We are all eagerly awaiting the beginning of the race season and doing snow dances.  Unfortunately, due to current Vermont Guidance the opening Vermont Cup has been removed from the calendar.  Quarry Road has gotten a jump start on their snowmaking and is optimistic to host their Opener on December 6th (popular race only / no chips) and the Eastern Cup Opener on December 20th.  Registration for the Eastern Cup Opener will go live tomorrow.  Registration for later Eastern and Vermont Cups will be moved closer to race dates so we have the most up to date information before opening.

We ask that all competitors who intend to race at the Quarry Road Eastern Cup Opener register to purchase their bib and rent their chip by tomorrow’s 5pm deadline.  You can do that here.  Please also take the time to thoughtfully make your season long race intents in the custom questions — this is very helpful for planning and creating safe event schedules.  We will email a list of bibs and chips that will be sent in bulk to larger clubs shortly after registration closes (to all that registered) — the remainder will be picked up at the race site on the date of the competition.  Bib and chip assignments will be listed at: https://www.bullitttiming.com/events/NENSA-bib-chip

We will also reopen bib purchase and chip rental for a second session — from December 2nd through December 31st — for Vermonters and those who might have missed the current window.  There is no penalty for waiting until the second registration if you do not intend to race at Quarry Road.

Thank you all for your patience and resilience in these unprecedented times — NENSA will continue to make every effort to make safe competitions available throughout the season and we can’t wait to see you out on the tracks.

While we don’t know what the beginning of this season is going to look like NENSA is working hard to try and keep our population enthused, excited to ski, and provide some incentives for your clubs to work together as a team!  We’ll be unrolling our Popular race schedule next week – which will include Virtual Events so people can participate in BKL, Club and Zak Cup racing regardless of where they live.  Our Club Cup rankings have taken on new meaning this season with the gracious support of Marty and Kathy Hall – with a carrot of $5000 going to the top ranked club at the end of the year, $3000 to the second place club and $1000 to the 3rd place club/school.  This ranking will be based on rollerski races we hosted, Eastern and Vermont Cup races, and the Popular Race calendar (which will include Virtual events).

To kick us off and get teams together we created the December Club KM Challenge – it’s designed to be simple and driven by the leaders and coaches of our awesome NENSA clubs.

December Club KM Challenge  #DCKC

Join NENSA clubs of all walks for an inclusive kilometer logging challenge.

Club points will be awarded to 2021 Club Cup rankings – A Hall Mark of Excellence Award.

The team with the most kilometers skied (or rollerskied) will net 300 points, 2nd – 200, 3rd – 100, 95, 90, 85…

REGISTER HERE

The goals of the Challenge are to:
– Bring some certainty to the beginning of the season.
– Unite teams and clubs that might be physically separated during this period.
– Log some of your first kilometers of the year.
– Get clubs psyched to ski and boost club participation.

How it will work:
– NENSA coaches or club leaders register their team / club on SkiReg
– Challenge runs from December 1 to midnight December 31
– Clubs are encouraged to report kilometers weekly:  add photos / videos and share notable moments – impressive skis, beautiful scenery.
– No cost for NENSA clubs.

What do you get:
– Winning club will get #25in20 branded Skida headbands (until our supply runs out)
– Clubs score points toward the yearlong A Hall Mark of Excellence Award  of  $5000 1st place, $3000 2nd place and $1000 for the 3rd place club/school.
– Get stoked and fit for the 2021 Season
– Add your club’s kilometers to our season long goal of logging 250,000 K as a community!!

49 Pineland Drive, New Gloucester, Maine 04260 | (207)688-6503 | Fax: (207) 688-6505

We know many folks are facing challenges with how to run their BKL programs this year during the pandemic. Some clubs are already running practice, some are just starting up, and some have been recently shut down. If you haven’t seen it already, you can check out our BKL COVID-19 Best Practices Guide. To build on the information in this guide, NENSA is hosting a virtual BKL Leader Forum on Tuesday December 1st at 5:30pm so leaders can ask questions, share ideas, and learn from each other. We don’t have to tackle these challenges alone! This forum can also serve as a platform for leaders to connect with one another to plan future events whether in person or virtually. This year will require some creativity and out-of-the-box thinking and we believe our BKL community’s got what it takes.

If you are a BKL leader/coach and want to attend the forum, please email [email protected] for the Zoom link.

While we are living in such a dynamic time – especially with the current regulations in Vermont – NENSA is here to bring us together and #getskiing

Our @tokous Marathon Challenger hats arrived with NENSA “25 in 20” branded labels yesterday – last year we had a record of 24 folks who completed the challenge.  They will look sharp heading into 2021!!

Look forward to an update about Popular Racing next week – and the announcement this Friday of a December Challenge designed to give clubs and teams the opportunity to “ski together” even if they aren’t physically together.

These beautiful #wasatchhats are shipping today – see you out there.

– NENSA Staff

#25in20 #letsgetskiing #letitsnow

NENSA is psyched to be partnering with LL Bean and some northeastern Ski Centers in a fun, free, engaging youth cross country ski game this winter: XC Ski Bingo! We realize almost all of you are still waiting for snow… so while you wait you can start planning how you’ll get Bingo. Every few weeks we will raffle off LL Bean US Ski Team Pom Hats and $20 LL Bean gifts cards to players who completed Bingo. Players can submit more than one Bingo throughout the season if each one is unique.

Download and print the Bingo card for your state and get ready for some winter adventuring. Be sure to fill out the BINGO ENTRY FORM when you get Bingo. We’ve got Bingo cards specific to Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont with local Ski Centers to ski at and fun activities to complete. Activity descriptions and info about participating Ski Centers included in the Bingo card downloads below.

Massachusetts | Maine | New Hampshire | New York | Vermont

Rules of the Game:

1. Must be under 14 years of age to play.
2. Game runs from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021.
3. Get “Bingo” by completing the activities and skiing at the Centers in a full row, column, or diagonal.
4. Document your activities and the Ski Centers you skied at with photos and mark your Bingo card.
5. Fill out the Bingo entry form once you’ve completed Bingo. You will include your activity and Ski Center photos and a picture of your marked Bingo card.
6. Follow all state COVID-19 Regulations: MA, ME, NH, NY, or VT.
7. Get outside and HAVE FUN!!!
8. Direct any questions to [email protected]

In 2014 NENSA began the tradition of honoring the top ranked male and female Eastern Cup skiers with the Gallagher Award.  NENSA is pleased to announce that Abigail Streinz (Fort Kent Outdoor Center) and Will Koch (University of Colorado) are the 2020 Eastern Cup Champions – their inspired efforts are a perfect way to celebrate Mike Gallagher’s legacy as an athlete, coach, and community leader.  The two skiers who win this award each year do so by being consistently dominant in New England’s premier race series (winners are determined by the lowest average points from seven of the nine EC events).

This year’s winners are both soft spoken leaders among their peers — and exhibit the grit and creativity needed to be successful in the sport of cross country skiing.  Whether they are “taking full advantage of the weather and landscapes available .. in the boonies of northern Maine” or developing “50km over distance workouts on a unicycle or “inventing” a three hour strength in the gym,” Streinz and Koch march to their own beat.

Abbee skied last season with the Craftsbury junior squad where she was a consistent top-ten skier and had two podium finishes.  In her two races at Junior Nationals in Truckee, California she placed second in the U20 sprint and sixth in the individual classic.

“Abbee is a super hard-working skier who finds the motivation to do a whole lot of training all on her own.  She’s straight up tough, totally unafraid to do the hard work in gnarly conditions, and doesn’t shy away from training her weaknesses. One of my favorite things about Abbee is that she’s incredibly humble, too—you’d never know that she’s a ripping fast skier just by talking to her. Abbee’s also awesome at stepping up and doing the not-super-fun tasks on team trips, like making dinner, doing the dishes, and generally making sure that the team can keep functioning. It goes along with her “get it done” mentality. It’s great to see her earn the Gallagher Award!”  Anna Schulz, Craftsbury

Will Koch who hails from the Stratton Mountain School program was a stalwart competitor on the Eastern Cup circuit for four years.  This season he found himself on the podium five times including three victories.  The highlight of his young career to date came at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and Valle de Joux in Switzerland where he earned a bronze medal in the 10K classic last January.  Will also went on to win the classic race at Junior Nationals and place second in the sprint.

This spring NENSA had a fun interview with Will and Andrew Newell.

“I only had the pleasure of working with Will for one year, but his work ethic, attention to detail, and respect for his teammates impressed me.”  Alex Jospe

“As a coach, it has been rewarding to see Will’s development as a young athlete throughout the years. From the early days as a winter term student coming out and chasing around the senior T2 Athletes on roller skis and snow, to now coming into his own as one of our countries top junior’s, Will’s development has been his based on his strong work ethic, creativity and playfulness. He is there hammering hard with our group on interval days, but equally at home on a 7 hour adventure run across the Green Mountain Forest. His holistic and mature approach to training and skiing is something all New England Junior athletes should aspire to. You have to do the hard work, but you need to love and enjoy the process to make it in this sport!” Patrick O’Brien

“What sticks out most to me with Will is that he is a student of the sport. He doesn’t want to just know what to so, he wants to know why. When you know why, you can take ownership of what you are doing.” Sverre Caldwell

Will joined the University of Colorado Buffalo’s this fall.

We congratulate these skiers and thank them for reminding us of Mike Gallagher’s competitive spirit.  Mike was a three-time Olympic cross-country skier and the Head Coach of the US Ski Team from 1980-86.  You can read more about Gallagher here on fasterskier.com

It is that time of year for our NENSA Auction! We are thrilled to have over one hundred options this year, from Cheese and Syrup to House Rentals, and a historic collection of memorabilia from the family of Jim Rodrigues. Come take a look!  Go to www.32Auctions.com/NENSA2020

CHECK OUT THE AUCTION! 

(new items will be added)

NENSA is following the recent developments with Vermont, Maine and other New England state regulation changes and as always we are committed to the health of our communities first and foremost. We’ve been diligent with our planning as we knew setbacks could arise. Please know that we are committed to hosting Vermont and Eastern Cup racing that is compliant and safe.

The Craftsbury Vermont Cup Opener on December 19th cannot be hosted under current Vermont Health Guidelines.  Vermont will reassess this Emergency order on December 15th.  If we do not receive updated guidance allowing us to host in-person this event will be cancelled, however we are optimistic we will be able to host Vermont races later this winter as scheduled, and if need be in accordance with our Covid Contingency plans.

Quarry Road is preparing to host an Opener Race on December 6th as well as the Eastern Cup Opener on December 20th.  They like many touring centers across the East have turned on their snowmaking guns to take advantage of this cold weather window.

Registration for all Vermont and Eastern Cup racing will open on December 1st.

One of the cornerstones of our Covid Protocols is the use of a single bib and chip for the season.  This program allows venues to have limited bib pickup and reduced volunteer staff, as well as helping with potential race attendance and Health Screening.  As expected regulations are forcing us to be nimble – if you intend on racing in December please register before the end of the month.  We will reopen a second wave of registration December 2 – 31 to allow for those unsure of there plans.  Please note that during registration you will be asked your “race intents” – please check the events you intend to attend.  There is no added cost or commitment to the event, but is very helpful to anticipate and if needed be limit the number of competitors at the event.

Keep safe, keep skiing.

We will be announcing our 2020 NENSA Award Recipients over the next month and are kicking things off with the BKL Leadership award. Read on and stay tuned!

The Bill Koch League Leadership Award is given out every year to someone from our ski community who we feel embodies the fun, community minded, lifelong approach to skiing. This could be a coach, a parent, a club leader, a volunteer, or an official; the New England Bill Koch League is sustained by a large group of adults who give their time and energy to the sport that they love. This year we are thrilled to be giving the award to Kate Parrott of Chesterfield, MA and the Berkshire Trails BKL Club.

If you’ve been to a New England Bill Koch League Festival in the past few years, chances are you’ve seen Kate in the vicinity of the start corral. Whether helping skiers to get lined up in the correct order, or leading those skiers in a group dance or jumping jacks routine to keep them warm before their start – her calm and commanding presence helps skiers feel at ease in what could be an otherwise stressful situation, and has been a welcome addition to the stadium area.

On top of being a coach and Club Leader for Berkshire Trails, Kate serves as NENSA’s BKL District Chair for Western Massachusetts, a volunteer position that has her serving on a committee with NENSA staff and other chairs from around New England. The committee acts as a sounding board for NENSA’s decisions on BKL philosophy, a decider for the festival location, and a direct link to the coaches within the different districts and clubs. Kate’s voice on the committee is always thoughtful and focused on keeping the spirit of fun alive within the New England Bill Koch League.

When she’s not serving on the BKL committee, coaching, or parenting (Kate’s daughter Sophie will be an 8th Grader this year, and skis for the Berkshire Trails BKL Club), Kate is a middle school science teacher in the Northampton, MA school district. She also runs a farm specializing in sustainably healthy products, with the intent to provide a platform to share agricultural experiences and demystify food production.

We feel lucky to have Kate in our New England Bill Koch League community – congratulations Kate on the 2020 New England Bill Koch League Leadership Award!

Skiers enjoy the trails at Carter’s X-C Ski Canter in Bethel. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Maine’s Nordic ski areas are anticipating a busy season this winter, based on the bustle on trails this summer during the coronavirus pandemic.

Spreading out skiers is more easily achieved at Nordic centers because skiers don’t have to congregate on long lift lines waiting to be carried up a mountain. There also is not as much of the apresski culture found in Alpine skiing, where people gather to socialize afterward.

“Avoiding mass gatherings is easier at Nordic centers, where you just put your boots on and go,” said Matt Sabasteanski, communications director at the Pineland Farms Outdoor Center in New Gloucester.

Gabe Perkins at Bethel Village Trails said if the summer traffic on Bethel’s trails is any indication, skiers will be out en masse. The nonprofit’s 15- mile trail systems saw a 25-to-50 percent increase in traffic this year. And that’s in a ski town full of active outdoor people.

Lots of newbies may be drawn to Nordic skiing as an outdoor outlet since it’s easier to learn than Alpine skiing and requires less investment. Generally a daily trail pass at a cross-country ski center costs between $10 and $20, while equipment rentals cost $10 to $25, and season passes are between $100 and $160.

“We think just like we saw this summer at state parks and on hiking trails, people will want to be active outdoors this winter.

We think it will be a huge benefit for Nordic areas,” said Dirk Gouwens, Ski Maine’s executive director.

Similar to Maine’s Alpine areas, the Nordic centers have been building and planning for more expansive check-in areas to allow for social distancing.

Bethel Village Trails plans to move its entire operation outside to allow for curbside pickup for rentals and tickets at The Bethel Inn golf shop, where the Nordic center is based. Orders will be taken online in advance, or through the ski center’s window. The nonprofit is building two shelters that will offer protection from the wind near the trail center.

“We’re all in this together.

We want to make sure people can recreate responsibly as a form of recovery,” Perkins said.

At Pineland Farms, one of the busiest Nordic ski centers in Greater Portland, the idea is the same – with the operation moving outside to a new hut where rentals will be brought out to guests. The nonprofit also is setting up four additional fire pits at warming huts around the 30-kilometers of trails.

The farm’s market food, also, will be sold out on the trail system.

Carter’s X-C Ski Center in Bethel is building a second rental shop so that customers can get boots in one building – and then go to a second building to get skis, poles and snowshoes, to help spread skiers out.

Tickets and rentals will be sold online and attendants outside will help assist patrons.

At Harris Farm in Dayton, owner Dixie Harris said the only big change this winter will be no socializing inside the store, where skiers typically swap stories while enjoying farm fare. As for COVID-19 safety protocols, the farm has been implementing them for months.

“We’ll just transfer those protocols from the farm stand to the ski center,”

Harris said. “We’re getting lots of calls for our ski sale. People can’t wait for winter.”

PORTLAND PRESS HERALD November,16, 2020

LINK TO ARTICLE

Deirdre Fleming — 207-791- 6452
[email protected]
Twitter: @FlemingPph