

Zanden McMullen– Montana State University

Callie Young– Dartmouth College

Ben Ogden– Stratton Mountain School

Mara McCollor– Dartmouth College

1st Alternates- Will Koch (Stratton Mountain School) and Nina Seemann (Stratton Mountain School)

2nd Alternate- Wally Magill (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) and Waverly Gebhardt (University of Vermont)

The trip will be staffed by:

Trip Leader: Bryan Fish (US Ski and Snowboard)

Junior Coach: Bernie Nelson (US Ski and Snowboard)

U23 Coach: Greta Anderson (Crested Butte Nordic Team)

Lead Service: Justin Beckwith (NENSA)

Service Team: Jake Barton (Craftsbury GRP)

Service Team: Jon Filardo (Jackson Hole Ski Club)

Service Team: Paul Smith (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)

Service Team: Pat O’Brien (SMS T2)

Your U18 Championships Team:

Sydney Palmer-Leger- Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Will Koch– Stratton Mountain School

Kendall Kramer– Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks

Wally Magill– Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

Nina Seemann– Stratton Mountain School

Peter Hinds– APU Nordic Ski Center

Haley Brewster– Ski and Snowboard Club Vail

Brian Bushey– Green Mountain Valley School

Garvee Tobin– APU Nordic Ski Center

Alexander Maurer– Alaska Winter Stars

Ava Thurston– Mansfield Nordic

Michael Earnhart– Alaska Nordic Racing

1st Alternates- Maggie Druckenmiller (Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks) and Walker Hall (Methow Valley Nordic)

2nd Alternates- Annie McColgan (Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) and Finn Sweet (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club)

The trip will be staffed by:

Trip Leader: Bernie Nelson (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

Coach / Service: Mary Rose (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)

Coach / Service: Andrew Morehouse (Bridger Ski Foundation)

L.L. Bean U.S. Ski and Snowboard National Championships conclude tomorrow on the Michigan Tech Trails with the Classic Sprint. Tune in live at XCountryLive!

Putting on an Eastern Cup Opener is a challenge for any venue due to unpredictable temperatures at the brink of the official start to winter.  This season, NENSA visited Maine for the beginning of our premier race series, hosting an event to honor the life of Roy Varney, a standout skier from Leavitt High School, who tragically lost his life last summer in a farming accident.  The races were originally scheduled for Sugarloaf, but needed to be moved to the Quarry Road Trails in Waterville a week before the event.  The Central Maine Ski Club rose to the challenge of recruiting an army of volunteers on short notice to highlight their trail system and the fantastic manmade snow they’ve been blowing and grooming to near perfection since early November.  Together with the Sugarloaf staff the entire organizing committee created a welcoming and first class race experience.

300 competitors travelled from throughout New England and Eastern Canada for the freestyle sprint and classic interval start races.  The majority of the field consisted of junior skiers, with the notable exceptions of some top EISA skiing talent from UVM, Middlebury and Dartmouth and older club skiers from the US and Canada.  Despite being open races the majority of the competitors travelled to Maine to earn their first New England Junior Nationals ranking points (full rankings here).  Over 30 Maine High School skiers participated in the weekend and on Sunday the top U16 & U18/20 boys and girls were awarded the first Roy Varney Award (the award will continue into the future – rewarding the top Maine High School skier at a selected Eastern Cup hosted in Maine).

Quarry Road groomers prepared a beautiful race track for Saturday’s sprint with wide lanes, fast banked turns and a signature set of three speed whoops prominently located where competitors passed the timing shack and spectator-lined fences.  The addition of terrain added a technical element for the skiers, excitement for spectators and smiles for everyone.  Setting the pace for the whole weekend, Ben Ogden of UVM, was the first to rocket out of the gate with a qualifier time of 2:40.06.  The top female qualifier was Avery Ellis of Middlebury College who clocked a 3:14.90 lap of the 1.3km course.  Top U16’s in qualification were: Ava Thurston (Mansfield Nordic) 3:21.26 and Fin Bailey (SMS) 3:00.07.

The afternoon consisted of competitive and clean racing with Open, U18/U20 and U16 heats.  Heat skiing provides awesome opportunities for skiers to mix it up and learn how to ski fast with juniors lined up alongside top collegiate and open skiers.  For many juniors they might be getting their first chance to race head to head with some of their idols.  At the end of the day, Ogden and his teammate Greg Burt were the class of the sprint field, taking first and second while Will Koch of SMS skied his way into third position.  In the women’s race Middlebury College put on a clinic for the rest to watch — in perhaps the closest competition of the day — Avery Ellis surged by Alex Lawson (who looked unbeatable through her quarter and semi) in the final meters to claim the victory.  On their heels, Charlotte Ogden completed the Panther podium sweep with a strong third place finish.  After a fall in the qualifier, Trey Jones of GMVS won his semi and the final in commanding fashion.  Joining him on the podium was Fin Bailey and Jack Lange of the Putney Ski Club – no U16 boys made the top-30.  Three U16 women snuck into the top-30 overall: Thurston – 1st, Evelyn Walton CSU/DXC – 2nd and Sophia Scirica (CSU) – 3rd.

Sunday’s classic track was firm and fast – with new and humid, mostly manmade snow – lending coaches to experiment with kick wax, klister and mixtures of the two.  Typically folks were in blue and violet ranges of wax and the atmosphere in the trailers, tents and benches was confident and focused.  In the first race of the day Sophia Laukli, bib #1, left the gate on a mission and set the fastest time for the day at 14:06.5.  Laukli led another Panther sweep, this time with Alex Lawson in second and Charlotte Ogden again nabbing third.  In the men’s race, Ben Ogden, who is focused on Junior World and NCAA Championships this season, showed incredible form – pushing himself around the 4 lap 10km in a time of 24:51.3.  He won all lap splits minus the fourth, where Adam Glueck of Dartmouth was able to take back .08 seconds and claim second place.  Will Koch, the top U18 skier both days, again claimed third.

Ava Thurston continued to show her dominance on day two, placing sixth overall, and winning the U16 race by nearly 50 seconds.  The CSU duo of Scirica and Walton swapped spots on the podium for second and third with some really solid skiing.  Trey Jones kept upright on day two, showing aggressive skiing for the entire 5km, and clocking a time of 13:18.7 while trying to chase down Fin Bailey of SMS who started a bib ahead of him.  Bailey held off Jones, crossing the line with seventeen of his thirty second starting advantage to spare, to claim second.  Jack Lange of Putney was hot on Bailey’s heels for his second third on the weekend.

 

The Eastern Cup Opener is an exciting part of the season and the strength of the field, the coaching support, and the professionalism of the venue on display at Quarry Road sets the stage for a prosperous winter!  Eastern Cup racing will resume in Craftsbury, January 25&26th during the second and third day of the Lost Nation Cup Super Tour (Saturday will also be combined with the UVM Carnival).

Complete Results.

Video from Sprint.

More amazing photos by @flyingpoint

 

Due to snow conditions the Roy Varney Eastern Cup Opener (Sugarloaf Opener) has been moved to the Quarry Road Trails in Waterville, Maine.  Despite all efforts by Sugarloaf to host this event warm temperatures and rain have forced this change.

“We’re excited to host this event, we’ve done the best job we could — utilizing every possible snowmaking window since the beginning of November to make sure we had skiable snow.  We couldn’t be happier to host this event in honor of Roy Varney.  On Sunday we will have a special award for the top Maine High School skier in the distance classic race — Roy’s favorite discipline.”  Justin Fereshetian, Quarry Road Program Director and Head Coach

Please visit the event website for update details.  Registration will remain open until Wednesday December 18th at 5pm.  There will be day of race registration available for both days at least one hour before posted start times.

Teams with lodging should contact Taylor Jordan [email protected] to make any needed changes to lodging.  Sugarloaf will graciously cancel reservations made for this event.  There is lodging available in Waterville with major hotels: Hampton, Fireside Inn and Suites, Best Western and Holiday Inn.

Start times for both days are set for 10am to allow for any teams that might need extra time to travel from Sugarloaf.

The ability of Sugarloaf and Quarry Road to host an early season event despite unfavorable weather is a testament to the strength of the Maine skiing community.

Stay posted for more updates — despite the venue change we are thrilled to be able to host the Eastern Cup Opener.

Quarry Road Trails set to host Roy Varney Memorial
Eastern Cup Opener

 

New England Nordic Ski Association race will benefit Roy Varney Memorial Fund

** Please note as of 12/15 the Eastern Cup Opener has been moved to Quarry Road Trails.**

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine – The Sugarloaf Outdoor Center will be the hub of New England Nordic ski racing when the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) hosts its Eastern Cup Opener, December 21-22, 2019.

The NENSA Eastern Cup is the premier Nordic racing circuit in New England, drawing elite skiers from the eastern United States and Canada, and is a qualifying event for the Junior National Championships. This year’s Eastern Cup Opener will be held in memory of Roy Varney, a State Champion Nordic skier from Turner, ME, who passed away in July 2019.

The race is expected to draw 300-400 racers from throughout New England and Eastern Canada, including a large contingent of Maine athletes. All registration fees for Maine racers will be matched with a donation from an anonymous donor to the Roy Varney Memorial Fund.

“This event is truly an exciting opportunity for us to showcase the amazing Sugarloaf Outdoor Center facility to the best Nordic skiers in New England, and pay tribute to Roy at the same time,” Race Director Brenna Herridge said.

This will be the first NENSA event hosted at the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center since 2006.

Varney was a two-time state champion Nordic skier at Leavitt High School who competed in the National Biathlon Championships, and was a beloved and respected member of the Maine Nordic skiing community. His passing at the age of 18 was felt profoundly in the Nordic community.

“(Roy) made everyone around him better. He made the Leavitt Nordic ski team better,” Leavitt Nordic coach Dustin Williamson said. “When he came to my classroom to talk about the sport and the upcoming competitions, the utter glee and downright joy that beamed off of him during our conversations was priceless.”

Varney’s dream was to create a Nordic skiing and wellness facility on his family’s farm, and his family is now working to make that dream a reality with the Maine Outdoor Wellness Center. To learn more about this project and to donate to it, visit www.maineoutdoorwellnesscenter.org.

Registration for the Roy Varney Memorial Eastern Cup Opener is now open, and racers can find more information and register at https://nensa.net/eastern-cup/.

For more information on the Sugarloaf Outdoor Center, please visit https://www.sugarloaf.com/the-outdoor-center.

About Sugarloaf – Located in Carrabassett Valley, ME, Sugarloaf is largest ski area in the East, and is home to the only lift-serviced above treeline skiing and riding in the East. and the number one golf course in Maine, according to Golf Digest. Sugarloaf is a member of the Boyne Resorts family of resorts and attractions. Follow: www.sugarloaf.com, www.facebook.com/sugarloaf, and http://twitter.com/sugarloafmaine.

Two awesome open races took place this weekend in Dublin, New Hampshire and Waterville, Maine.  Both events were designed to be a low key and cater to a wide range of abilities — however both inclusive events included lots of talented skiing.  As we head into our popular race season (Zak and Club Cup) we want to highlight the community vibe of these events.  Get to the races and you’ll have a good time!

On Sunday The Dublin School and Dublin XC hosted an exciting Kings Court format sprint – where skiers “stay in” the rounds – moving up or down the brackets based on placement in the previous heat.  You can follow the advancement brackets here.  Skiers described awesome conditions on natural snow.  Qualifier times.

Also on Sunday, a little to the east, the Central Maine Ski Club hosted Bowdoin and Colby College along with a solid turnout of club skiers.  The race took place on Quarry Road’s fortified 1.8km snowmaking loop — with fantastic conditions boosted by favorable weather to start the winter.  They soon hope to open a full 2.5km loop.  Results here.

The event got some nice press by the Morning Sentinel and comes on the heels of continued investment in Waterville, including hiring Justin Fereshetian as the Quarry Road Trails Program Director.

It’s exciting to see such a vibrant start to this winter’s events – as we look to Craftsbury this coming weekend for the kick off of the 2019-2020 Popular Race Series.  Read more about Saturday’s “Knock In” Sprint and traditional classic Opener on Sunday here.  Registration is off to a good start and open until Thursday at 8:30pm – there is no day of race for Saturday due to the format of the event.  Masters skiers will be scored on both days for Zak Cup – kicking of a season filled with age-based-friendly-rivalries.  Don’t forget we’re scoring a new class for skiers aged 23-29 and all skiers are scored for Club Cup standings.

The following weekend all eyes will return to Maine for the Eastern Cup Opener being hosted in Sugarloaf, Maine.  Field sizes are expected to include 300-400 racers per day.  This year’s Eastern Cup Opener will be held in memory of Roy Varney, a State Champion Nordic skier from Turner, ME, who passed away in July 2019.  An anonymous donor will match registration fees for all Maine racers to the Roy Varney Memorial Fund.  Look forward to a press release from Sugarloaf with more details of the first major event of the season.  Registration is open.