New England Nordic Ski Association

The Home of Cross Country Skiing in New England

cross-country skiing

2023 Eastern Coaches Conference

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The New England Nordic Ski Association is excited to produce an Eastern Coaches Conference with the main goal of bringing our community together in anticipation of the 2024 winter.  This years Conference will take place at the Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire on September 30th. #SkiingBetterTogether

REGISTRATION IS NOW LIVE

This ongoing educational experience is open to all. NENSA membership provides registration for the conference (including 2 meals, presentations, a film debut, and Nordic Team Solutions coach membership raffle) and a significant subsidy for the clinics, reducing the overall cost of attendance. Whether you are new to coaching or a veteran we hope you will join us. Please fill out this application if you are in need of a scholarship, as we don’t want cost to be a barrier for attendance.

If you are seeking U.S. Ski & Snowboard certification please see details below how to register and begin completing your online curriculum. All participants will be listed on the NENSA Coaches Resource page to highlight ongoing education and leadership.

We are so fortunate for the support of the Dublin School, providing this venue (and wonderful food) as a way for NENSA to show appreciation for our members, help strengthen coaching knowledge and the stoke for cross country skiing in the East.

Throughout a jam packed day:  there are options for technique clinics, U.S. Ski & Snowboard Certification, BKL Leader Training, expert insights, a forum and question period from an expert panel, and an artistic movie following a community dinner.

Kathy Maddock of Dublin XC will lead the introductory technique clinic, which is combined with coaches performing their in-person practicum for USSS L100 certification.  Bryan Fish, USST, will lead the advanced clinic and lead L200 candidates through discussion and in-person practicums. In the afternoon, join Mackenzie Rizio, NENSA, for Bill Koch Youth Ski League Coach Education!  This workshop is intended for club leaders, parent/caregivers, volunteers, and youth ski coaches from all across the Northeast.  Entry in any of these clinic includes lunch at the Dublin School.

Please note if you are trying to achieve USSS certifications you must complete coursework (follow above links) prior to attending the clinic.

Throughout the day Drew Gelinas – the new Nordic Product Manager from Swix will be on hand.

At 4:30pm, Zach Caldwell, NENSA’s first Program Director and owner of Caldwell Sport, will present on ski selection for juniors, and fleet management through growth and development.

At 5:00pm we will have a Forum Discussion with Caldwell, Fish, Gelinas, Kathy Maddock of DublinXC and Sam Benzing – The Paul J. Finnegan Family Head Coach for Men’s & Women’s Nordic Skiing Harvard University.  Participants are encouraged to provide and bring questions – topics that will be discussed include: the potential of further wax protocols in the future, optimizing training for a High School team, engaging your team and motivating them to train in the off- season, and how all levels of development share common themes.

At 7:00pm we welcome the community to share a pre-debut of Alaskan native, now Ford Sayre skier, Art Copoulos’ movie, “Why We Ski.”

Tentative Detailed Schedule:

Saturday, September 30th    
 BKL L100 L200
9:00 AM  Introductions, Welcome and Course Overview 
9:30 AM Arrive, get equipment readyEngaged Portfolio Questions
10:00 AM Classic Technique Work Engaged Portfolio Questions
10:30 AM Classic Technique Work Gear up for skiing 
 
11:00 AM Drew Gelinas – Swix SportSkate Technique Work 
11:30 AMLunch Lunch Lunch 
12:15 PMDrew Gelinas – Swix SportSkate Technique Work Drew Gelinas – Swix Sport
1:00 PMClassroom Time, PresentationSkate Technique Work Agility 
2:00 PMGrass Skiing/ Dryland Section Clinic Wrap-up Small Group Assessments 
2:30 PM Portfolio DiscussionThe “Games Approach” for Classic Skis
3:30 PM  Wrap up 
4:30 PMZach Caldwell – Ski selection for juniors, and fleet management through growth and development
5:00 PMForumForum Forum 
6:15 PMDinnerDinnerDinner
7:00 PMFilm Debut – Why We Ski – Art Copoulos / Continued Forum Discussion

2022 Castle Conquest Recap

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The Mt Van Hoevenberg venue provides exceptional challenge and thrill to competitors, with the idyllic background of the Adirondack Mountains.

This past weekend over in New York featured a variety of fun and exciting events that constituted the Castle Conquest.  Saturday featured the Keys to the Castle event court-style skate sprints, a BKL/youth agility rollerski session, and a mass start biathlon race at Mt Van Hoevenberg.  Sunday featured the legendary Climb to the Castle skate race up Whiteface.  Below are links to event coverage for your reading and viewing enjoyment.

Check out the Fasterskier race report of Keys to the Castle Skate Sprint & Biathlon Races and the Climb to the Castle Race HERE.

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NENSA is proud to partner with ORDA and NYSEF to continue hosting rollerski events in Lake Placid!   The court-style sprints featured in Saturday’s events are a synthesis of ideas from conventional sprinting and perhaps one of the most progressive rollerski competitions held to date at the Olympic Jumping Complex, just up the road, in August of 2018.   That event pitted in a duel which highlighted the strengths of Andy Newell and Ludvig Sognen Jensen “LUDDEYO.”  Newell, perhaps one of the most agile, and Luddeyo at the time the fastest 100 meters sprinters in the world.  Since the inception of these events, including ramps in a rollerski competition, NENSA, ORDA and NYSEF have partnered to put on developmental opportunities for athletes all while creating a show that is entertaining for participants and spectators alike.

Sproule Love, of Manhattan Nordic / New York Lynx Nordic Skis Club, powers his way to victory in the masters category of the 2022 Climb to the Castle.

Sunday marked the 15th edition of the historic Climb to the Castle race.  The event was created by Margaret Maher who was at the time the Head Nordic Coach at NYSEF.  Over the years juniors, masters and national team skiers from all Nordic sports have challenged this iconic roadway that climbs nearly 2800 feet in just under five miles.  Despite somewhat ominous snow blanketing the upper reaches of the mountain on Friday, Sunday dawned with a magical red sunrise and a clear sky.  Sixty-nine skiers of all ages enjoyed a beautiful climb under perfect conditions up perhaps the most arduous rollerski hill climb in North America.

The event served as the second event of the Allagash Masters Cup, a three race series for skiers over the age of 30.  Rosalie Wilson of Ford Sayre synched the women’s title, following up her victory at the Rollins Roll this August.  On the men’s side the action is just heating up, with two distinct fields at Rollins and Whiteface.  Sproule Love of the Manhattan Nordic / New York Lynx Nordic Skis Club was the fastest master up the mountain Sunday, followed by Adam Terko (Mansfield Nordic) and Eli Gallaudet (EMXC).  We look forward to seeing robust masters participation at the final event of the series, the Greylock Hill Climb, on November 6th.

Allagash Cup Masters Standings

Congrats to everyone who competed in these events, and a big thank you to Mt Van Hoevenberg, NYSEF, ORDA, and all the awesome volunteers that came out to help. We are also very grateful to Bullitt Timing for their exceptional services.

In addition the incredible support we receive from our NENSA associate sponsors – Salomon, LL Bean, Swix, and Fischer – we are also grateful to Enjoy Winter and Swenor Rollerskis for supplying NENSA with an awesome fleet of rollerskis so the top-seeded athletes in all our events have matched skis. And no NENSA rollerski race would be complete without the exceedingly tasty support of Cabot who has generously donated cheese for this season’s podium finishers!

U.S. Ski & Snowboard L100 Practicum and NENSA Technique Clinic

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There are two ways to participate in this clinic:

1) If you are seeking U.S. Ski and Snowboard L100 Certification follow this link for full details: http://usskiandsnowboard.org/sport-development/coaches-development/welcome-cross-country-level-100-coach-certification

Please note: To fulfill obligations of this certification you must purchase a USSS Coaches Membership and the L100 Course.  The Coach Developer, SMS’s Alex Jospe, will lead a discussion via Zoom to lay out expectations and review portfolios that must be completed before the in-person practicum.

Coaches can register at any time as long as they have a current coach membership and those basic membership requirements have been met. The U.S. Ski & Snowboard membership season runs from July 1 through June 30 annually. However, we open registration for the upcoming season the first week of May.  Memberships become valid July 1. 

You will pay $160.00 for the online course and in-person practicum

Please email the Sport Education Department if you have any questions.

2) If you just want to attend the in-person practicum and are not seeking USSS certification your are welcome too!  Share the afternoon with other coaches and athletes and learn about technique.

SIGN UP HERE (link will be live soon)

NENSA presents the 2019 Eastern Cup Series

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In just over 20 days the 2019 NENSA Eastern Cup Series begins with a freestyle race weekend at the Craftsbury Opener, December 22nd and 23rd. With plentiful early snow, and racing already happening at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center this November, a large and talented field is expected for the Opener – register early as the event might need to be capped.  Competitors will include aspiring junior racers from throughout the Eastern US and Canada, elite skiers prepping for the 2019 U.S. Cross Country Championships, and master skiers looking to race on expertly groomed trails. There is something for everyone and Craftsbury is, “excited to welcome any and all to the trails at the Outdoor Center, whether you want to race, spectate, or volunteer.” Come join us and be a part of what could be the most attended race in the East this winter! (FIS, NRL)

January 26th and 27th the Series travels to New York State for the Lake Placid SuperTour and Eastern Cup. The combined event will showcase top national talent from the U.S. Ski and Snowboard SuperTour, alongside junior and senior skiers from New York, New England and Canada. Racers will be treated to the Olympic Trail system of Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the professional staff of the Olympic Regional Development Authority and the hospitality of the Lake Placid community. With SuperTour prize money and Junior National qualifications on the line for both the Mid-Atlantic and New England divisions you can be sure there will be awesome competition for racers and spectators all weekend. (SuperTour begins 1/25 – FIS, NRL)

The Rikert Nordic Center hosts the Frost Mountain Nordic Eastern Cup on February 16th and 17th.  Saturday’s Eastern Cup event will be run in conjunction with the EISA Middlebury College Carnival, allowing competitors the opportunity to compete against 200 collegiate athletes in the the storied Rikert woods. Sunday offers a unique skiathlon (continuous classic/skate pursuit) option for master and junior skiers at the conclusion of the morning’s races.  Come enjoy the festive show that Rikert and Frost Mountain always create with their challenging trails and spectator friendly stadium area – including tasty food, music and colorful announcers. (NRL)

On Saturday February 23, 2019 the Dublin School will host the Dublin Double – a new race format with two freestyle races.  Don’t miss out on this exciting new addition to the NENSA Eastern Cup Series.  Competitors will race two separate distances: 3.0km and 1.5km.  The 3.0km represents a prologue distance (& JN relay distance) and the 1.5km, a sprint qualification (there are no rounds).  Each race will be scored to the NRL and included in New England Junior National rankings.  Skiers will be seeded by U.S. Ski & Snowboard Overall points for both races.  Come try the exhilarating serpentine trails in Dublin, New Hampshire – the racing will be fast and furious. (NRL)

The Eastern Cup Series concludes on February 24, 2019 at the Holderness School with the Cheri Walsh Memorial.  This staple of the Eastern Cup gives racers of all ages the opportunity to race on “old school” or traditional New England trails in the classic style.  The Cheri Walsh represents the final qualification race for the New England Junior National Team – which will be named during the awards ceremony after the races.  Holderness has brought back a masters wave and we hope that to see many of our veteran New England racers join in the fun! (NRL)

NENSA is able to host our signature race series with the generous support of our associate sponsors: Swix, Nokian, LL Bean, and Kathy and Marty Hall (more about our sponsors).  By partnering with great venues and dedicated organizing committees, officials, timers, and volunteers NENSA produces some of the highest caliber races in North America.  This year we have partnered with SkiTrax Magazine to provide increased media coverage of all our programs and the sport of cross-country ski racing.  We strive to offer professional events, while making the sport exciting (new for 2019, several venues will have stand alone Cross Country Cross courses set up near their stadium areas), and accessible to as many participants as possible (there is a $10 one-day NENSA membership fee for 2019).  We are proud to present this Series to all ages and abilities and hope you will join us for these four fantastic weekends of racing!

Further Information:

Detailed Eastern Cup Event Pages
Eastern Cup Race Rules.
New England Junior National Qualification.
Registration for all events are live on SkiReg.com
Printable Eastern Cup Schedule Poster