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Eastern Cup

Cold, Clear, Craftsbury: The Henchey Memorial Eastern Cup

Ben Theyerl · December 25, 2024 ·

(Photo: Ben Theyerl)

After the snow, the rain, and then the thaw, came the cold. With skiers in in New England, the background frequency as winter picks up from Thanksgiving on is always steady. Energy and excitement. A season ahead. The weather though? Well, it can give, and it can take away.

The weeks leading up to the opening day of this year’s Eastern Cup put skiers through this freeze-thaw of the Earth, and freeze-thaw of expectations that goes with it, in a quintessential way. Snowstorm. Rainstorm. Thaw. On Wednesday of last week though, those things started to fade back towards the background frequency of the moment. A snow hit the Northeast Kingdom on Wednesday and lingered on and on towards the weekend. The lows started to get lower. And most importantly, “It’s December in New England, what can you expect?” started to fade from being the go-to aphorism form skiers across the East. In its place, another adage rose up: “Cold weather, hot racing.”

(Photo: Sam Geissinger/Zone 5 Photo)

The Bill Henchey Memorial Eastern Cup opened the 2024-25 edition of the East’s premier race series with dual Classic Sprint and 10 k Skate weekend that featured over four-hundred skiers. With it, came a reunion of those things that make it feel like an Eastern Cup in Craftsbury. Wax trailers from our familiar clubs and the EISA played battleship in the Craftsbury parking lot. Eric Hanson and the Craftsbury Operations crew meticously marked out a course and a stadium that looked something like a World Cup. Ed Despard and Bullit Timing set up shop, and Craftsbury Chief of Competition Ollie Burruss went about producing an event the Craftsbury way: no detail left unattended, all hands-on deck, with a little experimentation in the critically thought through details. Through it all, the clouds of fog from buff-covered faces cleared to reveal smiles from racers, coaches, spectators, and skiers alike.

Classic Sprint

UNH’s Hattie Barker was the first starter of the Eastern Cup season, and made sure to start it with a smile. (Photo: Same Geissinger/Zone 5 Photo)

Saturday’s Opening sprint was the product of one of those freeze-thaws of expectation leading up to this Eastern Cup Opener. The shortest day of the year would play host to the longest Eastern Cup day, with a Classic Sprint that wound its way through the Craftsbury man-made loop from the stadium and back. The course configuration made for a down, then up, proposition. A fast-moving start gave way to a gradual but long stretch of uphill, punctuated by a final climb that allowed for racers to pick how they attacked. Some could power through a double-pole on the gradual uphill. And some, could unleash an “Ogden” run on the very hill where Ben Ogden cut his teeth with the technique. A final sprint to the final sprint.

The Open Women’s field was the first to qualify, and after the dust had settled on a quick and fast qualifying lap, a quick glance at the results reminded you of one of the cooler aspects of the Eastern Cup Opener every year. Topping the field by six seconds was Dartmouth’s Ava Thurston, back on the Eastern Cup circuit, and on the results sheet, for her home club Mansfield. A reminder that affiliations can be loose and additive. Once a part of the ski community here in New England, you’re always part of it. Other notable skiers from the qualifier included a Middlebury trio of Quincy Massey-Bierman, Sofia Scirica, and Shea Brams.

The Men’s race that followed was also a EISA-heavy field. Luke Allan from Dartmouth and Jack Christner from Middlebury would split hairs at the top of the field, with Allan the top qualifier by a whole 0.9 seconds over Christner, setting up potential for action in the final. Charles Martell, fom the University of New Hampshire, qualified in third.

Open heats action would lead back to a EISA heavy conclusion as well. The Open Women’s Final featured the same mix of Middlebury, Dartmouth, and UNH that had emerged in the qualifier. In it, a mix of Quincy Massey-Bierman, Ava Thurston, Sofia Scirica (Middlebury), Amelia Tucker (Dartmouth), Emma Charles (UNH), and Shea Brams (Middlebury) would stay close through the fast-moving rollers that punctuated the first half of the course. When things started to tip up on course, however, Massey-Bierman, Thurston, and Scirica started to gain some real space over their three other rivals, until the climb from the lower stadium to the upper would prove a decisive ground for Quincy Massey-Bierman to gain an advantage. Across the line, Massey-Bierman secured the win, with Thurston and Scirica splitting a close sprint to come second and third, respectively.

Quincy Massey-Bierman took the Open Women’s win in Classic Sprint action. (Photo: Ben Theyerl)

The top Junior women would all race out of the Open heats as well, with UVM’s Greta Kilburn in first, Green Mountain Valley School’s Ava Schneider in second, and Colby’s Maddie Hooker in third, all out of the Open semi-finals.

The Open Men’s Final would see some more color added to the EISA suits present in the Women’s Final, with Luke Allan (Dartmouth), Jack Christner (Middlebury), Finn Sweet (UVM), and Charles Martell (UNH) being joined by the purple and gold of Williams with Keelan Durham and the Green, White, and Blue of Mansfield present with Anders Linseisen.

In the Final, Allan and Christner would make a fast start to gain a degree of separation over the field that threatened to come back, but never completely did, as the two sorted out their close qualifying bid in a furious final sprint. Allan would again gain the advantage to take a win on the day, with Christner close behind in second place. Finn Sweet remained the closest in contact of the rest of the field, to round out the podium in third place.

Men’s Semi-final action, including Open and Juniors winners Luke Allan (Dartmouth) and Anders Linseisen (Mansfield). (Photo: Daryn Slover)

Anders Linseisen took fourth in the final, making the MNC skier the only Junior to punch their way through to the Open Final on Saturday. By doing so, he won the Junior category, with Emile Daigneault in second place and Colby College’s Ellis Slover in third place out of the semi-finals.

The U16 heats that followed mid-day saw two skiers pull clear ahead of the field. In the Girls race, it was Ford Sayre’s Olivia Hanna, taking the final win, and in the Boys field it was MNC’s Jorgen Pirrung.

The Girls full podium included: 1) Olivia Hanna (Ford Sayre), 2) Lucille Dent (Ford Sayre) and 3) Caitlin Craddock (SMS). The Boys full podium was 1) Jorgen Pirrung (Mansfield), 2) Matthew Northcott (Caldwell Sport), and 3) Antoine Fontaine (Fondeurs-Laurentide).

10 k Skate Individual Start/5 k U16

Middlebury’s Sofia Scirica on course Sunday for the 10 k Skate Individual Start. (Photo: Ben Theyerl)

Saturday night, the skies cleared out over Hosmer Point, which sent temperatures low, and the full-on winter factor at Craftsbury high. No doubt there were a few wax technicians that arrived early Sunday, searching for the the long-forgotten box of Polars and Greens that they rarely get to use in New England. It all made for a classic day of ski racing, even if it was set to be a skate race.

Saturday’s Women champion Quincy Massey-Bierman was the early pace setter in the Open Women’s 10 k, skiing with bib 7 through a 2.5 k course that included much of the challenging terrain of the Craftsbury 5 k just a little more often. Massey-Bierman posted a time of 29:13 on the day, setting a benchmark that would remain high through the whole of the race.

Massey-Bierman’s teammate from Middlebury Shea Brams, bib 22, would emerge in the field as her closest challenger. Splitting splits with each other through the early part of the race, before Brams pushed through the line just 2 seconds off the pace of Massey-Bierman to slot into second place. With another Middlebury podium skier from Saturday still to come in Sofia Scirica, the chances for a sweep were looking good for the Panthers.

Skiers on course Sunday for the 10 k Skate Individual Start. (Photo Daryn Slover)

Then, a flash of green started to move through the lap checkpoints fast. It came in the form of Ava Thurston, from Dartmouth/Mansfield Nordic Club, who put a late surge in to come across the line 2 seconds ahead of Massy-Bierman and claim the win in a time of 29:12. Sofia Scirica would have another good day as well, and Thurston’s teammate Amelia Tucker would split time with her as well.

The split splitting had led to a all Dartmouth and Middlebury top 5, which if nothing else, reiterated that when the EISA Carnival circuit picks up again in a month, it is going to be fun.

The Men’s race would hold to a similar pattern, with an added jolt from the University of Vermont Catamounts coming in too. A tight group of starters with Luke Allan (Dartmouth), Jack Christner (Middlebury), and Finn Sweet (UVM) would wind up being the splits to watch, with Sweet setting pace through much of the race to then see Christner and Allan challenge his mark.

Luke Allan would take the win in a time of 24:30, a nearly 45 second gap over the rest of the largest field of the day. Jack Christner would come in second, and Finn Sweet would make it an all EISA day by winding up third place.

Top juniors in the Open field on Sunday included Women’s: 1) Greta Kilburn (UVM), 2) Ruth Krebs (Craftsbury Ski Club), and 3) Annelies Hanna (Ford Sayre). In the Men’s: 1) Luke Rizio (UVM), 2) James Underwood (Ford Sayre), and 3) Chad Walsh (Fondeurs Laurentide).

The U16 Girls field saw a close race between Olivia Hanna (Ford Sayre) and Antonia Schramm (SMS), as the two went back and forth on the 5 k version of the loop that the Open field skied. Hanna would edge out Schramm for the win by a single second, with a 14:14 besting a 14:15. Mia Gorman (Mansfield) completed the podium in third place with a time of 14:40.

The U16 Boys saw Foster Whitworth (Holderness Nordic Club) take a 5 second win over Patrick Holland (Prospect Mountain), with times of 12:54 and 12:59, respectively. Max Fey (NYEF) completing the podium in third place in 13:02.

There’s No Place Like Home For The Holidays, and Craftsbury for the Start of the Season

Colby’s Ellis Slover shows the stoke present at Craftsbury for Eastern Cup 1. (Photo: Daryn Slover)

If this time of year is all about the journey home to remind us of what is important, than an Eastern Cup at Craftsbury to start the season seemed especially important to set the tone for the 2024-25 Eastern Cup season.

There’s more than just the charm found in winding your way past the Genny, up and down the snowy fields from the Common to the Outdoor Center, and to a spot in the woods where, in the winter at least, everything is all about nordic skiing and lessons gleaned from it for life.

In each smile shared around a dining hall table, by a seasoned volunteer with a racer, or across the snowy confines of a stadium that stretches out through the trees, there’s a physical inhabitation of the values and passions of a nordic community that stretches across New England. Being together, doing the sport that we love: skiing better together. It can all seem like stuff out in the ether at times. On opening weekend of the Eastern Cup though, those things that make skiing a special sport to spend the winter with, got pulled down to the ground, like the snowflakes falling into a thick blanket of snow.

FULL RESULTS ON BULLIT TIMING

More Photos from Sam Geissinger:
More Photos from Daryn Slover:

NENSA Invites You to the 2024-25 Eastern Cup

Ben Theyerl · November 6, 2024 ·

Dear Skiers, Coaches, and Friends:

NENSA invites you to this season’s Eastern Cup. The Eastern Cup is a New England tradition, offering a unique mix of premier competition at venues which showcase the East’s geographic diversity and winter sport history. Top racers from our region and beyond participate in these events, with juniors vying for the New England Junior National Championship Team.  JNs team qualification is based on points accumulated at these four weekends of racing:

  • Henchey Memorial Eastern Cup Opener – Dec. 21st-22nd, Craftsbury, VT
  • Lake Placid Eastern Cup / St. Lawrence Carnival – Jan. 18th-19th Lake Placid, NY
  • Roy Varney Memorial Eastern Cup at Quarry Road – Feb. 1st-2nd Waterville, ME 
  • Frost Mountain Eastern Cup / Middlebury Carnival – Feb. 15th-16th, Ripton, VT

Further details can be found on our Eastern Cup Series Page.

From the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, to the Kennebec Valley, NENSA is proud to set the stage for the cross country ski community to showcase itself. In a place where the trails are well-worn, practicing a winter sport which uniquely orients us all towards finding warmth in the cold, we can’t wait to see you out there. The Eastern Cup’s strength has always been in the unique bonds that it forms and sustains. From skiers pushing each other across the field, to the families, friends, and friends that become family, we all ski better when we are together. Please join us for four spectacular weekends of cross country ski racing. It’s going to be a big winter!

Sincerely,

Ben Theyerl, NENSA Competitive Program Director

(Photos: Sam Geissinger/ Geissinger Photography)

Eastern Cup 2: Lake Placid/St. Lawrence Carnival at Mt. Van Hovenberg

Ben Theyerl · September 18, 2024 ·

Save the Dates! Registration will open in early November!

The 2024-25 Eastern Cup, Race #2!

Lake Placid/St. Lawrence Carnival at Mt. Van Hovenberg – Lake Placid, NY

Saturday January 18th – Sunday January 19th, 2025

Questions? More Details? The Race Packet is a Live Document for Race Weekend: HERE.

Races Offered

Saturday, January 18th: CLASSIC Interval Start – 7.5 k Open, 5 k U16 – Combined with EISA St. Lawrence Carnival.

Sunday, January 19th: FREESTYLE Sprint – Open, Junior, U16 Heats.

Coach and Athlete Notes

Coaches: Please register for use of Wax Cabin or Trailer/Tent space for 3 options of support space via SkiReg:
  1. By reservation – Use of a MVH 12′ x 16′ Wax Cabin from Friday to Sunday for a fee of $50 – there are only 9 cabins available.
  2. By reservation – Use of up to 15′ x 30′ trailer/tent space from Friday to Sunday with out fee.
  3. First come first serve – Use of a public wax room – nothing can be left overnight.

Diagram for Load in and Load out for Team’s using Team Area: HERE

Membership Requirements

  • Membership
    • USSS: Competitors license is required to race for all US-based residents.
    • FIS: This year’s Lake Placid Eastern Cup is FIS-sanctioned. For foreign residents, including Canadian skiers, an FIS license may be used in lieu of a USSS license to race. For US-based resident, a USSS Competitors license is required and an FIS license may not be used in place to race, however, a US-based athlete may also list their FIS license for scoring and seeding purposes in addition to their USSS license.
    • NENSA: Membership is required to race and score in the Eastern Cup Series for all New England divisional skiers.
    • NYSSRA: Membership is required to race and score in the Lake Placid JNQ for all Mid-Atlantic divisional skiers (New York and Pennsylvania).

 

2024 Eastern Cup Series Hub

Eastern Cup 1: Henchey Memorial at Craftsbury Outdoor Center

Ben Theyerl · September 18, 2024 ·

The 2024-25 Eastern Cup Season Opener!

The Henchey Memorial at Craftsbury Outdoor Center – Craftsbury, VT

Saturday December 21st – Sunday December 22nd, 2024

Race Packet HERE

Races Offered

Saturday, December 21st: CLASSIC Sprint.

Sunday, December 22nd: FREESTYLE Interval Start 10 k/5 k U16.

Sanctioning Bodies

FIS License – Optional

USSS Membership – REQUIRED for USSS sanctioned races

NENSA Membership – REQUIRED

*NEW* Introductory Class. Offered for U16 and U18 racers, a non-scored race is available. Register for *INTORDUCTORY* Class races. A NENSA license is required, but USSS or FIS is not for this category.

What category do I register for? What membership do I need to race? – See Guide HERE.

Courses

Will be announced pending snow conditions at Craftsbury later this wekk.

NENSA Eastern Cup 2024 Hub

Chisholm Eastern Cup

Preston Noon · February 12, 2020 ·

This past weekend at Black Mountain in Rumford Maine, and day two of the Bates Carnival [Day One Recap] skiers arrived for the Chisholm Eastern Cup. The rain had stopped thanks to a biting cold wind that dropped temperatures below zero.  As the parking lot filled, and the Racers, from as far away as Lake Placid, warmed up for a blue bird day of great racing, it was time to get skiing. Race headquarters was abustle the minute the doors opened, thanks to the tremendously helpful Chisholm volunteers, Bullitt Timing with the seed/start lists, and a smooth as silk bib delivery. As the course flags whipped, One hundred and sixty-six racers lined up for the start of the Womens 5k Freestyle.

The Middlebury Panthers had the podium at close to a full sweep, as Alexandra Lawson finished with a strong kick, well ahead of team mate Sophia Laukli, followed by as Margie Freed from the University of Vermont, who took third.  The U 18 girls were led in by Nina Seemann from the Stratton Mountain School, followed by an amazing tied race for Amelia Tucker and Shea Brams both from Cambridge Sports Union. For the U16 girls CSU took first and second with Sofia Scirica and Evelyn Walton, followed by Hattie Barker from Mansfield Nordic Club in third.[RESULTS HERE]

For the Men, racing a 10k, it was the Catamounts turn to reign, save Peter Wolter of Middlebury, who finished a tight second place behind Ben Ogden, with Karl Schulz in third. The U18 Men were led by Will Koch, from the Stratton Mountain School, Finn Sweet from Craftsbury in second, and Brian Bushey from Green Mountain Valley School. For the U16 Men at a distance of 5k, Jack Lange from The Putney School, Trey Jones from GMVS , and Fin Bailey from Stratton, rounded out the podium for the boys. [RESULTS HERE]

The next day the tide had turned, the wind had stopped and it seemed as though there were even fewer clouds, temperatures picked up and it was as close to a perfect day as possible for the Classic Sprints. It was a slightly more challenging course clocking in at 1.6k.

Will Koch - Stratton Mountain School

 

 

(photo by John Bernard)

Will Koch, from the Stratton Mountain School, made it look easy, with Jack Christopher, of Craftsbury, along with his team mate Finn Sweet taking the podium. [RESULTS HERE]

Callie Young of Dartmouth took a commanding finish, followed by her team mate Chelsea Moore, then Abigail Streinz of Craftsbury. Evelyn Walton, a U16 from CSU finished only a few seconds after these leaders in an amazing performance.

We couldn’t have asked for a better weekend of racing, we want to especially thank the entire staff at Black Mountain, and the outstanding volunteers from the Chisholm Ski club without whom none of this would have been possible. Extra WARM special thanks to NENSA Sponsor SIDAS for sharing their products with our community and donating heated socks to the winners and heated gloves to their coaches.

VISIT THE FULL GALLERY HERE

New England Nordic Ski Association
P.O. Box 97
Lyme, New Hampshire 03768