Greetings NENSA Community~

The word "zippy" is not one that anyone has even associated with our NENSA.net website ~ but do we have a surprise for you! www.NENSA.net is now officially "zippy" and we could not be more thrilled! Thanks go out to our Operations Manager Preston Noon for migrating us to a new server. We are continually trying to improve both your member experience on NENSA.net and its efficiency. Dare I say clicking through the calendar listings is a breeze??!! This is a great start. Stay tuned for more improvements as the fall approaches!

Lots of great events have happened in the last few weeks - see boxes below for recaps of the 10th running of the App Gap Rollerski Race, some fun pop-up agility clinics that happened this past week in VT and NH, and the hot off the press release for the second weekend of the NENSA High Peaks Cyclery Rollerski Race Series, Mini-Tour in Lake Placid - coming up the weekend of September 14 &15.

Also coming up ~ our NENSA Fall Coaches Symposium which includes : TD & EO training weekend, a BKL Leader/parent training, a L100 Technique Clinic, the L200 coach certification, AND, a great lineup of guest speakers - all be held at the Dublin School in Dublin NH the weekend of September 21 & 22. Registration is now open on SkiReg.com . Hope to see you there!

Still looking for more coaches education?? NENSA will have two more regional L100 Technique Clinics this fall - one on September 15th at Bowdin College in ME, and the second on November 9th at the Lincoln-Sudbury High School in Lincoln MA. See calendar listing below for full info on these two great clinics in ME and MA.

NENSA member benefit of the week: Concept2 ! See their ad below and give them a call for a special NENSA member discount on their amazing SkiErg. We love supporting the great companies that support NENSA. Winter is coming ~ it's none to early to keep improving on your fitness!

And finally, we say farewell to an old friend this past week ~ SkiTrax Magazine and made the difficult decision to close it's doors after serving our industry and beloved sport for the past 30 years. Full story below. Thank you SkiTrax for your support of NENSA and our programing over the years!

Best,
Amie

Amie W. Smith
Executive Director
New England Nordic Ski Association
Amie@nensa.net

Be sure to follow us on fb, Twitter and on Instagram @nensa_nordic
NENSA News from the Field
Highlights and Notes from NENSA and the Nordic World


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   New England Nordic Ski Association
    49 Pineland Dr. Ste.301A 
     New Gloucester Maine 04260
     Tel. (207) 688-6503 
NENSA’s High Peaks Cyclery Rollerski Series: 
Adirondack Rollerski Mini Tour: 
Doubleday (Prologue / XCX) and Climb To The Castle (Hill Climb)

The New York Ski Educational Foundation (NYSEF), the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) and High Peaks Cyclery (HPC) invite athletes, friends, family and fans to a Rollerski race weekend in Lake Placid, NY.  

This is the second event of the  NENSA / HPC Rollerski Series , following the sensational App Gap Challenge at Mad River Glen on August 3rd. We are expecting a great turn-out of athletes from across the region, including the U.S. Biathlon Team for this mini tour.

On Saturday,  September 14th  the  2nd annual   Lake Placid Doubleday  will consist of a 3 kilometer prologue with an interval start, followed by a 1.5 kilometer cross-country ski cross (XCX) preliminary sprint. The Doubleday will begin at 9:00AM with an  Athlete Safety Meeting  and the  Course-Opening  for Inspection. 

Results from the Doubleday, will determine the starting order for day two of the event which is the legendary Climb to the Castle (C2C).  

NEW this year -  High Peaks Cyclery  will be hosting the C2C pre-registration / bib pickup from 6:00PM-8:00PM on Saturday night at their store in Lake Placid. Come get your bib early and socialize! Join us for smores, beverages and make new friends!

On Sunday,  September 15th , the  Climb to the Castle  freestyle race will begin at 8:00AM. The course will start at the Whiteface toll booth, climbing for approximately 5 miles with an average 8% grade up the Memorial Highway to the summit of Whiteface Mountain – New York’s 5th highest peak with an elevation of 4,867 feet.

2019 APP GAP CHALLENGE RECAP
The Tenth Running of the Gap
The high point of the Appalachian Gap in Waitsfield, VT sits more than 1600’ vertical feet above the valley below. To get there, Vermont Route 17 snakes its way from the valley floor up past Mad River Glen Ski area before topping out at 2,375 feet above sea level. The road is steep, winding, and has the reputation of being one seriously impressive climb. On Saturday August 3, this uphill stretch of pavement was the proving ground for skiers from across North America who came to ski the App Gap Challenge.
The race is hosted by the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA), and is the first race of six in the NENSA High Peaks Cyclery Rollerski Series.
The idea of the App Gap Challenge is simple enough; an uphill rollerski skiathlon with competitors doing a skate leg before transitioning to classic skis for the final push to the summit. But if you were to look at the faces of the competitors making their way up the gap, you would know that completing this race is no simple feat. 
Read full story HERE (and see way more photos of this great event!)
Link here to another great article on this awesome App Gap event in FasterSkier.com
NENSA's ROLLERSKI AGILITY TOUR ~ Summer 2019
Last week, NENSA’s rollerski agility ramps were a playground for over 200 individual skiers. From their home in Warren, Vermont the ramps flew south to Dublin, NH then on to Stratton, VT before making their way back north to Hanover, NH. The ramps’ creator, Competitive Program Director Justin Beckwith, traveled with them in the back of a pickup truck – spreading the fun and challenging style of agility skiing with him as we went. 

Click HERE for full story and lots and lots of great photos!
SafeSport Program
NENSA has always urged ALL New England coaches, parent volunteers, venue volunteers and anyone working with youth to take the SafeSport on-line course and get certified. NENSA has been requiring this of all our staff and volunteer coaches and wax techs at JN's and REG Camps for several years now. Please take time this season to be sure all your club volunteers and coaches are SafeSport certified. Do it today. Go to: https://www.safesport.org

Further information on SafeSport, and important updates made as of 4/15/19 to the SafeSport Program, can be found on our NENSA website HERE
More NEWS from our NENSA Partners
MICHIGAN TECH TO HOST 2020 L.L.BEAN U.S. CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2020 L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships, hosted by the Michigan Tech Huskies, return to Houghton, Mich., Jan. 2-7 with four days of classic and freestyle competition. 

"We are thrilled to bring the U.S. Cross Country Championships back to Michigan Tech," Michigan Tech Cross Country Head Coach Tom Smith said. "This will be our sixth time hosting a National Championship event at Tech, and the fifth time hosting the U.S. Cross Country Championships through the tenure of our Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Team.”

The four days of competition will award U.S. Cross Country Championship titles in freestyle sprint, freestyle individual start, classic mass start, and classic sprint races. 

“We are very excited to bring the L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships back to Michigan Tech,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard Director of Events Eric Webster. “Michigan Tech always provides an outstanding event, and we are looking forward to four days of exciting racing for the athletes and fans."

"We boast one of the greatest race organizing committees, including astounding volunteers and Tech staff, all integral to allowing us to host this National Championship event,” Smith added. “This is a big deal for our entire community. With new trail and facility improvements, the opportunity to showcase what it is to be a Michigan Tech Nordic Husky, and an event that truly benefits our entire Keweenaw community from our Nordic Ski Team and Michigan Tech across the spectrum spanning local business and hospitality, the positive impacts this event brings are truly immeasurable!”

A full rundown of U.S. Cross Country Championships information is available at  USNationals.mtu.edu  

2020 L.L.Bean U.S. Cross Country Championships

Thursday, Jan. 2 (all times CDT)
9:30 a.m. - Men’s freestyle spring qualifier
10:30 a.m. - Women’s freestyle spring qualifier
12:00 p.m. - Men and women’s freestyle sprint heats, semifinals, finals
2:30 p.m. - Junior men and women’s freestyle sprint heats, semifinals, finals

Friday, Jan. 3
9:30 a.m. - Women's 10km freestyle individual
12:30 p.m. - Men's 15km freestyle individual

Sunday, Jan. 5
9:30 .m. - Men's 30km classic mass start 
11:30 a.m. - Women's 20km classic mass start
1:00 p.m. - Junior men 10km classic mass start 
2:00 p.m. - Junior women 7.5km classic mass start

Tuesday, Jan. 7
9:30 a.m. - Women's classic sprint qualifier
10:30 a.m. - Men's classic sprint qualifier
12:00 p.m. Women and men's sprint heats, semifinals, and finals 
2:30 p.m. - Junior men and women’s sprint heats, semifinals, and finals
Sargent ‘Blown Away’ With Talent At
National U16 Camp
Sixty of the best U16 cross country athletes from around the country gathered at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minn., recently to push to their athletic limits and beyond.
“I was blown away by the level of training, skiing, enthusiasm, and professionalism that I witnessed at the National U16 Cross Country Camp in Duluth,” noted former U.S. Cross Country Team member and two-time Olympian Ida Sargent, who participated in the camp as part of the Retired Stars Mentorship Program. 
“These kids showed up at each session and activity excited and ready to go,” she added. “The super sweaty pain faces at the top of the uphill time trial, the serious amount of road rash during the skate sprint simulation, the controlled pace during the distance workouts, and the very insightful and inquisitive questions which I was asked constantly throughout the week were all signs that these kids were taking risks, pushing the limits, and improving together.”
In addition to Sargent, athletes were led by a number of college, association, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard coaches through a variety of workouts at the camp.
(Tom Horrocks, US Ski & Snowboard 8/7/19)
Sixty U16 athletes came together at the National U16 Cross Country Camp in Duluth, Minn.
(U.S. Ski & Snowboard - Bryan Fish)
SkiTrax Magazine Closes after 30 Years
of Serving the Industry
After 30 years of serving both the Nordic ski and cycling industries, we regret to announce that despite our best efforts, and due to circumstances beyond our control, we have been forced to close the business.

Recent times have seen the publishing industry challenged as new digital platforms have created numerous options for advertisers vs print, making it increasingly difficult in a crowded multi-media arena that now includes giants such as Google and Facebook.

SkiTrax took the Nordic world by storm back in 1990 with Pierre Harvey on the first cover and soon after became the official magazine of both Nordiq Canada (formerly Cross Country Canada) and USSA. With names like Paul Robbins, Marty Hall, Peter Graves, Jack Sasseville and athletes like Beckie Scott, Kikkan Randall, Alex Harvey and Devon Kershaw writing for the publication it became a household name in Nordic skiing. SkiTrax was also the first to launch a Nordic fashion guide and fantasy contests in the sport.

We would sincerely like to thank all of our many contributors, subscribers, advertisers and the cross-country ski and cycling communities for the opportunity and support over the years. We truly wish we could continue.

All the best going forward.
Regards,
Benjamin Sadavoy
SkiTrax Magazine
NENSA Announces
GET SKIING
FREE Membership
for First Time Members
2019-2020 NENSA  GETSKIING  MEMBERSHIP: FREE
Good for First-Time NENSA Members only
Yes, you heard that correctly ~ we want everyone to  GET SKIING , so we are offering anyone, of any age ~ Youth, juniors, seniors, masters, parents, grandparents, a FREE membership to NENSA  (if you have never been a NENSA member before) . This is a great way to try our NENSA programing this coming season and join in all the summer, fall and winter fun! You can try out that rollerski race, BKL program, an Eastern Cup race, a Citizen’s race or a coaching clinic, and your NENSA membership is FREE! 
Click here to   JOIN NENSA TODAY
If you are already a NENSA member ~ THANK YOU! Click here to  RENEW   your membership today. June is the official start of our new membership year, so take a few minutes to renew, or join for free, and GET SKIING today!
Upcoming Events
A Look Ahead at the NENSA Calendar
Upcoming Events:
New England Nordic Ski Association
49 Pineland Drive, Suite 301-A, New Gloucester, ME 04260
Call: 207.688.6503 | www.nensa.net