Greetings NENSA community,

I just returned with a hearty dose of friluftsliv from Norway.  Along the way, I marveled at the number of roller skiers I saw on the roads as well as the range of people sharing other outdoor pursuits together.  In the Holmenkollen ski stadium on a weekday morning, a 7 year old girl was teaching herself to roller ski alongside one of the fastest women in the world, both surrounded by top biathletes, a junior club, and a masters athlete running stadiums.  I met skiers in the mountains as well, often identifiable by fast footwear and hydration packs, and I equally appreciated the comfort of seemingly every Norwegian with technical terrain and high altitudes.  It was inspiring to say the least, and has me reflecting on the growth of cross country skiing here in New England.  

In this week’s edition of KickZone:

• Eastern/Central U16 National Camp recap
• 2022 Rollins Roll recap
• Sleepy Hollow BKL Camp video

In the news:

• Ava Thurston from Norway’s International Junior Camp
• Appalachian Gap Time Trial – US Ski Team, SMST2, U16 Camp, Team Birkie and more…
• Ben Ogden Leads Americans in Opening Race at Toppidrettsveka

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and find time to enjoy the outdoors in whatever form appeals most!

All my best,

Heidi

Heidi Lange

Executive Director

New England Nordic Ski Association

Heidi@nensa.net

www.NENSA.net

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We had lots of fun visiting the 2nd edition of Sleepy Hollow BKL Camp - enjoy this new video!

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ATHLETE UPDATE: Ava Thurston from Norway’s International Junior Camp.

August 18, 2022 | by Ben Theyerl

Last week, the US send a delegation of the top Junior skiers from across the country to Sjusjøen, Norway to attend the Norweigan Ski Federation’s (NSF) International Junior Ski Camp. In the forests north of Lillehammer, a group of over 200 athletes who represent some of the most promising young talent in the world – 22 different ski federations sent delegations – got together to learn from each other, push each other, and reach out across country and federation in the interest of connecting skiers the world wide.

Among the US delegation was Mansfield Nordic’s (Vermont) Ava Thurston. The Junior National champion traveled alongside a group of her peers from across the country, and US Ski Team Development coach Greta Anderson. With tales of competition, bog running, and even a Klæbo sighting, Ava gives us an exciting look into what happens when US skiers get to meet up with their counterparts from around the world! Read the fully story HERE

PHOTOS: Appalachian Gap Time Trial – US Ski Team, SMST2, U16 Camp, Team Birkie and more…

August 14, 2022 | by Ben Theyerl

Right below the parking lot for Mad River Glen on Tuesday August 2nd, groups of rollerskiers began to group up on the side of the road. Spotting them wasn’t difficult. Bright skis, bright shirts, and bright smiles, all lent to the air that these people just might love what they do. In fact, they did. This was an extraordinarly talented group, convened from across Vermont, New England, and well beyond. The US Ski Team, Stratton Mountain School, U16 skiers from New England and the Midwest, and the members of Team Birkie were all set to do a rollerski time trial up the road climbing over the Appalachain Gap in Waitsfield, Vermont. 

The average gradient for this time trial; a cool 8.1% over 1100ft of elevation. Those figures couldn’t dampen the mood of the skiers gathered as they sensed that this was one of those experiences you get in Nordic skiing that only comes because this is the Nordic ski community. Promising young U16 skiers did the same race and course as a 3-time Olympic Medalist, and then later got to see those medals as she – Jessie Diggins – talked through how she’d gone from their shoes to hers.

There to capture the action was Reese Brown, who sent along these photos of a cool Tuesday afternoon up in the Green Mountains.

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