Greetings NENSA community,

Com·mu·ni·ty /kəˈmyo͞onədē/

noun

a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals

In the face of this season’s curve balls (wouldn’t we prefer snow balls…), I feel the strength of our community. The devoted folks at Chisholm Ski Club doubled down in partnership with EISA and NENSA to host a memorable event this past weekend. In a display of dogged dedication, they literally worked around the clock, cutting tracks (no small achievement in such conditions) late into the night to host one of our largest, most festive, and strongest fields this season. Our hats are off to everyone involved for a weekend that can simply be described as special and where success was truly a feat. Please see the full story below for much more.

Looking ahead, there are some exciting events on the calendar this weekend! Jackson XC reportedly has some of the best conditions in the Northeast; it is also the site of a weekend chock full of activity. A weekend tour could be kicked off on Friday with An Evening with Bill McKibben at the Tin Mountain Conservation Center (a few seats remain)...OR an entry alongside Bill in the White Mountain Classic and 1-day State Championship on Saturday. Cross Country Skier Magazine is kicking off their Tour de Trail in Jackson with a weekend-long stop, free demos, giveaways, and a raffle. NENSA’s annual Women’s XC Ski Day takes place on Sunday and includes the presence of many NENSA sponsors. Whether you are participating in the events or heading out for a ski, please stop by to check out all of the activity, equipment, and new products on display from Fischer, Swix, Salomon, Sidas, Paradis Sport, Skida, and more.

Further south is the seventh annual Race for Snow, an event entirely organized by EMXC junior skiers. Entry categories range from lollipoppers to masters including adaptive options and all proceeds benefit Protect Our Winters, an organization devoted to tackling the climate crisis. What a timely opportunity to gather and take part in an event with such a mission.

In this week’s edition of KickZone

• 2023 Chisholm Ski Club Eastern Cup and Bates Carnival Recap
• Freeman Frost White Mountain Classic
• The Race for Snow
• FISU World University Games in Lake Placid
• NENSA membership
• Scenes from the Community
• Cross Country Skier Magazine Tour de Trail
• Toko Newsletter
• Canadian Ski Marathon and Canadian Ski Challenge
• Skirack/Patagonia: Banff Film Festival, January 26-28

In the news

• NNF: BSF and Craftsbury Green Surge with Strong Results in Seeley Hills Classic
• FasterSkier:
• US World Junior Championship/U23 Teams Named Following Nationals in Houghton
• USA Announces Cross Country Team for World Cup Period 3

We look ahead at a busy calendar and some flakes in the forecast, and feel buoyed by the commitment and energy of this community. Thank you!

All my best,

Heidi

Heidi Lange

Executive Director

New England Nordic Ski Association

heidi@nensa.net

www.NENSA.net

Thank you!

Memberships directly support all of our year-round programming,

backing us in our mission to nurture and sustain an active cross country ski

community for all ages and levels throughout the East. 

Thank you for taking a minute to join or renew your NENSA membership,

and for the important support that it provides!

Please join me in thanking and supporting our wonderful NENSA Sponsors 

for their generous contributions and the ongoing impact that they have on NENSA programming and cross country skiing in New England!

“The Big Guy is looking down on us today,” said Ray Broomhall on Sunday afternoon as a rare glimpse of sunlight graced the slopes of Black Mountain on the third day of racing. “Sunbathing weather,” exclaimed Craig Zurhorst, the local announcer extraordinaire over the mic.

It was truly an inspiration to pull off three nationally sanctioned events on natural snow when even the most robust Eastern trail systems were just feeling comfortable. The Chisholm Ski Club has a fabled history as one might start to see at Race Headquarters, or better yet, if you have the opportunity to visit Muriel’s Kitchen. While there were so many victories last weekend, perhaps the most evident is the joy and pride of this Maine community — that, in partnership with local clubs is thriving, with a bright future ahead. NENSA is so honored to support events that directly reflect our mission to, “sustain an active cross country ski community for all ages and levels throughout the East.”

Despite the most troubled start to winter most of the skiers have ever experienced, Saturday dawned with the most competitive Eastern Cup we will see this winter. Partnered with the Bates Carnival, who skied under wet skies on Friday, nearly 500 competitors toed the line. The field was composed of collegiate skiers, club/high school juniors, and a few intrepid masters. Olympic skiers: Ben Ogden and Caitlin Patterson added a rare touch of class to the show, Ogden currently ranked 9th in the world and Patterson a two-time Olympian and eleven-time National Champion, who perfectly raced her first Carnival at Black. These are two cool Cats!..read much more, see results, and the updated Junior Ranking List HERE

JacksonXC hosts this long standing Popular Race and the first Marathon event of the 2023 season. In 2021 an exciting format was created, shifting from a club-based model to a state-based model for added excitement and friendly rivalries.

The typical course for this mass start event boasts a beautiful tour of the Wentworth Resort Trails, the Yodel, then ski loops on the Eagle Mountain Fields, the Wave, Alice’s Alley and the Wildcat Valley Trail.

Choices for distances include 22km, 14km or an untimed tour of the 14km course.

Remember: NENSA numbers are required for Club and Zak Cup scoring and

NENSA members receive a 20% discount on the entry fee using

the coupon code provided with membership signup/renewal. 

Welcome to the Seventh Annual Race for Snow! The Race for Snow is a cross-country ski race run by a group of high school students (who are part of EMXC) to raise money for climate change mitigation. We are so excited to again host our race at the Weston Ski Track, this time as an evening race on Saturday, January 21st. The race is also part of the NENSA Zak Cup Race Series! (SCHEDULE BELOW)

REGISTRATION CLOSES ON FRIDAY 1/20 AT 6 PM. Day of race registration is available, $5 more than the listed prices. We prefer pre-registration via SkiReg!

As temperatures rise and available snow vanishes, it is as crucial as ever for the ski community to unite in the fight against climate change, as it threatens the very existence of our sport. We are in a state of climate emergency, and it is up to every individual to help work against climate change and save the planet we call home.  

The good news is you can do something about it! All proceeds of the Seventh Annual Race for Snow will go to Protect Our Winters, which has fought climate change since 2007 by giving an authentic voice to the outdoor sports community by engaging pro athletes and enthusiasts alike to face the fossil fuel lobby in an unpolitical fashion. We chose to support this organization because our donations are able to go further in enacting change when we give to a genuine organization with big plans, a vision, and high success. Your participation helps save our planet and empowers the local ski clubs and teens who are working to make a difference. Thank you!

Remember: NENSA numbers are required for Club and Zak Cup scoring and

NENSA members receive a 20% discount on the entry fee using

the coupon code provided with membership signup/renewal. 

THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:

Reporting Misconduct and New QR Code for Reporting

Whether you are a coach, parent, volunteer, or athlete, we all play a role in providing a safe environment for the sports that we love. U.S. Ski & Snowboard  Athlete Safety policies, the SafeSport Code, and the U.S. Ski & Snowboard MAAPP help us support that culture of safety.  

• If you witness or are aware of inappropriate behavior or misconduct - REPORT IT!
• Reports may be made anonymously!
• Child Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse – Report to law enforcement or child protective services in your jurisdiction immediately.
• Reports to the Center - SafeSport hotline at 833-5US-SAFE (587-7233) or CLICK HERE to complete an online reporting form.
• Reports to U.S. Ski & Snowboard - CLICK HERE

You may see QR codes posted at events this season. The QR codes open a page on www.usskiandsnowboard.org for quick links to reporting from your smartphone.

Thank you for your diligence in maintaining sport safety and protecting our athletes. 

It is time to renew NENSA memberships. NENSA membership is required for attendance at the BKL Festival, Eastern Cup, U16 and EHS Championship events, as well as for Junior National, Zak, and Club Cup rankings. NENSA members receive discounted entry fees to many of our events as well as exclusive offers from our sponsors that are constantly added and updated HERE. Membership directly supports our year-round programming, backing us in our mission to nurture and sustain an active cross country ski community for all ages and levels throughout the East. Thank you for taking a minute to tend to your renewal, and for the important support your membership provides!



THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA SUPPORTING SPONSORS:

We're excited to announce that our Tour de Trail returns this coming weekend, with the first stop at Jackson XC on January 21-22. Look for free demos of the latest no-wax, skin and skate skis all day, both days, as well as a huge raffle to support the New England Nordic Ski Association's youth and family programming. 

The Tour de Trail then continues at Sleepy Hollow Ski and Bike Center on January 28-29; Carter's XC Ski on February 4-5; and Craftsbury Outdoor Center on February 11-12. Cross Country Skier magazine’s Tour de Trail is made possible with the support of Salomon, Alpina, Swix, and Kästle.

Join us this weekend at Jackson XC!

NNF Cup Update: BSF and Craftsbury Green Surge with Strong Results in Seeley Hills Classic

January 17, 2023 | by Ben Theyerl

A longtime fixture of the Midwestern race calendar, the Seeley Hills Classic went Super…Tour this year, hosting a back-to-back race weekend which saw the SuperTour field race their first true distance event of the year – 32 kilometers – followed by an individual classic sprint on Sunday.

In the Women’s field, it was an espcially strong weekend for Bridger Ski Foundation and Craftsbury Green Project. The latter saw Margie Freed ski to a 3rd place finish in the 32 k, before winning the classic sprint on Sunday. Freed followed a BSF 1-2 finish in the 32 k from winner Hannah Rudd and 2nd place Mariah Bredal, while Sarah Goble finished 2nd in the sprint and Hannah Rudd finished 3rd. The BSF skiers collectively moved their team into 3rd in the Women’s Classification, and helped boost the Bozeman squad to 2nd in the Overall classification. Freed, alongside a strong 4th place finish from teammate Michaela Keller-Miller in the 32 k, saw the Craftsbury Green Racing Project move into 2nd place in the Women’s classification...read more HERE

US World Junior Championship/U23 Teams Named Following Nationals in Houghton

January 13, 2023 | by Ben Theyerl

Following a record-setting number of athletes competing in the U.S. Nationals in Houghton last week— over 400 skiers from across the US made the trip to the Copper Country—US Ski and Snowboard has announced the selections for the US World Junior and U23 Championships, to be held in Whistler, British Columbia from January 28th-February 4th. Athlete selections have also been announced for the U18 Nordic Nation’s Cup Trip, to be held in Jyvaskyla, Finland February 17th-19th.

The sheer number of competitors at US Nationals, along with a continued trend towards more competition to make one of US Ski and Snowboard’s Development trips is a “sign that we’re continuing in the right direction,” said US Ski and Snowboard Cross Country Development Director Bryan Fish. “The showing from our U23 athletes on the World Cup to the number of U18 skiers that are competitive to make the [Nordic Nation’s Cup] trip is a sign of not only strength, but crucially, depth in our development system.”

Fish added that the competition at US Nationals—as well as diversity of clubs and regions where skiers are coming from—drives home a clear message: “If there’s one thing that we’re doing right [in US Skiing],” he said, “it’s that we’re working together.”...read more HERE

USA Announces Cross Country Team for World Cup Period 3

January 14, 2023 | by Chris Grover

Dear Cross Country Community,

We are pleased to announce the USA Cross Country Team for World Cup Period 3 of the 2022-23 season...read more HERE

THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:

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