Busy times on Mount Washington!
Club race organizers are getting set for annual Coastal Cup #4 race on Saturday, February 6th, and we encourage all interested members to register for this event at www.zone4.ca . Also mark it on your calendar because that morning at 9 am there will be visiting Olympic teams participating in a Biathlon event that is open to the public.
Do note that with visiting international teams on the mountain, there will be some trail closures, paritcularly on the World Cup trails and sections of the stadium and Jutland. While the Chinese Biathletes were training last weekend, the number of visiting athletes may reach 120 in the next couple of weeks! Coaches are suggested to check the snow report before taking groups out on the trails for programs, but it’s also a great opportunity to see these athletes in pro-Olympic form.
See you on the hill!
Rob Grantham
Club Veep
Coastal Cup #4
Register now for the Coastal Cup #4 race on Mount Washington! The race takes place on Saturday, February 6th at noon. Registration closes on Thursday, February 4. The race notice is available on the Races page, and registration is open on www.zone4.ca. It’s going to be an exciting event, so be sure to get in on the action by registering and/or signing up to volunteer. Email info@strathconanordics.com to volunteer.
Movie Night
Get your tickets at Ski Tak Hut! Come to the Stan Hagen Theatre at North Island College in Courtenay on Thursday, Feb 11 at 7pm for a fun event! Help keep your ski club strong and be entertained by two Extreme ski movies. The event is a fundraiser for the Strathcona Nordic Ski Club. $8/person. Bring a friend — Tickets on sale at Ski Tak Hut — Fun, food, movies and door prizes!
Thanks to Ski Tak Hut for lending us the movies! Check out the trailers Seven Sunny Days and In Deep .
Teams Training
Olympic Biathlon teams will be training from now until Feb 10th. They are using Jutland, World Cup and the Sprint Loop, however the Sprint Loop is open to public in the evenings. Watch for racers on West Passage! All other trails are open.
If skiing Raven’s, you will need to ski up the Grind or return Raven’s to get back to the Lodge. The same goes for skiing down the Grind. Jutland is not open to public. Mount Washington will keep as much of the Stadium open as possible, but it will be changing from day to day with the penalty loop sometimes needed.
Note: Jan 30 and Feb 6, the Stadium will be closed for events.
The first 300m of Jutland, to the Lookout is open to public. From the top of the quarry, you can watch the teams training on the World Cup trails. You can walk (not ski) into the Biathlon Range, and there is a viewing area right behind the firing line. Please respect the trails and volunteers marshalling the area. For the latest updates check the snow report after 8am each day.
Marc Lyster — Nordic Operations
Masters Recreational
Beginners: The weather forecast didn’t look good, but we got a good turn out any way. Half the group went out with Rick Morrison and worked on their skating and the rest of us had our first classic day. Ski conditions were OK despite the 30 km winds. We had to keep moving to stay warm. The skater group look like they had improved, and the classic group were all naturals. Everyone got back before the increasing wind and falling snow turned the ski into a survival exercise!
Racing Teams
We wish our racing team members good luck as they head to Prince George this weekend for the BC Cup #2 race!
Rabbits
Rabbits are off to a terrific start this season with lots of smiles and some really fast skis! Perhaps there are even a few future Olympians in the group!
The sunglasses and beanie hats have arrived, so we hope to distribute those to the groups this coming weekend. Please remember to look for your Rabbit booklet if you are a returning skier and submit these to your coach. If you have lost your booklet please let your coach know as soon as possible so we can order a new one for you. The cost for a replacement booklet is $5.
All Rabbits are encouraged to participate in the Coastal Cup Race on Saturday Feb 6th. Registration is done at www.zone4.ca There will be no Saturday Rabbits session on this day, and instead the session will be made up on Sunday Mar 21st for the Rabbit Tournament.
PHP Help
Any members who could help tweak the CSS for club website? info@strathconanordics.com
Missing
As we begin preparations for the 28th Annual Vancouver Island (VI) Loppet, we are reminded that in 2007 a special Loppet item was lost:
“From one of our first VI Loppet’s–a single-use paper race bib that would be attached to a ski jersey with 4 pins in the corners . It is white with black printing, and is hand signed by all the Canadian Cross Country ski team from the time.”
If you have any idea where this special paper bib may be, please contact info@strathconanordics.com
