Introductory

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!

Community Race Update: Hippies, Lunatics, and People from New England! Skiers at the Birkie, MNC Skiathlon, Capital City Ski Day, Stratton Terrain Challenge and…More!

Ben Theyerl · February 24, 2026 ·

Last weekend, outside of New England, the largest ski race this side of the Atlantic took place, with over 10,000 skiers flocking to the Wisconsin Northwoods outpost of Cable for the American Birkebeiner Ski Marathon.

In a new history of the famed “Birkie,” American Birkebeiner: The Nation’s Greatest Ski Marathon, my old local sportswriter Jerome Poling managed to track down the one guy who signed up for the inaugural edition in 1973 and then didn’t finish. His take on who does the Birkie? “Hippies, lunatics, and people from Minnesota.”

Well, it turns out in the motley crew that turned up this year, there were at least some New Englanders in there too. Including, in the half-distance junior race the Korteloppet on Friday, a champion, as Ford Sayre’s Donovan Van Citters took a Main St. sprint finish in Hayward.

Donovan’s set to be back in Birkieland real soon, as a member of Team New England for Junior Nationals 2026, which is also in Wisconsin this year.

Why all this fuss about the Birkie? Well, for one, the hushed little secret about NENSA’s Program Director is that I come from Birkieland, and can’t help but still treat it as the center of the universe.

More importantly though, by outside perceptions, a 10,000 person ski marathon should theoretically be pulling in just about everyone in the frozen little sport of cross country skiing. And yet, back in New England, by fate and by fun, we had the busiest weekend on the NENSA calendar. Perhaps another 1,000 skiers joined together back here, and in as many varieties (or more) of ways as there are fish in Lake Hayward!

From BKLers warming up for this weekend’s L.L. Bean BKL Festival in Jackson, NH, to terrain challenges, sprint challenges, skiathlon challenges, and a paintball Biathlon, wherever in the fields and forests of the East you went this weekend, there was skiers.

So, to the Birkie’s hippies, lunatics, and people from Minnesota, we’ll offer the slightly matched sentiment. Who skis in New England? Well, just about anyone…hippies, lunatics, and at least one person from the Midwest (Wisconsin) too.

Capital City Ski Day – Concord, NH

By: Sam Evans-Brown

On February 8th, the Capital City XC Ski Day returned to the Beaver Meadow Municipal Golf Course in Concord, NH. For the first time in many years we’ve had consistently stellar skiing all winter at “The Beav” and this weekend was no exception, with a well timed storm a new coating for truly spectacular skiing on the day of the event. The day brought together a mix of fun “Queen’s Court” style sprint racing and over a hundred first-time skiers, showcasing the growing nordic community in the capital region.

Queen’s Court Sprints and BKL Action

The morning kicked off with the “Queen’s Court” sprint races, a tournament-style freestyle format that ensured every racer—regardless of speed—got multiple heats of head-to-head competition. Around 30 racers tackled the technical course through the golf course “stadium.” On the men’s side, Junior’s Ben Poole and Madeline Ronci took the top spots, showing their elders that the next generation of nordic racers aren’t to be trifled with! Ryan Kelly was the top racer over the age of 18, and the women’s field saw Amy Dupuis claim the victory.

Full results can be found here.

Immediately following the sprints, the focus shifted to the next generation of skiers. Another 30-ish racers from the Bill Koch League (K-5th grade) took to the trails. From the youngest “Lollipops” to the seasoned 5th graders, the energy was high as families cheered on the kids through winding loops and short, punchy climbs.

Learn-to-Ski: From Kindergarten up!

The afternoon was dedicated to the event’s largest contingent: the Learn-to-Ski clinics. Despite the logistical challenge of matching gear for a massive crowd, the volunteer team successfully put nearly 100 participants on snow—many for the very first time. The clinics saw 110 registrants and an actual attendance of nearly 100 people, who all broke out into groups of ten to twenty participants. Many of the learn to ski instructors were the same racers from earlier in the day!

Under the tutelage of the dedicated team of instructors, the clinics focused on the fundamentals of balance, gliding, and—most importantly—having fun. The “Equipment Team” was the unsung hero of the day, making sure every participant was fitted with boots, skis, and poles. Thank you to the Jackson Touring Center and the Bedford Cross-Country Ski Club for helping to ensure we had equipment for all!

A Community Effort

The success of Capital City XC Ski Day is a testament to the partnership between SkiTheBeav, Concord Parks & Recreation, JacksonXC, and S&W Sports. SkiTheBeav, the nonprofit organization behind the event, continues to advocate for expanded access and reliable snowmaking at Beaver Meadow to ensure the capital region has a dependable place to ski regardless of the weather, the city continues to regularly groom the trails, providing access to free, high-quality skiing to everyone in the capital community, and S&W Sports provides generous financial support and help with day of event logistics and gear support.

MNC Skiathlon – Sleepy Hollow Inn, Hinesburg, VT

New England’s Skiathlon returned after a cold weather delay at Sleepy Hollow. The Skiathlon has historically been a showcase of the diversity and competitiveness on offer in the Champlain Valley of Vermont, and this year was no different. Fresh off a weekend of carnival racing, St. Michael’s Henrik Wist took a win with MNC’s Silvester Williams, and Craftsbury’s standby organizer Ollie Burruss in tow. While MNC’s Mia Gorman took advantage of an off weekend to hop in a community race, with St. Michael’s skiers Keeley Kendricks and Mazzy Connors behind…followed by St. Michael’s Coach Annika Martell.

The Skiathlon gave way to a sunny afternoon of BKL racing, all providing a true club day out for Mansfield Nordic Club.

Stratton Terrain Challenge

The Stratton Terrain Challenge also returned after a cold weather delay from last month. The extra month this winter meant more snow, and more cushioning, for skiers to push the bale jumps and obstacles out at the Stratton nordic center.

The photos tell the story, provided by George Forbes, and found HERE.

Bonus: An Ode to the Weston Ski Track’s Tuesday Night Series by Bill Donahue

Boston Magazine recently featured a personal essay on the inane glory of homegrown racing, penned by NENSA Master stalwart Bill Donahue. A selection, with the full essay HERE.

“We were in the bland hinterlands of Greater Boston, skiing along the ho-hum Leo J. Martin Golf Course—otherwise known as the worst golf course in America. The traffic of I-95 hummed nearby; a passenger train clanged in the darkness. But my mind knew nothing of the setting, for I was at war.We clambered toward a narrow hairpin turn, four Lycra-clad cross-country ski racers so close I could see the dried white spittle on my competitor’s whiskery face. The pack constricted like water through a pinched hose. Then suddenly we were on a wider expanse of groomed trail, snow glimmering under the floodlights at the Weston Ski Track’s winterlong Tuesday Night Race Series (TNR)…” READ MORE HERE

Results and Rankings

NENSA Results | Results on Bullitt Timing

NENSA Zak and Club Cup Rankings

Preliminary NENSA Rankings for the weekend are updated by 12pm Tuesday on the NENSA Rankings Page. A 48 hour protest period is open until 12pm Thursday. There will be no retroactive scoring of races after this per the Zak Cup scoring rules posted here.

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.