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

We are happy to still be offering Women’s XC Ski Day this year! We are keenly aware of the pandemic and are following all changing COVID regulations. We will continue to be be adaptable, follow all regulations, and adjust to whatever extent necessary for everyone’s safety and wellbeing. We are currently planning to offer five smaller Women’s XC Ski Day events across VT, NH, MA, and ME on January 24th. We ask that participants register for the event closest to them in their home state. If you are not from one of the four states offering a clinic (or if your state’s event is full), please register in a state that you can get to in accordance with COVID travel regulations. We will be vetting registrants for everyone’s safety and we greatly appreciate your cooperation. Please note that there is no day-of registration this year.

We are excited to share that LL Bean is generously providing every Women’s Day participant with a NENSA monogrammed flannel. Women’s Day Skida hats are available for purchase on the registration page and the pre-purchased hats, along with flannels, will be distributed at every venue. Each Women’s Day event will also include a fun prize raffle and tasty bagged to-go lunches. You can read about changes to our clinic offerings for 2021 HERE and learn about equipment rentals at each venue HERE.

Women’s XC Ski Day 2021 Venues:
MA: Weston Ski Track
ME: Inland Woods + Trails (formerly Bethel Village Trails)
NH: JacksonXC & Waterville Valley Adventure Center
VT: Woodstock Inn and Resort

Register HERE!!! We recommend registering sooner rather than later. We believe Women’s Day will be quite popular this year and the registration number is capped to ensure we meet gathering size limits and provide a high quality instructional experience. If the event is cancelled, we will offer refunds. If registration is full, you can email Kait Miller ([email protected]) to be added to a waitlist. This year’s event is different than in past years and we want you to be well prepared so please visit our event website (or read the event notes on SkiReg) for full details including important information about NENSA’s COVID Guidelines and health screening requirements.

 

This summer NENSA conducted the first Virtual Regional Elite Group (REG) camp.  There was robust participation in the camp not just from nominated athletes, but also from clubs throughout the region participating in standardized testing.  Four male and female participants in the REG Camp rose to the top with their results in a 3000 meter running test, the Canadian Strength test and their National Ranking. These athletes will be contacted directly by USST staff to accept their nomination to participate in this program.  Read more about the program from U.S. Ski & Snowboard below the nominations.

Nina Seemann – Craftsbury
Ava Thurston – Mansfield Nordic
Quincy Massey-Bierman – Craftsbury
Sofia Scirica – CSU

Finn Sweet – Craftsbury GRP
Brian Bushey – GMVS
Adam Carlisle – Dublin XC
Sam Murray – Putney / Caldwell Sport

National Elite Group (NEG)
The National Elite Group is a camp project typically held in conjunction with the fall U.S. Ski Team (USST) and fall National Training Group (NTG) camp. This year this opportunity will be held virtually. NEG is the same age range as the Junior National Training Group (NTG) and athletes are typically directly embedded and immersed for one week of the two-week USST fall camp allowing them to experience firsthand how USST and NTG athletes live and train. While athletes are nominated to the NTG due to international and national winter competition success, the National Elite Group (NEG) camp is a second opportunity for junior athletes to be nominated to a National Development Project. Much of the success in future winter performance stems from holistic and comprehensive training in the summer months. NEG is a means to reward junior athletes for their hard work and focus in the summer months, yet may not have qualified for the National Training Group. U.S. Ski Team staff collaborate with the regional coordinators utilizing the time trials and National Ranking List to select a minimum of 1 boy and 1 girl from each REG to be nominated to NEG (due to the virtual nature of camp this year a few more invitations per region have been extended). Additional nominations are selected based on the strength of each respective REG. Some flexibility is maintained in the selection process to allow for regional input and increase the opportunity for the athletes to fill the twelve-person camp roster.
Selection Criteria: (Link) Approximately 12 athletes among the four REG camps are nominated to the National Elite group. Athletes are nominated to NEG based on their performance at their respective Regional Elite Group (REG) camp as well as their U.S. Ski & Snowboard overall National Ranking List (NRL) placement. The three-time trials plus their overall U.S. Ski and Snowboard National Ranking Lists placement are equally weighted and scored via World Cup points. Junior athletes can be nominated to both NTG and NEG. It is commonplace that an NTG athlete will also be nominated to the NEG since those athletes performing well on snow and hence meeting NTG standards often also perform well in the REG summer tests. Successful outcomes on snow are a result of adapting general skill competencies in a sport-specific manner.
Athletes are nominated to REG after the conclusion of the four REG camps.
Camp: A general outline, early-mid October, Park City, Utah (final virtual program for 2020 will be announced)
Camp will be directed by Kate Barton and other US Ski Team staff and athletes.

Eastern Cup & Vermont Cup Primer – 2020-21 Season

Resilience, ingenuity and compliance will be the mantras for the winter of 2020-21.  NENSA, alongside venues throughout the East are committed to making the Eastern Cup Series happen by providing safe competitions.  State and institutional guidelines will continue to shift throughout the winter and the proposed Eastern Cup and Vermont Cup is designed to give us the best chance for success.  Athletes will need to be resilient as challenges arise, and use ingenuity to stay focused on the overall goal of development through the season.  Perhaps the keystone in the puzzle is compliance to Health Protocols – we ask that athletes, coaches and parents adhere to the high standards we have created to insure the health of not only participants, but the communities we visit throughout the season.

Vermont guidelines dictated the creation of a “Vermont Cup” within the traditional Eastern Cup framework.  All 15 races listed on the proposed schedule will be run to the same high standards of a typical Eastern Cup and used to score points for the Junior Ranking List.  We encourage athletes and clubs to be judicious in their planning and travel – giving priority to race starts in close proximity to their homes.  Athletes will be ranked on their “Best 3” races this season to help support this guidance.  As the final details and disciplines of our newly calendared races occur we will publish guidelines on qualification for Eastern Regional Championships, scheduled to happen at a similar time to Junior Nationals.

Read on below to learn how the 2020-21 Eastern Cup season will be conducted.

All Eastern Cup (EC) & Vermont Cup (VC) race registrations are hosted by SkiReg.com and will be open by December 1st.  Please note all competitors who intend to attend multiple EC, VC or FIS races should purchase a bib and rent a chip – this page is open now and will close December 1st.

1. All racers must have valid NENSA and U.S. Ski & Snowboard (USSS) membership to race – please note a $10 daily NENSA membership is available on individual race registration pages.
2. **Due to our expanded calendar there are several EC’s and VC’s that will not require a USSS membership –  EC’s: January 24, February 7.  VC’s: January 24, February 6-7. 
3. Purchase or renew your your NENSA membership here.
4. Purchase or renew your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership here.
5. Foreign membership options updated (11/26/2019).
6. Purchase both your NENSA & U.S. Ski & Snowboard memberships early to ensure proper validation at registration.
7. All EC & VC racers will be listed in the overall race results, regardless of your U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership type ($20 general or $115 competitor).  If you want to be listed on the National Ranking List (NRL) you need to purchase a U.S. Ski & Snowboard competitors membership.  Competitors 17+ (who will turn 18 during the 2020-21 season need to purchase a Competitor membership to comply with SafeSport regulations.
8. For the 2020-21 Season all junior competitors from New England will be ranked to the NENSA Junior Ranking List (best 3 races for both U16 and U18/U20).  This list will serve as the qualification list for the Eastern Regional Championships.
9. You can upgrade to a U.S. Ski & Snowboard competitors license later in the season (points may not retroactively apply to previous races).
10. Each Eastern Cup has a Virtual Team Captain’s Meeting (VTCM) an information page for updates: on venue, times changes, and important racer/coach information.
11. Registration will close at 5pm on the Wednesday before each Eastern Cup weekend.  Please note all competitors must also fill out a Health Screen Form on this day in order to compete – the form will be sent via SkiReg to all competitors and coaches on Wednesday.
12. Seed lists will be posted on Thursday (using points from the current NRL / FIS lists)
13. Start lists will be posted on Friday by 6pm for Saturday and Sunday races.
14. Final Eastern Cup race results can be found here.  Live results links will be made available on the EC event pages.
15. Eastern Cup and Vermont Cup races will be scored by U.S. Ski & Snowboard (except for the 5 races listed under #1 above), and updated to the NRL.  Races marked as (FIS/NRL) are also scored by FIS.
16. NRL and FIS listing dates can be found in the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Nordic Competition Guide. 
17. SEEDING:  All racers will be seeded by their best of either, NRL or FIS points.  If you have a U.S. Ski & Snowboard general membership, or have 990 points you will be seeded randomly at the end of the field.
18. U18/U20 Junior Ranking List:  Best 3 EC or VC races.  Scored by USSS points **see 2. Junior Ranking List Points.
19. U16 JN Junior Ranking List:  Best 3 EC or VC races.  Please note for the 2020-21 season U16 will be scored by USSS Points – the same way as U18/U20.

Craftsbury, VT (October 25, 2020) – If there is anything 2020 has taught us – it’s that we need to focus on overall development and every competition we pull off will truly be a blessing.  Three short days ago skiers from across the region competed in the second rollerski race of the summer – the Lost Nation Roll – on the Craftsbury Outdoor Center‘s new rollerski track. The anticipation of winter racing was palpable and this event was a great way to prepare, especially in light of many pandemic-related changes to our race season.

“It feels great to put a bib on, it really gets me excited for the season to come.”
– Julia Kern, SMS T2/US Ski Team

“It’s fun to be here with the team, we get to put on a bib, it is timed, and there are splits. It just feels very real, this is the best way to get ready for the season”
– Jessie Diggins, SMS T2, US Ski Team

Teams competing at the event included the Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club, Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Stratton Mountain School T2 Team, Dartmouth College, Ford Sayre, Mansfield Nordic, and the Fort Kent Outdoor Center. While we would have loved to have more teams and individuals represented at this event and missed your presence, we are grateful that this crew was able to come out for a closely controlled, responsible day of racing.

The newly paved course with a fresh surface made zipping through the Craftsbury hills as fun as it gets. Both the men’s and women’s fields were quite competitive with multiple Olympian and World Cup athletes competing from both biathlon and cross country.

Women’s top-3:
1. Jessie Diggins, SMS T2/US Ski Team
2. Julia Kern, SMS T2, US Ski Team
3. Evelina Sutro, UVM/Craftsbury GRP

Men’s top-3:
1. Adam Martin, Craftsbury GRP
2. Ian Torchia, SMS T2
3. Akeo Maifeld-Carruci, Craftsbury GRP

Junior Women’s top-3:
1. Quincy Massey-Bierman, Craftsbury
2. Nina Seemann, Craftsbury
3. Maggie McGee, Craftsbury

Junior Men’s top-3:
1. Finn Sweet, Craftsbury GRP
2. Brian Bushey, GMVS
3. Bjorn Westervelt, Craftsbury

Full results from Bullitt Timing can be found HERE.

And a wonderful photo gallery from the day by John Lazenby.

NENSA is honored to be hosting a season long club-based challenge, the Hall Mark of Excellence.  Current Standings.

Thank you to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center for hosting and to all the staff, athletes, volunteers, and coaches who made this event possible by following all necessary safety measures.  NENSA is committed to creating safe competitive opportunities for our population – look forward to a Racing Primer on November 1 that will address developments in the Eastern Cup racing schedule.

“Bib & Chips”
Available now on SkiReg.com
Closes December 1st.

NENSA and our venues are working tirelessly to produce a schedule of high level races that will keep competitors, officials and volunteers safe during the COVID pandemic.  As per our Eastern Cup COVID-19 Contingencies we identified a system that will allow for touchless registration and timing systems.  Competitors will purchase a race bib and rent and assigned timing chip.  Each competitor’s bib and chip will follow them throughout the season as a NENSA, U.S. Ski and Snowboard and/or FIS number does.  This effectively eliminates the need for typical registration / bib pick-up – eliminating a touch and gathering points at events.  This purchase will also help subsidize the cost of vetting participants: athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers – including health screenings and adherence to state and county travel guidelines.

These bibs and chips will be used exclusively for the FIS competitions hosted at Craftsbury and all Eastern Cups.  In order to compete in these events, you need to purchase your bib (you will keep it at end of the season) and rent your Zone4 chip (returned at your final start of the year).  Eastern Cup fields (Eastern Regional Qualifiers) will have unlimited field size. FIS races at Craftsbury will be limited to racers with current FIS licenses and the field size is currently capped at 120 participants.  If you intend to race in any of these races you need to purchase your NENSA bib and rent a chip.

Bib purchase and Chip rental ends on December 1st.  At this point competitors will be assigned bibs based on List 10 of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard National Ranking List.  Bibs will be distributed by Club / individually by mail or picked up at the Craftsbury Season Opener.

Craftsbury Season Opener #1 – December 5th

Craftsbury Season Opener #2 – December 12th

Eastern Cup Opener – Craftsbury – December 19th *(competitors race on 19th or 20th)

Eastern Cup Opener – Quarry Road – December 20th *(competitors race on 19th or 20th)

Craftsbury Race Into The New Year – January 2nd

Sugarloaf Eastern States Cup – January 23-24

Craftsbury Rodrigues Cup – January 30th

Gunstock Eastern Cup – February 6-7

Eastern Cup Finals – February 20-21

During a productive Junior Committee Meeting, the decision was officially made to move to a state-based model for U16 and Eastern High School Championships. Many factors contributed to this decision including a desire for as many skiers as possible to be able to partake. NENSA will work with each state to host championship events that fits safely within their state’s COVID guidelines. Plans are in the works for the exact format of these events but will likely include a unique challenge event in addition to racing, with metrics that facilitate competition between the states.  We are actively working towards a concrete plan within this new structure and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we all navigate this new world. Our goal is to offer fun, inclusive, and, above all, safe events this season. We will keep you posted as our planning progresses and we have more details to share!

Please note that Titcomb Mountain in Farmington, Maine is the official 2022 EHSC host and the Fort Kent Outdoor Center in Fort Kent, Maine is the official 2022 U16 Champs host. We are grateful to these two organizations for their flexibility and understanding, and look forward to working with them next winter!

NENSA is excited to be partnering again with Swix! This year Swix is offering discounted outerwear (training jacket, puffy coat, and training pants) to all NENSA-affiliated BKL Clubs. If your club is interested, please email Kelley Roche at [email protected] so she can get an online shop set up for you. Online club shops will be open for a few weeks for club members to place orders as supplies last. One shipment per club will then be sent to a club coach who will distribute the gear. All items will be embroidered with the NENSA logo. Reach out soon if you want orders to arrive before the holidays!