I don’t know about you, but my favourite skiing is springtime skiing. With all the new snow on the mountain and in the forecast, things are looking good!! You may have noticed this week that the groomers are experiencing mechanical difficulties. They hope to have things straightened out by the weekend. Read on for more nordic news.
The Teck Coast Cup finale races are fast approaching. Check out the course maps on this link.
Remember, if we have many club members skiing in this event–our club could take pennant and win the Teck Coast Cup Club Aggregate award! Every skier counts, from our smallest Atoms through to the most senior Masters.
Why not ski in the Teck Coast Cup races on March 9 and March 10 and support your club! See the race notice and register.
Despite the weather, many skiers enjoyed last Saturday’s “Try Adaptive Skiing” clinic!
With a bit of new snow on the hill, and more on the way forecasted for Friday, we are gearing up for another great weekend of Rabbit sessions! This weekend all Jack Rabbits will participate in the Becky Scott Sprint Races. The event is designed to encourage skiers to develop speed in their skiing, to expose them to a race-like experience and to actively cheer on other participants. All skiers will race twice, ultimately trying to beat their own time. Thank you to all the volunteers who make this event possible!
Also this weekend, we are happy to have Junior Racers joining each Rabbit group once again! Having the younger skiers exposed to these great role models is invaluable. Not only do they give fantastic technique demonstrations, their stellar attitudes are perfect for our children to aspire to!
Act now to get yourself a nice club jacket at an amazing price! Tim McGrady is organizing a sale of this Helly Hansen Verglas Down Insulator jacket as a fundraiser for the racing team.
Buy a nice club jacket, support young racers!
The purchase price is a 40% discount from the retail cost and 100% of the proceeds will go to fund the SNSC Racing Team who are representing our club at the National Championships. Buy a nice jacket, support young SNSC Racers!
First come first serve orders with a 50% deposit will be taken until March 1st and availability is limited as Helly Hansen has already pre-ordered stock. Delivery will be early September.
Cost is $175 including taxes. Cost includes stitching of SNSC logo on right chest and “Strathcona Nordics” on the back. Color is RED
Fill in the form to order. Click here.
Contact Tim for more information. tim@mcgrady.ca 250 897 6412 See more about the jacket online at hellyhansen.com
Last Sunday, we held another Twoonie race – the Timed Ski. ParticIpants were asked to estimate their time before the race, and the winner was the one who came closest to skiing their estimated time. You check out the results using this link. Thanks to all our race organizers and volunteers!
The Timed Ski race was race #4 in the Strathcona Nordic Cup series. As you know, for every home race that you enter this season, you get a point in the series. We have the latest tally at this link. If you have missed a few, not to worry! There are still 4 races remaining, and if you ski in both Teck Coast Cup races, you can get 2 bonus points. You can also join in the races, just for the fun of it! Read more about the series here.
The Junior Racers would like to thank everyone who helped make their waxorama a success!
The waxing fundaiser was a great success last weekend. The team made $800 towards their trip to Nationals next month. The Junior Racers say a big thank you to Marc Lyster and the Mount Washington Nordic folks for their support and a big thank you to all their patrons too! The team hopes to have another Waxorama in the near future.
Best wishes to our club members heading to Whistler for the Payak this weekend! The Payak Loppet looks like a fun event. You can check it out on their website. Bring us back some photos and stories from your Payak experience!
They are still looking for volunteers at the National cross-country ski championships in Whistler Olympic Park from March 22 to 30. This is a great opportunity to be a part of a very exciting event! Our club will have a team of over 30 skiers participating in this big event, which will see over 650 skiers from across Canada vying for National honours–and during that week, there is also the rare opportunity to also see some live ski jumping at the same venue!
The organising committee together with Whistler Olympic Park are offering a volunteer incentive program where you will earn reward vouchers for a variety of products and services, including retail items, ski waxing, lessons and trail passes at Whistler Olympic Park. These are transferable (to share with family and friends) and will be distributed in advance of the event based on the number of days you sign up to volunteer.
To register as a volunteer for the event or for more information please visit the volunteer section at the Nationals website.
Our club is hosting the Vancouver Island Loppet on April 13. This is a great way to end the ski season – by challenging yourself to a nice, long ski! There will be 15km and 30 km distances for adults and teens, and a children’s and youth loppet with 2km and 5km distances too.
If you are not going to ski in this event, join in the fun as a volunteer! There are many volunteer jobs to choose from. This year, we are also looking a Feed Station Coordinator. This job comes with lots of support from the club and Mount Washington Nordic–and the added job satisfaction of providing nutrients to tired, hungry, and grateful skiers! Contact Susan for more detailsdennydreher88@gmail.com
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! In the news this week, we have an opportunity for you to give your skis some TLC, a mystery to solve, valentines to share, contests, and more!
Give your skis some TLC at the Waxorama! Story below.
Less than a month until our big race weekend! The race organizers are going to give two extra “Strathcona Cup” points to everyone in our club who participates in both Coast Cup races.
If you are not interested in personal gain, consider racing for the club’s sake. If we have many club members skiing in this event–our club could take pennant and win the Teck Coast Cup Club Aggregate award. Every skier counts, from our smallest Atoms through to the most senior Masters.
Ski better with a fresh coat of glide wax on your skate and/or classic skis! You can have your skis waxed by skilled Junior Racers for the incredibly low price of $10/pair.
On Saturday morning, look for the red Strathcona Nordics tent by the Raven Lodge from 9am to 12:30pm. Bring the team your skis, and you can enjoy a snack from their bake sale while you wait.
Remember to put some cash in your ski bag for waxing and baked goods. All proceeds from the sales will go towards the Junior Racers trip to the National Canadian Ski Championships at Whistler Olympic Park next month!
Heartfelt thanks to all our coaches! We couldn’t have programs without you!
Another gorgeous weekend has passed, marking the halfway point in our Rabbit season. Be sure to keep track of any ski session at least one hour in length – coaches will be asking for those numbers closer to the end of the season to tally up Snow Goal awards. New this year, for Jack Rabbits 8 and older, is the Alex Harvey Competition Award. Remember that twoonie races count towards these goals! For more information, click here.
The deadline for the 2014 Jackrabbit toque is quickly approaching. Please have all submissions to Head Hare Alix Wilson by Sunday February 24th, as all entries (top 5 for our club) have to be sent to Canmore for March 1st. For more information about the colouring contest, please visit the website.
Our ski club is looking into getting some new ski playground equipment – if you have ideas on what could make our ski playground outstanding, please let Christophe Abele know! cabele@telus.net
On Sunday, join us for Twoonie race #4 in the Strathcona Nordic Cup series. Come race for fun and/or for points!
This Sunday, February 17, the challenge is a Timed Ski – You tell us how long you think it will take you to ski a pre-set course (minutes and seconds), and we will time you. There will be 2 courses, a 2km course and a 850m course; the courses are posted on the notice board down stairs in the Raven Lodge. You might want to practice on Saturday or on Sunday morning!
Our world class timing team will endeavour to produce the results as soon as possible! They will be displayed by the timing hut and in the Raven Lodge. The “winner” is the one who estimates their time correctly.
Last weekend, the dynamic duo of young Vance and Wren rose to the challenge and raced together in the Twoonie team sprint against teams of adults and youth. Way to go, boys!!
Tim McGrady is organizing a sale of this Helly Hansen Verglas Down Insulator jacket as a fundraiser for the racing team. Purchase price is a 30% discount from the retail cost and 100% of the proceeds will go to fund the SNSC Racing Team who are representing our club at the National Championships.
Cost is $175 including taxes. Cost includes stitching of SNSC logo on right chest and “Strathcona Nordics” on the back. Color is RED.
Contact Tim McGrady at tim@mcgrady.ca or 250 897 6412. Read more about the jacket online at Helly Hansen.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to volunteer at the 2013 Haywood Ski Nationals, which are taking place in our back yard (and during spring break) this year at Whistler Olympic Park from March 22 to 30! Our club will have a team of over 30 skiers participating in this big event, which will see over 650 skiers from across Canada vying for National honours.
Enjoy the added rare opportunity to also see some live ski jumping at the same venue! This event includes the famous Canadian women as they prepare for their hard won Olympic debut in at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
What better way to take in the event than to be part of it as a volunteer!
What is Berend doing? Is he trying to land a job as the “resident” ski coach? Or joining the Marmots in their plight to occupy Strathcona Park? Tune in next week to find out.
Best wishes to group leader Andrew Pape-Salmon and the intrepid adventurers heading off this weekend on the backcountry tour! We look forward to seeing your photos and hearing about your adventure.
“The results of our recent poll on a nickname for Dave Damery have just been released by Elections Canada. The winning nickname with 40% of the ballots cast is….DEVO DAVE. Elections Canada has advised however that there was some voting irregularity in eastern Comox that they are investigating where some people tried to vote twice. Also the leader of the breakaway Circle Skiing Faction, Callum Barry, initiated a strong write-in campaign for a nickname that was not on the ballot. This brazen write-in campaign by the young Barry garnered almost 30% of the votes. Elections Canada has ruled, as a result, that we must accept both nicknames. So Coach Damery can be hereafter be referred to either as DEVO DAVE or DOUBLE D. – Canadian Press with sources in eastern Comox”
There was no groundhog consensus this year as to predictions for an early spring or long winter, but things look good on Mount Washington. The mid-mountain snow base is back up to 334 cm, and there is more snow in the forecast! Read on for the latest cross-country ski news.
Chris Wilson’s Saturday level 1 Rabbits enjoyed their snack break at a snow table. photo: Chris Wilson
It’s only one month until our big race weekend, and we are looking forward to hosting the Teck Coast Cup races #3 and #4! Rumour has it that the race organizers are going to give two “Strathcona Cup” points to everyone in our club who participates in both Coast Cup races.
If you are not interested in personal gain, consider racing for the club’s sake. If we have many club members skiing in this event–our club could take the pennant and win the Teck Coast Cup Club Aggregate award. Every skier counts, from our smallest Atoms through to the most senior Masters.
More snow is falling on the mountain as I write, and in combination with the sunshine forecasted for the weekend, it looks like our mid-season Rabbit sessions will be awesome!
If you haven’t yet had a chance to check out the Strathcona Nordic Cup series, the next two twoonie races are excellent choices for all levels of skiers. Be sure to check out the Twoonie Race Notice, and join in the fun!
On a sad note, two of our Saturday Jack Rabbits tragically lost their father last week. The family is in great need of financial support – if you are able to help, donations are being accepted. Contact Alix at headharewilson@gmail.com to find out how you can help.
The Masters Recreational Program has had a great start with four sessions of classic skiing. Skate sessions start February 16-17. We have 65 skiers improving their skiing in this excellent program.
Thank You to the volunteer coaches who have run sessions so far: Bob Hauser, Roz Smith, John Elson, Chris Round, Neil Smith, Chris Bowlby, Krysta Wark, Laura Battison, Dave Pinel, Philip Parkes, Don Irvine, Alison Stocks, Marilyn Atkinson, Len Apedaile, Susan Denny, and Patty Johnson.
Join us for Twoonie races the next weekends! These races are also races #3 and #4 of the Strathcona Nordic Cup series. Come race for fun and/or for points!
Saturday, February 9 – Team Sprints Each team will comprise of two racers who will each complete the course 3 times in each of 2 relays, a semi-final and a final (by the end of the day each team member will have completed 6 laps, 3 in a semi-final and 3 in a final). There will be 2 semi-final heats, then an A and B final.
Teams may be same sex or mixed, any age combination.
There are 2 courses, both on the Stadium; a short course, about 300m and a long course, one lap of bench one. For very small people there is a very short variation of the short course. Junior and Masters racers will race on the long course. Devos, Jack Rabbits and parents with small children will race on the short course. Others can chose where they race.
Race Start: 1pm on the Stadium, the short and long course races will be running at the same time, we should be finished by 2pm.
Sunday, February 17 – Timed Ski You tell us how long you think it will take you to ski a pre-set course (minutes and seconds) and we will time you. There will be 2 courses, a 2km course and a 850m course; the courses will be posted on the notice board down stairs in the Raven Lodge 2 weeks ahead of the race. GO PRACTICE!
Race start: 1:00pm in the stadium, interval 15 second starts.
Results: Our world class timing team will endeavour to produce the results as soon as possible! They will be displayed by the timing hut and in the Raven Lodge.
Rabbit coaches, remember to meet at 9:45 at the Gazebo next to the Raven Lodge for a quick coaches photo. See you there!
Tallon Noble placed 1st overall in Midget Boys in the BC Cup aggregate awards. photo: Larry Reynolds
Last weekend a team of 14 racers, coaches, and support crew travelled to Prince George for the BC Championships and enjoyed outstanding race results.
Head Coach Dave Battison said, “The biggest thing for us was that in the past few weeks, we made a concerted effort to look at everything we needed to do to be successful, and everyone pulled their game up and delivered.”
In race results, Tallon Noble took a gold in the Midget Boys classic race. Morgan Meckert took bronze in Juvenile Girls 1. Ariel Becherer took bronze in the Junior Girls 2. Sean Tenbergen took silver in the Junior Men. Kai McGrady came 4th. Jessica Reynolds finished 6th. Ross Lamon was 5th. Connor McGrady came 7th. Avalon Wasteneys finished 5th. Sally Brown came 8th. Alec Stapff was 5th and Alex Brown 6th in Junior Boys 1. Jamie Wasteneys finished 6th in Junior Boys 2, and Andy Brown came 5th.
In other outstanding results in the Sunday team relay races, the Midget Boys team of Ross, Connor, and Tallon won a silver medal, and Jamie, Alec, and Alex finished 4th.
In the BC Cup aggregate awards, Tallon took first place overall in the Midget Boys category for the BC Cup race series and Marilyn Atkinson came second overall in Masters Women.
Way to go team!
We caught up with the Strathcona Nordics’ Andrea Lee on the heels of the Haywood Eastern Canadian Championships, which took place at Nakkertok Ski Club in Cantley, Quebec last weekend.
Andrea Lee only had a few days in between returning from the World U23 Championships in the Czech Republic to racing at the big Canadian event, where she won a gold in U23 Interval Start Free Technique, and two silver in U23 Mass Start Classic and in Classic Sprints.
We asked Andrea for her thoughts on racing at the Worlds and coming home to immediately race in the Easterns: Competing at World’s was an amazing experience. It was really neat to be there and see just how fast the top skiers in the world ski! Being a part of the event and simply seeing my name on the start list was exciting in itself. With this trip being my first time racing in Europe, I was not so much focused on results, but more so focused on learning as much as I could and using the knowledge to better myself for next time! Something that really stuck out for me was the sheer depth of the field. A couple wasted seconds (fixing your glasses, taking a breather on the downhills) could mean the difference between 20th and 30th place. They definitely don’t wait for you to wipe your nose over there!
Coming back to Canada and racing at the Eastern Canadians was really fun. I was excited to take what I learned in Europe and try and apply it to domestic racing. I really made an effort to race for every single second and I think it paid off. Arriving back in Canada just three days before Easterns, I was interested to see how my body would hold up for a 3-day race weekend. I was happily surprised that the tank wasn’t completely drained from Europe and managed to pull off a really great weekend!
Congratulations to Andrea Lee! Your home club is proud of you!
It’s time to begin time thinking about the annual Vancouver Island Loppet! This event is a great way to wrap up the cross-country ski season by challenging yourself, your family, and your ski friends to a good, long distance ski. The Loppet takes place on Saturday, April 13, and we’ll have categories and race distances for all ages.
If you won’t be skiing in the Loppet, join in the action by volunteering! We need a Loppet Feed Station Coordinator to coordinate food & equipment and volunteers for 3 feed stations on the Loppet Course. These posts will have support from our club, from Mt Washington Nordic staff, and from local businesses for food items. Contact Susan Denny. dennydreher88@gmail.com
Thanks again to everyone using their Thrifty Foods Smile Cards. This season, Thrifty Foods has contributed more than $1300 towards the new ski playground. If you shop at Thrifty’s and would like a Strathcona Nordics Smile Card, contact Berend. bhenckel@telus.net
Look for news below about multiple contests, some great opportunities, a change in the equipment season rental program, and more!
Become a school program instructor and share the fun of cross-country skiing with kids who might not have an opportunity to ski! Details below.
There has been a change to the way Mount Washington does season rentals for Rabbits and Masters. Mount Washington needs to record the rental numbers every time now. You don’t need to sign the form, but they need the inventory numbers on the new form every time.
This process does take a few minutes, so keep that in mind. If everyone shows up at 9:55, there will be a line up for people to get season rentals!
Thank you, Rental Staff
We need instructors for the Elementary School Program!! If you are interested, we have a CANSI course and honorariums of $25 per lesson or $50 per day.
The CANSI Level I Course happens this weekend on February 2 and 3 — so act now. Call or email Karla for details. 250.898.9087 wikjord@shaw.ca
There is also a Level II Course organized by Mount Washington for those that are interested. It will be running every second Friday morning with a weekend towards the end of the season. Please contact Karla if that interests you.
If the Feb 2/3 weekend is not convenient for Level I, then perhaps Friday mornings work, and we can cover your material as a Level I/II combined course?
Many options available for those that are interested, but we need to know who you are! Contact Karla for details. 250.898.9087 wikjord@shaw.ca
Our apologies to Luke Damery for missing his name last week. Luke came in second place out of about 10 skiers at the Teck Coast Cup 2 at Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley. Way to go, Luke!
Devo Coach Dave has created a fun video to capture the spirit of the Devo program! Check it out.
You could create a fun video of your program or skiing family and friends, upload it to YouTube, and share it with us too.
If you feel inspired, Cross Country Canada is holding a video contest, “Tell us why your club rocks!” — but don’t delay because the entry deadline is February 5. See details here.
Best wishes for clear roads, fast skis, and happy times to our Junior and Masters Racers, Coaches, and support crew as they make the long trek to Prince George for the BC Championship races this weekend.
You can view updated race information and point standings on the new Strathcona Nordic Cup webpage.
The next event in the series is a Twoonie race on Sunday, February 9. Join us at 1:00pm for a Team Sprint. Make your own team or let us find you a partner.
Teams of 2 will complete 6 laps of a sprint course, 3 laps each, in a relay format. Each team will be in a semi-final and then a final heat, so each skier will ski the course a total of 6 times.
Cross Country Canada wants your opinion! Fill in the anonymous survey and let them know how you feel about the future direction of the organization. Fill it in ASAP because the deadline is February 8. They say, “Every opinion counts!” Use this Survey link.
You may have heard that the 2013 Haywood Ski Nationals are taking place in our back yard (and during spring break) this year at Whistler Olympic Park from March 22 to 30. Our club will have a team of over 30 skiers participating in this big event, which will see over 650 skiers from across Canada vying for National honors.
To add to the excitement, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Nationals will also be taking place at the same time as Ski Nationals, so there is the added rare opportunity to also see some live ski jumping! This event includes the famous Canadian women as they prepare for their hard won Olympic debut in at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
In terms of numbers of athletes and events, the combined Nationals event will be bigger than the Olympics - without the expensive ticket prices and overlay – and this event is free to spectators! What better way to take in the event than to be part of it as a volunteer! For club officials, volunteering at a tier 1 event like this is a part of your development and certification requirements – so don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity.
To sweeten the pot, the organising committee together with Whistler Olympic Park are offering a volunteer incentive program where you will earn reward vouchers for a variety of products and services, including retail items, ski waxing, lessons and trail passes at Whistler Olympic Park. These are transferable (to share with family and friends) and will be distributed in advance of the event based on the number of days you sign up to volunteer.
If you are looking to buy, sell, trade, or recover gear–check out our Gear page on the website. There are many items listed on the page!
If you have postings on the gear page that are no longer relevant, please email us to have them taken down. info@StrathconaNordics.com
This week, we have all the latest news and opportunities for you below.
The Devos rocked the Coast Cup 2 in Whistler Olympic Park! See story below. photo: Tim McGrady
This Sunday, join us for race #2 in the Strathcona Nordic Cup! Why is it called a “twoonie race”? – because it costs a twoonie to enter.
For the Poker Run this week, teams must consist of 2 or more skiers, any age, any skiing ability. If you don’t have a team – we can find you one. There will be 10 stations, and you will receive a playing card at each station. After you have 5 cards, you can go to other stations and trade a card in to try to get a better hand. You can only visit each station once. After 20 minutes the team with the best hand wins.
You will not be given a card at a station unless your whole team is present. For those who haven’t been to Vegas yet, a cheat sheet of the winning hands will be given out.
Read more about the Strathcona Cup races below.
Remember to be respectful of all Mount Washington’s Raven Lodge patrons by keeping the tables and floors clear in the lodge when you go out to ski. (Parents, please also remind your children.) Please neatly store your stuff in the baggage storage area at the front on the lodge. Additionally, please do not cover the floor vents by the windows with your gear and food bags.
We had another fantastic Rabbit weekend as skiers broke through the dismal fog to enjoy the sunshine and warm temps the inversion brought us. There were many happy faces and lots of outdoor picnickers, post session!
This weekend, look for Cross Country Canada goodies to be handed out by coaches. Skiers up to 9 years old (as of the end of this year) will receive a toque, designed by the colouring contest winner last year. (There is still time to enter this year’s contest).
Skiers 10 and up will get a “track attack” buff and still have a chance to design next year’s buff. This swag will be given to children whose families have already signed up for a volunteer position! Please visit our volunteer form if you still haven’t signed up to help in some capacity.
Sunday at 1pm, there will be another fun Strathcona Nordic Challenge race – be sure to check it out!
Last Saturday, we caught up with Laura Battison and the Advanced Masters warming up in the Ponds area.
This weekend, we have a coaching refresher clinic on Saturday afternoon at 1pm. All club coaches of all levels and abilities are welcomed to come to this free, on-snow clinic to learn some new tips and tricks with Head Coach Dave Battison. It’s a good opportunity to query Coach Dave and your coaching comrades about technique and other coaching issues.
Gavin McPhail and the Level 4 Saturday Rabbits get 2-thumbs-up from Alec.
Looking for some functional, stylish ski clothing for yourself or your children? This weekend, we have Louis Garneau training suits for sale at incredibly low prices in the Raven Lodge at lunch time.
We are still looking for a few parents to volunteer with this sale. Please contact Berend if you can spare an hour at lunchtime this weekend. bhenckel@telus.net
Become a ski instructor with the school programs! The CANSI Level I course is approved to run on February 2 and 3. February 2nd will double as a refresher clinic. Contact Karla for details. wikjord@shaw.ca or 250.898.9087
Cross-country skiing can be enjoyed by people with many different abilities. On Saturday, February 16, VISAS and our club are holding a Learn to Nordic Ski Day for people with conditions such as Paraplegia amputations, visual impairments, cerebral palsy , MS, brain injuries, and more. The aim of this clinic is to teach people with physical disabilities to nordic ski – either standing up or using a sit ski.
“This is a great opportunity to try this activity at little cost and in a supportive environment with volunteer instructors. Complete beginners and those with some experience are welcome,” says Sue.
For sit skiing, you must have reasonable upper body strength to be able to push yourself along in a sit ski. Wheelchair users must be able to transfer with minimal assistance. Sit skiing may also be appropriate for people who are not wheelchair-dependent, but whose mobility is limited by lower limb problems or balance.
Standing skiers must be able to stand and walk at least 400m with or without walking aids but without assistance from another person.
The cost is $20, which includes insurance, trail pass, equipment and instruction. To register and for more information, contact Sue Bloxsome sbloxsome@gmail.com. The deadline for registration is Feb 11th.
VISAS participants and volunteers enjoy nordic skiing!
The Strathcona Nordics’ Andrea Lee races on Saturday in the Skiathlon event at the U23 World Ski Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. All the best to Andrea from her home club!! You can follow the World Ski Championships on the official website.
Last weekend, a large team of our youngest ski racers enjoyed themselves at the Teck Coast Cup #2 race at Whistler Olympic Park. In addition to having a great time, the Devo team of 25+ racers also brought home a wealth of medals.
Head Devo wax technician Don Johnston worked his magic with a special and highly secret wax formula passed down through the ages from his Norwegian ancestors. Arriving early to the venue with his apprentices, Johnston worked under cover of darkness to apply the grip and glide waxes that gave his team that extra edge on the race course. When other teams were having to herringbone up the steep hills, the Strathcona Nordics were flying by in style.
Race conditions were near perfect at minus 5 under clear blue skies, and with Olympic memories at the venue still fresh, the young racers enjoyed skiing on the same tracks as elite racers did just a few short years ago. Whatever the reason, the Strathcona Nordics racers were clearly inspired.
First place finishers in the Atom, PeeWee, Bantam, and Midget age categories include Liam Bugslag, Hugo Henckel, Theo Lemay, and Emmy Stapff; Ben Prager took a second, and third place finishers were Kai McGrady, Matthew Salmon, Callam Barry, and Amelia Wells. Special mention goes to Sebastien Marcoux for his strong third place finish in the Masters Men category.
The Teck Coast Cup brings together seven of the coast region nordic ski clubs in an exciting regional four race series. After two races, our club currently has a lock on third place and we will make a determined run for top spot with the final two races of the series being held on home on March 9 and 10!
Our race organizers have been hard at work preparing for the third and fourth races in the Teck Coast Cup series. Our club is hosting these races on Saturday, March 9 and Sunday, March 10. It is sure to be a fun weekend! If you are not going to race, consider volunteering! See the race notice for more details. Races@StrathconaNordics.com
Racing team members are quite fond of the new truck. photo: Larry Reynolds
Strathcona Nordic Ski Club can contact info@StrathconaNordics.com to receive a coupon and present it for a special discount when purchasing a vehicle from Westview Ford in Courtenay.
It’s not too late to start collecting participation points, the skiers that participates in the most events in each age category will win an award at the end of year banquet.
More races to follow, mark your calendar: 3. Twoonie race Sun Feb 17th 1:00pm – Team sprint – Teams of 2 will complete 6 laps of a sprint course, 3 laps each, in a relay format. Each team will be in a semi-final then a final heat so each skier will ski the course a total of 6 times. 4. Twoonie race Sat Feb 9th 1:00pm – Timed ski – You tell us how long it will take you to ski a pre-determined course and we will time you. The predetermined courses will be posted 2 weeks ahead of the race. 5. Coast Cup #3 Sat March 9th 11:00am – Individual start free technique 6. Coast Cup #4 Sun March 10th 10:00am – Mass start classic technique 7. Twoonie race Sat March 16th 1:00pm – Skier cross – Crazy terrain and obstacles 8. Loppet Sat April 13th
At this time, we hope everyone is able to enjoy the best of the mountain, a chance to escape from the grey valley to the clear, sunny skies and snow up top! Look for news and opportunities below.
Eric Smiley and the Sunday level 3 Rabbits taking a break in the meadow.
Both Saturday and Sunday Rabbits had a wonderful first day, with lots of happy bunnies and rabbits skiing their hearts out! A huge thank you goes out to all the coaches for dedicating 10 weeks of their season to instilling the love of skiing in our children! A big thank you also to our ski playground crews – the playground looked like a lot of fun, and saw lots of use on both days! And finally, thank you to all the parents who got their children to the mountain, made sure they were dressed appropriately and had their gear ready all in time to meet their coaches and start skiing by 10! Amazing how it all comes together, really!
Parents play such a big part in making our season successful – we still need volunteers for our upcoming Becky Scott Sprint Races (Feb. 23/24) and for our final Tourney (Sat. March 23). Please visit the Rabbit Volunteer page if you can help out!
Remember to keep track of all the extra ski sessions outside of Rabbits, and to bring your booklets to your coaches for this year. Also, be sure to follow the Strathcona Nordic Challenge for super fun races – the next one is at 1 pm Sunday January 27th.
For the artists among us, Rabbits have the opportunity to design the 2014 toque – check it out here.
Submissions are accepted until March 1st!
We need some instructors for the Elementary School Program! If you are interested, we have a CANSI course and an honorarium of $25 per lesson or $50 per day.
The CANSI Level I Course happens on the weekend of Feb 2/3 — so please express your interest now to secure your spot! This is a great opportunity to get a $300 course at a great value as the Wood Gundy Program will partially subsidize this course. The greater the commitment to teaching, the greater the subsidy! Please call or email Karla for details. 250.898.9087 wikjord@shaw.ca Please visit CANSI.ca or talk to me about what is involved.
There is also a Level II Course organized by Mount Washington for those that are interested. It will be running every second Friday morning with a weekend towards the end of the season. Please contact Karla if that interests you. If the Feb 2/3 weekend is not convenient for a Level I perhaps Friday mornings work and we can cover your material as a Level I/II combined course? Many options available for those that are interested but we need to know who you are! Contact Karla for details. 250.898.9087 wikjord@shaw.ca
Congratulations to Jamie Wasteneys, Alec Stapff, and Avalon Wasteneys on their Vancouver Island Mountain Sport Society Grants (VIMSS) grants! For more information about VIMSS and their athlete funding program see their website.
We are organizing another sale of the Louis Garneau suits on Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 of January from 12pm to 1pm in the Raven Lodge. We need some parent helpers to assist with the sales.
If you can help with the sales on one or both days, please contact Berend! bhenckel@telus.net
All coaches should mark Saturday, January 26 on your calendar for a coaching refresher! After lunch, join Head Coach Dave Battison and your coaching comrades for a session of tips and tricks. All coaches are welcome–new and returning; beginner and advanced; bunny, rabbit, and master! Hope to see you there.
Tallon came in first in the midget boys 4km classic race at BC Cup #2!
Last weekend, our team of 22 racers, coaches, and support crew drove to Kelowna for the BC Cup #2 races. Coach Dave says, “We really stepped up our game and raced well. You could tell that the work we have done this past month has really paid off.”
In racing highlights, Tallon Noble brought home a gold medal for a first place finish, and Marilyn Atkinson picked up bronze for third place finishes! The team also enjoyed many top 10 results. Well done team!
Best wishes to the Devos, coaches, and their support crew as they head to the Teck Coast Cup #2 races at Whistler Olympic Park this weekend. Go team!
Thank you to everyone using their Thrifty Foods Smile Cards. Thrifty’s recently deposited another $230 into the fundraising account! If you shop at Thrifty’s and would like to get a Strathcona Nordics Smile Card, contact Berend. bhenckel@telus.net
Look for news below about program start up, Rabbits, fun races, an interview with the awesome Andrea Lee, and more!
Andrea Lee is off to the U23 World Championships. See interview below!
This weekend our recreational programs begin. Here are some tips:
The 2013 season starts in a couple of days – I hope all the Rabbits are excited!
There has been word from some parents that they found messages from their coaches in their spam folders, so if you haven’t yet received word from your coach, please look there. Group lists will be posted inside the doors at Raven lodge by 9:30 on both Saturday and Sunday.
Although we do our best to place skiers in appropriate groups before the season starts, it is common for a few changes to occur after the first session, to ensure that everyone is in the group that is most appropriate for their age and ability. Any adjustments will be communicated to the affected families directly.
The first day can be a bit hectic with everyone trying to get gear and kids organized to start for 10am. Please leave yourself some extra time to help ensure everything goes smoothly. Signs for group meeting places will be posted by 9:45, and coaches will be ready to go at 10 am.
For all parents who have signed up for a volunteer position – thank you! For those of you who haven’t, please visit the Rabbit Volunteer page as soon as possible. We are especially in need of another playground assistant on Sunday, and there are many Sprint Race and Tourney positions available.
We are looking forward to a great season – can’t wait to get out there and have some fun!
Headhare Alix
Attention Rabbits and Devos! Cross Country Canada is holding two colouring contests:
The Devos are preparing for Coast Cup #2 at the Whistler Olympic Park at Callaghan Valley on January 19th. Registration is now open on Zone 4. Please head over to Zone4.ca, find the Coast Cup 2, and sign up. Families will be receiving an email from the coaches shortly with more details on logistics.
And thanks again to all the parents who brought the tasty dishes to our Devo potluck. It was a great way for kids and parents to get to know each other. We hope to have another one before we go to Midgets.
Hurray for CC Coaches!
Last weekend, 20 coaches took part in two coaching workshops at Mount Washington. We hosted the Community Coaching (CC) workshop and the Learn to Train (L2T) workshop. Three cheers for the coaches for giving their time in the workshops and on the snow with kids this winter!
We would also like to thank Dana Manhard for coming all the way from Vernon to facilitate the CC course and to our Dave Battison for the L2T course.
Hurray for L2T Coaches!
Join us on Sunday, January 27 at 1:00pm for the Poker Run Twoonie Race! Here’s how we play: * Form a team of any number of people go to as many stations in 30 min as you can. * At the first 5 stations you will receive a random playing card. * Once you have 5 cards you can start trading cards at the next stations to form the best poker hand.
This Twoonie Race is part of the Strathcona Nordic Challenge, which consists of 8 races spread through the 2012/2013 season. Skiers will receive a point for each event they participate in. There will be awards for the skier or skiers with the most points in each of the usual race age categories. Awards will be given at the end of season banquet. Points will be given regardless of winning or losing, participating is the only requirement.
Look for the list of races on the bulletin board downstairs in the Raven Lodge.
MISSED THE FIRST RACE OR CAN ONLY DO A FEW OF THE RACES? NO PROBLEM, JUST COME AND HAVE FUN!
This weekend, our Junior Racers and Masters Racers head off to the BC Cup #2 races in Kelowna. Best wishes to the racers, coaches, and support crew. Go team!
We caught up with the Strathcona Nordics Andrea Lee fresh from her win at the World U23 Trial races as she prepares to head to the U23 World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic. Andrea took some time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for us.
How did the U23 trial races feel for you? The races were great! I was really excited to race on the trails at Lappe (Thunder Bay, Ontario). We had done tons of summer and winter training on the trails, so I was really familiar with them. Heading into the races, I was very optimistic. After a tough set a pre Christmas races, I finally felt like I had my energy back, so I was excited to see how things turned out.
Did you know you’d won it when you crossed the finish line in the 15km Skiathlon? Throughout the Skiathon, I knew where I was in relation to the other U23 girls pretty much the whole time. After the transition to skate, myself and one other U23 (Heidi) broke away from the rest of the U23′s. We stuck together for the duration of the skate leg, and coming up the final climb, I knew that all I needed to do was get to the line before Heidi, and I would have a ticket to Liberec. I was really hoping it wouldn’t come down to a sprint to the line because Heidi is one of the best sprinters in Canada. Luckily, I managed to get a couple seconds lead on her by the top of the final climb into the stadium, so I just sprinted as hard as I could in the final 100 meters in hope that she wouldn’t catch back up! Once I crossed the line, I knew that I was the top U23. It was a huge relief and extremely exciting at the same time!
Have you changed something in your training this year or is all the hard work paying off? I haven’t made any drastic changes to my training this year. I think is just years of consistent training and hard work that is now starting to pay off.
How do you balance university and training? For sure it’s tough to balance school and training. Because I have been doing both for the last couple years, I feel like I’ve now found a good balance and know what I can or cannot handle. Everything (including the university) in Thunder Bay is so close and accessible, so it makes squeezing in a couple classes between training sessions that much easier.
What are your thoughts as you head to Liberec, Czech Republic? I’m very excited to head to Liberec. With this being my first time representing Canada (and Strathcona Nordics!) overseas, I know it will be a phenomenal experience. My goal is enjoy the experience, learn lots, and ski as fast as I can!
Anything else you’d like people on the North Island to know? It feels so great to hear so many words of support and encouragement from people from the club and ski community on the Island. It’s extremely motivating to feel so much support even when I’m on the other side of the county. Thank you!
You can follow Andrea on the National Team Development Centre website.
Happy New Year! With a snow base of 449cm and clear skies, it looks like it’s going to be another great ski season of cross-country skiing at Mount Washington.
Look for news below about equipment rentals, opportunities, technique tips, and more!
Attention all Rabbits and Masters renting equipment this season! This weekend, look for a table in the Raven Lodge where you can book your rentals for the season.
This weekend, we are holding the Community Coaching (CC) Workshop (16 hrs). This program is directed at coaches working with children six to nine years of age (FUNdamentals stage of athlete development). CC certification is the second step in the NCCP progression.
Contact Doug dhrecreation@shaw.ca or Alix headharewilson@gmail.com for more information.
Our home first race of the season was a great success! Thank you to all of the race organizers and to the small army of volunteers who made it happen.
We would also like to thank Mount Washington Resort for their support and to extend our thanks to all of our sponsors Westview Ford, the Government of British Columbia, Ski Tak Hut, CIBC Wood Gundy, Dr Andrea Conradi, Thrifty Foods, Mount Washington, Investors Group, West Coast Expeditions, and Helly Hansen.
Congratulations to the winners and to all 84 racers! You have all acquired one point in the 2012-13 Strathcona Cup race series.
Open Teams 1. Team Morson Gledhill 2. Team Connor 3. Team Grant Damery
Family Teams 1. The Browns 2. Team Wasteneys 3. Stocking Stapffers
For detailed race results, check out this link.
Relay racers off to a blistering start! photo: Berend Henckel
This year, a record number of Vancouver Island nordic ski racers enjoyed four full days of activities at Mount Washington for the Christmas snow camp. The 58 participants worked hard on areas such as technique and perceived effort while performing drills on hills and in sharp corners.
The weather cooperated nicely, and the skiers completed their two sessions each day under mainly sunny skies and on a nearly 5-meter snow pack. For some of the young skiers, a highlight was watching themselves ski for the first time during the video analysis sessions. For most of the skiers, the race on the final day was the real pinnacle!
Thank you to Teck, CCBC, the coaches, and the volunteers who facilitated the camp. Good work everyone!
If you are interested in viewing excellent examples of proper ski technique, check out these videos of Canada’s top cross-country skiers demonstrating excellent form. Scroll down the webpage for more videos, and notice the button on the video player that allows you to change the speed of the video.
All club members, mark April 26 on your calendars for the end of the year club banquet! The evening will be filled with feasting, fun, games, and prizes–so don’t miss it. Look for more details as we get closer to the date.
Cross Country BC is accepting photo and article submissions for the 2013-2014 issue of “Ski Cross Country,” the annual BC ski community publication. If you have a story idea or take a special ski photo this season, look to the CCBC website for submission details.
The Mountain Centre, across from the Raven Lodge, offers a variety of amenities, such as Massage Therapy. Drop in and check out what they have to offer.
Yesterday’s Reindeer Relay was loads of fun! — A big thank you to all of the race organizers and volunteers who made it happen. We would also like to say congratulations to all the participants.
You can find the race results by clicking on this link.
Participate in the Reindeer Relay (aka Christmas Family and Open Team Relay and Strathcona Nordic Cup Race #1)! If you do not have a team for yourself or for your child, or if you have a partial team, sign up on Zone 4 as “needing a team,” and we will put you in one.
Note: REGISTRATION CLOSES ON SATURDAY AT 6PM.
Reindeer Relay (aka Christmas Family and Open Team Relay and Strathcona Nordic Cup Race #1)
* Unattached skiers 12 years and under are in very high demand!
* Parents can accompany young skiers.
* Depending on who registers we may put together some “unofficial” teams who don’t meet the age criterea.
* Find more race information here.
* Register on Zone 4 with this link.
IF YOU HAVE EVER STOOD ON THE SIDE LINES AND HAD EVEN THE FAINTEST THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE FUN TO JOIN IN, THIS IS THE EVENT FOR YOU.
The club has new timing equiment, and we are using this as a training run for our Coast Cup race in March. We are going to attempt to time each leg of the race; however, this may prove too crazy for even our world class timing team in which case we hope to be able to give overall times for each team. To help us with this, please ski the leg you are assigned on the start list.
Teams will be put together as they register. To check who you are on a team with and which leg you are skiing, look at the confirmation list on zone 4, after Saturday 6pm. Find the start list on Zone 4.
Wishing a safe and happy new year to everyone!
