Far West Nordic Ski Education Association Masters & Seniors

Congratulations to the 2008-2009 Masters Team!

	WOMEN	MEN
Senior 1	ABBEY GRIMMER	GARRETT REID
Master 1	-	TAV STREIT
Master 2	MOLLY ZURN	JEFF CAMP JOE HERRICK
Master 3	CATHY HOWARD	STEVE AXT
Master 4	JUDY RABINOWITZ ** BETH REID	TERRY DALEY
Master 5	DEBBIE HAKANSSON	RICK REYNOLDS
Master 6	CAROLYN TIERNAN	RUSSELL REID
Master 7	JUNE LANE	THOMAS STOKES * PETER WERBEL
Master 8	LOUISE WHOLEY	FRANK SARNQUIST
Master 9	HELGA SABLE	JACK WILSON
Master 10	-	ULRICH LUSCHER

**Qualified via Masters World Cup
* Qualified via Masters Nationals

FAR WEST NORDIC MASTERS TEAM and RACE SERIES

If you are interested in racing, you can participate in the Sierra Ski Chase, the Fischer Cup, the Masters Team qualifying races, or just come out and try a single event! Races are open to everybody.

The Sierra Ski Chase is a low key racing series, where participation is more important than winning. In order to promote this concept, we put all the good raffle prizes into the raffle so that everybody who completes the minimum requirement of 5 races has an even chance in winning. CLICK HERE to download an online application.

The Fischer Cup is a six race series that offers a $200 CASH prize for the 'Fastest' man and woman in the division, a pair of SWIX TEAM poles for second and SWIX CERA-F wax for third. There are no age classes. The first man and women in each race get 30 points, second gets 29 down to 1 point for 30th place. Points are scored allowing racers to "drop" one of the first 5 races (the Gold Rush points are not "droppable").

The Far West Nordic Masters Team is based on race results from the previous season. The team consists of the top scoring skier in each five year age division. All Far West Nordic members age 20 and older are eligible. Scores are based on a skier’s best FIVE results from 9 qualifying races, at least one of which must be classic style technique.

Far West Masters Team Info

Skiers must be members of Far West Nordic by February 1, 2008.
Skiers must finish at least FIVE races, at least one of which must be a classic style technique race.
Skiers may race in as many qualifying races as they wish. Their top FIVE (5) races are scored. Races are scored in five-year age categories regardless of how Race Directors score their races.
The top five finishers in each five-year age division are scored as follows: 5 points for first place; 4 points for second place; 3 points for third place; 2 points for fourth place; and 1 point for fifth place.
You can also qualify for the team by placing top 3 in your age group at TWO Masters Nationals races or ONE individual Masters World Championships event. In either case, you must participate in at least FOUR Far West races.

Results are published throughout the season so skiers can track their progress. As an incentive to compete for a place on the Masters Team, each team member receives a Far West Nordic "uniform" at the beginning of the racing season. Uniforms could include vests, race tops, jackets, hats, tights, ski bags etc and is decided by the Masters Committee with input from team members. If two skiers in an age division tie for first place, then both are named to the team. National team members are not eligible for the Masters Team.

For more information, contact June Lane or Molly Zurn.

2007-2008 Masters Team Qualifying Races
R1	December 16, 2007	Sierra Nordic 10K Duathlon (5KClassic / 5KSkate)	Auburn Ski Club
R2	December 23, 2007	Paco's Fun Race 10K Freestyle	Auburn Ski Club
R3	December 30, 2007	Snowshoe Thompson 10K Classic	Auburn Ski Club
R4	January 6, 2008	Lakes Basin 15K Freestyle	Tamarack Lodge, Mammoth
R5	January 21, 2008	Sierra Skogsloppet 15K Freestyle	Tahoe Donner
R6	January 27, 2008	Tahoe Rim Race 30K (Classic Only)	Tahoe Cross Country to Northstar
R7	February 10, 2008	Alpenglow 20K Freestyle	Tahoe Cross Country
R8	February 18, 2008	President's Cup 15K Freestyle	Tahoe Donner
R9	March 16, 2008	Gold Rush (Men's 42K) / Silver Rush (Women's 21K) Freestyle	Royal Gorge

MASTERS WORLD CUP 2008

DAY 7 UPDATE: Men's 45 km. & Women's 30 km. Freestyle
The final day of Masters World Cup 2008 yielded a plethora of medals for Far West Nordic skiers in today's Freestyle events, including 5 in the World Championships and an additional 10 U.S. Championship placings. In addition to Rick Reynolds' Silver overall in the Men's M5 division (taking second once again in a sprint to World Champion Jon Engen) there were 4 more medals for the ladies. Beth Reid won the Women's F4 division by over 5 minutes, with the third fastest time of the day for any woman. June Lane won the Silver in the Women's F6 overall, with Carolyn Tiernan taking Bronze (Silver U.S.) in the Women's F6 and Molly Zurn winning Bronze (Bronze U.S.) in Women's F2.

U.S. Championship medals were spread about the divisions. Louise Wholey received a Gold U.S. medal by skiing to 4th place overall in the Women's F8 division. Ulrich Luscher took Bronze in the Men's 15K M10 division (7th overall). Thomas Stokes got himself a Bronze (13th overall) in the Men's 45 km. Freestyle. For the women, Debbie Hakansson received a Silver U.S. Championship medal in the women's F5 30 km. (4th overall), and Cathy Howard showed up to McCall yesterday and promptly received 3rd place Bronze U.S. in the Women's F3 division.

Other results included: Vera Struc (10th F5), Yolanda Labia (34th F5), Susan Reynolds (7th F4), Martha Bellisle (18th F4), Jack Wilson (17th M9), Peter Werbel (23rd (M7), John Cobourn (27th M7), Hank Garretson (51st M7), Michael Cohen (53rd M7), Ralph Johnson (24th M6), Bruce Eisner (32nd (M5), Rick Mitchell (52nd M5), Gary Talbot (60th (M5), Mark Henry (34th M4), Ed Klotz (45th (M4), and Joe Herrick (17th M2). (If we left anyone off today, we apologize, but there were a LOT of Far West Nordic racers today!)

Congratulations to ALL the Master Skiers who participated this week!

You can also read about Far West's exploits on Martha Bellisle's Blog page in the Reno Gazette Journal, www.rgj.com/blogs/sierra-nordic. Nathan Schultz also keeps readers up to date on all aspects technical at his Boulder Nordic Sports website.

DAY 6 UPDATE: Men's & Women's 30 km. Classic
It was a relatively quiet day at the Masters World Competition, with most racers "saving themselves" for Friday's skate race. Judy Rabinowitz won her 4th U.S. medal of the week (Silver) in the Women's F5 (45-49) division, and missed out on her 3rd World medal by just one spot, finishing 4th overall. Other racers on the day included Frank Sarnquist (25th M7), Pat Armstrong (26th M6), and Jim Wholey (38th M6). We'll have lots more results tomorrow when the rest of the crew, plus Far West "reinforcements" late arrivals, race in the 30 kilometer Freestyle.

DAY 5 UPDATE: Men's & Women's 15 km. Relays
What a day for Far West Nordic skiers at the Masters World Championship competition in McCall, Idaho. With only the fastest skiers chosen for relay teams in the respective divisions, Far West athletes brought home SIX medals from the 15 kilometer 4-Person Relays.

Beth Reid and Judy Rabinowitz teamed up in the Women's F2 (40-49 year olds), skiing very fast classic legs (Beth's was the fastest of the day for any woman) to win the Gold medal. A 4-person team of former Olympians, including Leslie (Thompson) Hall and Laura McCabe, the ladies won their race by almost a minute and a half over their Russian competition.By getting a Silver in the Women's (50-59) F3 division, Debbie Hakansson finally got her elusive medal at these games, skiing the fastest skate time in her third-leg of competition. June Lane made off with her 3rd World Championship medal of the events by skiing the 3rd (skate) leg for the Gold Medal in the Women's F4 (60-69) race, and Molly Zurn took her 2nd World medal by also skiing the 3rd (skate) leg in the Women's F1 (30-39) competition.

In the Men's competition, the only Far West Nordic entry was Rick Reynolds, who skied the 3rd (skate) leg of the Men's M5 (50-54) race, taking home the Bronze medal for his efforts. For full results from the Masters World Championships 2008, CLICK HERE.

DAY 3 UPDATE: Men's & Women's 10 K Classic & Freestyle Races
Beth Reid's second gold medal of the week in the Women's 10K Classic event highlighted the day, with Rick Reynolds and June Lane's Silvers in the Men's 50-54 Freestyle and Women's 60-64 year old events, respectively, and Carolyn Tiernan's Bronze (U.S. Silver) in the Women 55-59 Classic race. Especially heartbreaking was Reynolds' second place to Jon Engen in a 4-person sprint for the finish, with Rick missing Gold by only 8 tenths of a second.

There were also many U.S. Championship medals won by Far West Nordic skiers: Jack Wilson took home a U.S. Silver in the Freestyle M9 division, Molly Zurn a Bronze in the Classic F2, Louise Wholey Gold in the Classic F8, Joe Herrick Silver in the freestyle M2, Thomas Stokes Bronze in the Freestyle M7, Ulrich Luscher Bronze in the Freestyle M10, Glenn Jobe Bronze in Classic M6, and Judy Rabinowitz Silver in the Freestyle F4 (narrowly missing a Bronze overall).

Other Results in the Classic Event included Glenn Jobe (14th M6), John Campbell (23rd M7), Frank Sarnquist (24th M8), Pat Armstrong (30th M7), Jonathan Bourne (43rd M5), Jim Wholey (50th M7), and Rick Mitchell (52nd M5). Freestyle event placings included Debbie Hakansson (7th overall, 4th U.S.) in the women's F5 division, Susan Reynolds (8th overall, 5th U.S.) in the women's F4, Vera Struc (12th overall F5), Scott Fairman (16th M2), Martha Bellisle (18th F3), Sandy Hill (19th F6), Ralph Johnson 23rd (M6), Peter Werbel (23rd M7), Bruce Eisner (43rd M5), Hank Garretson (48th M7), Michael Cohen (52nd M7), and Gary Talbot (60th (M5).

Classic tracks in the morning were reported to be "as good as they get," with hard pack snow and multiple layers of hard kick wax the style du jour. After re-grooming for the Freestyle event, conditions were once again close to perfect, below freezing and excellent skiing.

DAY 2 UPDATE: Men's 30 K / Women's 15 K Freestyle
Besides the medals mentioned on the Home Page — Gold for Beth Reid (Women's F4 Division), Silver for Molly Zurn (Women's F2) and June Lane (Women's F7), and Bronze for Rick Reynolds (Men's M5) — there were some other great results from Sunday's events.

Other U.S. Championship medals were won by Far West Nordic skiers: Debbie Hakansson Silver in the Freestyle 15 km. F5 division (4th overall), Thomas Stokes Bronze in the Freestyle M7, and Ulrich Luscher Bronze in the Freestyle M10 15K (7th overall).

Other Men's Results: Joe Herrick (14th overall M2), Scott Fairman (20th M2), Jonathan Bourne (37th M5), Bruce Eisner (40th M5), Rick Mitchell (67th M5), Gary Talbot (70th M5), Ralph Johnson (17th M6), Thomas Stokes (12th M7), Peter Werbel (27th M7), Michael Cohen (48th M7), and Frank Sarnquist (24th M8). Women's Results included: Susan Reynolds (10th F4),Vera Struc (12th F5), and Yolanda Labia (32nd F5), Sandy Hill (16th F6).

DAY 1 UPDATE: Men's 30 K / Women's 15 K Classic
Avery difficult day of waxing for the first day of Masters World Championships 2008 in McCall, where Far West Nordic racers won one World Cup medal, and 4 U.S. Championship medals. Molly Zurn writes, "Worlds veteran Carolyn Tiernan claims it was the worst waxing conditions she's ever had, with "Hairies" being the choice for early starters and a universal klister for the later starts. Klister worked OK in lanes but iced out of the tracks. John Campbell said the tracks were so glazed it was like looking in a mirror. Coach JD (Downing) and wax coach Ralph (Johnson) were still figuring out a wax that worked 10 minutes before Judy and Martha went off."

Ex-Olympian Judy Rabinowitz of Larkspur took 3rd place overall in the Women's F4 Division of the 15 kilometer Classic race on this, the first day of the Masters World Cup in McCall, Idaho. In doing so, Rabinowitz won the U.S. National Championship for 45-49 year old women, missing 2nd overall by a fraction of a second. Worlds veteran Carolyn Tiernan of Bishop was close to that result, taking 4th place in the Women's F6 race for 55-59 year olds, also winning a U.S. Gold.

Other results from Saturday's Race included a U.S. Gold Medal for Louise Wholey of Saratoga (5th F8 overall), and U.S. Silver Medal for Martha Bellisle of Truckee (15th overall F4). Men's results included Glenn Jobe (27th overall M6), John Campbell (32nd overall M7), Pat Armstrong (35th overall M7), Jim Wholey (55th M7), Hank Garretson (51st M7), and Jack Wilson (20th M9).

March 1- 7, 2008, McCall, Idaho
Almost 40 Master skiers from Far West are in McCall to test their mettle against the worlds' best nordic racers. To read more info about Masters World Championships, CLICK HERE. We'll try to keep everyone updated on results as they occur. Masters skiers from over two dozen nations have converged on the beautiful mountain town of McCall, ID for the 2008 Masters World Cup. Open to any adult skier age 30 and older (as of 12/2007), the Masters World Cup is an international celebration of XC skiing and lifelong fitness.