NENSA News

The previous two days of tumultuous weather gave way to a bright sunny day.  Before the storm moved out, it left several inches of new snow.  The Bethel Inn had a firm base before the storm, but what it left much-improved things.  As we drove eastward, it was easy to tell that the big snow event was to the west, and we were driving into areas that saw a lot more rain. There was significant snow the whole way, but we were moving from feet of snow to inches.

We arrived in Bethel with little time to spare but saw the familiar scene of skiers going about preparations for a classic race.  One of the defining elements of the Flying Moose is that there is always a large contingent of high school racers competing in the 10km.  It is fun to see the coaches reining in a distracted young waxer, as well as, the egos of many who have never raced against such “old” people.  The spectrum of skiing is broad, and while the youth are on a trajectory upward, many do not know how high the arc can go.  While they may be right that the masters are on a downward trajectory, they are not prepared for whooping that the masters are about to issue to them in a race twice the distance.  They need to look past the overhanging bellies, tight race-suits,  and gray hair to see the precision to which we execute our waxing, warm-ups and as Jim Fredericks (MNC) once told me when I was their age, “elimination of all the variables to gain any advantage our experience, and income can afford us.”

The conditions were superb, as we have come to expect in Bethel.  The course had been groomed at the optimal time after all the rain and snow, and a soft powder track had been set.  It was cold with a strong, steady wind that was a significant factor in the race.  The course used the Village Trail Network starting at the Bethel Inn.  Skiers started out on the Dog Days Trail until it joined Tibbetts Loop.  We then climbed and climbed some more up Paradise Hill.  After cresting the top of the hill, we descended back to Tibbetts for a bit before taking a hard left onto the Moose Trail.  At the end of Moose, we continued onto Mill Brook (avoiding Corkscrew this year).  In the 3-way intersection at the bottom of the golf course we started an inner loop going in the opposite direction picking up another section of Tibbetts, then Dick’s Best Guess, before hitting Mill Brook again back to Tibbetts, to Pasture Path (a.k.a. the wind tunnel today) back to the 3-way and this time taking Mill Brook to the Lap/Finish area.  The course was well marked, and while sounds complicated, flowed smoothly with no 2-way traffic and was simple to follow except where the wind had drifted snow over the trail.  The wind also continuously replenished the powder in the tracks in exposed areas.

Racing got underway, and the field was quickly blown apart.  There was plenty of double poling with a crosswind. Skiers looked for the fastest snow, which was sometimes in the tracks and sometimes out.  Later in the race they would look for the firmest snow so their poles would not punch through.  Different wax, ski flex, and fitness played a role as the mass start pack quickly disintegrated into a long string of skiers.  Much different than last week’s experience where people were able to stay together for 30-40 kilometers at Craftsbury.  That is the nature of ski racing, and the quicker you can adapt to the conditions, the better you can do.  Conditions were flying at us on 30mph wind gusts.

Neal Graves (Stowe Nordic) wasted little time powering away from the field.  He has been training hard for the American Birkie and was healthy this week.  The Flying Moose was his opportunity for a primer for the next big race.  Tyler Magnan (NWVE) and Tristan Williams (unattached) skied together, but on the twisty course, lost sight of Neal.  Line of sight was another factor that gave skiers an isolated feel as often you would see another skiing in the opposite direction on the next trail over and wonder how they got there.  A small chase pack stayed together up the first climb on Paradise Hill.  Nick Trautz (Hebron), George Aponte-Clarke (Portland), Tyson Weems (3 Levels), and Dennis Page (Nansen) had as much of a pack as we would see for the day, that lasted less than 2k. On the downhill that followed, ski speed separated the group, and there was no return.  Nick and George had a friendly rivalry going, but Nick was in excellent form and continuously pulled away over the rest of the course.  Dennis had the slowest skis of the bunch, but his instincts were sharp from all the racing he has done this season. He was able to use that to his advantage to retake Tyson and hold his position for the rest of the race.

Robert Bradlee (Wide Meadow) is always a big mark on course.  His ToKo Race suit is easily identifiable and he always has consistent results.  David Herr (Unattached) Kirk Siegel (BOC), Steven Moreau (CSU), and I were hopeful to connect to Rob, but the disparities of styles within the group made any organization hopeless.  David is a much faster climber; Kirk was trying the double pole thing, Steven and I were doing the best we could to hang in.  David eventually did catch Rob, and they skied together until the final climb when David was able to run the last hill faster than Rob.  Kirk caught me at the bottom of the course, where I realized by noting the skate skis that he was double poling.  I gave him a tip that Kris Freeman (Caldwell Sport) had told me and Kirk was immediately appreciative as it was an aha moment.  Being a middle-distance runner, I formulated my plan to demolish Kirk on the second lap. (Run like hell up anything with even the slightest incline.)

Todd Taska (Unattached) showed his grit skiing the 20km mostly alone like many of the racers did.  He loved the powdery conditions and had a solid result taking one of the few sprints of the day over Dykstra Eusden (Unattached).  Robert Faltus (CSU), like Neal, was using the Moose as a primer for a bigger event. In this case, Gatineau.  Robert skied with the Elite Woman Jessica Bolduc (NWVE) but could not hang with her over the final 5km.  Jessica was having a much better race due in part to a new pair of skis hand-picked from the Caldwell Sports Fleet specifically for her.  It made a big difference over the last pair that had served her well for so many years.  With each kilometer, Jessica’s confidence grew, and she was unstoppable up the final climb to the finish.

Gordon Scannell (Schussverein), Rick Chalmers (Portland), Deven Abrams (Portland), and Ken Kimball (MWN) had a great race together.  Some of the top elder statesmen of the sport skiing with the top U18 in the field. As they climbed to the finish, Gordon was having none of it taking the lead with determination. Rick was right on his heels, and Deven had all he could do to hang on.  Ken had been gapped coming through the wind tunnel down Pasture Path but recalibrated and brought himself back into the mix on the final climb.  In the flurry of action, the finish order went M8, M6, U18, M9!  After this pack, there was almost a 2-minute gap to the next athlete, indicating that racing was intense.  Mia Shifrin (Bates) would be that athlete, finishing 2^nd overall for women.

Raul Siren (Unattached) skied it in looking as happy as everyone else did on Saturday.  Perma-smiles were on everyone as the course was not too technical nor hilly, and the conditions in spite of the cold wind were something to smile about. Perry Bland (NWVE) was happy with his race and the graciousness of our host.  He does prefer more striding, but any skiing suits him fine.  He liked the wax as it was his favorite, Extra Blue!  Kimberly Moody (Schussverein) was psyched to be the 3^rd overall woman.  She skied some with perennial marathon challenger Bruce Katz (Unattached) before he made a move going into the final inner-loop of the race.  Cipperly Good (NWVE) liked the course and had fun racing.  She was not particularly partial to the wind replenishing the powder in the tracks, but that is not a bad problem to have when the alternative within the week could have canceled the race.  After a strong race, she contemplated how she can fit next weekend’s John Roderick at Black Mountain into her schedule.

CSU usually does not send too many racers to this event, but they dispatched a handful to represent and maintain their lead in the points series.  The Berman’s were out in force, enjoying the day.  Sara Mae wowed some fans cheering the racers, sharing some of her stories about skiing.  She did so humbly without mentioning any of her or Larry’s pioneering achievements.  When I mentioned a few to them, as they wondered why I had gone out to offer encouragement, they were in disbelief, exclaiming that they had been skiing in the presence of somebody who is “like a national treasure!”

Once again, the Flying Moose Classic delivered a wholesome fun event.  Skiers continued skiing for their cool-downs and then went in for the post-race meal.  They shared the usual stories, but a new topic came up when Ken Kimball stated that with the pending abolishment of fluoros, he looked at all the wax he has accumulated over the decades and thought “I ought to use this up before I die.” Everyone laughed and began sharing the stuff they have that has been sitting on the shelf for years, waiting for that perfect moment to be used.  The Race Director Jim Reuter thanked all the volunteers and participants for making it such a fun event and had a spirited awards ceremony with the traditional loaves of bread, but also some engraved coaster sets and merchandise.  Skiers made their way home, still smiling from the perfect race on a perfect day.

Stellar racing continued in New England this weekend as Craftsbury Outdoor Center hosted the Lost Nation Cup Super-Tour, and the New England Marathon Series got underway at the Freeman Frost White Mountain Classic.  Popular Racing continued at both events with competitive fields enjoying some excellent conditions.  The fantastic early forecast of a significant snow event was replaced with a gloom-and-doom mostly rain wintery mix; however, the storm never materialized over northern Vermont, and New Hampshire and pleasant conditions prevailed.

The staff at Jackson, led by Ellen Chandler, were as transparent about the situation as possible as the race approached.  There was a good base but not much snow on top of it to work with.  Confidence grew as the weather predictions improved, and before registration closed, an enthusiastic call to have the race was made.  There would be modifications, but Jackson was able to uphold their reputation for grooming and event hosting excellence.  There was evidence all over of the work done to prepare the course in time for the start.

As racers made their way to Jackson, their eyes were glued to the temperature in the car as well as the forms of precipitation stuck to tree branches.  We saw temps stable in the low thirties and snow clung to trees in higher elevations with ice in the lower.  As we closed in on Jackson, the snowbanks were high, and optimism grew when we arrived.  Relieved with the ease of commute, we quickly got to work preparing skis.

Early tests of warm and universal klisters were conclusive, as were the trials of Zeros, though many were favoring klister as the Zeros occasionally had a premature release.  NWVE tested Swix Nero due to a fair amount of tree debris on the course but ended up going with a final layer of Rode KM3 as it had a good bite and skied free.  It has also never given us a reason not to like it.

The course utilized the starting area across the road from the Touring Center.  A short double pole zone into a hard left turn and a double track.  Racers were routed around the field back to the starting area and back out again to climb Yodel.  Racers crossed Carter Notch Road over to the Eagle Mountain Trails and skied two laps.  The race ended at the Eagle Mountain House as the cover on Yodel was a little thin to race back down to the traditional finish.  While the course was significantly shortened, most people seemed satisfied that it ended where it did!  The sun was out, and the temperature rose significantly, causing the tracks to become saturated in exposed areas.  Most experienced a slowing of skis, so the race finished on a good note when faced with the alternative of doing another lap with increasing drag slowing the skis.  Many did elect to take an extra lap for a cool-down — a testament to the good coverage and fun course.

The field lined up and was given a hopeful, optimistic, and enthusiastic blessing.  The minute, then thirty-second warning was announced.  It was evident that we have been conditioned to Amie’s Magic Watch at the Geschmossel, but this week’s countdown seemed to coincide with traditional time-keeping.  Just as people relaxed from their starting stance, the command was given, and we were off.  The first turn created a bottleneck, and an early skier snapped the handle off their pole.  Silas Eastman (Unattached) opted to go back for the remnant of his pole and use it to get to the overflow parking lot where he removed his skis, leaving the course, to grab a spare from his car.  He worked his way back through the field and into third place overall by the finish.  Upon the second approach to Yodel, we turned right, given a supportive cheer by the volunteer, Ron Newbury (Mt. Washington), and began climbing.  The field again bunched up, but this time it was a little cleaner. The field was starting to string out with no gaps developing yet.  The climb up Yodel did change that, and by the top small groups had formed.  It seemed most were climbing well, and it was a matter of fitness that separated the field.

The leaders had broken away with Eli Enman (NWVE), and Sam Evans-Brown (Concord) methodically pulling away.  Behind them, Tom Thurston (NWVE) was having a good race.  Tom was not able to hold the pace of Eli and Sam up the first climb, but his skiing was as good as his skis as he pulled away from everyone else.  The first real pack chased from a distance.  Nathan Moreau (CSU), Brian Lavoie (Stowe), Ben Taska (Unattached), and John Sakalowsky (CSU) broke away and began working together.  David Herr connected briefly with the group as his skis were climbing very well but suffered a bit when they were slower on the flats and downhills.  A deficit that could not be made up.

The next group had a few more of the master’s contenders, David Johnston (MNC) was skiing well after an impressive performance on Saturday in Craftsbury.  Rob Bradlee (Wide Meadow) was also skiing very well with Stowe Nordic’s Chris Bean and Portland Nordics George Aponte Clark in his sights.  Nat Lucy (Unattached) and Charlie Gunn (Blackwater Nordic) connected as a formidable force.  Things became a little more dynamic as James Donegan (NWVE), Brad Clarke (BOC), and Denis Page (Nansen) mixed it up.  Early in the race, they pulled Andy Milne (CSU), who always throws it down for the One Day Club Championship. As the course began rolling, other skiers made their way to this group.  The top women Elissa Bradley (Ford Sayre) and Jessica Marian (Dirigo), were the first to bridge up.  This shook things up as Elissa began driving the pace around mid-race.

Watching things unfold from a short distance Stephen Wright (NWVE) and I had some company briefly with Bob Burnham (CSU).  Bob was climbing with ease while Stephen and I were racing a little more conservatively.  Bob had previewed the course and tested extensively, which both seemed to be advantageous.  He was targeting his teammate Ari Ofsevit (CSU), who eventually traded places with Andy in the pack ahead of us.  Ed Momm (Gunstock) worked his way up to us and skied most of the first lap with Stephen and me before fatiguing on the second time up the Eagle Mountain climbs.  Stephen’s Zeros would ultimately maintain better speed while the klister skis gradually slowed due to a minor accumulation of debris.

Emanuel Betz (NWVE) opted for crown skis and felt they were slow on the flats, but unbeatable up the climbs.  In the end, with an uphill finish, they delivered.  He skied much of the race with Robert Faltus (CSU) and Todd Taska (Unattached).  Trina Hosmer (Stowe Nordic) had quite a lot of company last week but had some space once the field got to the higher elevation trails.  Victor Golovkin (CSU) and Rick Chalmers (Portland Nordic) were close to Trina. Still, the disparity in the size of these athletes created an accordion effect that prevented them from taking advantage of pack tactics on the roller coaster course.  Kathleen Maynard (Unattached) and Ann Burnham (CSU) had a good race.  Kathleen surged late, besting Ann despite continuous support from her son Jimmy who seemed to be cheering at every corner on the windy loop.

An M9 battle unfolded. Jud Hartmann (NWVE), Doug Armstrong (Mt. Washington), and Perry Bland (NWVE) raced in close proximity.  Adding energy to the group was Amy Gunn (Blackwater Nordic) and Mark Lena (Maine Nordic).  Jud was able to make a break; however, being it his 10th ski and the first race of the season, his fresh legs faltered with fatigue.  He did manage to hang on and win for the M9s.  Amy was next and with a cheer that Perry was right behind her, hustled up the final climb, holding off the rest of the group.  Doug is another skier like Andy Milne that always has a good race in Jackson.  Doug was not going to settle for third for the M9’s and surged late dropping Perry as they exited the field before the climb to the finish.  He charged up the last hill, gaining on Perry with a display of unbeatable determination for the home crowd.   Doug’s tactic was the same employed by the overall winner Eli Enman using the one-lane bridge to gain an advantage with less than a couple hundred meters to go.

Carol Van Dyke (Stowe Nordic) led what would be the largest pack of women for the day.  Elysha Dyer (Unattached) Lisa Doucett and Kimberly Moody (Schussverein) finished, respectively.  Carol was part of the defending team Champions; however, commitments cost Stowe two of their key competitors, and they were unable to field the squad that earned them a perfect score last year.  Cipperly Good (NWVE) had a great race.  The conditions favored those with finesse and superior technique, not to mention the Rode KM3.  She raced harder this week and put quite a bit of time on Karen Alence (MNC) throughout the race after the initial climb up Yodel.  She was also well ahead of Marathon Series Contenders John Wigglesworth (Drifter XC), Bruce Katz (Unattached), and James Drew (Craftsbury). Jody Newton (CSU) and Sara Mae Berman (CSU) joined Ann Burnham (CSU) to make a perfect team score.  The CSU women dominated the field, with nearly half of the female entrants.  Another proven strategy for success!

Racers slowly trickled back to the Touring Center to check out the results and change for the post-race lunch.  Team scoring got underway, and age group awards were distributed.  While there were nearly 100 registrants, complete team rosters were down significantly.  Scoring rules were used to fill the team podium as much as possible and then went to the jury composed of the members of the Marathon, One Day Club Championship, and Master’s Committee Members to fill any remaining spots.  For the Women, CSU fielded a team with a perfect score.  Stowe Nordic was second and tied for 3rd were the remaining clubs in attendance.  Scoring then went to the overall place, and Elissa Bradley’s Women’s Overall Win, put Ford Sayre over the top.  On the Men’s side, Stowe Nordic’s addition of Chris Bean was key to securing 3rd.  CSU argued a moot point, and regardless of the outcome, it would not have changed the fact that they earned 6 points.  NWVE took the men’s race with a near-perfect score of 5. It is the second year in a row that these three teams have finished in this order.  While NWVE’s racers had an outstanding day, in team racing, it can come down to a matter of who shows up.  We owe MNC’s David Johnston, Craftsbury’s George Hall, and Stowe Nordic’s David Hosmer much thanks for winning their categories for which we did not field a racer!  Eli, Tom, Jud, and James retained the men’s title for NWVE, while Cipperly carried the women to the third-place tie!

This excellent report brought to you by Damien Bolduc.

Last weekend over 500 citizen racers competed around New England in four different events.  Two of the events the 350.org Race for the Snow and the Geschmossel were a part of the 2020 Zak and Club Cup.  Ford Sayre also hosted the Silver Fox Trot at Rikert (write up in preceding Breaking News post) and Craftsbury hosted an informal Team Sprint.  All the events attracted nearly or over 100 competitors and the Silver Fox topped out with over 200!  One thing all the events had in common was a great community vibe – while there is certainly Olympic talent in every race there are also new faces and learning experiences taking place.  NENSA is thrilled to see the concept of Popular Racing taking hold and we look forward to the meat of the season coming right up!

Speaking of NENSA racers, our masters, seniors and Club Cup skiers are filling the ranking lists and stirring up friendly competition.  Over 150 skiers are listed on our rankings pages representing 40+ clubs.   With so many races to chose from the competition will be close all winter.  If you have never been a member, you can “Get Skiing” and join for your first year of racing or renew your old membership – lots of folks are doing it!

This weekend we have two Zak / Club events on the calendar – with a mass start freestyle race at the conclusion of the Lost Nation Cup in Craftsbury Saturday and the Freeman Frost White Mountain Marathon Sunday.  Both events are likely to draw nice fields -pick your challenge: freestyle, classic or ironperson (do ’em both)!  Don’t forget there is another fun option too – including an adult field – down at Mountain Top for their 15th annual Paintball Biathlon Race!

Now sit back and read a nice recap from the Geschmossel – cold snow, kick wax and clear skis – something we can all get used to…

It was a fantastic day to be skiing, and the NENSA Popular Race Series is taking off.  It is great to see so many people jumping into the races, whether for the first time or for the first time in a while.   The Geschmossel field was double what it was last year!

“Oh, what a difference a week can make!  After last weekend’s no holds barred Bogburn bash held in balmy weather on a deteriorating course, the NENSA Series Racing returned with the more refined Geschmossel.  There was a huge turnout for the 47th Annual Geschmossel held in what many considered perfect classic conditions.  While the meaning of Geschmossel, according to Frank Feist (CSU), is far from refinement, it is what we have come to expect when Mount Washington Nordic is our host.

Upon our early arrival, it seemed we were late.  Even though we beat our arrival time by 10 minutes and rolled into the parking lot at 9:20, a majority of the racers were already hustling around getting things in place for the race.  It is around this time of the season that excitement in the series takes hold. The Geschmossel sometimes serves as a bit of a reprieve from die-hard racing, as mostly Masters gather for a race that is a little different for the folks that have to go back to work on Tuesday, but this year that would not be the case.  NWVE took an early lead in the club series, and CSU is sure to have smashed that to pieces with their home Race For Snow, on Sunday, and other clubs are seizing on getting their members out in force.  The series is shaping up, and the plotline is a little different this year.

We set about testing our wax options — lots of greens to choose from as well as a couple of blues.  The packed cold powder and forgiving course made waxing a matter of subjectivity depending on how “toothy” you wanted your wax.  We found ToKo Mint, and Rode Green to be the speediest, with Guru Green offering a little more kick but still quite fast.  VR30 and VR40 delivered very positive kick as well, but going that warm was not necessary.  Rode Alaska was chosen to offer a speed shell over the wax of choice, though it was not tested before the start, and probably improved speed in theory only.  Sometimes that is all it takes anyway.

The race was held on a closed course this year, which involved doing laps.  We started on the driving range behind the Nordic Center and after a hairpin turn and dramatic reduction in lanes headed out Perimeter.  The loop we did twice was up Sebosis and down Dark Forest.  There was a lot of double poling, and most of the inclines were of a gentle grade. The snow was fresh-packed powder, and the course had great coverage thanks to a foot of new snow over the weekend.  It was amazing skiing and hard to believe that less than a week before, there were 0 kilometers open at this venue.  Due to the course being closed, the NWVE Fan Club was re-routed the long way around, which was a beautiful ski but was such a long way that they missed most of the field.  NWVE brought along a photographer for this one too, but they slept through the race.

With ten minutes to go, racers gathered and reluctantly stripped to their race suits in the cold and windy conditions.  The temperature hovered around 10-degrees for the race.  We picked our spots on the start and reminisced about races past.  Race Director Veronica Fernandez gave some quick instructions, NENSA’s Executive Director Amie Smith, used her magic watch to provide us with a minute, then a 30-second warning, and before we knew it we were on course!

Considering the size of the field and the tight corner, racing got underway with a clean start.  After looping around the driving-range, racers started to spread out down the long flat stretch of Perimeter to the loop.  It is flat starts like these that often remind many that they should be working on double poling in the offseason, though the thought of it is never appealing.  I comforted myself with thinking that all the canoeing I do counts as many people went by me.  The race leaders quickly established themselves.  Sam Evans-Brown (Concord) went out aggressively, Chris Burnham (NWVE), Adam Terko (MNC), and Tyler Magnan (NWVE) tried to match the pace as best they could.  A chase group was close behind and included Eric Tremble (NWVE), Eric Darling (NWVE), Nate Laber (MNC) John Sakalowsky (CSU).

Dennis Page (Nansen) and Michael Millar (MNC) were too far back in the field to make the breaks and took the helm of the main field.  As the gentle climbing began, a few changes in the order took place; the most significant was Chris Burnham taking advantage of his aggressive kick to drop Adam Terko, who opted to try the double pole thing on this course.  As the field took shape, small gaps opened up, and smaller packs formed.

On a fast course, gaps are hard to close, and it is typical for the race field to spread out with 3-4 second breaks appearing insurmountable.  Bryce Wing (Ford Sayre) valiantly tried to keep pace with Eli Gallaudet (CSU), Ari Ofsevit (CSU), and Rob Bradlee (Wide Meadow).  Drafting Bryce was Kathy Maddock (Dublin), Stephen Wright (NWVE), and me hanging on with all I had after the start but happy to be able to stride a little.   Andy Milne (CSU) and Ed Hamilton (NWVE) raced stride for stride as they have since their BKL days pulling a long train with the likes of Charlie Gunn (Black Water), Nat Lucy (Unattached), Alex Jospe (SMS/CSU) and Peter Harris (Craftsbury).  With Kathy near the very front of the field, a contingent of many of the top women formed around Alex.  Sara Falconer (MNC) Erin Waters (Concord), JoAnn Hanowski (MNC), and Grace Castonguay (Kennett) were a great representation of the deep talent in the women’s field. NWVE’s Kyle Darling and Sarah Pribram were keeping pace with Jim Fredericks (MNC) as Robert Faltus (CSU) stalked carefully behind.  NWVE’s Liz Hollenbach and Jonathan Rodd also paired up racing with Bethel Outing’s Ian Blair.

A little further back was the Trina Train.  The effect returned yet again as racers surrounded Stowe Nordic’s, Trina Hosmer.  This time it had the familiar faces of Jessica Bolduc (NWVE), John Lazenby (Onion River), Jonathan Chaffee (Ford Sayre), as well as a rare weekend race appearance by Steve Messier (Unattached).  Do not underestimate the tactics of the phenomenon that often surrounds Trina in a race.  She knows what is going on (people do not want to get “Trina’d,”) and has a reputation to maintain.  While you may get think you can get an advantage, she is tenacious, and we are merely the fodder that fuels her quest for the grander goal of Nordic World Masters Gold.  Oblivious to the cutthroat racing tactics at play within this pack, as it is Trina holding her own against everyone else, Executive Director Amie was enthusiastically bestowing personalized accolades just as Jessica was dropping the F-Bomb not realizing it was Trina squeezing her off course in the lap area.  “Finishing races is important, but racing is more important” (Dale Earnhardt).  Perry Bland (NWVE) had a lot of friendlier company skiing with Melissa Manning (NWVE) and John Witmer (NWVE) as well as Christopher Naimie (Bow Nordic) and Gordan Scannell (Schussverein).  They picked up the remnants of the Trina Train aftermath and invited them to ski in a friendlier pack.

Cipperly Good (NWVE) joined us for this one and found herself racing with some of the large contingent of women that MNC brought to the race.  Cipperly skied with Renate Adamowicz (MNC), Ellie Bouffard (MNC), Karen Allence (MNC), and the much humbler David Hosmer (Stowe Nordic). Though he has been known to brag about the number of Nordic Masters Medals won between him and Trina.   Cipperly was slightly disappointed that she had quite a bit left in the tank upon finishing but was happy with the excellent conditions and connected with her parents to extend her ski after the race.  Sara Mae and Larry Berman (CSU) returned to the club series action exclaiming great satisfaction with the wonderful conditions as they cruised to victories in their respective categories.

As the race played out, the action got more exciting during the final kilometers.  Sam Evans-Brown was uncatchable.  Chris Burnham’s move on Adam Terko was effective, but on the home stretch, Adam was closing quickly.  Nate Labor broke from the chase group with Theodore Mollano (Hopkinton) and challenged Tyler Magnan, though Tyler held them off at the line.  Eric T. and Eric D. found themselves in a sprint with Eric T. taking it by a second, thankful he put the Rode Alaska speed shell on his skis just before the start.  I put a gap on Stephen and Kathy, having some fast skis, and a little more pop on the steep uphill. It was enough to hold them off as they closed on the final stretch. Bryce faded after his aggressive start, and Nat Lucy broke though the pack to overtake him.  Ed dropped Andy going with the break that Nat made along with Charlie Gunn.  Alex held off a few Senior Women, and JoAnn stayed right on their tails.  Kyle powered away from Sarah, trying to close on Jim, who held his advantage to the finish.  Liz was able to overtake Jonathan, though Jonathan was breaking in a new pair of poles to replace the one broken at the Bogburn.  Even though things got testy between Trina and Jessica on course, they were cordial at the finish with Jessica offering some of her signature ginger molasses cookies.  Jessica rebounded from the deep powder and overtook Trina on the gradual climbs up Sebosis never looking back.  Perry raced conservatively but was pleased with his result.  Melissa, John, and Chris were also quite happy as they enjoyed the ideal classic skiing conditions.  Cipperly was happy with the day, and plotting for not only next weekend, but next year too.

A brief awards ceremony was held quickly after the race for the overall winners, and the rest of the field enjoyed eating medallion sugar cookies and drinking warm beverages.  Spirits were high with many smiles for those who had just Geschmosseled Bretton Woods style.  Many headed back out to ski more of the picturesque trails while others made their way home.  It was a fantastic day to be skiing, and the NENSA Popular Race Series is taking off.  It is great to see so many people jumping into the races, whether for the first time or for the first time in a while.   The Geschmossel field was double what it was last year!”

Damian Bolduc is a prize winning sports writer from the Northwest Vermont Endurance and the Chair of the NENSA Masters Committee – read more from Damian by clicking the link above.

A new week, another classic New England ski race, and substantially different weather than last Saturday’s Bogburn. But the cold could not deter the New England Nordic faithful from a day of racing at Rikert Nordic Center for this year’s Silver Fox Trot.

All told, a staggering 227 racers took to the starting line. 90 of those skiers were affiliated with host club Ford Sayre; parents and volunteers who have seen the Silver Fox Trot evolve over the years assumed both totals were among the highest ever. The Rikert crew worked tirelessly to provide excellent skiing on several iterations of their race course.

None of this would have been possible without all the volunteers. Special shoutouts to Race Directors Margaret Loftus and Jonathan Durham for organizing and directing the entire operation; to Jonathan Chipman and Hope Rennie for coordinating the timing and registration operations; and the Ford Sayre JNT team and parents for volunteering throughout the morning and then throwing bibs on and taking part in the Citizens Race! The Silver Fox Trot is many things at once — a mainstay on the New England Nordic race calendar, an event for skiers of every age, ability, and inclination.

For results, click here.

Special thanks to Ford Sayre coach Luke Costley for the writeup and photos

For many in Central New England Saturday morning started with a gray dawn — the beginning of a second meltdown of a so-far-mostly-forgettable snowpack of a winter — but as one climbed and twisted their way into the hills of Pomfret, Vermont they found a surreal sight.  Perfectly placed amidst deep snow, full snowbanks, and just enough parking spots – a ski race was being staged that had the atmosphere of a familial afternoon cookout.  Bob Haydock’s trails have always greeted skiers of all ages — 228 this year to be exact — with rolling and challenging single track terrain.  The timing of the event could not have been better for the 2020 edition, with ample snow to ski on throughout the day, yet unseasonably warm weather that had many racing in short sleeves or even shorts.  A mere twelve hours later and the event would not have been possible.

Before we recap the racing action at the Bogburn – we want to introduce this weekends upcoming citizen racing options under the perhaps the most aptly titled event of the weekend – the “Race for Snow.”  For the fourth year in a row, Madeline Kitch and her high school friends in Boston have led this ski race to draw attention to climate change – this year’s addition drew the attention of Bill McKibben.  Listen to a thoughtful message from McKibben here.

There are two Zak and Club Cup events including Sunday’s – 350.org Race for Snow in Boston – and Monday’s 47th Annual Geschmossel Classic at Bretton Woods – both of these races need a positive report on Thursday to pull off the events (stay tuned).  Don’t be discouraged – every effort will be made to host these races.  There are also two alternate events on man made loops,  the Silver Fox Trot hosted by the Rikert Nordic Center Saturday and Craftsbury Team Sprints on Sunday.  Have no fear – you will have the opportunity to ski!

While the weather and snowpack hasn’t been predictable the depth and resilience of New England’s skiers is unmatched.  The Bogburn brought together skiers from big clubs and small clubs alike — with a morning filled with Bill Koch races, from first time racers to spandex clad chargers.  In fact the numbers for Bill Koch skiers have been at a record high for the last two years and that is a great sign for our community.  The afternoon was filled with well over a hundred adults striding around the trails.  With temperatures hovering around 5o degrees racers were testing sticky klister combinations, zeros or even skin skis – all yielding similar results with a singular glazed track around most of the course and sticky, easier to grip snow on the sides of the trail.  Skiers had to be patient with their kick and smart about how they poled as there were small holes and punchy sections — for some of the late starters a few corners had broken fragments of pole as added obstacles.

Pictures of the Senior / Masters Race by Jamie Doucett.
Pictures of the BKL Race by Jamie Doucett.

Dartmouth skiers, Molly Gellert and Cameron Wolfe, set the pace of the day in the women’s and men’s races completing the 13km course in 50:38 and 45:11 respectively.  Emily Stitt a former Middlebury Panther and Luke Costley a former Williams Eph set the pace for the Seniors (23-29 years of age) – this is the newest class we are recognizing in Zak Cup scoring for 2020.  It’s great to see talented skiers continuing to train and compete or balance some competition with giving back and coaching with local clubs – the seniors are the masters of the future!

Speaking of masters, it was a star studded field with Adam Terko (Mansfield) M1 and Neal Graves (Stowe) M2 taking spots in the top-10 overall.  There were men in every age category from M1-M8, but it was senior skier, Chris Burnham of NWVE, who now has three races and stands atop the Zak overall rankings.  The women’s race had skiers from the M2 – M6 age groups with a powerful masters trio of Kathy Maddock (Dublin XC), Elissa Bradley (Ford Sayre) and Sara Graves (Stowe) taking the top-3 spots on the day.  Sara Graves who is now one of two women with three starts takes over the overall Zak lead from senior skier Anna Bizyukova of UVM.

Although there was strong representation by Dartmouth, Ford Sayre and Mansfield Nordic – NWVE continues to surge to the front of the Club Cup scoring starting of 2020 just how they left of 2019.  You can check out complete Zak and Club Cup rankings here.

So the only real question is where are you skiing this weekend?!

This March a staff of fourteen will lead the 2020 New England Team at Junior Nationals in Truckee, California.  The Championships will be held between March 9th and 14th with three individual and one relay competition.  New England athletes are selected by season long rankings from four Eastern Cup weekends – bringing the strongest regional U16 – U20 skiers together for this National Championship.  Although athletes strive for individual success – New England strives to promote a team culture – and the team reflects the depth of talent found in our home region.

This year’s coach and service staff represents all four states of the New England division and brings together a wealth of experience from local to international competition.  The staff composition is aimed to promote coach development within the region and provide top-level support to our athletes – whether they are seasoned junior racers or making their first trip to Junior Nationals. This volunteer staff will work together to support a team culture, helping our athletes excel and enjoy the experience of racing at the national level.

2020 JN Staff:

Matt Boobar – Head Coach (SMS)

Amie Smith / Preston Noon – Team Leaders (NENSA)

Age Group Coaches:

Evan Kendall – U16 boys (Dublin School)

Sara Falconer – U16 girls (Mansfield Nordic)

Ian Tovell – U18 men (Falmouth High School)

Hilary McNamee – U18 women (Ford Sayre)

Andrew Magnus Nesbitt – U20 men (Berkshire Nordic)

Adam Terko – U20 women (Mansfield Nordic)

Wax Techs:

Patrick Casey – Lead Kick (Holderness School)

Colin Rodgers – Lead Glide (Green Mountain Valley School)

Cate Brams – Service Staff (CSU)

George Forbes – Service Staff (Stratton Mountain School)

Justin Beckwith – Service Staff (NENSA)

Some thoughts and history about the staff:

Evan Kendall, “raced in Eastern Cups in High School and college as well as NCAA central races and (skied) JN’s 2014 for New England.  I have also spent a season coaching with St. Michael’s College and as the EISA media intern.”  Evan now coaches at the Dublin School.  “I bring race specific experience that comes from racing JN’s and NCAA regional races myself as well as college XC running experience. I also have a high degree of experience leading trips of all types through work at boarding school and summer camps.  I feel confident in my ability to connect and emotionally support a group of young athletes and help them to be in a position where they are mentally ready to give their best effort.”

Sara Falconer has been coaching with the Mansfield Nordic Club for five seasons.  She has also been a masters coach.  As a junior she was a part of the Alaska Pacific University junior team, and went on to race for a season for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  “I am approachable and relatable, so athletes can feel comfortable coming to me with concerns.  At the same time, I am organized and hold athletes to a high standard – so I will ensure that athletes leave on time, have focused study halls, and follow the rules associated with the trip.”

Ian Tovell joins us from the Falmouth High School in Maine where he helped lead his team to the Class A Championship last season.  Ian brings,  “positive energy, an eagerness to learn from the other coaches, and ensure that the kids are not only having fun, but are in the best mindset to go out there and have the best race they can, all while helping New England bring back the (Alaska Cup) trophy again. I have a lot of experience just skiing in general and can bring a lot of racing expertise the team as well.”

Hilary McNamee is a Dartmouth graduate and former D-Team Coach, she now leads the Ford Sayre Junior Program as Head Coach and Nordic Program Director.  She has competed on many levels of the racing scene, from Junior Nationals to Biathlon Junior Worlds, and is known for her sprinting prowess.  Hilary loves to ski and coach – and also brings a great sense of humor with, “A solid 401(k) for a gal my age, a large air miles portfolio, a faux furry apex predator vest, and a set of bananagrams with two full sets of letters.”

Andrew Magnus Nesbitt brings a neat blend of competitive and coaching experience including competing for Team New England in 2011, and working for two years as a wax tech with Intermountain (2017 & 2018).  He also coached at Soldier Hollow, Utah for 3 seasons.  On top of that he brings, “Fitness and an outsider’s prospective to the waxing game while knowing a bit about western snow. Also, a representative to a title sponsor (LL Bean)!”

Adam Terko was “a high school and junior competitor within NENSA, collegiate competitor (4 years) and assistant coach (3 years) at St. Lawrence University.”  He has led the Mansfield Nordic Club since 2015 and been a valuable member of the New England JN staff for the past three years.  Adam is, “hoping to bring together groups of skiers to have one the best, if not THE best, week of their ski racing careers so far!  The New England team is a dynamic and amazing group and it’s always a privilege to be a part of it.”

Patrick Casey has four years of international level coaching experience (U.S. Ski Team) as well as coaching at JN’s 10 times between New England and Intermountain.  Always humble, Mr. Casey quips, “I can work hard.  I will be fit for wax testing.  I have been skiing and ski coaching a long time and I have many weeks of experience working in a wax trailer with a World Cup wax team.”  The Head Coach of the Holderness School will lead the kick service staff — with keen attention to making exceptional kick to glide ratios.

Colin Rodgers, a Vermont native and former national caliber racer, continues to lead the XC Program at the Green Mountain Valley School’s Nordic Program.  Colin brings experience and energy to the team and wax room, having worked for years with the Sun Valley Gold Team and U.S. Ski Team on international trips. Colin is one of the hardest workers and most likely will be the fittest wax tech in Truckee — he will lead the glide service team and ensure NE skiers have slippery boards.

Cate Brams was a standout junior racer from CSU who went on to ski for Middlebury College and the Sun Valley Gold Team.  “This is my first year coaching with CSU.  I’ve learned a LOT about how different athletes respond to stimulus, and how those responses influence team dynamics and individual / team results.”  Cate and fellow CSU alum, Corey Stock, just wrapped up a successful week of coaching and waxing for the CSU program at U.S. Nationals in Houghton, Michigan.

George Forbes has been coaching for three years at the Stratton Mountain School and before that he spent two years with the Burr and Burton High School team.  “I’ve worked mostly with U14-U16 racers as a coach, but been helping wax tech and test for juniors of all ages on our team.  I also took the helm of waxing and testing for the U16 Championships last year for team Vermont.  I love cross country skiing and get intense enjoyment out of helping kids have as much fun as I am.  Plus, I love making fast skis!”

Justin Beckwith, the Competitive Program Director for NENSA, will join the team after returning from World Junior Championships in Oberwiesenthal, Germany.  This will be his third year on the NE service staff when JN’s are hosted in Truckee – he will serve as the utility man and make sure the vibe is strong during the long hours of work in the wax cabin.

Matt Boobar from the Stratton Mountain School, and Amie Smith, Executive Director of NENSA, are at the helm of Team NE for the 6^th year in a row. Their leadership and organization – both prior to the trip and on the ground – as Head Coach and Team Leader are a huge part of what makes New England a contender year after year!  Both are committed to making sure all the little things go right to give us the best chance to bring the Alaska Cup home again.  This year Preston Noon, NENSA’s Operations Manger, will intern as Trip Leader.

Congratulations to the athletes named to the teams that will represent the U.S. at the World Junior Championships in Oberwiesenthal, Germany and the U18 Scandinavian Championships in Falun, Sweden. The teams are named based on results at the L.L. Bean U.S. Ski and Snowboard National Championships that are ongoing in Houghton, Michigan. The top 6 athletes based on World Cup scoring of the best 2 or 3 races are named to the team. Full qualification standings are here.

For more details on selection criteria go here: World Juniors Selection Criteria or U18 Selection Criteria

Your World Junior Championship Team:

Gus Schumacher– Alaska Winter Stars

Sydney Palmer-Leger– Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Johnny Hagenbuch– Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Kendall Kramer– Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks

Luke Jager– University of Utah

Sophia Laukli– Middlebury College

JC Schoonmaker– University of Alaska Anchorage

Novie McCabe– Methow Valley Nordic

Zanden McMullen– Montana State University

Callie Young– Dartmouth College

Ben Ogden– Stratton Mountain School

Mara McCollor– Dartmouth College

1st Alternates- Will Koch (Stratton Mountain School) and Nina Seemann (Stratton Mountain School)

2nd Alternate- Wally Magill (Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club) and Waverly Gebhardt (University of Vermont)

The trip will be staffed by:

Trip Leader: Bryan Fish (US Ski and Snowboard)

Junior Coach: Bernie Nelson (US Ski and Snowboard)

U23 Coach: Greta Anderson (Crested Butte Nordic Team)

Lead Service: Justin Beckwith (NENSA)

Service Team: Jake Barton (Craftsbury GRP)

Service Team: Jon Filardo (Jackson Hole Ski Club)

Service Team: Paul Smith (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)

Service Team: Pat O’Brien (SMS T2)

Your U18 Championships Team:

Sydney Palmer-Leger- Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation

Will Koch– Stratton Mountain School

Kendall Kramer– Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks

Wally Magill– Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club

Nina Seemann– Stratton Mountain School

Peter Hinds– APU Nordic Ski Center

Haley Brewster– Ski and Snowboard Club Vail

Brian Bushey– Green Mountain Valley School

Garvee Tobin– APU Nordic Ski Center

Alexander Maurer– Alaska Winter Stars

Ava Thurston– Mansfield Nordic

Michael Earnhart– Alaska Nordic Racing

1st Alternates- Maggie Druckenmiller (Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks) and Walker Hall (Methow Valley Nordic)

2nd Alternates- Annie McColgan (Mount Bachelor Ski Education Foundation) and Finn Sweet (Craftsbury Nordic Ski Club)

The trip will be staffed by:

Trip Leader: Bernie Nelson (U.S. Ski & Snowboard)

Coach / Service: Mary Rose (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation)

Coach / Service: Andrew Morehouse (Bridger Ski Foundation)

L.L. Bean U.S. Ski and Snowboard National Championships conclude tomorrow on the Michigan Tech Trails with the Classic Sprint. Tune in live at XCountryLive!

Putting on an Eastern Cup Opener is a challenge for any venue due to unpredictable temperatures at the brink of the official start to winter.  This season, NENSA visited Maine for the beginning of our premier race series, hosting an event to honor the life of Roy Varney, a standout skier from Leavitt High School, who tragically lost his life last summer in a farming accident.  The races were originally scheduled for Sugarloaf, but needed to be moved to the Quarry Road Trails in Waterville a week before the event.  The Central Maine Ski Club rose to the challenge of recruiting an army of volunteers on short notice to highlight their trail system and the fantastic manmade snow they’ve been blowing and grooming to near perfection since early November.  Together with the Sugarloaf staff the entire organizing committee created a welcoming and first class race experience.

300 competitors travelled from throughout New England and Eastern Canada for the freestyle sprint and classic interval start races.  The majority of the field consisted of junior skiers, with the notable exceptions of some top EISA skiing talent from UVM, Middlebury and Dartmouth and older club skiers from the US and Canada.  Despite being open races the majority of the competitors travelled to Maine to earn their first New England Junior Nationals ranking points (full rankings here).  Over 30 Maine High School skiers participated in the weekend and on Sunday the top U16 & U18/20 boys and girls were awarded the first Roy Varney Award (the award will continue into the future – rewarding the top Maine High School skier at a selected Eastern Cup hosted in Maine).

Quarry Road groomers prepared a beautiful race track for Saturday’s sprint with wide lanes, fast banked turns and a signature set of three speed whoops prominently located where competitors passed the timing shack and spectator-lined fences.  The addition of terrain added a technical element for the skiers, excitement for spectators and smiles for everyone.  Setting the pace for the whole weekend, Ben Ogden of UVM, was the first to rocket out of the gate with a qualifier time of 2:40.06.  The top female qualifier was Avery Ellis of Middlebury College who clocked a 3:14.90 lap of the 1.3km course.  Top U16’s in qualification were: Ava Thurston (Mansfield Nordic) 3:21.26 and Fin Bailey (SMS) 3:00.07.

The afternoon consisted of competitive and clean racing with Open, U18/U20 and U16 heats.  Heat skiing provides awesome opportunities for skiers to mix it up and learn how to ski fast with juniors lined up alongside top collegiate and open skiers.  For many juniors they might be getting their first chance to race head to head with some of their idols.  At the end of the day, Ogden and his teammate Greg Burt were the class of the sprint field, taking first and second while Will Koch of SMS skied his way into third position.  In the women’s race Middlebury College put on a clinic for the rest to watch — in perhaps the closest competition of the day — Avery Ellis surged by Alex Lawson (who looked unbeatable through her quarter and semi) in the final meters to claim the victory.  On their heels, Charlotte Ogden completed the Panther podium sweep with a strong third place finish.  After a fall in the qualifier, Trey Jones of GMVS won his semi and the final in commanding fashion.  Joining him on the podium was Fin Bailey and Jack Lange of the Putney Ski Club – no U16 boys made the top-30.  Three U16 women snuck into the top-30 overall: Thurston – 1st, Evelyn Walton CSU/DXC – 2nd and Sophia Scirica (CSU) – 3rd.

Sunday’s classic track was firm and fast – with new and humid, mostly manmade snow – lending coaches to experiment with kick wax, klister and mixtures of the two.  Typically folks were in blue and violet ranges of wax and the atmosphere in the trailers, tents and benches was confident and focused.  In the first race of the day Sophia Laukli, bib #1, left the gate on a mission and set the fastest time for the day at 14:06.5.  Laukli led another Panther sweep, this time with Alex Lawson in second and Charlotte Ogden again nabbing third.  In the men’s race, Ben Ogden, who is focused on Junior World and NCAA Championships this season, showed incredible form – pushing himself around the 4 lap 10km in a time of 24:51.3.  He won all lap splits minus the fourth, where Adam Glueck of Dartmouth was able to take back .08 seconds and claim second place.  Will Koch, the top U18 skier both days, again claimed third.

Ava Thurston continued to show her dominance on day two, placing sixth overall, and winning the U16 race by nearly 50 seconds.  The CSU duo of Scirica and Walton swapped spots on the podium for second and third with some really solid skiing.  Trey Jones kept upright on day two, showing aggressive skiing for the entire 5km, and clocking a time of 13:18.7 while trying to chase down Fin Bailey of SMS who started a bib ahead of him.  Bailey held off Jones, crossing the line with seventeen of his thirty second starting advantage to spare, to claim second.  Jack Lange of Putney was hot on Bailey’s heels for his second third on the weekend.

The Eastern Cup Opener is an exciting part of the season and the strength of the field, the coaching support, and the professionalism of the venue on display at Quarry Road sets the stage for a prosperous winter!  Eastern Cup racing will resume in Craftsbury, January 25&26th during the second and third day of the Lost Nation Cup Super Tour (Saturday will also be combined with the UVM Carnival).

Complete Results.

Video from Sprint.

More amazing photos by @flyingpoint

Due to snow conditions the Roy Varney Eastern Cup Opener (Sugarloaf Opener) has been moved to the Quarry Road Trails in Waterville, Maine.  Despite all efforts by Sugarloaf to host this event warm temperatures and rain have forced this change.

“We’re excited to host this event, we’ve done the best job we could — utilizing every possible snowmaking window since the beginning of November to make sure we had skiable snow.  We couldn’t be happier to host this event in honor of Roy Varney.  On Sunday we will have a special award for the top Maine High School skier in the distance classic race — Roy’s favorite discipline.”  Justin Fereshetian, Quarry Road Program Director and Head Coach

Please visit the event website for update details.  Registration will remain open until Wednesday December 18th at 5pm.  There will be day of race registration available for both days at least one hour before posted start times.

Teams with lodging should contact Taylor Jordan [email protected] to make any needed changes to lodging.  Sugarloaf will graciously cancel reservations made for this event.  There is lodging available in Waterville with major hotels: Hampton, Fireside Inn and Suites, Best Western and Holiday Inn.

Start times for both days are set for 10am to allow for any teams that might need extra time to travel from Sugarloaf.

The ability of Sugarloaf and Quarry Road to host an early season event despite unfavorable weather is a testament to the strength of the Maine skiing community.

Stay posted for more updates — despite the venue change we are thrilled to be able to host the Eastern Cup Opener.