SUMMER FUN RUNS & ASC JUNIOR NORDIC TEAM FUNDRAISERS
Truckee Firecracker Mile: Saturday July 4th, 2009
Truckee’s 4th July Firecracker Mile Fun Run Saturday July 4th , 2009 Starting outside US Bank on Donner Pass Rd at 9:45 am. 
Great event for the whole family. (dogs must be on a leash)  Do the run, then stay and watch the parade. 
Souvenir waterbottle for the first 500 participants  at the finish line.  Register before the event ($15 adults; $10 kids, or sign up day of $20 for adults, $15 for kids – reg opens at 9am race day).  Go to www.truckeefunrun.com for more information of how to register. 
Fundraiser for Auburn Ski Club - Proceeds go to help support junior cross country ski programs in the area.

Squaw Valley Mountain Run / Hike: Saturday August 1st, 2009 
The Truckee River Legacy Trail Run: Sunday October 11, 2009
The Donner Lake Turkey Trot Trail Run: Sunday November 15, 2009 

FAR WEST SUMMER CAMPS SCHEDULE
June Lake and Bliss Camps
Far West Nordic Summer 2009 Training Camp Season has begun. The traditional camps at June Lake in July and Lake Tahoe's Bliss State Park in late August will return. An additional camp is scheduled in mid August. For the up-to-date summer lineup, go to our JUNIOR CAMPS PAGE.

Online registration is now available for June Lake Camp.

SUGAR BOWL ACADEMY NAMES HEAD COACH
JEFF SCHLOSS TO HEAD NEW NORDIC PROGRAM
Donner Summit, CA –  Sugar Bowl Academy now provides a full service program for competitive cross country skiers, giving them the opportunity to maximize their athletic potential without compromising their academic standards.  While the details will be specific to cross country racers, the program will be based on the same premise that has brought success to SBA’s alpine student-athletes.  The boarding and day student program will be designed around a flexible yet demanding college preparatory curriculum, a comprehensive athletic training program, and community-minded living.  Truckee local, Jeff Schloss, will be the Head Coach.

Jeff has gained tremendous respect in the national Nordic community through his experience as Head Coach at the University of Nevada, the Far West Division, and the Auburn Ski Club.  Schloss explains, “This is an opportunity for athletes to succeed at the very highest levels both academically and athletically without leaving the region.”  “I am also very excited to develop this team in conjunction with Sugar Bowl Academy’s established and successful curriculum, community support, and financial aid strength.”  The Far West Division has had a long history of developing top national and NCAA level racers as well as outstanding young citizens, and the new Sugar Bowl Academy program hopes to bolster this tradition.  “I don’t think we could have found a more qualified coach to lead this team, but even more importantly Jeff will be an outstanding role model for our student-athletes,” said Bill Hudson, Executive Director of the Sugar Bowl Ski Team Foundation.

The Sugar Bowl Academy is a college preparatory school for boarding and day students that provides an outstanding academic experience for those who wish to excel in Nordic, Alpine, and Freeride skiing. Founded in 1999, the Sugar Bowl Academy is a program of the Sugar Bowl Ski Team Foundation.  Applications are being accepted for the 2009/2010 school year.  Please call 530-426-1844 or see www.sbacademy.org for more information.

2009 TED BEAUCHAMP SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED
CONGRATULATIONS BRYCE TIERNAN
The Far West Nordic Ski Education Association is proud to announce the winner of the annual Ted Beauchamp Scholarship fund, awarded each year to a young cross country ski racer who is an avid participant of the sport, and who shows a dedication and character that serves as a positive example to all of those involved in Nordic competition. This year’s winner of the $300 Scholarship Award is Bryce Tiernan of Bishop, California. CLICK HERE for Bryce's story and scholarship information.

(Photo by Mark Nadell)

BILL AARON PRODUCTIONS JUNIOR OLYMPICS 2009 VIDEO HAS ARRIVED
DVD Features Video Coverage of Week's Events at Auburn Ski Club
Bill Aaron productions was filming all week at the recent Junior Olympics hosted by Auburn Ski Club.

Click here to watch a short preview clip featuring earlier JO's footage.

2009-2010 FAR WEST BOARD ELECTED
Congratulations to New Far West Nordic Board of Directors
Far West Nordic held its annual Board of Director elections and election of officers on Monday, April 6th. Congratulations to the incoming board. Chauncey Parker joins the board  as Vice-President.  Mitch Dion will remain President; Dan Hill is Secretary and Treasurer. A huge thank you to outgoing board members Bill Clark, June Lane, Jeff Schloss, and Molly Zurn.

10TH MOUNTAIN DIVISION BIATHLON
Season Finale
The final race of the season took place at Auburn Ski Club on Sunday, April 19th.

51 skiers ranging in age from 10 years old to 68 years old participated on a warm, sunny day at the summit. Ben Grasseschi took top honors in the 9 km race followed by Russell Kennedy in 2nd and Jeff Schloss in 3rd. For the women 1st place went to Bernie Nelson, 2nd place Annika Taylor and 3rd place Nancy Rosenblum. The 6 kilometer race was won by Raylene Chew, 2nd place Kurt Rees, and 3rd place Paul Buschmann. In the 3 kilometer race the top three finishers were Skyler Mullings, followed by Tanya Berkovsky and Marc Chew. (Click here for full results).

There was plenty of snow; the trail coverage was great. Thanks to Auburn Ski Club for great grooming and a great final day of the season.

BILLY DUTTON UPHILL
20TH ANNIVERSARY
It was a beautiful, sunny morning at Squaw and 118 people skied, ran or snowshoed the 3.2 mile uphill. Tav Streit skied to the top in a remarkable 35:29:47 followed by Ian Case 35:41:00. Peter Fein was first in the run/snowshoe division and 3rd overall at 36:13:82. The first woman was Stephanie Hood, run/snowshoe, with a time of 40:18:06. and the first woman skier was Celeste Leon at 45:04:00.

Billy Dutton was an athlete with extraordinary endurance, equally famous for his great smile as he was for his daily (!) routine of skiing UP the Mountain Run on classic skis. As one of the founders of Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Billy's legacy lives on today. The Billy Dutton Uphill commemorates Billy's life and his many contributions to our community.

(At right: Tav Streit on his way to the win. Photo by Greyson Howard/Sierra Sun)

MAMMOTH MARATHON, April 5, 2009
Blue BIrd Day
From Cabin 50 at Tamarack Resort one could hear the groomer go by three times, way into the night, in an effort to make ski conditions the best they could be for the running of the 30th Mammoth Marathon. Sure enough the day dawned crystal clear and windless, and the conditions were super fast, not icy. Fortunately the day remained cool enough that it remained fast, and didn’t get soft and slushy until everyone was heading to the awards banquet.

The phenomenal conditions lent themselves to record times for the top skiers in the Marathon, which was won by Ian Case, even though he missed the start (we won’t mention why) by a couple of minutes. He skied like a bandit through the field to a blistering winning time of 1:51:11, followed by Russell Kennedy in second in 1:54:19, and Bruce Tiernan at 1:55:34 in third. On the women’s side Bernie Nelson showed that she felt good on this day as she finished strong in 2:04:31, followed closely by Kristin Krone in 2:05:17, and Julie Young with a time of 2:08:38.

The Juniors loved the Half Marathon and earned the top three spots in the men’s with Austin Meng in 59:14; Alex Hamilton 59:51; Justin Ondrey 1:00:03. In the women’s race, the normally dominant Nancy /Fiddler had her work cut out for her as she battled with Joanne Reid who prevailed in 1:01:15; followed by Nancy Fiddler in 1:02:26 (the first non-teenager to the line as she put it), and in third Annika Taylor in 1:07:54. 

The course is always spectacular with views of the Mammoth Crest, Crystal Crag, the Blue Col, as well as Horseshoe and Lake Mary. Coldwater Canyon is always a lung burner, especially since the skiers race it more than once. It is followed by descent down Mine Shaft as it winds through a rather narrow track with trees looming on either side making it challenging but fun. The descent to the finish down Warlis is always breathtaking and this year was no exception. Everyone finished with a big smile on their face before heading to the awards, where a delicious meal was served. As we ate Race Director, Uli Luthi gave out awards and raffled off tons of great prizes with the help of Lilly Vallant.

This race has a long history, and some of us raced in the very first few Mammoth Marathons. Thanks go to Mammoth Cross Country for keeping this event going for 30 years, and we hope is continues to flourish.Many people had already hung up their skis by the time this event’s start gun went off, but if they had only known how good it was going to be…maybe next year.

(At right: Marathon winner Ian Case. Story and Photo by June Lane)

GOLD RUSH 2009: AN EPIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR RACERS, ORGNIZERS, AND VOLUNTEERS
Swank, Vinogradova Win 46km In Sierra Blizzard, 139 Racers Finish

Adam Swank (1st) and fellow Duluth, MN resident Nikolai Anniken (2nd) showed incredible strength to power through the rapidly softening 3-lap course and take the top two spots in the men's race, both skiing away from Far West senior Ian Case (3rd) on the final lap. Swank never cracked despite the incredibly challenging conditions, and put two minutes on Anniken on the final climb.

Women's champion Katerina Vinogradova was no less impressive, finishing over five and a half minutes ahead of second-placed Sarah Max of Bend Oregon. Former NCAA college racer Lenka Palanova of Boulder, CO was third.

Local heroine Beth Reid and Far West junior Adam Wright took wins in the 30km Silver Rush, while teammates Joanne Reid and Justin Ondry played it smart and stuck to the 9km Bronze Rush which they won. Click here for complete results, and click here for FasterSkier.com article by Emma Garrard.

"THANKS to all who supported this years Gold Rush by entering the races & to those who braved the storm to race and volunteer. A racer wearing a GPS reported the Gold rush course was 46.2km - so that makes teh Silver Rush 30.8km. Best guess on Bronze was 9km. Thanks to all who went with the flow with the changes - especially to the groomers at Royal Gorge who were willing to hang with us & change grooming plans as we debated course change options. Thanks to to Royal Gorge & all staff, Fischer, Salomon & Hammer Gel who sponsored the event. Congrats to our winners and all who got there & got out there - some of you who traveled many miles to participate!! We hope to see you all again next year!" -Sally Jones, Auburn Ski Club Nordic Director

(At right: Katerina Vinogradova on her way to the win. Photo by Emma Garrard.)

JUNIOR OLYMPICS 2009 CONCLUDE
Auburn Ski Club Girls Win USSA Club Award!
Click Here for a brief article on the USSA website
The fourth and final event at the 2009 Junior Olympics concluded with Far West adding to their medal haul thanks to a fourth place finish in the OJ girls relay division by Bernie Nelson (OJ), Annika Taylor (J2), and Joanne Reid (J1.) The same three skiers also took home medals in Friday's classic race, with Annika Taylor finishing 5th in the J2 division, Joanne Reid taking 6th in the J1 division, and Bernie Nelson taking 9th in the OJs. No Far West boys medaled in the classic races, however there were many personal bests for both boys and girls on the team. Click here for official results. In the overall "Alaska Cup" team standings, Far West finished 6th out of 10 regions.
Perhaps most exciting of all, the Far West girls collectively won the USSA JO Club Team Award, ahead of powerhouses such as Sun Valley, Stratton, and many others! This is an impressive testament to the quality of the ASC programs as well as the consistent hard work of our local juniors and coaches!
Congratulations to the entire Far West team including all of the volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible! Click here for photos from JO's in the Far West photo gallery, or here for more photos on the official JO's 2009 website.

VIDEO INTERVIEW: NICK STERLING ON THE "GREEN JO's"
Former Far West Junior Speaks About Climate Change and Skiing
Much effort has been put into making the 2009 JO's at Auburn Ski Club the most environmentally-friendly JO's in modern times, with former Far West junior racer Nick Sterling spearheading much of the "Green JO's" campaign. (To find out more about what Far West has done to make these JO's less damaging to the environment, click here.)

Thanks to Bill Aaron Productions and Nick Sterling, you can click here to watch a short video interview with some interesting ski-related facts about climate change, as well as more information on what you can do about climate change to help preserve our beloved snow-dependent sport! Also, see Nick's earlier interview article on FasterSkier.com.

GREAT SKI RACE 2009 IN THE BOOKS
Factory Team Skiers Win, 670 Skiers Finish On A Challenging But Fun Day
Conditions were better than predicted for the 33rd annual Great Ski Race, particularly for the earlier finishers. Tad Elliot and Rebecca Dussault from the Saab/Salomon Factory (ski) Team overcame the soft, slow conditons in the second half of the race to win the men's and women's titles by clear margins. Despite the increasing rain as the day progressed, everyone seemed to be in good spirits at the finish, where the after-party moved inside the Cottonwood for music, awards, food, drink, and endless race tales. Click here for results, here for more Great Race photos from John Gerbino, and here for the official Great Ski Race webpage.

REPORT FROM WORLD MASTERS
Far West Master Rick Reynolds 3rd in 4x5km Relay!
Far West's own Rick Reynolds played a crucial part in the US Men's podium finish in the relay at the recent World Masters event in Autrans, France. Here is a brief message he sent to Mark Nadell shortly after the relay:

"This was quite the feat! I got moved down to the m4 class, 3 of us top 10 skiers, and one top 20 skier. We've got a shot at a medal! Milan, our lead of skier reports in this morning with the FLU! Coach JD does some juggling and moves Doud Armstrong ( a m7) down to be our lead off skier. Doug skis his heart out and come in 5th, we're minutes out of 3rd! Scott does the 2nd leg and moves us into 4th place! (I'm still thinking we're in 5th and don't have a chance) (believe me, it's chaos just trying to get permission to get into the tag zone) Anyway, I get the tag, get tripped up and lose about 10 sec. We're still 2min down from 3rd! I get it going and throw it down. I gain a min. on 3rd. Kent Murdoch has the anchor, he throws it down, he's got 3rd place in site coming into the finish! It's a sprint finish for a USA Bronze! People were telling me we got 3rd and I'm saying No Way, that ca't be. But we did! I couldn't believe it! 45k tomorrow RR"

(Photo Credit: Pati Johnson.)

FAR WEST NORDIC APPROVES GRANT TO INCLINE HIGH SCHOOL
Nordic Skiing Is Back at Incline High!
Far West Nordic's board of directors has approved a $500 grant for Incline High School's Nordic Ski Team, which is back after a 16-year absence. Grant funds will be used for acquiring much-needed ski equipment for use by new student athletes. "We're thrilled to have a new junior team in our region," Far West Nordic President Mitch Dion commented. "This grant is consistent with Far West Nordic's mission statement of attracting new groups to XC racing and supporting junior programs, both at the school and club level." Pictured at the right are Incline High Nordic Ski Team members Jessica Floam, Eric Baron, Julie Falke, and Ashley Vomund at the Kirkwood CNISSF 5K freestyle race.

MATT GELSO FINISHES 19th IN WORLD UNDER-23 CHAMPIONSHIPS!
Former Far West Junior First American In 15K Skate
Far West skier Matt Gelso, now attending and racing for CU, finished an excellent 19th in the first race of the "U23" World Championships in France. Reports indicate that a very solid international field participated in the races, including many skiers with significant world cup experience. Gelso was just under 2 minutes behind first place in the individual-start race. Click here for FasterSkier.com article with more info about how the rest of the US contingent fared. At right: Gelso competes in Paco's Fun Race earlier this season (photo courtesy of Carl and Russell Reid.)

FIRST FULL-LENGTH TAHOE RIM TOUR A SUCCESS!
138 Racers and Tourers Complete 25.5km Point-to-Point Course, Far West Juniors Benefit
Despite wet weather at lower elevations earlier in the week, conditions were nice and snowy with good coverage for the second annual Tahoe Rim Tour, making the epic point-to-point course from North Tahoe highschool on the Tahoe XC trails to Northstar XC feel like even more of an accomplishment. Classic waxing was somewhat tricky with the variety of snow conditions along the course, with some racers choosing to race on "zero" type waxless skis. Most classic racers had reasonably good kick on the main climb, while the downhills saw great discrepencies in ski speed as a result of different kick waxing. In the classic division, Ian Case and Beth Reid posted the first course "records" on the full-length course (last year's race had to be shortened due to an incredibly huge blizzard on race day), with wins of almost six minutes and two minutes respectively, while Tim Donahue and Kristin Krone put up the fastest skate times. In the snowshoe divison it was Peter Fain and Sarah Raitter taking top honors. Click here for results.

A fun post-race meal/hangout at the cozy Northstar XC lodge culminated in an awards ceremony with tons of excellent prizes for the overall and age group winners, as well as a ton of great raffle prizes. Among the prizes were free stonegrinds and hot box services from Sierra Nordic; gold, silver and bronze cowbell medals; race gloves, hats, ski bags, hi-tech backpacks, and much more. Almost everyone went home with a prize! Participation looks sure to grow significantly over the next few years as word gets out about this exciting and fun event, which also benefits the Far West junior programs.

"NORDIC NEWS 2009" ARRIVES
Annual Newsletter/Magazine Available at Ski Areas and Retailers
Get ready for the XC Ski Race Season and pick up your copy of NORDIC NEWS 2009. It features articles by Rick Reynolds, Sally Jones, David Antonucci, Ben Grasseschi, Mark Nadell and more, including articles on Training, Technique, Nordic Olympians, Getting Fast Skis and much more. Also included is our 2008-2009 Race Schedule.

NORDIC NEWS is available at your local cross country ski center and retail specialty stores. If you can’t make it to one of these locations, please contact the Far West office (info@farwestnordic.org) and let them know you need one sent to you (we try to avoid the high mailing costs if possible).

NOTICE: GRANT MONEY AVAILABLE
FAR WEST HAS GRANTS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT SKI INITIATIVES
Far West Nordic Ski Education Association has a limited amount of money available to support XC ski clubs and community oriented ski projects. Any non-profit organization within the Far West geographic area of California, Nevada, and Arizona, is welcome to submit a request for a one time grant of up to $500 dollars. Grant applications will be judged based on potential benefits to local ski communities, a demonstrated specific need for the funds, and availability of Far West Resources. In the past, grants have gone to help create new ski clubs, to the purchase of skis for junior ski programs, to Ski For Light blind skier programs, and many other worthy projects. Grant requests can be mailed to Far West Nordic, PO Box 10046, Truckee, California, 96162 or emailed to info@farwestnordic.org. Grant requests will be reviewed by the Far West Nordic Board of Directors at each monthly meeting.

FALL NEWSLETTER
Now Available For Download
If you haven't read Far West's autumn newsletter, you can download it by clicking HERE.