BKL/Youth

NENSA Club Relay Championships Recap

Kai Miller · April 7, 2026 ·

The last Saturday in March saw a fun morning of relay racing with skiers from BKL to Masters representing clubs from across New England all coming together for this celebratory end-of-season Club Championship event.

Following the relay races, everyone gathered to share a tasty barbecue meal and acknowledge the top relay teams as well as the season-long racers who finished on top in the Zak, Marathon & Club Cup series.

Congratulations to everyone who came out to race the relays and throughout the whole season! We also want to extend a huge thank you to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center for hosting and to Allagash Brewing and Jasper Hill for providing awesome end-of-season prizes in the form of chalices and cheese.

Relay results

Zak, Marathon & Club cup scoring

Keep scrolling to relive relay day through photos.

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!

Friends, Fun & Food at the Third Annual Tour de Stowe

Kai Miller · March 9, 2026 ·

After a cold weather post-postponement earlier this winter, weather woes continued to plague the Tour de Stowe event directors with forecasted ice and rain. However, after careful inspection of multiple weather forecasts, they decided to move ahead with the event. And with 20/20 hindsight, they made the right decision!

While it was quite icy and raining heavily when volunteers arrived onsite, the von Trapp groomers worked their magic on the trails, the rain slowed, the skies began to clear, and by the time the BKL/youth skiers were at the blueberry soup stop, the sun was starting to come out!

Stowe Nordic’s Tour de Stowe is a true celebration of recreational skiing for all skiers, young to old and new to experienced.

At 10am, after sharing some donuts and cider in the yurt courtesy of Cold Hollow Cider Mill, over fifty people set out on a beautiful tour of some of Stowe’s most picturesque trails which took them past a delicious food stop at the Slayton Pasture Cabin. People could choose their own adventure by skiing the 14km or 22km loop with the longer course wending its way over to the Stowe Mountain Resort trail system.

At 10:30am, the BKL/youth skiers set off on their 5km adventure course which was masterminded by Mansfield Nordic‘s Liz Hollenbach. With three unique activity stations and a food stop with blueberry soup, the skiers had fun challenging themselves both physically and mentally.

The first stop featured a dice-roll agility station where skiers rolled foam dice to determine whether they would ski backwards, do a 360, complete a ballet turn or ski as low as they could go. After some warm blueberry soup, they skied onto their their next station which was tennis ball biathlon! Last, but not least, skiers completed a slalom course before riding the roller bumps into the finish for a lollipop and some tasty Cabot cheese.

The day wrapped up with a raffle and community get together in the von Trapp Bierhall where participants gathered to swap stories and share delicious food and drink.

Thank you to Stowe Nordic and their awesome crew of volunteers, David Rye and the von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort, the Stowe Mountain Resort XC Center, Liz Hollenbach of Mansfield Nordic, Cold Hollow Cider Mill, Cabot Cheese, and our wonderful NENSA sponsors for making this fun, community event a reality for the third year in a row!

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