NENSA News

NENSA is excited to announce the host sites for the 2023 U16 Eastern Championships and Eastern High School Championships!

Eastern High School Championships will be held at Middlebury’s Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton, VT on March 10 – 12, 2023. Rikert has proven time and again that they can hold very successful races in March, including last winter’s Grand Prix and the 2016 EHSC.

The 2023 U16 Championships will be held at Fort Kent Outdoor Center in Fort Kent, ME on March 17 – 19, 2023. The FKOC did an amazing job hosting the 2020 Eastern High School Championships and we are thrilled to be working with them again on U16s in 2023.  The hosts are excited to share their world class venue and abundant natural snow with our speedy juniors!

Bidding for the 2024 championship events will take place in the winter of 2023.  New Hampshire venues will be targeted for EHSC and New York venues for U16 Champs.

And if anyone is missing winter and wants to relive last year’s events… you can watch the 2022 U16 Champs recap video HERE and the 2022 EHSC recap video HERE.

 

 

Checkout all the latest news in this week’s KickZone ~ enjoy!

https://conta.cc/3yiZvau

In just two years Cate Brams has become a fixture of the New England coaching community.  In 202o, after  racing for Middlebury College and the Sun Valley Gold Team, she returned home to Boston to help lead the Eastern Mass Cross Country (EMXC) program.  In May of 2021, she was hired as the clubs first full time Head Coach.  Her youthful energy and extensive racing experience, along with the knowledge of growing up in the Eastern Mass Bill Koch and CSU Junior Program (now known as EMXC) made her a perfect fit for the job.

Not only is she a beloved coach for EMXC, but she has jumped headfirst into NENSA programming, including regional camps, coaching at Junior Nationals and leading Coaches Education clinics.  We are indeed lucky to have such engaged coaches like Brams — made in part by increasingly sophisticated clubs — that provide awesome development opportunities for cross country skiing here in the East.  Read on below for accolades from her athletes, peers and coworkers!

EMXC summer coach and incoming UVM assistant coach Brandon Herhusky:

“This past year has been my first opportunity to work alongside Cate Brams in the coaching world. I feel very privileged to have worked with some of the best coaches in the country as either an athlete or a fellow coach; and despite Cate being a younger coach she easily ranks as one of the best I’ve ever worked with. Cate is constantly in pursuit of perfecting her craft as a coach. Whether talking about waxing, technique, or training philosophy I can always count on Cate to bring something new that she’s learned or thought about to the conversation. In her day to day running of EMXC she continually strikes an incredible balance of being very detailed oriented with everything she does having a purpose, while also having the ability to quickly adapt on the fly for the many individual athlete’s needs she manages. 

Seeing the respect that all of Cate’s athletes have for her is truly the testament of her as a coach. She coaches one of the largest clubs in New England and every single athlete from age 13 to 20 absolutely worships the ground she walks on. She creates an environment in which everyone can succeed while growing a passion for the outdoors and developing lifelong healthy habits through cross-country skiing.”

Mansfield Nordic Club Executive Director and Head Coach Adam Terko:

“After working with her in the wax room for a number of championship events ranging from US Nationals to JNs, I can confidently say that some of my most productive, fun, and memorable days at a wax bench have been with Cate. She’s an awesome communicator, whether it’s making stressful wax decisions, helping athletes find their best selves on race day, or humorously roasting me over something I’m wearing, saying, or doing. Cate’s ability to seamlessly and quickly transition between coach, wax tech, friend, mentor, and leader is something that allows her and her team to thrive in any situation.” 

NENSA Executive Director and former volunteer coach with CSU juniors Amie Smith:

“Cate Brams is a phenomenal Head Coach and leader for the EMXC juniors team.  She stepped into that roll several years ago with grace and maturity beyond her years.  Cate has both the perspective as a former CSU junior athlete herself, but also the skills and knowledge to bring her athletes both a calming balance while also challenging them to be their best.  Cate has also been invaluable as a volunteer coach and wax tech for New England Junior National team and at our REG Camp.”

EMXC Junior Sofia Scirica:

“Cate is an incredible coach who cares so much about her athletes and helping them succeed in skiing and beyond. Her energy and humor make her an amazing coach to work with and the entire team benefits from her leadership and dedication, as well as her coolness 🙂 It is extremely difficult to get thirty 14 to 18 year olds to focus on training, but Cate manages to do it while also making sure that we are having fun as we improve. 

From May to March, Cate works tirelessly to ensure that the entire team has all of the resources they need to feel confident going into the starting gate. It is incredibly impressive how hard to she works to give every athlete what they need to do their best. There’s no way to summarize everything that Cate does for the team because I can’t even begin to understand all of the work she does to make our team run smoothly, but if you want to see how dedicated Cate is, look no further than the wax bench at an Eastern Cup.  From waking up long before the sunrise to test dozens of waxes to staying and cheering until the last athlete of the day has completed their race, Cate is always ready to support the athletes in every way she can. Her pre race pep-talks and post race debriefs are consistently one of the things that I look forward to most on race days. 

Not only does Cate take the time to talk with her athletes about warmups and race strategy, but also our mental health. She cares so genuinely about how we are doing, and she recognizes that mental health is a crucial aspect of the sport. Having a coach that really cares about how her athletes are doing makes a huge difference in her athletes’ performance and their overall mental well-being. 

I feel so lucky to have been able to learn from her coaching the last few years and I am so grateful for all of the support that she has given me and the team. Cate is one of those amazing coaches who cares so deeply about her athletes and team, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of Coach of the Year!”

July 5, 2022

To the New England Nordic Ski Association Community,

NENSA is pleased to announce that Heidi Lange will be NENSA’s new Executive Director starting this month. Heidi lives in Lyme, NH and brings a wealth of experience in community work and non-profit fundraising to her new role at NENSA. She has been connected to NENSA for many years as Co-Head Coach of the Bill Koch League and as a member of the Nordic Committee at Ford Sayre Ski Club. Heidi also served as Vice President and Programming Director of the Upper Valley Rowing Foundation as well as working on multiple New Hampshire school boards and committees. Heidi has led Hanover High School’s Novice Crew team where she created an incredibly successful youth fundraising campaign that raised funds for The Prouty, the largest fundraising event in northern New England. More recently, she coached at Stratton Nordic Center and West River Sports in Vermont.

Heidi’s professional experience, proven leadership skills, successful fundraising efforts, and enthusiasm for the cross country skiing community will make her an effective Executive Director for NENSA and a passionate advocate for cross country skiing and skiers. The NENSA staff and Board is excited to work closely with Heidi to continue to advance NENSA’s mission and provide diverse, engaging programming to the New England ski community.

“I am looking forward to working with Heidi to bring cross country skiing to new communities and new heights,” said NENSA president Ellen Chandler. “Heidi understands NENSA’s operations and organization from the inside and out, as a coach, racer parent and participant; and her professional and civic experience align with NENSA’s needs seamlessly.”

“The value of NENSA’s mission has felt especially apparent to me during the covid pandemic when the skilled and dedicated Director and staff have worked creatively and resolutely to serve the New England ski community,” said incoming NENSA Executive Director Heidi Lange. “I have such belief in NENSA’s work and the powerful experiences and lessons possible for its participants at all levels. I am thrilled to be joining this team, building upon the many successes achieved under Amie’s leadership, and continuing to help NENSA grow and thrive.”

Heidi will succeed current Executive Director, Amie Smith at the end of this month. Amie has been NENSA’s Executive Director since 2016, and on staff since 2015, where she positioned NENSA as a leader in North American cross country skiing. Amie recruited and supported a strong and talented staff and developed donor relationships that leave NENSA in good financial standing. Amie will continue her involvement with NENSA and U.S. Ski & Snowboard as a Technical Delegate and will also help coach her local BKL club at Prospect Mountain in Woodford, VT, where she has also joined their Board of Directors.

“I was thrilled to hear that Heidi Lange was chosen as my successor. She will be a phenomenal next Executive Director for NENSA. Heidi cares deeply about our cross country ski community and that will shine through in all she does for NENSA moving forward.” said current Executive Director Amie Smith.

We thank Amie for her many years of excellent leadership and we are excited to welcome Heidi as NENSA’s new Executive Director.

With Regards,

The New England Nordic Ski Association Board of Directors

Heidi can be reached at [email protected]

It was a glorious of day for the first rollerski race of the 2022 NENSA Summer Series! A big thank you to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center staff and volunteers for all the hard work they put into hosting this event. It was extra exciting for this race to overlap with the Eastern Regional Elite Group (REG) Camp so we had top juniors in attendance from all across the East. In addition to competitive racing action, the day also featured a Learn-to Rollerski clinic for skiers of all ages looking to try rollerskiing for the first time and wrapped up with REAL skiing down in the Craftsbury village courtesy of saved snow from the Outdoor Center. So if you saw a Piston Bully driving down the road last Sunday, you were not hallucinating!

See below for a synopsis of top race results, check out full results HERE, and get excited for the next race of the summer which is the Rollins Roll Hill Climb up Mt. Kearsarge in Warner, NH on August 21st. See our full summer calendar HERE.

U16 Girls:

1. Ruth Krebs, Craftsbury Ski Club
2. Julia Thurston, Mansfield Nordic Club
3. Kate Carlson, Mansfield Nordic Club/EABC

U16 Boys:

1. Micah Brunner, Stratton Mountain School
2. Ellis Slover, Quarry Road Ski Club
3. Anders Linseiesen, Mansfield Nordic Club

Open Women:

1. Margie Freed, Craftsbury Green Racing Project
2. Evelina Sutro, Stratton T2 Team
3. Kelsey Dickinson, Craftsbury Green Racing Project

Open Men:

1. Ben Ogden, Stratton T2 Team
2. Brian Bushey, UU Ski Team
3. Finn Sweet, Craftsbury Ski Club

Photos: Paul Bierman & NENSA

NENSA is thrilled to be included in these Grant Awards from the Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) for our 2022-23 season.  Our grant from KWCF will help fund our Nordic Rocks program which provides elementary school students with an opportunity to experience cross country skiing during the school day with their teachers and classmates, and to learn the health and lifestyle benefits associated with exercise and outdoor fun.

NENSA assists Nordic Rocks school with a skiing curriculum, equipment acquisition, and teaching support. The curriculum is easy to follow and offers teachers learning ideas with both outdoor and indoor activities.

The Killington World Cup Foundation (KWCF) awarded 31 grants totaling $289,000 to Northeast area nonprofits in eight states. KWCF also donated $160,000 to support athlete housing at the Killington Cup. These grants were made possible as a result of the 2021 Homelight Killington Cup. In the last four years KWCF has donated almost $2,000,000 in incremental resources to the winter sports infrastructure and youth snow sport programs in the region. 

The Killington World Cup Foundation grants ranged from $1,500 to $25,000. All of the grant recipients are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or have a fiscal sponsor. Awarded projects included: supporting and expanding youth community snowsport  programs in rural North Carolina and Maine, helping to grow the program for the Share Winter/Association of Africans living in Vermont, and providing trail expansion and equipment for Nordic, Adaptive, Alpine, Snowboarding and Ski Jumping youth organizations. Over half of this year’s grantees are new to the Killington World Cup Foundation. Grants were awarded June 15, 2022 and funding begins September 15, 2022.

“The KWCF is critical to not only the success of the Killington World Cup events each year, but it has changed the lives of so many young ski racers across the Northeast with its goal of benefitting local and regional youth development programs. KWCF continues to provide opportunity and critical help to clubs to help them support the dreams of their athletes,” states Doug Lewis.

“Thank you so much for the generous grant! We look forward to continuing our work to support local children in our area and providing access to snow sports. This would not be possible without the support of KWCF.” – 2022 Grantee

“Thank you very much for the terrific news on our grant from KWCF supporting Phase 2 of the Andover Outing Club’s year-round Ski Jumping Initiative! That’s a huge help as we continue to move forward and gain momentum with Phase 2. This initiative is so important to our youth ski jumpers here in the northeast!” 

Grant applications were reviewed by a committee that included: Tiger Shaw, CEO Wasatch Peaks Ranch Club; Tom Karam, founder of T2 Foundation and a U.S. Ski & Snowboard trustee; Grace Macomber Bird, Volunteer, Kelly Brush Foundation; Harry Ryan, Facey, Goss & McPhee, P.C.; Victoria Hone,Facey, Goss & McPhee, P.C;  John Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella Waste Management; Kenneth Graham, Founder and Chairman of Inverness Graham and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors; and Phill Gross, Managing Director, Adage Capital Management and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Board of Directors.

A list of all of 2022’s grant recipients as well as details for organizations interested in applying for future KWCF grants can be found at kwcfgivesback.org.

About the Killington World Cup Foundation:

KWCF was created to support the Women’s World Cup at Killington and to benefit local and regional youth development programs. KWCF will consider and award grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations to facilitate training infrastructure in the Northeast and SARA region (ME/NH/VT/CT/NY/MA/RI/NJ/PA/NC/VA/WV) and to increase participation in competitive winter sports programs throughout the Northeast. Fundraising is a year-round effort. For more information, visit kwcfgivesback.org.

About NENSA:

The New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) is the umbrella organization for Nordic skiing events in the region. We are a member-supported service organization that promotes the culture of cross-country skiing by creating opportunities for youth, athletes, coaches, officials and skiers of all levels. NENSA provides the support structure necessary to bring cross-country skiers to their highest potential at regional, national and international events.

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].