Greetings NENSA Community,

After much anticipation, all eyes are on Minneapolis this week as World Cup racing returns to the USA for the first time in over 20 years! How exciting it is equally to welcome home the US Ski Team as to celebrate inaugural World Cup starts earned by others. All the while, our efforts to endow NENSA’s Youth and Introductory programming continue and have been bolstered this week by a major matching gift challenge. Please see the announcement below for those exciting details.

Reflecting on this moment in time and the success of US skiing, I am especially grateful for the support of this community in sustaining our organization and the grassroots programming that grows the sport in meaningful ways.

We will be cheering our hearts out for ALL of the American skiers toeing the line this week. By our count, TWENTY Minneapolis starters have ties to New England programs!

In this week’s KickZone

John Ogden Endowment: NEW Matching Challenge!
Downeast 18km Freestyle Loppet: Feb. 18 at Quarry Road (new location)
BKL Festival 2024 and Volunteer Signup
Stratton Terrain Challenge Recap
A Freestyle Affair: Henchey Memorial Eastern Cup and Harvard Carnival
Dublin Winterfest: Ski Your Heart Out Recap
Flying Moose Classic 2024
Cheri Walsh Memorial Eastern Cup Finals
Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe Recap

From Our Partners

Bivo: Sleepy Hollow Wednesday Night World's

In The News

Vermont Talent Jack Young Breaks Through in First-Ever World Cup start
How to Watch the Minneapolis World Cup Races
Updated Starters Announced for Wirth World Cup Weekend
Photo Album: Flying Moose Classic in Bethel

GO USA!!

All my best,

Heidi

Heidi Lange

Executive Director

New England Nordic Ski Association

heidi@nensa.net

www.nensa.net

NENSA News From the Field

John Ogden Endowment: NEW Matching Challenge!

We are delighted to announce a NEW matching challenge for the John Ogden endowment campaign: A generous donor has offered a 3:1 match on any new contributions up to a total of $50,000 raised for the campaign by March 8.

This is a historic season in so many ways. The World Cup has just returned to N. America and to U.S. soil for the first time in over 20 years and features SEVEN skiers who got their start in the New England Bill Koch Youth Ski League: Julia Kern, Ben Ogden, Brian Bushey, Will Koch, Alex Lawson, Ava Thurston, and Jack Young.

At the Junior level, Tabor Greenberg recently returned from the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, S. Korea. Amelia Circosta competed at the U18 Nordic Nations Cup in Falun, Sweden. New Englanders Jack Lange, Sofia Scirica, Ava Thurston, and Evie Walton represented one-third of the U.S. team at World Junior Ski Championships in Planica, Slovenia last week. Across these events, these New England BKL alums posted several top 10 and podium results!

These pinnacle achievements are rooted in something much deeper: foundational programming and a culture that inspires joy and engagement. John was a passionate advocate for a welcoming, healthy, and fun youth sport culture. The values he championed are the pulse of the New England ski community from children making their first tracks at school or BKL practice to top World Cup and Olympic skiers.

Our fundraising efforts for 2023-24 are entirely focused on this special campaign and honoring and celebrating the enduring contributions John made to our sport and to our community. Please help us reach our goal!

Contribute HERE

THANK YOU TO OUR GOLD SPONSORS

Downeast 18km Freestyle Loppet | Feb. 18

Quarry Road (new location)

Adventurers, challenge seekers, and distance lovers – the Downeast 18km Freestyle Loppet is making a return for its second year. Hosted by the Downest Racing Team, the race will take place this Sunday at Quarry Road Trails due to lack of snow on the coast. The snow making loop should provide excellent conditions and great spectating opportunities. Whether you want to race or cheer on your friends and/or family, this event is the place to be this weekend! So gather up your skis and support crew and enjoy the atmosphere. This race is part of the Part of the NENSA Marathon Series and scored to NENSA Zak Cup and Club Cup.

More HERE

BKL Festival 2024

Creatures are gathering and tales being spun for a magical Myths in the Mountains BKL Festival in just two weeks! The Frost Mountain, Middlebury, and Rikert communities are ready to welcome all!

Online registration closes at midnight on February 23.

All Info.

Volunteer Sign Up

Stratton Terrain Challenge Recap

FUN. ON. SKIS. This year marked the third Stratton Terrain Challenge and by all accounts it was the best yet! The event is the brainchild of Steve Bruner of the Stratton Nordic Center, Stratton Mountain School coaches, the Putney Ski Club and the West River BKL. While run as a freestyle race it hearkens to the roots of traditional skiing — gliding through the woods on two planks. And of course there is the new school vibe of jumps, gates — and as many in the open race found out — an artillery of snowballs!

A Freestyle Affair: Henchey Memorial Eastern Cup and Harvard Carnival

The third Eastern Cup of the year was designed to overlap with the Harvard Carnival as a FIS race. The overlap between junior and collegiate racing is an amazing development opportunity — and a sure fire way to have BIG fields. Indeed on Saturday there were 441 racers on the Start List. The weekend was also unique in that both races were freestyle to complement the classic Lake Placid weekend.

Results, Rankings, Team Scores and Much More HERE

Dublin Winterfest: Ski Your Heart Out Recap

In the first edition of the Dublin Winterfest: Ski Your Heart Out skiers were treated to fun vibes, quintessential New England skiing, lots of sun, and a hint of firewood fumes. The day kicked off with a mass start race for high school and master skiers. It was a four lap affair on an uphill/downhill course with a mix of snowmaking and natural snow, winding through the beautiful Sapporo and Placid trails at the Dublin School Nordic Center.

Flying Moose Classic 2024

The Bethel Outing Club, Gould Academy, and Nonstop Nordic teamed up last weekend to put on the 33rd edition of the Flying Moose Classic, which took place at Inland Woods + Trails’ Bethel trails. The weather conditions leading into the event were tricky, and klister could be found on every wax table. By the time the 12.5km/25km race had started, there was very little cloud cover and made for some classic Spring Skiing conditions.

Results, Photos, and More HERE

THANK YOU TO OUR SILVER SPONSORS

Cheri Walsh Memorial Eastern Cup Finals | Feb 24-25

The final Eastern Cup of the 2023-24 season shines the spotlight on Junior skiing in New England. This concluding event in the series typically welcomes a large field of Juniors, many of whom seek their first Eastern Cup experience. Ahead of that, we are re-posting an article co-written by two NENSA coaches who share their experience and perspectives about high school skiing.

Whether it's your first or your 30th Eastern Cup, the fun and camaraderie of Eastern skiing await and we would love to see you!

Online registration closes on Wednesday at 5 PM.

Detailed Event Info

Lee and Maddock: High School Racing Q & A

Moonlight Ski & Snowshoe Recap

Carter’s XC Ski Center hosted the second edition of their Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe guided tour for the season. Taking place 4 weeks after the first event allowed for this event to be on snow this time around. This event was part of NENSA’s Community Tours and Events series. The February event had some in common with the January edition, as we learned about the Carter family’s connection with the land, which is home to their ski trails. We skied out to a yurt in the forest, and took some fun trails back, which became more challenging with the sun setting, to a warm bonfire at the lodge.

NENSA Membership

Membership revenue sustains our organization, directly supports our year-round offerings, and subsidizes low and no-cost programs that make our New England ski community vibrant and inclusive.

Check NENSA Membership Status

NENSA membership provides...

Access to Eastern Cup, Bill Koch Festival, and U16 and Eastern High School Championship events
Education at Eastern Coaches Conferences and TD/Event Organizer Seminars
Eligibility for the NENSA Development and Elite Teams and the New England Junior National Team
Discounted entry to NENSA events
Scoring and ranking in our Eastern Cup, Popular, and Rollerski series
NENSA Kickzone and Trail Tales youth newsletter subscriptions
Exclusive discounts and special offers from NENSA sponsors, continually updated on the Member Benefits page
Access to the NENSA Gear Swap

NENSA Member Benefits

NENSA Membership Signup/Renewal

U.S. Ski & Snowboard works to provide a safe environment in which athletes can train and compete, free from abuse and inappropriate behavior. Please review U.S. Ski & Snowboard's Athlete Safety policies, the SafeSport Code, and the Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policies and join us in sustaining a culture of safety.

If you are an athlete who has experienced inappropriate behavior or know of an athlete who has experienced inappropriate behavior, report a concern:

The U.S. Center for SafeSport

Hotline: 833-587-7233

Report: CLICK HERE

U.S. Ski & Snowboard

Report: CLICK HERE

We all are part of promoting a culture of safety through education, listening, and speaking up.

Scenes from the NENSA Community

THANK YOU TO OUR BRONZE SPONSORS

Partnership Corner

Sleepy Hollow Wednesday Night World's

In the News

Vermont Talent Jack Young Breaks Through in First-Ever World Cup start

by Nathaniel Herz | February 11, 2024

CANMORE, ALBERTA — Jack Young’s home in Vermont is two miles from the Canadian border. So it makes sense that he skied like he was right at home in Canada on Saturday, in a smoking fast finish in his first-ever race on the World Cup—the top-level circuit that saw him lining up against a bevy of Olympic medalists.

Young, 21, placed 11th in the qualifying round of Saturday’s sprint race in Canmore, and 23rd in the final. His qualifier made him the second-fastest American, slotted him ahead of Norwegian stars like Erik Valnes, Even Northug and Harald Østberg Amundsen and earned him the adulation of his U.S. teammates.

“It was a lot of hugs, a lot of expletives,” Young said afterward. “It was a pretty fun, happy scene.”

His U.S. teammates were much more emphatic.

How to Watch the Minneapolis World Cup Races

by Nordic Insights | November 17, 2023

While Ski & Snowboard Live is the self-proclaimed “Official Streaming Service of FIS World Cup & World Championship Events in the United States,” this means “streaming service for viewers based in the U.S.,” not, “streaming service for FIS World Cup events held in the U.S.” For American-based World Cup races, you need Outside Watch.

Outside Watch is the online streaming service of what used to be a well-regarded print-only magazine called “Outside.” You can find the Outside multimedia platform portal here.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard advises, “All events held in the United States are LIVE on Outside for free this season, with coverage also on NBC/CNBC and Peacock.” So you should be able to watch the two days of February racing at Wirth Park in central Minneapolis HERE. Scroll down the schedule until you find “MandW sprint individuals” and “MandW 20k sprint,” which apparently denote a skate sprint and a 10-kilometer interval-start skate race, respectively.

A USSS media representative, in a recent email to Nordic Insights, confirms, “Outside will be broadcasting the [Loppet Cup] races for free, so anyone can watch via Outside! TBD on NBC.”

If you miss these races live and want to watch a replay, you will need an active Outside+ membership to do so. “Please note,” Outside+ advises (emphasis in original), “Replays may not be available immediately after the live event. Please allow up to 1 week for the replays to become available on the Outside Watch platform.” So you might just want to plan on watching these races live.

Much more HERE

Updated Starters Announced for Wirth World Cup Weekend

by Gavin Kentch | February 15, 2024

There have been a few changes to the roster of U.S. starters in advance of this weekend’s long-anticipated races in Minneapolis. Ben Ogden is unfortunately out due to mono and Nina Schamberger is out due to ongoing back pain, according to public Instagram posts by both athletes. It also appears that wunderkind Jack Young was awarded a second skate sprint start, at the expense of Murphy Kimball, after the former’s breakout 11th-place performance in the skate qual, and 23rd overall, in Canmore last weekend.

Photo Album: Flying Moose Classic in Bethel

by Daryn Slover | February 12, 2024

Nordic skiers leave the start Sunday during the 33rd annual Flying Moose Classic in Bethel. Over 120 skiers ages 4 to 72 participated in events that ranged from 1K to 25K. It started and ended at the Bethel Inn Resort & Suites and was organized by Nonstop Nordic and the New England Nordic Ski Association.