Greetings NENSA Community ~

This past weekend wrapped up our NENSA on snow ski racing for this season. We were lucky to squeak in both the EHS Championships at Titcomb Mountain, ME and the Rikert Grand Prix in VT before all the snow melted. Thanks to both of those venues for their Herculean efforts to preserve and create race courses for our athletes ~ both Titcomb and Rikert did an amazing job and we thank you!

Congrats to Team Vermont for winning the Eastern High School Championships this past weekend! Full Recap of that, and the Rikert Grand Prix are in the boxes below.

It is a bit sad to see such an early spring, and I hope a late season snow fall will let us all out for one final ski this year, but for the most part skiing is wrapping up. On that note, if you can, please take the time to compete the climate change and XC skiing survey being done by a UVM Graduate Research student ~ link in box below.

Here is what we have for you in this jam-packed edition of KickZone:
  • Eastern High School Championships Recap
  • Rikert Grand Prix Recap
  • SWIX's Responsible Waxing Project
  • For Sale ~ NENSA's custom fabric SKIDA hats & neck warmers
  • Invitation to participate in a UVM research study about climate change and cross country skiing
  • From our Partners & In the News:
  • From U.S. Ski & Snowboard ~ Join Jessie Diggins & Gus Schumacher on March 31st at 7pm for a talk about how they protect the physical & mental health - a free virtual talk - register on Eventbrite
  • From UnTapped ~ The Kikkan & Ted Berkie Video
  • From Craftsbury ~ is looking for a BKL & Jr. Coach summer intern
  • From VTSSM: Red Bench Speaker Series Presents: Trail to Gold; The Journey of 53 Women Nordic Skiers on March 31 at 7pm

NENSA staff is busy wrapping up the winter, and planning for our spring and summer programing ~ more to come very soon!
Best,
Amie

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

GIVING: DONATE to NENSA today, and thank you!

MEMBERSHIP: RENEW or JOIN today, and thank you!
Please take a few minutes to do that and support the organization that supports XC skiing here in New England, and beyond! NENSA is here for you, running programing for you, our ski community ~ we need your support this year, more than ever!

Thank you to all our NENSA Sponsors ~ they are such a HUGE part of our NENSA programming continued success, and we so appreciate all their support. I want to be sure we all acknowledge the businesses who support us and cross country skiing!

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
2022 NENSA Eastern High School Championships Recap
The Farmington Ski Club and Titcomb Mountain put on a great event for this year’s Eastern High School Championships, the region’s first since 2019. Skiers from across New England, along with guest teams from the Great Lakes and Midwest regions, gathered for two days and three thrilling races.

An early spring arrival and subsequent melt down meant our host venue had to pull out all the stops to ensure the best conditions possible for the event with shovel crews tirelessly working to patch the courses. Additionally, the mountain’s manager harvested snow from the alpine slope to bridge the gap between the cross country stadium and lower alpine slopes to make very exciting sprint and relay courses. Titcomb Mountain very graciously closed their alpine activities to allow the best possible experience for our high school cross country athletes!

The first day of racing saw teams break out warm klister to combat the rainfall Mother Nature bestowed upon us. The girls kicked off racing with a two lap 7.5km interval start classic race. An hour and half later the boys took their turn on the same course. This year’s event saw the inclusion of adaptive racer Otis Loga of Vermont who did a three lap rolling course that paralleled the able bodied course for the first race. NENSA and Titcomb were thrilled and honored to have Otis compete in this Championship event.
...click HERE for a more photos and full results
SWIX Responsible Waxing Project
Competitive skiing programs around the country are moving away from fluorinated waxes as we learn more about their negative impact on the environment. NENSA in 2019 was among the first to adopt a fluoro-free policy, which continues today, and as of Jan. 17, fluorocarbon waxes are banned at all FIS-sanctioned cross country races in the United States.

We encourage all our skiers to learn more about skiing fluoro-free. One new option is the Responsible Waxing Project at the Swix Education Center. 
For a limited time, Swix is offering coaches a chance to win $5,000 of Swix fluoro-free wax and products for their team just by completing an online, 45-minute course on responsible waxing. Every coach who completes the course will earn one entry into the giveaway. And … there’s more:  Coaches who complete the course also earn a continuing education credit from U.S. Ski & Snowboard.

For all skiers, you can earn a chance to win $1,000 in Swix fluoro-free products by watching a responsible waxing video at the Swix Education Center website. Swix will have multiple drawings so the sooner you sign up and watch the video, the more chances you’ll have to win.

To participate, start at the Swix Education Center. Under available courses, coaches should choose “Responsible Waxing Project.” You will be prompted to register for the course. Skiers should choose the video option listed as “Enter for a Chance to Win $1,000 of Swix Products.” You’ll be promoted to register. Once you complete the video, you’ll be entered in the drawing.

And if you have just been wondering how to use the new updated SWIX line ~ how their new fluoro-free waxes replace the old CH, LF and HF waxes we all had in our wax boxes ~ just check out this quick video below!
Popular Racing Wraps at the
Rikert Grand Prix
In June, Barney Hodges, the Director of the Rikert Nordic Center and Andrew Johnson, the Head Coach of the Middlebury College Ski Team brought forth a plan to create a festival to end the 2022 ski season. Their idea was to utilize the amazing resources of the Middlebury College facilities, its staff and connections within the local and broader skiing community to celebrate the winter. The plan included making this the first edition of an event that will grow into the future.

The 2022 format of the Rikert Grand Prix was a 3-day race event hosted by both the Rikert Nordic Center and Middlebury College Snow Bowl in Ripton, VT. Preparations for the late March event were part of the vision of snowmaking throughout the winter — regardless and unbeknownst that we would have one of the lowest Vermont snowfall totals in recorded history. The efforts at Rikert and the Bowl paid off for the some hundred brave souls who were not ready to hang up their skis!



Utilizing an a-la-carte-mini-tour-format, racers could test themselves in a freestyle prologue, a 10 kilometer classic mass start, and a final stage pursuit-start hill climb. The largest field of the weekend was drawn to the hill climb, which utilized a closed alpine mountain for a fast but, grueling climb up the Lang Trail after a brisk assent and descent on the bottom pitch of the Ross. Post race, competitors drew together to celebrate the masters skiers who braved the elements, and perhaps the most robust prize table and best attended awards of the season. Every competitor received something, with generous donations from Fischer, Toko, Enjoy Winter, Boulder Nordic Sport East, and Caldwell Sport. There was also $2400 in prize money that was spread between the days, rewarding the top skiers...click HERE for full story and photos!
Masters skiers are an integral part of the community in New England - hill climb competitors were awarded with NENSA coffee mugs to remember their last race until their next!
THANK YOU TO OUR ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
L.L.Bean and SWIX & Salomon!
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.
Learn more about reporting and try the QR Code:

Thank you for your diligence in maintaining sport safety and protecting our athletes. 
FOR SALE!
NENSA's custom fabric SKIDA Hats & Neck Warmers will be for sale on www.NENSA.net
This custom fabric was designed by Kait Miller, NENSA's Youth & Introductory Program Director. Each snowflake contains one of 5 Northeastern states that NENSA had our programing ~ Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and New York! We are excited to offer these great new custom NENSA hats and neck warmer to our ski community!
Link to purchase HERE. Thanks for supporting NENSA this way ~ $40 for the fleece lined alpine hat and $30 for the fleece lined neck warmer ~ this includes shipping & handing.
Field tested and NENSA Staff approved!
UVM Graduate Student needs our NENSA membership's help with a XC ski &
Climate Change Survey
Invitation to participate in a research study about climate change and cross country skiing

Researchers at the University of Vermont are studying the ways that cross country skiers are thinking about and responding to climate change. We are inviting people to complete an online survey to answer questions about their participation in skiing and their thoughts about climate change. After completing the survey participants can choose to enter a raffle for one of three $25 gift cards as a small token of appreciation for their time.
 
Total time for participation is approximately 10 minutes, and includes completing an online survey.
 
To participate you must:
  • Be at least 18 years of age,
  • Have cross-country skied within the past five years
 
For more information and to participate, visit https://go.uvm.edu/5o4n9  
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA SUPPORTING SPONSORS:
From our NENSA Partners:

IN THE NEWS:
ATHLETES & COACHES:
Join a FREE virtual conversation between Jessie Diggins & Gus Shumacher about how they protect their physical & mental health

When: Thurs. March 31: 7-8pm
2022 Birkie with Kikkan & Ted
 For a half century, American cross-country skiing has been catalyzed by one touchstone event bringing together more skiers in one spot than all the other events combined – The American Birkebeiner. Taking place in the Wisconsin Northwoods every February, The “Birkie” bears its own lore and bends North American Nordic skiing culture with its gravity. This mythic race was the clear choice for elite gravel cyclist, Ted King’s, first ski race. Ted joined his coach, fellow competitor and UnTapped athlete gold-medalist Kikkan Randall at the start line just a few weeks ago.
VTSSM Red Bench Speaker Series Presents: Trail to Gold; The Journey of 53 Women Nordic Skiers 

Thursday, March 31st at 7:00 PM via Zoom
Visit www.vtssm.org/new-events to reserve a virtual Zoom ticket. A $10 donation is appreciated. 
 
This coach/intern would join the Center’s current coaching staff and help manage summer programming. 
 
The ideal candidate:  
  • Is highly knowledgeable and passionate about skiing
  • Loves working with kids and has lots of energy and enthusiasm
  • Is interested in coaching long-term 
  • Is organized and can maintain order in chaotic settings
  • Can adapt on the fly to adjust for inclement weather and other unexpected obstacles
  • Is capable of keeping up with speedy juniors on a variety of training expeditions
 
THANK YOU TO OUR NENSA OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS:
Upcoming Events
A Look Ahead at the NENSA Calendar
Upcoming NENSA Events:
Full NENSA.net Calendar Listing HERE

May 14: NENSA Spring Board Meeting

Link to our COVID Protocols HERE
Link to our NENSA Equality & Diversity Policy HERE
Link to our Health & Nutrition Resources Page HERE
Link to our NENSA Inclusivity Resource List HERE
If you already shop Amazon ~ please link to Amazon Smile
with NENSA as your beneficiary!
Did you know that NENSA could benefit from the Amazon purchases you are already making??! Please link your Amazon account to Amazon SMILE (with /smile) and choose NENSA as your non-profit beneficiary! All the purchases everyone is already making, all add up, and we would love to be able to benefit from that! Thank you!!