Mackenzie Rizio

Bidding open for the 2028 L.L.Bean BKL Festival & 2027 Women’s XC Ski Day

Mackenzie Rizio · March 25, 2026 ·

L.L. Bean BKL Festival

The L.L. Bean BKL Festival is the premier event of the NENSA’s Bill Koch Youth Ski League, dedicated to introducing young people to the lifelong sport of cross-country skiing in a fun, inclusive, and safe environment. The weekend features exciting races and a wide range of winter activities, welcoming skiers of all ability levels from kindergarten through 8th grade.

See what all the fun is about, check out our 2026 Event Recap Video here!

New since 2025, we are now reviewing bids to host the BKL Festival from all New England states in any year, to give more clubs the opportunity to welcome the Bill Koch community to their local trails! We still aim for a rotation geographically year over year. Please be in touch with any questions (mackenzie@nensa.net).

Lean more & submit a bid

Women’s XC Ski Day

Bidding is now open to host the 2027 Women’s XC Ski Day! This signature event brings together women from across the region for a day of energy, learning, and connection. Hosting is a powerful opportunity to rally your club, engage your community, and help create an inspiring experience for all attendees. The event brings together as many participants as it can for a day of cross-country skiing, complete with lunch and a raffle.

The highlight of the day is the wide range of on-snow instruction and coaching for skiers of all abilities from those new to the sport to experienced skiers looking to refine technique or build confidence. Participants learn from some of our most accomplished women coaches, including several former Olympians, with an emphasis on learning in a supportive and encouraging environment.

Learn more & Submit a bid

February Ski Bingo Raffle Winner!

Mackenzie Rizio · March 16, 2026 ·

February Ski Bingo Raffle Winner Announced: Will explores Northern New England with friends and family.

Our February Ski Bingo raffle winner made the most of winter with a month full of adventure and time on skis across the Northeast. Their Bingo card took them to trails in both Vermont and New York, including ski days at Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center, Catamount Trail, Scott’s Cobble Nordic Center, and Dewey Mountain Recreation Center.

Along the way, they checked off a variety of classic Ski Bingo challenges that capture the spirit of the program. They skied with family and friends, both watched and participated in a ski event, skied backwards, tackled an obstacle course, enjoyed a picnic ski, and found plenty of ways to make winter fun on the trails.

Ski Bingo is designed to encourage skiers of all ages to get outside, try new activities, and find adventure on skis throughout the winter months. The program runs monthly through the end of March, with raffle prizes awarded each month.

Participants are encouraged to grab a Bingo card, head outside, and start checking off squares, because the next Ski Bingo winner could be you!

2026 L.L.Bean Bill Koch League Festival

Mackenzie Rizio · March 4, 2026 ·

This past weekend, the snowy trails of Jackson, NH came alive as 650 (!!!) young skiers gathered for the 2026 L.L.Bean Bill Koch League Festival. Hosted by the Jackson XC BKL at Jackson Ski Touring, the Festival was a joyful celebration of youth cross-country skiing in New England, bringing together athletes, families, coaches, and volunteers for two unforgettable days of “FrontCountry and Backcountry” adventures alike.

The L.L.Bean BKL Festival is the marquee event of the New England Nordic Ski Association’s Bill Koch Youth Ski League. Rooted in a mission to introduce young people to the lifelong sport of cross-country skiing, the League emphasizes fun, inclusion, skill development, and community. The Festival reflects those values at every turn, creating an environment where skiers of all ability levels, from kindergarten through 8th grade, can challenge themselves, try something new, and feel part of something bigger.

The 2026 Festival featured racing alongside a wide range of winter activities designed to spark joy and adventure. The 2026 Festival featured racing alongside a wide range of non-competitive winter activities designed to spark joy and adventure for skiers of all ages. Thrill-seekers put their skills to the test at the Radar Run, hosted by the Jackson Police Department, where they raced uphill to find their speed on skinny skis. The Terrain Park offered fun rollers and snow obstacles for skiers to navigate, while the eBiathlon, hosted by Jackson Biathlon (JXB), gave participants a chance to combine skiing with electronic marksmanship. Para Nordic enthusiasts had a chance to push their double poling at the Sit-Ski Drag Race, hosted by Mount Washington Valley Adaptive Sports, experiencing firsthand how people of all abilities can enjoy winter on skis in the White Mountains.

Creativity and imagination flourished throughout the Festival. Young skiers added sparkle at the Glitter Table inside the Event Tent, inspired by Jessie Diggins, or participated in a variety of vendor-led design activities, including the JAKROO Hat Design Contest, Bivo water bottle creation, Skida hat design for the 50th anniversary print, and BirdieBlue’s fanny pack design challenge. Limbo lunges for lollipops, wooden medallion painting, and other hands-on activities kept kids moving and engaged, while the Festival Parade invited skiers to show off their colors and NENSA district pride.

Families and young adventurers explored the Mini-Marathon & Story Book Trail along the Ellis River trail, hosted by the Jackson Public Library, enjoying a picture book story along the way. More adventurous skiers could follow signed backcountry trails and finish at the Cocoa Cabin for a warm treat and campfire. Backcountry Adventures 101, led by Acadia Mountain Guides, introduced participants to the skills needed to safely explore the mountains in winter.

Bill with 8th grade graduates. Bill Keller photo.

We were honored to have Bill Koch at the Festival all weekend, cheering on skiers, signing autographs, sharing stories, and reminding us all that fun remains at the heart of the sport. His continued involvement and dedication to youth skiing are a powerful reflection of the League’s founding spirit.

Racing began Saturday with the high-energy classic relay, followed by paired and individual start freestyle races on Sunday. A particularly meaningful moment each Sunday is the 8th Grade Graduation. Graduating skiers took a celebratory lap together to mark their journey through the Bill Koch League, then gathered in the finish corral to welcome the youngest participants across the line, handing out lollipops in a full-circle moment of mentorship and community. Each graduate was recognized by Bill Koch and presented with a certificate honoring their time in the League.

No matter the size of their home club, every skier was part of something larger, a regional team, a shared experience, a weekend rooted in camaraderie and celebration. The Festival is not just about results. It is about growth, confidence, resilience, and the simple joy of skiing together.

We are deeply grateful to the Jackson XC BKL and Jackson Ski Touring Center for serving as fantastic hosts. The BKL Organizing Committee dedicated countless hours of thoughtful planning and coordination, and many volunteers stepped forward to support the event.

A sincere thank you to our Gold Sponsors, L.L.Bean, Jakroo, Fischer Sports, and Podiumwear, for their generous support and enduring commitment to youth skiing. We are also grateful to the sponsors who joined us on-site, L.L.Bean, Bivo, Jakroo, Birdie Blue, Skida, Stratton Mountain School and Green Mountain Valley School for bringing energy, enthusiasm, and outstanding products and activities to share with our community throughout the weekend.

Because of this collective effort, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, families, and skiers, the 2026 L.L.Bean BKL Festival was a true celebration of winter, youth, and the lifelong love of cross-country skiing.

And last, but not least, the winner of the Jakroo Denali Hat Decorating Contest is Caryn Taff of Quarry Road Ski Club!

Bill Keller Photos Day 1

Bill Keller Photos Day 2

Wise GUy creative Photos

Results

25 Years Strong: Celebrating the 2026 NENSA Women’s XC Ski Day

Mackenzie Rizio · February 24, 2026 ·

The 25th edition of NENSA Women’s XC Ski Day has come and gone, and what a special milestone it was! We were thrilled to return to Holderness, New Hampshire, where it all began, to celebrate 25 years of community, connection, and skiing together. We are deeply grateful to the Holderness School Nordic Center for hosting this year’s event and for welcoming nearly 250 participants, 20 coaches, NENSA staff members, and some of our wonderful women-led sponsors for an unforgettable day on their trails. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the NENSA Women’s Committee for their continued dedication and support in making this event possible year after year.

Check out a short video that highlights the legacy of this event:

Read all about the history of Women’s Day HERE

This year, there were 7 different clinic offerings for both classic and skate technique, based on the ability level and experience of clinic attendees. For some, there were also guided group tours offered. Year after year, we are deeply grateful for our dedicated clinic coaches who generously volunteer their time to attend this event, sharing their expertise and passion for the sport with others.

After the morning clinics wrapped up, participants gathered in the Dining Hall for a delicious lunch and an inspiring presentation by journalist and author, Peggy Shinn. Peggy presented on the history of women’s cross-country skiing and the inspiration behind events such as NENSA’s Women’s Day, which felt extra special just after the wrap-up of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026.

In the afternoon, participants went back out onto the trails and had the opportunity to keep working on new skills, or participate in a guided tour. The concluding activity of the day was the NENSA raffle.

We are incredibly grateful for the support of our sponsors, whose generosity makes this programming possible. A special thank you to Fischer, Salomon, Rossignol, Skida, and Ciclismo Classico for joining us in person and providing participants with the opportunity to demo or purchase their products.

And finally- thank you to all who joined us for this year’s event – we hope to see you next year.

From Classroom to Community: Building Pathways Through Nordic Rocks

Mackenzie Rizio · February 18, 2026 ·

On February 2, NENSA was excited to host 50 second-grade Nordic Rocks students from Rutland Northwest Primary School in partnership with the Chittenden Nordic Ski Club and Mountain Top Resort. This special day represented an important step in expanding access to cross-country skiing by connecting school-based programming with community partners and local ski centers.

NENSA was especially excited to welcome many of the same students we skied with last February and support their progression from schoolyard skiing to exploring a groomed ski center for the very first time. This extension of their learning environment helps build confidence and shows young skiers that the sport can be part of their lives beyond school. Just as importantly, it provided meaningful connections between students and local ski club leaders, helping to strengthen pathways into further participation in the sport.

After arriving and getting geared up in the same Nordic Rocks skis they use during school sessions, students were divided into groups for a second-grade “Fun-Lympics.” Stations included a dual slalom, a glide-out downhill track, a ski relay, and a bean bag biathlon. Skiers practiced gliding, worked on their downhill technique, honed their aim, and even explored ski tracks to build confidence on hills.

While part of the group took a lunch break, the other half headed out for a guided ski tour around some of the groomed trails. Students had fun staying in the tracks while navigating uphills, downhills, and curves. After reuniting, many chose to continue practicing their downhill skills, with noticeable improvement as the starting point gradually moved farther up the hill. We wrapped up the day with hot cocoa and a group photo, celebrating both the students’ hard work and the sense of community built throughout the event.

A few weeks later, we returned to Mountain Top Resort with a new group of Nordic Rocks students from Neshobe Elementary School and Barstow Memorial School. This time, we welcomed an even larger group, approximately 75 fourth graders ready to build on their schoolyard experience. We ran a similar program focused on fun and on-ski skills, and the excitement on the trails made it clear just how meaningful these extended opportunities can be.

Many thanks to our generous Nordic Rocks supporters—the Killington World Cup Foundation, Share Winter Foundation, and Casella Waste—as well as the Chittenden Nordic Ski Club for their coordination and Mountain Top Resort for hosting. Together, these partnerships help ensure that young skiers are not only introduced to the sport, but supported as they grow from schoolyard beginners into confident members of the Nordic community.