Justin Beckwith

Eastern Cup Primer for 2019 – Are you ready?

Justin Beckwith · November 15, 2017 · Leave a Comment

We are nearly two months away from the beginning of the NENSA Eastern Cup Series. The first races of the season will be held at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center on the weekend of December 22-23. You can learn more about the Eastern Cup schedule here — and please read our updated EC Primer below for important information regarding race details, seeding, scoring and Junior National Qualification.

Registration for all Eastern Cup races will open November 1st on SkiReg.com — before you register make sure your NENSA and US Ski and Snowboard memberships are current and you update your team/club affiliations in your NENSA profile.

We look forward to an awesome winter and seeing you on the trails soon!!

All Eastern Cup race registrations will be done on SkiReg.com, and registration will open on November 1st
All racers must have valid NENSA and US Ski & Snowboard membership to race – please note a $10 daily NENSA membership is available.
To renew or get your NENSA membership, go to NENSA.net
To renew or get your US Ski and Snowboard membership, go to USSA.org
Regarding US Ski & Snowboard memberships: All EC racers will be listed in the overall race results, regardless of your membership levels ($15 general membership or $95 competitor membership). But, if you want to be listed on the US Ski & Snowboard NRL (National Ranking List), and be ranked for New England Junior National team qualification (best of 3 for U16, or best of 4 for U18/U20) you MUST buy the US Ski & Snowboard competitors membership. So, if you have any thoughts, plans, dreams or desires to try to make the JN team, buy the competitors membership now.
You can upgrade to a US Ski & Snowboard competitors license later in the season, (points may not retroactively apply to previous races). If you want to be listed on the NRL and ranked for JNQ – buy the competitor license, not the general membership before the start of the race season.
Buy both your NENSA & US Ski and Snowboard memberships early. Do not wait until the day you register on SkiReg.com. Your correct data needs to be in our systems (NENSA & US Ski and Snowboard) at least a few days before you register on SkiReg.
Each Eastern Cup race Virtual Team Captain’s Meeting (VTCM) will be hosted on NENSA.net. Please check our website VTCM race information page for frequent updates, especially as the race weekend approaches. This page will provide you with venue updates, times changes, important racer and coach information.
Registration will close at 5pm on the Wednesday before each Eastern Cup weekend.
Seed lists will be posted on Thursday (using points from the most current lists).
Start lists will be posted by 8pm on Friday for Saturday and Sunday races.
Eastern Cup race results link will be provided from the Timer and a link will be posted on NENSA.net. All racers who competed in the Eastern Cup race will be listed in this results link.
Each Eastern Cup race will be scored by US Ski and Snowboard, and updated to the NRL.
NRL and FIS listing dates can be found on page 16 of the 18 Nordic Competition Guide.
SEEDING: All racers will be seeded by their best of either, US Ski and Snowboard or FIS points. If you do not yet have current US Ski and Snowboard point profile (bought a competitor’s license but have not raced a race yet to be listed on the current US Ski and Snowboard list in use), or, if you are a general member, you will be listed as 990 and seeded randomly behind the seeded group. Once you have a US Ski and Snowboard point profile, you will be seeded according to that number. If you are just a general member, you will always be seeded as a 990 behind the seeded group.
For U18/U20 JN qualifying, NENSA will rank Best of 4 EC and/or OOR races, and this will be posted on NENSA.net for current NENSA & US Ski and Snowboard competitor members. Races will be posted for ranking once they are officially scored by US Ski and Snowboard. Racers without a competitive US Ski and Snowboard license will NOT be included in the rankings.
Sprint Scoring: The heat results of the two EC sprint races will be scored. NENSA will re-score the final heat results with US Ski and Snowboard distance points. This change was adopted by the ADC effective October 2017 to seek parity in points between sprint and distance races.
For U16 JN qualifying, NENSA will score the Best of 3 EC races, and no OOR races. This will be done using US Ski and Snowboard Super Tour Scoring (see below). NENSA shall use the following tie-breaking mechanisms in order (selection races are the 8 U16 races at NENSA Eastern Cups; for sprints, the final results for the top 12 come from the heats/finals, and from the qualifying for places 13 and higher):
~Best single finish in a selection race
~Second best single finish in a selection race
~Third best single finish in a selection race
~Fourth best single finish in a selection race

US Ski and Snowboard SuperTour Scoring:

The US Ski and Snowboard SuperTour scoring system awards points to the top 20 competitors in each event.
Place	Points
1	30
2	25
3	21
4	18
5	16
6	15
7	14
8	13
9	12
10	11
11	10
12	9
13	8
14	7
15	6
16	5
17	4
18	3
19	2
20	1

Out-of-Region Races for 2018-19 Season (U18/U20’s only):

US National Championships – Craftsbury Outdoor Center – Craftsbury, VT

Thursday, January 3: Classic Individual Start 10km/15km
Friday, January 4: Classic Sprint
Sunday, January 6: Skate Mass Start 5km/10km
*Please note the Freestyle Sprint on January 8, will not be scored to the NENSA JNQ Ranking Lists.

THERE IS NO OOR RACES for U16’s

US Nationals races will be scored to the NENSA JNQ Ranking Lists using U.S. Ski and Snowboard points for U18 & U20’s. An athlete must be a US Ski and Snowboard competitor member to compete at the US National Championships.

Further information about Race Rules.

Further information about Junior National Qualifying.

RESULTS — Invitational Roller Ski Race at Trapp Family Lodge

Justin Beckwith · November 5, 2017 · 2 Comments

Today was a great day for cross country skiing in New England — with two celebrations — one in New Hampshire for the Caldwell Family and another to push forward the legacy of the sport in Vermont.

55 skiers, ages U16 through Masters, toed the line in an Invitational Race hosted by the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe,Vermont. The expert field of athletes, including three Olympians, navigated a grueling 10 kilometer course that finished at the Trapp Outdoor Center.

Ida Sargent of the US Ski Team/ Craftsbury Green Team took top honors in the women’ s race covering the course in 31 minutes and 34 seconds. Liz Stephen, Elizabeth Stephen, aka OMA, was hot on her heels taking second place, representing the US Ski Team and Burke Mountain Academy (32:09). Sun Valley XC Gold Team member, Kelsey Phinney, took the third position (32:38).

Adam Martin from the Craftsbury Green Team fought his way to victory in the men’s field, covering the course in 28 minutes flat. He was followed by Caldwell Sport’s, Kris Freeman, a mere 8 seconds behind. Ben Ogden, a junior sensation from the Stratton Mountain School, rounded out the podium 22 seconds behind Freeman.

Alex Lawson of Middlebury College took top honors for the junior women with a time of 35:25. Rena Schwartz from the Green Mountain Valley School took second place (36:01), followed by Lillian Fisher from the Stratton Mountain School (36:21).

Albeit Mr. Ogden placed in the Open Field, Karl Schulz, skiing for the University of Vermont, took the victory for the junior men with a time of 29 minutes and 17 seconds. Greg Burt, of the Green Mountain Valley School, followed in second place at 29:41, and Finn O’Connell of the University of Vermont crossed the line in third (29:54).

The NENSA Elite Invitational brought together a broad age range of the top skiers in New England and US Skiing, showcasing the talent of our cross country athletes. The event was made possible by the support of the Trapp Family Lodge and the Town of Stowe. Event sponsors included: Cabot Cheese, Sunrise Orchards, Ploughgate Creamery, Gallagher Brothers Honey and von Trapp Cheese. Kathy and Marty Hall graciously donated prize money to the winners of the overall field.

After the race our community gathered to celebrate at the von Trapp Bierhall, with awards and a Winter Kickoff Party, which supported the National Nordic Foundation (NNF), and NENSA.

Full results.

Female Podium.

Male Podium.

NENSA Elite Invitational and Winter Kickoff Party Update

Justin Beckwith · October 24, 2017 · Leave a Comment

Mark your calendars — in less than two weeks — fifty top ranked skiers from throughout New England will compete in a challenging 10-kilometer roller ski race that will finish at the Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center. This unique event is strategically timed to kickoff the 2018 season with Olympians Kris Freeman, Ida Sargent and Liz Stephen toeing the line along with athletes from the University of Vermont, Dartmouth College, Middlebury College, the Craftsbury Green Team, and NENSA Elite/Development Team members from New England clubs. Spectators are encouraged to watch this inspired display of talent starting at 3pm on November 4th and then join racers and members of the skiing community at the New England Winter Kickoff Party at the von Trapp Bierhall for an award ceremony and conviviality.

The primary goal of the New England Nordic Ski Association is to create an environment that promotes the athletic development of New England cross-country skiers, supports skiing organizations, and encourages the growth of the sport of cross-country skiing. This event is designed to bring together top ranked skiers for head to head competition as they put the finishing touches on their off season training and culminate an exciting summer of roller ski competition. NENSA hopes that the general public, clubs, coaches and athletes will take advantage of this opportunity to learn from and support these elite athletes.

Link to the event and registered athletes.

Link to Winter Kickoff Invite.

Link to racer instructions.

NENSA Announces 2017-18 Masters Racing Calendar with Zak Cup, Club Cup & New England Marathon Series

Justin Beckwith · October 17, 2017 · Leave a Comment

The 2017-18 calendar is filled with a diverse offering of fun and challenging races to be contested across New England. NENSA is excited to announce the New England Marathon Series, the Zak Cup and Club Cup Series, and the One Day Club Championship.

Information about both series is listed below the schedules.
(Please note the Masters World Cup is listed only for reference and not a part of this series.)

Zak & Club Cup Series Schedule:

Dec. 10 – Quarry Road Opener

10km Skate, mass start

Waterville, ME

Jan. 6 – Gunstock Nordic January Thaw/Naw

12km Skate men, 8km women, individual start

Gunstock, NH

Jan. 7 – Stowe Nordic 10k Classic

10km Classic, mass start

Stowe Mountain Resort Cross Country Center, VT

Jan. 15 – Geschmossel

15km Classic, mass start

Bretton Woods, NH

Jan. 19 – 26 – Masters World Cup – Not a NENSA Race

Minneapolis, MN

Jan. 20 – White Mountain Classic

NENSA 1-Day Club Championship

30km Classic, mass start

Jackson, NH

Jan. 27 – Craftsbury Marathon

48km for M1-M6, 32km for M7+ Classic, wave start

Craftsbury Outdoor Center, VT

Feb. 4 – Stowe Nordic / Trapp Family Lodge – Eastern Cup Day 2

10km women/15km men Skate, mass start – separate Masters Wave

Stowe, VT

Feb. 10 – Bretton Woods Marathon

21km Classic, mass start

Bretton Woods Nordic Center, NH

Feb. 11 – Mt. Washington Cup

10km Skate, mass start

Omni Mount Washington Resort, NH

Feb. 24 – Bogburn

13km men, 7km women, Classic, interval start

Pomfret, VT

Mar. 10 – Flying Moose Classic

22km, mass start

Bethel, ME

Mar. 11 – Mansfield Nordic Skiathlon

3x2km Classic & 3x2km Skate, mass start

Craftsbury Outdoor Center, VT

Mar. 24 – Craftsbury Spring Fling

30km for M1-M6; 15km for M7+ Skate, mass start

Craftsbury Outdoor Center, VT

2018 Marathon Series

Jan. 20 – White Mountain Classic-NENSA 1-Day Club Championship

Jackson, NH

30km classic, mass start

Jan. 27 – Craftsbury Marathon

48km for M1-M6, 32km for M7+ Classic, wave start

Craftsbury Outdoor Center, VT

Feb. 3 – John Roderick Marathon at Black Mountain

Rumford, ME

25km & 50km skate, wave start

Feb.10 – Bretton Woods Marathon

Bretton Woods, NH

42km classic, mass start

Mar. 3 – Rangeley Lake Loppett

Rangeley, ME

50K skate and 25K classic Burt Kettle Classic (scored for M7+), mass start

Mar. 10 and 11 – Trapp Marathon

Stowe, VT

25km classic Saturday and 25km skate pursuit Sunday

Mar. 17 – Quarry Road Marathon

Waterville, ME

40km skate, mass start

Mar. 17 – Lake Placid Loppet

Mt. Van Hoevenberg, NY

50km skate or classic (25km option for M7+), mass start

Zak Cup & Club Cup Series Information:

The Zak Cup offers a great Masters racing experience at a diverse set of venues across the region, with each event taking on its own local flavor. The NENSA Zak Cup Series brings together NENSA’s traditional Zak Cup age group series and the Club Cup Series into a single series of events featuring some of New England’s finest citizen races. All events that are part of this series are scored for Club points, with all participants earning at least one point for their club. Only one distance on each day is scored for the Zak Cup to ensure the best head-to-head competition within age groups.

Zak Cup Scoring: Scoring rules remain the same as last year. See NENSA.net for more information.

Men: M1 – M8: Best 5 finishes but a minimum of 4 finishes needed.
Men: M9+: Best 4 minimum of 2.
Women: M1 – M6: Best 5 minimum of 3.
Women: M7+: Best 4 minimum of 2.

Zak Cup Points: All participants must be active NENSA members at the time of the race. Scoring for both overall and within NENSA age classes follows a modified World Cup system with points to the top 15 as follows: 25, 20,15,12,11,10, and so on with 0 for 16th and higher. If at the end of the season there is a tie for any of the top 3 places in an age class, the tie is broken first by overall Zak Cup points; if the tie remains then it is broken by head to head competition. If a tie still remains then multiple place awards will be given. Scoring is based on all finishers, regardless of NENSA membership. Final point total is based on the “best-of” criteria described above. Protests for individual race scoring may be filed within 10 days of official race score posting on the NENSA website and within 14 days of final series scoring. Protests should be sent to current Chair NENSA Masters committee, Bryce Wing (Bryce.wing@valley.net).

Club Cup scoring: All participants must be active NENSA member at the time of the race. All skiers in a club older than BKL are scored in their respective age class with 1st-10pts, 2nd- 9pts, 10th and up, 1 pt. Club Affiliation can be changed up until the final race of the series. Scored points are not changed retroactively, that is a skier scores points for the club for which they are currently racing. At dual distance events both distances are scored for the Club Cup, but only one is scored for the Zak Cup. Non-NENSA finishers are not removed from the results when scored for the Zak Cup or Club Cup.

New England Marathon Series Information:

The events of the New England Marathon Series offer a classic cross country ski experience with fully supported courses showcasing some of New England’s premier venues. The New England Marathon Series has something for everyone, welcoming skiers of all levels to test their endurance, or just make the most of a winter’s day on courses ranging from 25K to 50K. Elite racers and recreational touring skiers alike are invited to enjoy a traditional ski marathon experience and some of the finest skiing in New England.

With continued support from L.L.Bean and Swix, NENSA will continue to offer the New England Marathon Series Challenger Award. Racers will need to complete a minimum of four races to be counted for the Marathon Challenger Award.

Distances: M1-M6 must race Full Marathons.
M7+ have option to ski ½ or Full Marathon, with the exception of Jackson where everyone skis 30k.

NENSA Fall Rollerski Classic – Results

Justin Beckwith · October 4, 2017 · Leave a Comment

One hundred college, junior, and master skiers toed the line at the NENSA Fall Rollerski Classic presented by Mansfield Nordic Club and Ethan Allen Biathlon Club yesterday.

The weather was perfect for racing and the organizing committee did a superb job with course preparation, timing, food and awards. Although the athletes were on roller skis there was a race feel, with many putting on the bib for the first time this season.

University of Vermont skiers, Bill Harmeyer and Evelina Sutro took home overall victories for the Male and Female 10km classic race. Mansfield Nordic Club’s own Aidan Burt and Magdalena topped the U16 fields on their home course.

Complete Results:
2017-MNC_EABC-fall-classic

Fantastic Photos by Liam John and Carl Priganc:
Photos

NENSA is excited to continue to promote head to head racing opportunities for Eastern skiers. We look forward to our next roller ski race, the NENSA Elite Invitational to be held at the Trapp Family Lodge on 11/4. Mark your calendars and help kickoff this Olympic winter by watching the best skiers in the East — some of whom will be representing the US in PyeongChang 2018!!