NENSA News

The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is excited to announce that the 2023 New England Bill Koch League Festival will be hosted at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, VT March 4-5. The Festival is the marquee event of the Bill Koch Youth Ski League, the largest cross country ski program for children in the United States. Whether a child loves the adventure of cross-country skiing, enjoys playing with friends on skis, or wants to grow up to be a ski racer, the Bill Koch Youth Ski League has something for them.

Once a year children and families from ski clubs from all over New England and New York come together at the annual Festival for a weekend of fun on cross country skis. The site rotates through the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. For 2023, NENSA is thrilled to be working with the Craftsbury Outdoor Center and the Craftsbury Ski Club in northeastern Vermont on this fun and inclusive event featuring relay and individual races by age group, as well as an engaging, fun, and educational mix of non-racing activities that all can enjoy. The Craftsbury Outdoor Center has a long standing history of hosting successful ski races and events over the years as part of their mission to “support and promote participation and excellence in lifelong sports with a special focus on rowing, nordic skiing, biathlon, and running.” Their Festival theme is “North Woods in Winter” and will be a celebration of the northern forest as both a recreational space and a working landscape. Stay tuned to learn about the exciting themed activities they have in the works!

Additional information on the Festival can be found HERE and lodging information can be found HERE. Please note that lodging at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center is very limited and you must email [email protected] and share which District you are from to make a reservation. Additional important information about lodging at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center can be found HERE. Registration will open in late fall. Any questions about the Festival can be directed to [email protected]

We are excited to kick off our 2022 NENSA Award announcements with the Bill Koch League Leadership award!

The Bill Koch Youth Ski League is sustained by a large group of adults who give their time and energy to the sport that they love and every year the Bill Koch League Leadership Award honors one of these coaches, parent/caregivers, club leaders, volunteers, or officials from our ski community who embodies fun, community, and a lifelong love of skiing. This year we are thrilled to give this award to Rosemary Shea-Cobb of Westford, VT and the Mansfield Nordic Club (MNC).

Rosemary has been in the ski world for many years as a competitor and leader within the Northwest VT BKL District and the Catamount Trail Association. She is currently the head coach of MNC’s youth programming, a position she has held since 2015. In 2021, Rosemary spearheaded the collaborative charge to host Northwest Vermont’s BKL Mini-Fest in a challenging year when the regional Festival wasn’t able to take place due to the pandemic. On top of being a coach and program leader for MNC, Rosemary serves as NENSA’s BKL District Co-Chair for Northwest Vermont (NWVT), a volunteer position that has her serving on a committee with NENSA staff and other Chairs from around New England and New York. Rosemary brings incredible drive, energy, perspective, and experience to her duties and is always focused on keeping the spirit of fun alive within the Bill Koch League Youth Ski League. 

MNC Junior Head Coach, Adam Terko, shared, “Rosemary’s dedication to planning and organization is what kept our BKL programs running as smoothly as possible prior to the pandemic, during the toughest parts of it, and beyond. She’s able to apply that to NWVT in terms of developing engaging programming and events throughout the season. We’ve got a large group of skiers and coaches to manage, and Rosemary is able to bring the right kind of fun atmosphere to every session whether it’s a long ski day, a mock Olympic event, or lots of props and homemade snacks to add to the excitement!”

Rosemary’s NWVT Co-Chair, Britta Purrung, says, “Rosemary’s enthusiasm and love for coaching young people is contagious. Her skiers embody the dedication, drive and just plain fun that she fosters in her club. She is super organized and knows EVERYTHING about hosting BKL races and is happy to share her knowledge.  We are so very lucky to have her!”

NENSA’s Competitive Program Director, Justin Beckwith, expressed, “Over the past several winters I’ve had the pleasure to work with Rosemary in NENSA and NWVT BKL capacities. She undeniably loves sharing this sport which gives her so much joy. She also has incredible networking skills that guarantee top notch events, often drawing in local legends to serve in key roles. The New England community is certainly lucky to have Rosemary!”

NENSA is incredibly grateful to work with Rosemary in our ski community and thrilled to honor her years of hard work and dedication with the 2022 BKL Leadership award. Congratulations Rosemary!

 

NENSA is proud to offer seven competitive rollerski races this summer and fall.  This is the fifth season NENSA has offered rollerski racing to complement winter programming and create year round events.  When we design each years schedule we aim to complement high level racing experiences for elite athletes with something for all comers — this year we are excited to again offer three hill climb events.  In conjunction with the racing we have also expanded our Learn to Rollerski clinic offerings.

NENSA is thrilled to announce that Supporting Sponsor, Cabot Cheese, will be supplying Podium Cheese for Juniors, Open and Masters throughout the Series.  You will also notice some new inflatable animals that will make the journey with NENSA across the Eastern region!

Top competitors in the individual events will use our matched fleet of Swenor Rollerskis, which create a level playing field and provide, The Ultimate Ski Feeling.

There will certainly be developments and updates to the Series in the coming weeks, so start planning and we look forward to seeing you out there!

The racing action starts in Craftsbury, Vermont on July 3rd with the Lost Nation Roll.  This individual freestyle race has three options with a 5.6km for U16, 11.2km for open skiers and a 7.5km intermediate option.  The race is being held in conjunction with the Eastern Regional Elite Group Camp (REG) and the basis of the field will include 42 of the top juniors from throughout the East.  Green Racing Project and SMST2 athletes are also slated to be in attendance.  While the competition will be worthy of spectating the addition of an intermediate race and a Learn to Rollerski clinic in the afternoon make this event complete.

Lost Nation Registration here.

In late August we will return to Rollins State Park for the first hillclimb of the series.  The Rollins Roll is a beautiful 5.6km hill climb up Kearsarge Mountain outside Warner, New Hampshire.  The race starts at 8am before the park is open and registration is limited to 75 people.  Please note that skiers should plan on carpooling and ideally have a driver drop them at bib pickup / warm up area before proceeding to park at the summit.  This is the first of three hill climbs (placement for best 2 of 3 finishes) for our Masters Climbing Award presented by Allagash Brewing Company.

Rollins Roll Registration

On September 18th we return to the Ethan Allen Rollerski Track in Jericho, Vermont for the FreeFall interval start freestyle race.  This is typically one of our best attended events of the series with a wonderful closed loop.  Many junior clubs and college programs are usually in attendance.  Please note the event is hosted on a military base and speed limits must be strictly adhered to.

FreeFall Registration (to open soon)

Last year NENSA hosted two sprint competitions on the newest rollerski track in the East.  Mt. VanHoevenberg went through world class renovations in the past two years with a new trail system including a sporty rollerski track.  This track allowed for the first open heat competitions on rollerskis in the East.  After qualification racers compete in a head to head format in heats of four.  To add to the spice NENSA’s rollerski ramps are utilized strategically on the course.  Final formats, including an intermediate race option will be announced soon.

Keys to the Castle Registration (to open soon)

Perhaps the most storied of the races in the series, NENSA began collaborating with the New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF) in 2018 to host this awesome five mile climb.  While USST and USBA athletes have been highlighted over the years, it’s also historically the most well attended masters event.  The 2022 C2C race will be the second event of the Allagash Brewing Masters Climbing Award.  In 2021 the format was switched from mass start to wave start to spread out skiers on the road and provide more exciting racing.  We are also exploring a shortened race for juniors and adaptive athletes.

Climb to the Castle Registration (to open soon)

On Sunday morning October 23rd NENSA will be hosting the third edition of the first Rollerski Cross Country Cross event (XCX) in the world.  This exciting summer version of Cross Country Cross (XCX) builds on aspects of both sprinting and agility.  The event will take place at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine.  The course will be set on a 400 meter loop including multiple ramps (Bicycle(s), Speed Whoop, and Step Down Jump) and other agility components including a figure 8, one-legged balance, grass skiing, and several turning features including a slalom.  Skiers should be prepared for a course under 2 minutes in length with sections of open skiing including a finish straight.

The Maine Event Registration (to open soon)

NENSA and the Berkshire Nordic Ski Club are excited to welcome you back to Mount Greylock, Massachusetts for this iconic rollerski race.  This classic hill climb will be interval start with options for a 3 mile and 8 mile course with spectacular finish at the summit of the highest point in Massachusetts.  The toll road will be closed for the season during this event.  This is the final event of the Series and the Allagash Masters Champions will be crowned at awards.

Mt. Greylock Hill Climb Registration (to open soon)

Over the past few weeks Divisional Leaders have been meeting to discuss 2023 Junior Nationals to be hosted in Fairbanks, Alaska.  The venue and organization at Birch Hill Recreation Area are second to none and the experience of traveling to interior Alaska is formative.  In an effort to reduce expense, due to high fuel costs and limited lodging options, for large groups this national working group made the decision to run a condensed schedule for the 2023 Junior Nationals.  The event will include three individual races over four days and there will be no relay.  NENSA will make every effort to keep expenses to a minimum while as always, running a high quality trip.  That said, even with the condensed schedule we anticipate the trip cost to be higher than typical years.

Further NENSA has secured a block of tickets an Alaska Air from Boston to Fairbanks with one stop > March 10th am – March 17 early am.  These tickets are locked in at $1056.  We are encouraging all athletes to use this fare as booking tickets at typical times (February) could be cost prohibitive and limit participation.  Auto qualifiers from Senior Nationals will be required to purchase their own fares and are encouraged to do so asap after their trip to Houghton.  NENSA will be poling intents of athletes to attend 2023 JN’s throughout the season so we know what names we will put on tickets as soon as possible.  These tickets will be purchased on February 7th with the ability to change the names on the tickets.

We understand your concerns about the cost of this trip and want to be transparent with you from the start.  If you have any questions please reach out to [email protected].

This past Saturday, NENSA, Gould Academy, the Bethel Outing Club, and Maine West Project Play collaborated to put together a community rollerski clinic designed for youth/BKL skiers, their parents/caregivers and coaches, and high school athletes in Bethel, Maine. Turnout was high with 40 participants working on their agility, balance, and coordination while running through the rollerski ramps and playing a variety of games including broom ball.  The energy behind cross country skiing in this area is inspiring and this collaborative event connected and reconnected folks from different regions, generations, and sliding sport disciplines.

A huge thank you to Ben Kamilewicz and Gould Academy for hosting and helping organize the event!

PHOTOS

Our next Learn-t0-Rollerski clinic will be on July 3rd in Craftsbury, Vermont! Details and registration HERE.

Link to 2021 Lost Nation Roll video recap

Our second event of the 2022 summer season is fast approaching and we’re excited to be partnering with the Craftsbury Outdoor Center to host a rollerski race and Learn-t0-Rollerski Clinic! The Lost Nation Roll is the first in our NENSA Rollerski Race Series and will be a freestyle, paired interval start race of either 5.6km (U16s), 11.2km (open skiers), or 7.5k (open intermediate skiers–no Dennis’s downhill). Registration is capped at 150 racers total.  Top 10 ranked open skiers of each gender will race on NENSA’s fleet of Swenor Skate Long skis. Clinic details below.

REGISTER

Course Information

The race will be contested on the Outdoor Center’s paved rollerski loop. The loop has a figure 8 layout, meaning that the middle portion including Dino Hill will be skied twice per “lap.”

The open race course includes the challenging Dennis’s Nemesis downhill once per lap. If you are not comfortable on rollerskis, this may not be the right category for you and we encourage you to check out the Intermediate Race option. This downhill is high speed and includes an S-turn (or chicane) at the bottom. Please arrive early enough to preview the course.

The intermediate course removes the Dennis’s Nemesis downhill and shortens the course to ~ 2.5km.

A course map is available for preview here.

Learn-to-Rollerski Clinic

Have you ever wanted to try rollerskiing?! Join NENSA’s Justin Beckwith and Kait Miller for an hourlong Learn-to-Rollerski clinic following the Lost Nation Roll race from 1:00-2:00pm. This instructional clinic is geared towards folks who have on-snow ski experience, but little to no rollerski experience and want to give classic roller skiing a try. All clinic participants will use NENSA’s brand Swenor rollerskis, but remember to bring your own boots, poles, and helmet!! We can accommodate SNS and Prolink/NNN bindings. Register HERE. Check out this informational video on rollerski equipment from the Craftsbury Outdoor Center.

Schedule

8:30AM – Bib pick up and day-of-race registration opens (if numbers allow); course opens for warmup

9:25AM – Course closes to all racers.

9:30AM – U16 races start. 1 skier every 30 seconds, mixed gender. Two 3.3km figure 8 laps for a total of 5.6km.

10:00AM – Open races start. 1 skier every 30 seconds, mixed gender.

11:15AM – Intermediate race (7.5km, no outer loop)

12:00PM – Podium ceremony

1:00PM – NENSA Learn to Roll Clinic

Questions? Reach out to Race Director Ollie Burruss at [email protected].

#25KinMay was designed to bring skiers together when they couldn’t be.  After three years it has morphed into an inspiration to get out and start the training year, and enjoy the activity of rollerskiing.  Since the spring of 2020 over 400 skiers have officially logged over 22,000km of activity — but participation runs deeper and perhaps the most fun is seeing people having fun sharing their early adventures.  During this time NENSA has created more robust year round programming — seeing rollerskiers on the road in New England is becoming more common and we are proud of helping build that culture.

2022 saw participants from nine states and perhaps the “most epic” entry was from Emily Follet of Maine who skied up to the legendary Holmenkollbakken (Holmenkol Ski Jump) in Norway.  Many skiers linked up with old friends or new and we had some big group skis.

Officially in the “Keeping up with Beckwith” category we had five skiers that covered over 250 kilometers.  Huge props to: Erin Mahon-Moore, Scott Edwards, Fred Call, Bob Witkowski and Jay Hole.  We hope we see you at one of the three hill climbs during this summers rollerski races to put all that base fitness to work!

Today we announced our prize winners on social media.

Prize Time!
(Brought to you by @sharepastimes @drinkbivo @alpinepromos @swix_sport @enjoywinter)

Fresh NENSA Trucker Hats:
Speedy Repeater – Tait Harvey, NonStop Nordic
Rockstar – Emily Follet, Greely High School
KUWB – Fred Call, Bethel Outing Club
BKL/My Own Pace – Scott Betournay, St. Paul’s School

BivoDuo Waterbottle – courtesy of Pastimes:
– Ava Rothe, Blackwater/Hopkinton
– Scott Edwards, @charitymiles
– Katie Hill, Mansfield Nordic Club
– Anna Balcerak, Buffalo, NY (Polish Ski Club – TNB Wesola)

Bliz Breeze:
– Viera Proulx, Freedom Trails Nordic

Swix Drink Belt:
– Jeff Dusek, Freedom Trails Nordic
– Mack Greenberg, GMVS

NENSA will contact participants with prize delivery and thank you note.

Our rollerski programs continue to grow and we love offering more ways to better support and engage skiers of all skill and experience levels.  Stay tuned for our upcoming Rollerski Race Series release coming mid-June and be sure to check out our Learn to Rollerski page which we will be updating with opportunities as we finalize the summer schedule.

You can also look forward to the Roy-llerski, a memorial rollerski event for Roy Varney of Maine in July.

The Women Ski Coaches Association (WSCA) celebrates all women who coach, including volunteers who work so hard to keep programs running. To honor all this hard work, the WSCA is extending free membership to all volunteer women ski coaches. If this is you, reach out HERE. If this is not you but you’d like to support the work of the WCSA with a membership, you can sign up HERE.

A little bit about the mission of the WSCA (from their website):

The Women Ski Coaches Association (WSCA) works to develop, retain, and advance women in ski coaching leadership.

DEVELOP EXEMPLARY WOMEN SKI COACHES QUALIFIED FOR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS BY

1. Recruiting female athletes that exhibit coaching potential

2. Sharing knowledge, experience, and expertise within WSCA network

3. Funding professional development opportunities to ensure all coaches have access in lieu of employment status

RETAIN WOMEN SKI COACHES BY

1. Collaborating with existing organizations to share research and stories that demonstrate why women coaches matter and facilitate a conversation around this challenging topic

2. Supporting strong female leadership at all levels of sport (local, regional, national, international governance)

3. Promoting professional standards in ski culture and attempting to change workplace norms that prevent equal opportunity

ADVANCE WOMEN SKI COACHES BY

1. Connecting women coaches and encouraging mentorship through the WSCA network

2. Educating employers on the bias women face in the hiring process by teaching people to hire women based on potential

3. Discussing career goals and providing experience based career counseling within the WSCA network

4. Stewarding career pathways for qualified women candidates in skiing leadership at all levels (local, regional, national, international) and advocating for women to fulfill crucial decision making positions when hired

Read more about the WCSA and their meaningful work HERE.

NENSA is truly honored that the Bill Koch Youth Ski League earned 4th place in the 2022 FIS SnowKidz Award announced at the FIS Congress on May 25th. This international award is presented every second year and “aims to recognize and promote the best examples of bringing children to the snow, in varying national circumstances.” This honor is truly a testament to the vision and dedication of Bill Koch himself, the tireless work of our member clubs and past NENSA staff members, and the support of our partners in Eastern ski community who have made the program what it is today.

Congratulations to the top-3 award winners: Shred Kids (Germany) in 3rd, Lumilajit Liikuttavat (Finland) in 2nd, and Alla på snö (Sweden) in 1st. Check out the FIS SnowKidz website to learn about the many wonderful organizations around the globe who are getting youth.

NENSA and The Maine Outdoor Wellness Center are thrilled to host the 4th annual Roy-llerski and fundraiser this year during the month of July 2022. The event, originally created by Jenny Wilbraham, was created in memory of Roy Varney to bring together the nordic community for support and to enjoy the sport they all shared.

This year, the event will have both virtual and in-person options, we encourage anyone that can participate with a group and make the most of it! Using the date of Roy’s passing (7/1/19), the challenge is to ski, run, or ride 71.19km OR for 71:19 (1h:11m:19s), spread over a couple of days,  weeks, or the entire month if need be. If you are in the Turner (ME) area, you can reach out to Dustin Williamson ([email protected]), Tash Varney ([email protected]), and Jenny Wilbraham ([email protected]) about in-person offerings. Folks can also reach out via the Maine Outdoor Wellness Center instagram HERE. 

There is a $10 entry fee that will be donated to Maine Outdoor Wellness Center.

Have fun, stay safe, and take the spirit of the journey with you! Sharing photos or GPS tracks over social media is highly encouraged (tag the Maine Outdoor Wellness Center and NENSA and use #forRoy).

Registrant Categories:

Rockstar: For those aiming to ski 71.19 in one shot – for time or challenge.
Speedy Repeater: Combine multiple skis to reach 71.19km.
Bill Koch/Recreational/Time Trial: Ski 7.119km non-stop or use the event as a time trial.
Art for Roy: Design the coolest fitness tracker art file to honor Roy! #forRoy
1:11:19: Ski as far as you can in 71 minutes and 19 seconds.

Register HERE!!!

Prizes:

The first 10 registrants, 8 raffled registrants, and 2 randomly selected social promoters will win an event bag with swag from The MOWC and LL Bean.