Sunday March 7th, 2010 9AM
Tahoe XC to Truckee
Be a Part of the Largest Ski Race In California
The 34th annual point-to-point 30km Great Ski Race is an event not to be missed! Sign up by March 4th to catch lower entry fees (click on link below to sign up). Race day registration in person by 8:30am. The course will be groomed on THURSDAY morning for those wishing to pre-ski it before the race. Visit www.thegreatskirace.com for more information.
Fischer Cup Event.
Benefit for the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team.
FISCHER CUP SERIES CLOSE
Only 2 races left in this seven event nordic race series and it promises to be a close and exciting competition. This year's Fischer Cup offers prizes for the 3 fastest men and women in the Far West division. Only the Great Ski Race and the California Gold & Silver Rush remain.
Far West Nordic Junior Olympic Team members will be posting updates and thoughts on their experiences at next week's Junior Nationals. The team leaves Friday for Presque Isle, Maine.
GO TEAM!!!
Junior Olympic Event Schedule:
Monday March 8 are the sprints [1k (J2s), 1.2k (J1/OJ)]
Wednesday March 10: Mass Start Classic [5k (J2s), 10k (J1/OJ girls), 15k (J1/OJ boys)]
Friday March 12: Freestyle [5k (J2s and J1/OJ girls), 10k (J1/OJ boys) ]
Saturday March 13: Freestyle Relays [3k (J2s), 5k (J1/OJ)]
ROYAL GORGE MIDSEASON FREESTYLE
It was a close finish in Sunday's Midseason Freestyle at Royal Gorge. Tav Streit was 1st at 24:19.4, Rick Reynolds a close 2nd at 24:20.4, and Phill Violett a close 3rd at 24:21.4. For the women Beth Reid came in 1st at 25:37.9, with Kara LaPoint and Ekatarina Vimogradova in 2nd and 3rd.
Race photos by MacBeth Graphics.
Complete results.
AMERICAN BIRKEBEINER
Over 10,000 people participated in the various events of the 37th annual American Birkebeiner last week in Hayward, Wisconsin. Excellent conditions and new course records marked both the 50k Birkie Skate race and the 54k Birkie Classic. From Far West, Greg Walker, Jeff Camp, and Eric Carr were among the 3646 Birkie Skate finishers and Thomas Altenbach and Ralph Hendrix were among the 1434 finishers of the Birkie Classic.
FAR WEST OLYMPIANS WIN THE SIERRA NORDIC RELAYS
There was light snow at Tahoe Donner XC for yesterday's Sierra Nordic Relays.
18 teams of 3 competed. Fittingly during this Olympic week the winning team "The Has Beens" consisted of 3 Far West Olympians, Glenn Jobe, Katerina Nash, and Marcus Nash, with Marcus Nash skiing the fastest course lap of 11:24 and Katerina skiing the fastest women's lap of 11:46. The fastest classic lap was Peter Hanson at 13:53.
Friday February 19th: 10am - 12:30 (Classic 5/10km) Interval Starts Saturday February 20th: 9:30am - 12:30 (Freestyle 15/20km) Mass Start
The UNR XC Ski Team welcomed racers from Colorado University, Denver University, University of New Mexico, University of Alaska, and Montana State University to race on "their turf". Matt Gelso, racing for CU, won both the men's 10k classic and 20k skate races on his "home course". In the women's 15k freestyle Joanne Reid, also skiing for CU, was 4th
Also racing were Phillip Violett, Kara LaPoint, Chelsea Holmes, Alex Hamilton, Justin Ondry, Carson Lindsay, Annika Taylor, Russell Kennedy, and Austin Meng.
Senior Team member Ian Case has posted JO course previews for the 5k loop and 1.2k sprint courses at Presque Isle, Maine on the senior blog. Listen to Ian's first hand report and strategy for how to best approach these courses.
Junior Olympic Event Schedule:
Monday March 8 are the sprints [1k (J2s), 1.2k (J1/OJ)]
Wednesday March 10: Mass Start Classic [5k (J2s), 10k (J1/OJ girls), 15k (J1/OJ boys)]
Friday March 12: Freestyle [5k (J2s and J1/OJ girls), 10k (J1/OJ boys)
]
Saturday March 13: Freestyle Relays [3k (J2s), 5k (J1/OJ)]
The 4 Junior National qualifier races this season were the Snowshoe Thompson Classic, Lakes Basin, Sierra Skogsloppet, and the ASC Classic Sprints.
At this time we have 26 athletes, 12 girls and 14 boys; plus 6 coaches, for total of 32 adventurers heading to Presque Isle, Maine from March 5-14. Way to Go Team!
J2 Girls: Laurel Fiddler, Katrin Larusson, Raylene Chew, Cassidy Cichowicz, Joelle Romo, Allie McDaniel, Kelly Habibi, Erika Klenk* J1/OJ Girls: Kathi Kirkeby, Erica Larusson*, Natalie Cutler*, Lauryl Rudolph, Annika Taylor, Joanne Reid**, Kelsey Dion***, Sophie Leonard***
J2 Boys: Patrick McElravey, Alex Kopytko, Jackson Rohlf, Joe Piercy, Alex Picken J1/OJ Boys: Austin Meng, Adam Wright, Justin Ondry, Miles Heapes, Russell Kennedy, Alex Hamilton, Carson Lindsay, Bryce Tiernan***, Stefan Benier***
* = Qualified but declined to go.
** = Pre-Qualified based on World Juniors
*** = Choosen by petition
Help us choose a logo for this year's Participation Prize
We've narrowed it down to two logos for this year's Participation Prize, a performance tee-shirt by La Sportiva. In addition to sponsor logos, we'll add the winning Ski Chase logo based on what we hear from you. You can see and vote on which logo you like better HERE. Cast your vote by Sunday February 21.
Over 30 Finishers and 150 Racing Members Competing.
Check out our new Sierra Ski Chase web page to see who's already completed their 5 races, and to see the progress of our Ski Chase Racing Competitors. If you've completed your 5 races, remember to submit your Participation Completion Form here (Racing and Supporting members, we'll keep track for you).
SEARCHING FOR SPEED
DOWNHILL TECHNIQUE CLINIC February 27, 2010 at Royal Gorge XC
Drop-ins welcome!
Led by 3-time Olympian Katerina Nash and Rossignol Nordic Team member and World Masters medalist Rick Reynolds.
Improve your confidence, control, speed, and fun on the downhills through this specialized clinic that provides an in-depth focus on improving your skills on downhill terrain.
We will explore ways to find speed on downhills and through transitions, choosing the best line around corners, and how to carry speed on technical sections of the race course.
145 racers skied the Paco's Prsidents Cup 15K at Tahoe Donner XC on February 15, 2010. The overall winner was Phillip Violett with a time of 37:54. Tav Streit and Beth Reid, who started in the men's wave, were 2nd and 3rd overall. The women's wave was won by Julie Young at 46:14 with Debbie Hakansson and Beth Thomas in 2nd and 3rd. The 7.5k race was won by Raylene Chew at 23:53 with 2nd and 3rd place going to Skyler Mullings and Jeff Stein.
Friday’s CNISSF Truckee Sprints in Surprise Stadium at Truckee High School showed why sprinting is one of the most exciting and unpredictable of genres in the cross country ski racing world. Bumps, crashes, and spills on the increasingly slushy course made for a rollicking series of races in the both high school and middle school events, but in the end, there was only one surprise winner out of the 4 categories.
In the High School event, pre-race favorites Russell Kennedy and Annika Taylor of Truckee High skied to victory in their final heat, but took slightly different paths to get there. Austin Meng of Sugar Bowl Academy posted the fastest preliminary time of the day, but by the slimmest of margins — one tenth of a second over Kennedy. After winning his semi-final heat, Meng tripped up while racing in the final heat, and Kennedy easily skied away from the 8-person field to record another win. Taylor, in addition to easily posting the fastest time in the girls preliminaries, dusted the field in each head-to-head sprint to win overall.
In the Middle School event, Bria Riggs completed a dominating performance of the Alder Creek Middle School girls in the final, with 7 out of the 8 finalists wearing the Red and Black. The boys side, however, featured an upset win by Dylan Syben of North Tahoe Middle School, who posted the 3rd fastest preliminary, but took advantage of a late fall by his teammate, pre-race favorite Peter Holmes, and skied around him to a victory over Alder Creek’s Ryan Thomas.
Friday February 19th: 10am - 12:30 (Classic 5/10km) Interval Starts Saturday February 20th: 9:30am - 12:30 (Freestyle 15/20km) Mass Start
The UNR XC Ski Team will be welcoming racers from Utah, Colorado, New Mexico to race on "their turf" next weekend and are looking for Volunteers to help.
Auburn Ski Club is the Host Venue - so please contact Sally Jones if you can volunteer to help.
2011 MASTERS WORLD CUP
Now that the Olympics are underway and will be over before we know it, this might be just the time to be thinking about Masters World Cup 2011 at Sovereign Lakes Cross Country (next to Silver Silver Star) in Vernon, British Columbia. This event will not be in North America again for a long time, and since it is relatively close, it could well be a great opportunity for a lot of Far West members to go.
California Gold Rush
March 28, 2010 at Royal Gorge XC
Gold Rush: 45 km. • Silver Rush: 30 km. • Bronze Rush: 15 km
Early registration deadline is February 15th
Hosted by Royal Gorge and presented by Far West Nordic and Auburn Ski Club, the California Gold Rush is part of the American Ski Marathon Series. This is a fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Ski Association’s Junior Ski Programs. Royal Gorge donates 100% of proceeds to our organizations.
Registration: Register online at www.farwestnordic.org, at active.com or download registration forms and drop off at Auburn Ski Club, or mail with entry fee to: Far West Nordic association, PO Box 10046, Truckee, CA 96162. No race day registration.
We need volunteers for the Gold Rush - Contact Lea McKinstry for details.
CNISSF TRUCKEE SPRINTS February 12, 2010 at Truckee High School's Surprise Stadium
Middle School: prelims@11am; heats@noon
High School: prelims@1pm; heats@2pm
The Most EXCITING Spectator Event in Local Cross Country Ski Racing!
Come watch the best High School and Middle School Nordic Skiers in the West race at the most UNIQUE venue in Cross Country Skiing! Athletes race a preliminary 1 kilometer Time Trial, and then are seeded in 8 person Head-to-Head Elimination Sprint Races. View the ENTIRE race course from the stands at Surprise Stadium. Fast and exciting don't miss this fun event!
Video of the 2009 Truckee Sprints by coach Jon Halvorson
INTRODUCTION TO BIATHLON CLINIC
Friday, February 12, 2010 at Northstar at Tahoe 9:00am to 12:30pm
Auburn Ski Club and Northstar at Tahoe present their first Introduction to Biathlon Clinic.
The clinic will be led by Glenn Jobe, who has been involved with Biathlons for many years. He was a team member of the US Biathlon World Championship Team in 1978 and 1979, a US Biathlon Olympic Team member at Lake Placid in 1980 and won the 1981 National Biathlon 20km. He has been a Far West junior cross-country ski coach from 1977 through present day and was inducted into the UNR Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
Visit Northstar at Tahoe for details.
photo by Tim Dunn/Reno Gazette Journal
CHELSEA HOLMES FINISHES 3RD AT BOULDER MOUNTAIN TOUR
The 30km Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT) is one of the classic American ski races. Starting up at Galena Lodge, (just North of Sun Valley, Idaho), this point-to-point course winds for 32km down the super scenic Wood River Valley. Because of the outstanding views, super fun, yet difficult course, professional administration, time-of-year, and outstanding weather (usually); the competition at this race is particularly strong. Many consider the BMT to be one of the most competitive races in the US. This year, upwards of 700 strong skiers finished the race last Saturday, February 6.
Therefore, Far West Nordic is pleased to announce that one of its Senior Team members, Chelsea Holmes, finished 3rd Female and 65th overall in this super competitive race!
Another FW Senior Team member, Kara LaPoint finished 134th overall and 8th in 18-24 year old females.
Way to Go Chelsea and Kara!
In addition, many Far West Masters attended this race and also did well.
In the 40-44 year old women Julie Young was 3rd, Beth Thomas 7th.
40-44 year old men: Joe Dengler was 17th, 102nd overall, in this very competitive age group.
50-54 year old men Dan Hill was 6th, 83rd overall.
55-59 year old women Margie LaPoint was 2nd.
60-64 year old women June Lane was 1st.
60-64 year old men Ralph Johnson was 3rd, Byron Beagles 5th, and Peter Werbel was 11th.
65-69 year old men Otis Kantz was 7th.
Congratulations to these and all the other Far West masters who went to Sun Valley.
Please follow the links for the complete results and photos.
ALPENGLOW 20K FREESTYLE
ALPENGLOW 20K January 31, 2010 at Tahoe XC
A crisp cold morning yielded to bright sunshine and a beautiful day for the 20k Alpenglow freestyle at Tahoe XC. The overall winner was OJ Adam Wright with a time of 52:32.00. Rick Reynolds and Danny Buchanon took 2nd and 3rd. The women's wave was won by Debbie Hakansson at 1:01:20.00 with Julie Young and Susan Reynolds in 2nd and 3rd.
Saturday January 30, 2010 was distance classic day.
In the 15k men's classic Russell Kennedy was 1st MOJ with a time of 43:00.8... Great job Russell!!
Other highlights include Bria Riggs (6th FJ3), Stefan Benier (8th MOJ), Austin Meng (9th MJ1), and , Annika Taylor (9th FJ1)
Far West results: Men's 15k MOJ: Russell Kennedy (1st), Stefan Benier (8th), Bryce Tiernan (18th)
Men's
15k MJ1 : Austin Meng (9th), Alex Hamilton (17th), Carson Lindsay (30th), Justin Ondry (34th), David Wise (55th).
Men's 5k MJ2: Joe Piercy (39th), Rohlf Jackson (44th)
Women's 10k FJ1: Annika Taylor (9th), Erica Larusson (33rd)
Women's 5k FJ2: Laurel Fiddler (20th), Katrin Larusson (22nd), Cassidy Cichowitz (36th), Raylene Chew (46th), Erica Klenk (50th), Kelly Habibi (61st), Savannah Meng (67th), Allie McDaniel (79th)
Women's 3k FJ3: Bria Riggs (6th)
Complete results.
REPORT FROM SOLDIER HOLLOW
FrIday, January 29, 2010
An amazing day of racing on Soldier Hollow’s Olympic Trails for the Intermountain/Rocky Mountain Super JOQ races. Greeted by near-zero temperatures and fog, and ending the day in bright sunshine and Utah warmth made for a surreal first competition for 21 Far West Nordic junior athletes.
The Sprint Competitions were the event for Friday, and the Far West athletes were ready. 6 were able to advance to the Quarterfinal heats, with a few near misses.
The highlight results of the day included an overall win by Bria Riggs in the J3 Girls competition (a wave start 2.6 distance), a 2nd place by Russell Kennedy in the very competitive OJ/J1 division, and a 9th place by Annika Taylor (3rd place in the “B” final) in the J1 Girls division. Others advancing to the quarterfinals, but not moving on to the later heats, included Alex Hamilton (29th), Katrin Larusson (20th), Laurel Fiddler (21st), and Jackson Rohlf (26th).
Rounding out the Far West were Raylene Chew (35), Erika Klenk (38), Cassidy Cichowitz (44), Allie McDaniel (47), Kelly Habibi (60), and Savannah Meng (63) in the J2 girls, Joe Piercy (46) in the J2 Boys, Austin Meng (34), Bryce Tiernan (37), Stefan Benier (41), Justin Ondry (53), Carson Lindsay (54), and David Wise (75) in the J1/OJ Boys, and Erica Larusson (30) in the J1 Girls division. Sprint results and Wave Start results.
Tomorrow is the distance Classic day, so stay tuned....
THE 3RD ANNUAL TAHOE RIM TOUR & RACE
January 24, 2010
Biggest Rim Tour yet!
237 racers enjoyed the break in the storms and pristine conditions for an epic point to point 26 kilometer race from Tahoe XC to Northstar XC.
Congratulations to striders Phillip Violett and Beth Reid, skaters Todd Craig and Beth Thomas, and snowshoers Peter Fain and Marianne Chandler for their 1st place finishes. Complete results
In a very exciting classic race finish Phillip Violett edged out Russell Kennedy by 1 second (photo).
Thanks to Tahoe XC and Northstar XC for outstanding grooming and a wonderful day!
REPORT FROM MINNEAPOLIS SUPERTOUR
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Conditions were wet and slushy for today's 15k mass start classic.
Ian Case finished 6th despite a broken pole in the first 1k.
Ian finished 12th in the 10k interval start skate race yesterday which was held in freezing rain.
CONGRATULATIONS RUSSELL KENNEDY & DAVID WISE
The Far West Nordic Ski Education Association is proud to announce the winners 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 two winners will each receive a $300 Scholarship Award, Russell Kennedy and David Wise.
Details on our Ted Beauchamp Scholarship page.
SNOWY SIERRA SKOGSLOPPET
Monday, January 18, 2010 Tahoe Donner Cross Country
Over 160 racers skied the Sierra Skogsloppet. Tav Streit was 1st with a time of 40:12, Chelsea Holmes was 1st woman at 45:57.
In the 5k race Patrick McElravey was first with a time of 16:32 and Annika Taylor was first girl at 17:46.
Tahoe Donner XC donates ALL profits to the Truckee High School and Alder Creek Middle School Nordic Teams. Junior Olympic Qualifier and Masters Challenge race!
Complete results
Many of the top racers in the country gathered this past weekend in the famed Methow Valley (Washington) for the continuation of the season-long, top national-level race circuit known as the SuperTour - which serves as a qualification series for the World Cup. Fields were stacked with National Team skiers from the US and Canada, as well as many of the top elite racing clubs from Western Canada, Alaska, Bend, CXC, Sun Valley, and elsewhere. Far West Senior Team members Ian Case and Phil Violett as well as junior Alex Hamilton and coach Ben Grasseschi made the trip to go all-out with some of the best skiers in North America.
In the Day 1 freestyle sprints, Ian and Phil both made the quarterfinal heats placing 16th and 29th respectively in the prelim on an insanely fast icy course, while junior Alex Hamilton qualified for the junior heats with the 16th fastest junior prelim time. In the heats, Ian narrowly missed advancing to the semis, finishing a close 4th in his quarterfinal after being boxed out for most of the loop, while Phil had some bad luck and fell going into the first uphill which took him out of the running. Alex Hamilton managed to come through in 2nd in his junior quarterfinal to move on to the semis and later the B-Final, finishing at the back in both against some impressively fast juniors.
Day 2 was the 15k classic race, held at an alternate venue at 4,000’ elevation due to marginal snow coverage at lower elevations on the original course. The dreaded “33 degrees and snowing/drizzling” nightmare kick waxing conditions were the theme of the day, along with some extremely squirrely classic tracks. Most skiers chose to go on “zeros” or “hairies” as opposed to kick wax, with widely varying levels of success as far as getting any grip on the uphills. Coach Ben Grasseschi put forth a valiant effort with the kick waxing and testing and in the end it came down to the athletes’ skis and mental toughness. Ian put up his best-ever result in a SuperTour distance race despite having extremely slick skis, finishing 13th and only 2 minutes, 12 seconds behind winner Torin Koos of the US Ski Team. Phil had a smashing debut in his first national-level race of the season, finishing another 23 seconds back in 15th, just ahead of National Champion and several-time SuperTour winner Leif Zimmerman of BSF in Bozeman as well as some other big names from Alaska, Canada, and elsewhere. Alex struggled with skis, not having a pair of zeros, but still managed a very solid 6th in the J1 boys division!
All in all it was a great weekend and everyone benefited from the experience of competing in these high-level race events with some of the best skiers in North America, while racking up some great USSA points (which will help lower the point penalties in subsequent Far West races) and giving Far West some strong, positive exposure on the national stage!
UTAH SUPER JOQ - SOLDIER HOLLOW
January 28 - 31, 2010
This is one of the most competitive race weekends for juniors in the country, and is a great way for us to race against the best young skiers in the West on the 2002 Olympic trails at Soldier Hollow. Plus, it’s a really fun trip. It will consist of 2 races -- a Sprint Race on Friday and a Distance Race on Saturday (techniques to be determined — we’re getting conflicting info).
This trip is open to all SERIOUS nordic athletes age 13 and above (or coach discretion).
Sign-up Deadline: January 21, 2010
SKATE TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC January 30, 2010 at Tahoe XC
Led by University of Nevada director of skiing and head Nordic coach, August Teague, this clinic will be FUN! If skiing is not fun then it would be called snowboarding... We will start by looking at why we ski, then we will look at some of the best skiers in the world and what they are doing for technique. Nordic skiing is an amazing sport because we see all body types have success. There are light skiers and tall skiers, there are skiers who use their power and others that use tempo. Although 90% of technique is commonly accepted, there is 5-10% that is individual. Every skier has different strengths; we will look to maximize your strengths and how you can work on what might be a weakness. We will take video of all three techniques and review them. And like I said, this clinic will be fun!
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE CLINIC February 6, 2010 at Tamarack XC
Tamarack Cross Country and Far West will be offering a classic skiing clinic on Feb 6, the day before the Allan Bard Memorial Race. Come on out and learn to ski the "Tamarack Way" with Olympian Nancy Fiddler. The emphasis of this clinic will be technique, specifically body position and how it effectively makes skiing easier. Learn how loose limbs make for a big kick! There will be lots of easy skiing and drills, great for a tune-up before the race.
Monday, January 18, 2010, 10AM
Tahoe Donner Cross Country
Come race a 15 kilometer fun course (Juniors 7.5k) around the Tahoe Donner trails. Raffle prizes, Silent Auction, Post-Race Feed.
Tahoe Donner XC donates ALL profits to the Truckee High School and Alder Creek Middle School Nordic Teams.
Junior Olympic Qualifier and Masters Challenge race!
The quote by Far West Senior Team member, Ian Case, "The Little Engine that Could, and Did" generally encompasses the Far West/Auburn Ski Club presence at US Nationals this past week in Anchorage, AK. With just 6 members (Beth Reid, Joanne Reid, Ian Case, Russell Kennedy, Ekaterina Vinogradova, and Chelsea Holmes) representing the Far West Division and the Auburn Ski they pulled in some impressive results.
The first day there, at 13F, was already 30F Warmer than the warmest day last year! So we were off to a good start from the beginning. The first race was a Skate Sprint on a tough course with a long, flat finish.
The most impressive finish of the the day, and perhaps the week, was Beth Reid's 6th place overall- she made it to the A Final and lined up against US Ski Team member Kikkan Randall! She was 11th overall in qualifying (the top 30 overall make the Heats and the next 12 Juniors or U23s make their respective Heats).
Next was Auburn, CA resident Ekaterina Vinogradova, a former biathlete from Russia. She finished 14 overall in the Heats and Qualified 16th. Joanne Reid was 24th Overall and 27th Qualifier. Russell Kennedy was 49th Overall and 7th Junior Qualifier so he made the Heats and finished 10th overall Junior. Ian Case barely missed the qualifying with a 37th place.
Second day was a "rest' day and the athletes skied the Skate distance course and coaches tested skis.
The 3rd day dawned clear and cold. And it stayed 'dawn' since it never really gets light nd darkness lasts a solid 18 hours up there this time of year. Basically the sun 'rises' above the horizon, apprx 10:30am, moves westerly and dips below the horizon apprx 3:30pm. The sunset will last for an hour and was generally beautiful light. I never saw the Northern lights which i was bummed about.
Anyway, the Skate 10km for Women and 15km for Men.
Ekaterina had an impressive day finishing 5th Overall. Beth was just behind her in 8th, Joanne 18th, and Chelsea Holmes was 42nd. In the men's race Ian had a very respectable 31 and Russell was 88 overall. Remember, these are Overall placings against the best skiers in the country and with deep fields of more than 125 men and 80 women.
Next day was another 'rest' day and athletes got on their Classic skis and tested 'em out.
First Classic race was 30km Mass Start for Men, 20km for women. 1okm Junior Men and 5km Junior Women.
Ekaterina is self-proclaimed "not a classic skier" as she trained Skating only for biathlon, though I am sure she can do it, she she opted out of the Classic races.
Beth finished another impressive 17th overall, Chlesea was 31 overall despite losing her pole handle and not getting a pole for some time, then getting one that was too long, and then finally getting one that was decent sized, to continue. Ian was 36th in the men's race despite self-doubting himself and his reasons for being in the race from the get go. And in the Junior Races; Joanne was 5th and Russell was 31st.
Based on her excellent results in these first 3 races, Joanne qualified for the US Ski Team World Junior Trip in Germany January 18-Feb 2. She has also left the nest and is attending University of Colorado, Boulder this semester skiing for the CU Buffaloes. Based on her races, Joanne is the #1 J1 Girl in the USA and 5th ranked female Junior overall! Nice work Joanne!
After a big week and a big schedule ahead of her, Joanne opted out of the last race, the Classic Sprint, as did Beth. That left Ian to chase down his impressive 22nd finish last year in this same race- this time he finished 34th, just 1 second! out of qualifying for the heats. Russell was 67th overall and did not move into the Junior Heats.
All in all, an Amazing week by any standards and especially for 'the Little Engine that Did'
More results are available at: http://www.anchoragenordicski.com/nationals10/results.html
JOANNE REID NAMED TO WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
January 7, 2010 Anchorage, Alaska
The US Ski Team named its 2010 World Junior Championship team. The top two results from each athlete's three races this week in Alaska were used to determine the teams. Joanne is the first female from Far West to make a World Junior Championship team.
The World Junior Championships will be held January 24-31 in Hinterzarten, Germany
photo by Russell Reid
TAHOE RIM TOUR REGISTRATION
The 3rd annual Tahoe Rim Tour is January 24, 2010.
A point to point 26 kilometer race from North Tahoe High School, through Tahoe XC, to Northstar at Tahoe.
CLASSIC, SKATE, and SNOWSHOE Divisions.
9:00 am classic start • 9:30am skate and snowshoe start
Pre Registration $45 Adult $10 Junior • Day of Race $60 Adult $15 Junior
A fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Junior Ski Program
Hot Chili & Cornbread Lunch
Awards and Great Raffle Prizes at the Northstar finish.
The deadline for putting together your master's challenge three person team has been extended due to the fact that the master's challenge director has finally gotten through the holidays and is still feeling the holiday spirit. We only have six teams right now, so you if get your act together, you may have a chance to win something. The new deadline for your three person team is January 17th. We're sort of keeping the competition criteria mysterious...rumors have it there may be awards for the most points, best team name, oldest accumulative age...the list may go on (or it may not). Heck, I may even take bribes to create awards for teams. Anyhow, don't be shy- talk to your friends, form a three person team and root for each other over the season.
Enjoy the snow and ski healthy- Andy Pasternak
HISTORY OF BIATHLON PRESENTATION & DEMO RACE
Sunday, January 10, 2010
As part of the Lake Tahoe Olympic Heritage Week, Auburn Ski Club and Northstar at Tahoe present a history of Biathlon and Demonstration Race at Northstar Resort’s new biathlon range.
Presentation from 10AM-11AM: Mike Karch will review the history of biathlon from original pictographs found in prehistoric Finland through modern day Olympics. The talk highlights the contribution of the 10th Mountain Division to biathlon shooting and skiing.
Demonstration & Race: 1PM-3PM: Head up to the brand new Biathlon Range at Northstar Cross-Country Center where you can watch biathletes Tom McElroy, Glenn Jobe, and Biborka Xantus compete in a demonstration Biathlon Race.
January 4, 2010 Anchorage, Alaska
Far West had another good day in Alaska at the 2010 US National Championships. In the 10km women's freestyle Ekaterina Vinogradova was 5th overall and Beth Reid was 8th. Joanne Reid was 18th overall and 2nd Junior woman. This should secure Joanne a place on the US World Junior team making her the first female from Far West to make a World Junior Championship team.
photo by Russell Reid
PACO'S FUN RACE
142 racers enjoyed a fun course on a glorious day at the summit. 1st place went to August Teague and 1st place women was Kara LaPoint.
January 2, 2010 Anchorage, Alaska
It was a 1.4K sprint race and the big news is that 50 year old Beth Reid was 6th over all in the US Nationals! Other Far West skiers fared very well also: Joanne Reid was 26th and 3rd Junior woman putting her in an excellent position for qualifying for the US World Junior Team (She needs one more good race.) Ekaterina Vinogradova was 16th, Ian Case was 37th, and Russell Kennedy was 7th in the junior heats! All in all a great day for Far West and three more races to go.
photo by Russell Reid
64TH ANNUAL SNOWSHOE THOMPSON
SNOWSHOE THOMPSON
135 racers found fresh snow at the summit. This season's first JOQ and Fischer Cup race was the 10km Snowshoe Thompson Classic. The challenging course started with the uphill out of the ASC stadium.
Matt Gelso took first 1st place for the men and Joanne Reid took 1st place for the women.
Pre ski the course on January 13th! The entire course from Tahoe XC to Northstar will be groomed on Wednesday, January 13th for you to classic, skate, or snowshoe. You will need a special $10 pass available from Tahoe XC and you must have your own shuttle if you choose to ski it one direction. If you want to make a loop you can ski to Northstar and then ride the chairlift to the top of the mountain and ski on a groomed trail back to the Fiberboard freeway and back to TXC. Please ski during normal XC center hours between 8;30am and 4:30 PM.
PACOS FUN RACE "SKI THE COURSE" PREVIEW January 2, 2010 at Auburn Ski Club
This clinic will be held the day before Paco's Fun Race. You'll ski the entire race course with Phil Violett, familiarize yourself with the terrain, isolate areas that are challenging, and "work" those areas to develop confidence and strategies that play to your strengths. You will also review techniques to use for different parts of the course and when to transition between skating techniques V1, V2, etc.
LACTATE TESTING
January 9, 2009 at Tahoe XC
Silver Sage Sports Performance is sponsoring lactate testing for Far West Masters. Dr. Pasternak is head of Silver Sage and an avid Far West Nordic racer.
Lactate threshold testing is widely considered to be the gold standard used to determine optimal training plans and is regarded by some as preferable to VO2 max testing in terms of setting target heart rate zones for training plans. The key in training and racing is to exercise at the proper balance between lactate production and lactate absorption. While much of VO2 Max is genetically determined, your lactate threshold and your lactate threshold as a percentage of your VO2 Max is very responsive to the proper training. One big advantage to on-snow lactate testing is that the results are specific to your XC skiing and can be used to map out XC ski-specific heart zone training plans.
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE CLINIC
January 16, 2010 at Tahoe XC
Back by popular demand is our classic ski clinic led by renowned Far West coach and Olympian Glenn Jobe. Assisting Glenn is XC Olympian, Judy Rabinowitz, who is highly regarded for her elegant classic technique. We're scheduling this clinic the weekend before the Tahoe Rim Tour to give Far West members time to improve their classic techniques and get "on-course" instruction from some of Tahoe's best classic skiers. This clinic is geared to intermediate and advanced classic skiers looking to improve their skills and race performance. The clinic will focus on a variety of topics including waxing strategies for a 30K classic event, and to how to maximize your skiing efficiency on classic skis.
This Sunday Auburn Ski Club will host the 64th annual Snowshoe Thompson Ski Race.
The course has changed this year and will be groomed for preview on Thursday & Saturday of this week.
If you are racing but do not have a season pass at ASC you are welcome to go up on either of these days to preview the course for a $10 guest fee. The classic conditions are AMAZING right now, and the forecast is to stay cold for the next couple of days - so make the most of skiing with hard wax!
There will also be a 5km race for 15 and under & a 2km option for younger skiers
The Nordic community is invited to join in as the North Lake Tahoe community marks the 50th anniversary of the 8th Winter Games with more than 25 events spread over 10-days. The original Olympic XC trails will host a number of events for the Nordic crowd:
January 9, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
Biathlon Re-enactment - (no firearms a shooting demonstration only)
January 10, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
Cross Country Expo and Demo day
January 13, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
Local Elementary and Middle School Cross Country Day
January 15, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
Scholastic (CNISSF) Nordic Race
Nordic Olympian Dinner at Granlibakken, 6 -9pm. The evening will honor returning participants of the 1960 XC Olympic team and our local XC Olympians for all games. Bi-athlete Joe Pete Wilson will speak and there will be showings of rare film footage and photographs. Ticket are $25 adults, $15 kids and can be ordered at www.squawvalleymuseum.org/store.
January 16, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
Biathlon “Citizens Against the Clock” XC tour
Olympic Legends Gala, Resort at Squaw Creek, 6pm. This grand event will be a once in a lifetime gathering of 1960 Olympians and local Olympians for all games to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 8th Winter Olympic Games. Tickets and sponsor table information at www.squawvalleumuseum.org/store, this event will sell out, don't miss it!
SIERRA NORDIC DUATHLON
The trails at Auburn Ski Club were in perfect condition for the Sierra Nordic Duathlon. 72 racers, in klister conditions, tested their all around skiing (and waxing) skills in the combined classic and skate race.
Matt Gelso took 1st with a time of 24:24.0.
Beth Reid was 1st women at 27:31.9
This weekend's Sierra Nordic Duathlon is the start of the new Masters Challenge.
Masters Challenge three-person teams are due byJanuary 1st. Each skier on the team needs to be in a different age/sex group. The team score will be the cumulative score of each of the three team members and you can earn points with every race . You can participate in both the individual point series and the team point series.
Contact Andy Pasternak with your team name and 3 team members.
This year's Nordic News features articles by John Gerbino, Chauncey Parker, Kara LaPoint, Mitch Dion, Annika Taylor, Jeff Schloss, Andy Pasternak, and Ben Grasseschi including articles on Training, Technique, the many changes in the Far West region, and much more.
Now available ONLINE or at a ski area or ski shop near you.
SIERRA NORDIC DUATHLON
FIRST RACE at ASC this year is the Sierra Nordic Duathlon - Sun Dec 20th @ 10am.
A fun format to challenge your all round skiing skills. 4.5km loop of classic, then switch to skating skis while the clock keeps ticking. Ski bag required for transition zone.
Racing starts at 10am.
Fun for the novice & pro skier.
Wave starts.
Register online, or at Auburn Ski Club...or fax to 530 426 3501 & pay on race day as we prefer no credit cards.
Pre reg is $25 / $15 junior ($5 discount for Club Members)
Registration closes at 9:30am race morning $30 adult / $20 junior
Masters Challenge Qualifier
RACE SEASON HAS BEGUN
The first race of the 2009-2010 race season took place at Royal Gorge on Sunday, December 13th.
70 skiers raced in the Royal Gorge Freestyle on a soft and snowy Van Norden course. Ian Case took 1st place for the men in the 10 km race and Beth Reid was 1st place for the women. In the 5 km race Joe Piercy and Raylene Chew took top honors. (Click here for full results).
Thanks to Royal Gorge XC for a great first race of the season.
SKIING WITH POWER
Ian Case shares his secrets on a snowy day at the summit. Six enthusiastic masters brave the weather to attend Far West Nordic's first on-snow clinic this season.
REWARD: MISSING FISCHER TENT
Missing large 10 x 20 foot Fischer eazyup Tent. Sliver frame, Black tent top, Yellow Logo. Tent was last seen in a black bag 1ft x 3ft x 5ft in entry way of Auburn Ski club. $100 dollar reward for it's return. Please contact Bill Clark at 530 426-3313 ext 101 or Dan Hill 530 582-4997.
ONLINE AUCTION
Far West Nordic is having another online auction.
Help us fundraise on eBay by donating a percentage of your eBay listing to Far West Nordic. AUCTION STARTS SUNDAY DECEMBER 6TH
Bear Valley XC 2 Trail Passes and 2 XC/Snowshoe Rental Packages
Rossignol Craft Nordic Vest - Men's XL
TOKO Revelation Jacket: Lime-Black, Men's large
Biemme Sport Radici Mantellina Jacket - medium
DECEMBER CLINICS
SKIING WITH POWER: Generating and Maintaining Speed on the Flats
December 12, 2009 at Royal Gorge
Led by one of Far West Nordic's top racers, Ian Case, this specialized clinic will focus on how to go fast -- really fast! in flat terrain. This clinic will focus primarily on teaching you to better utilize the strength you already have and discover your "hidden speed" potential; we'll also cover drills for increasing your strength and power. Primarily a skate-oriented clinic, there will also be a special focus on double-poling, as well as some limited work on applying power concepts to uphills.
PSIA NORDIC SYMPOSIUM
December 16-18, 2009 AT Northstar XC
This year we are very fortunate to have the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) hold their annual Nordic Symposium in the north Tahoe area. Far West Nordic has arranged with PSIA to open up this event to Far West masters. This symposium gets rave reviews from Far West's coaches, and it's great way to get a "jump start" on the season with on-snow instruction from some of the best Nordic clinicians and coaches in the United States. The PSIA symposium is traditionally focused on bringing instructors and coaches up to date on the latest teaching methods, technique drills, and waxing/ski prep, and it's a great opportunity for the masters skier to learn, directly from the pros.
CLASSIC CLINIC
December 19, 2009 at Auburn Ski Club
"Kick off" the season with our classic ski clinic led by Far West coach and Olympian Glenn Jobe. We're scheduling this clinic the weekend before the Snowshoe Thompson Race to give Far West members time to dial-in their classic technique and get on-course instruction from one of the best classic technicians in the west. This clinic is geared to intermediate and advanced classic skiers looking to improve their skills and race performance. The clinic will focus on a variety of topics including skiing with maximum efficiency/minimum effort.
SKATING TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
December 19, 2009 at Tahoe XC
Led by Far West Nordic and Auburn Ski Club head coach Ben Grasseschi, this clinic will focus on analyzing and improving your skating technique. This clinic will include 2 hours of "on snow" time where coaches will review various aspects of how you skate ski, help you correct bad habits, and identify opportunities for improving your skiing. After two hours of on-snow instruction, we will spend an hour reviewing video -where you will learn from analysis of your technique and in comparison to the technique of others.
SNOWSHOE THOMPSON "SKI THE COURSE" PREVIEW
December 26, 2009 at Auburn Ski Club
Proceeds from this event benefit the Far West Senior Team.
This clinic will be held the day before Snowshoe Thompson classic Race. You'll ski the entire race course with Phil Violett, familiarize yourself with the terrain, isolate areas that are challenging, and "work" those areas to develop confidence and strategies that play to your strengths.
Joanne Reid of Palo Alto was 7th place in the women’s 10K skate race at West Yellowstone on Friday among a very strong field. The race is an important Olympic qualifying race and 17 year old Joanne was the 3rd American and the top junior. Joanne is proving to be the strongest junior woman in the country and is also one of the strongest women overall. She also posted a 19th place in the 5K classic (second junior) and a 23rd in the 1.4K classic sprint (3rd junior.) These are the best results ever earned by a Far West junior woman and put Joanne in a very strong position for qualifying for the US World Junior team. Joanne plans to race at the US Senior Nationals in Anchorage, Alaska January 2-9th which are the final qualifying races for the US Olympic team and World Junior team. Joanne’s Mother, Beth, also had an impressive week of racing in West Yellowstone with three top twenty results showing the youngsters that she can still compete with the nations best at the still young age of 50!
Complete results can be found at www.summittiming.com
photo by Win Goodbody/ FasterSkier.com
more
photos in our gallery
AUBURN SKI CLUB MASTERS TRAINING GROUP
A great opportunity for the master skier who wants to improve fitness and form this season.
Suitable for racers and recreational skiers (must be strong intermediate. Sessions will alternate between skate & classic)
Coached by Far West Head Coach Ben Grasseschi & Sally Jones
Thursdays Interval & Technique training: 8:00am-9:30am, Dec 3rd - Feb 25th
Saturdays Technique focus: 8:30am-10:00am, Dec 5th (snow permitting) - Feb 6th
GET INVOLVED: HELP THE FAR WEST FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
Fundraising Committee meeting: Monday November 30th, 5pm at the Truckee River Winery
Help Far West organize and plan our fundraising races: the Tahoe Rim Tour, Gold Rush, and the Billy Dutton Uphill. Any Far West members interested in helping with fundraising planning and efforts are invited to attend the meeting.
Contact Don Heapes for more information.
NORDIC NEWS 2010 ARRIVES
This year's Nordic News features articles by John Gerbino, Chauncey Parker, Kara LaPoint, Mitch Dion, Annika Taylor, Jeff Schloss, Andy Pasternak, and Ben Grasseschi including articles on Training, Technique, the many changes in the Far West region, and much more.
Now available at a ski area or ski shop near you.
TED BEAUCHAMP SCHOLARSHIP
This Scholarship is available to provide financial assistance to Far West Juniors (age 12-19) who are seeking to pursue xc skiing at his/her highest level and who need financial assistance to get there. Please see the Ted Beauchamp Scholarship page for more information.
Who may apply: Far West Junior (age 12-19) members in good standing who are regularly involved in xc skiing and training, and wish to continue so.
Criteria: Scholarships will be evaluated based on
- Your Commitment to xc skiing.
-
Consistent Attitude, Attendance, and Athleticism while pursuing your goals
-
How the scholarship will help you fulfill your personal goals and how you embody the Ted Beauchamp legacy.
How to apply: On Line applications are preferred in "Word" format. Send application to info@farwestnordic.org, ATTN: Junior Committee, or PO BOX 10046, Truckee, CA. 96162.The letter should include a concise history of your accomplishments and motivation, and state how your application for this Scholarship meets the criteria outlined above.
Application deadline: Must be received in the Far West office by January 1, 2010.
Scholarships will be Awarded February 1, 2010.
NORTHSTAR AT TAHOE OPENS BIATHLON RANGE
Northstar at Tahoe will be opening a permanent biathlon range this season and offering training and competition opportunities.
Glenn Jobe, U.S. Olympic biathlete and Far West Nordic coach, will offer private three hour lessons.
Auburn Ski Club will be assisting and hosting events including:
January 10, 2010: Biathlon demonstration and mock race with current and former biathletes will be held as part of the Lake Tahoe Olympic Heritage Week
February 12, 2010: Intro to Biathlon clinic
March 20, 2010: Pre-competition clinic
March 21, 2010: 10th Mountain Division Biathlon
Congratulations! to Luke Patterson, winner of the 2009 Far West Senior Team Fundraiser Bike Raffle. Luke is an Alpine ski coach at Sugarbowl and was very excited to win the bike. He just bought a Giant Mtn Bike this year so he is psyched to get a 2010 Giant Advance Defy Road Bike. Dave Eastwood of Bicycle Warehouse is going to size him up and get him 'spinning' the road next summer.
A very special THANKS to, Dave Eastwood, owner of Bicycle Warehouse, for donating the bike.
Also, Thanks to ALL who bought tickets and to the following businesses for selling raffle tickets: Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, The Pour House in Truckee, Wild Cherries Coffeehouse in Truckee, Walden Cafe in Reno.
THANK YOU DRAGONFLY
Far West Nordic would like to thank Dragonfly Restaurant and owner/chef Billy McCullough for hosting the successful senior team fundraiser on October 24th. Thank you for the wonderful setting, delicious food, and the generous contribution to the Far West Nordic seniors! And thanks again to all those who came out to support the event!
UNR NORDIC TEAM FUNDRAISER
Keep Nevada Skiing Party and Silent Auction
Saturday, November 21st at Ceol Irish Pub in Reno from 3-7 p.m.
As you may have heard, the University of Nevada has cut its NCAA skiing program starting next season.
Please join us Saturday, November 21st at Ceol Irish Pub in Reno from 3-7 p.m. to help save one of the most historic and successful athletic programs at the University. We will have a silent auction, in conjunction with the food and libations. Entry is $25 for gourmet food, beer and wine specials and a silent auction.
24th ANNUAL FAR WEST NORDIC AUCTION RAFFLE PARTY A HUGE SUCCESS
Thank you to all of our generous donors and members for making the 24th Annual Far West Nordic Auction Raffle Party a huge success!
JUNIOR AND SENIOR TRIPS
West Yellowstone Trip
November 21-29, 2009 Sign-up deadline November 11, 2009
Full time ski immersion. 7 days of on-snow training, technique drills, and fun with Far West's best coaches and our nation's best skiers.
Local Thanksgiving Camp
November 27-29, 2009
Get rid of the Turkey Day Blues with this fun camp right here in your 'backyard'. Learn great skills and work hard in this 3 day Camp with 2 sessions per day of skiing- hopefully on snow! Hiking, ice skating, indoor climbing, rollerskiing, fun, and camaraderie, are just some of the other fun activities you are likely to have at this camp.
The Donner Lake Turkey Trot Trail Run: Sunday November 15, 2009:
The 33rd annual Turkey Trot is a 7 mile road run around Donner Lake
Fundraiser for the Auburn Ski Club Junior Nordic Team.
Maximize the benefits of strength training specific to cross-country skiing.
Joe Dengler, physical therapist and accomplished nordic skier, has put together an article adapted from the USSA article "Strength and Power for Cross Country Skiing" complete with pictures and descriptions of Base Strength and Power exercises including warm up, plyometrics, core, and strength/power.
November 7, 2009 at 6pm
Mt. Judah Lodge, Sugar Bowl
The 24th annual Far West Nordic Auction/Raffle Party will be held on Saturday, November 7th at 6pm at the Mt. Judah Lodge at Sugar Bowl Ski Area. This is the “CAN’T MISS” EVENT of the season. This is Far West Nordic’s largest fundraiser for its Junior Nordic Programs. Please plan on attending and bidding on some of our great prizes.
TICKETS
Tickets will be available at the door.
MEMBERSHIP Thank you to those who have joined or renewed their membership for 2009-2010, your membership cards will be available at the auction.
Stop by our membership table to join or renew
PRIZES
Thanks to all of our generous donors we have a phenomenal array of raffle and auction prizes including…
The Grand Raffle Prize Dream Ski Package: Salomon boots and bindings, Fischer Skis, Swix Poles … all top of the line Great Auction Items and Raffle Prizes: Vacations including a house in Hawaii, a house in Bodega Bay, and a Montana condo, Ski Area Passes, Restaurant Dining, Ski Equipment, Outdoor Clothing & Gear, "Celebrity" Ski Lessons, One of a Kind Prizes, Gift Certificates...
Win a 2010 Giant Trance X2 Mountain Bike or 2010 Giant Defy Advanced 2 Road Bike! A $3000 Value! Buy Tickets for $20 each or 6 for $100. Support the Senior Team in the process. Tickets available at Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, the Pour House in Truckee, and, Bicycle Warehouse in Reno, NV, plus many more, or at the auction. Look for the posters around town. Bike donated by Bicycle Warehouse in Reno, Nevada.
Raffle will be held at the Annual Auction/ Raffle dinner on November 7, 2009 at Mt Judah Lodge, Sugar Bowl Ski Area
AUCTION AUCTION AUCTION...THE ONLINE AUCTION HAS BEGUN
NEW: In conjunction with the Annual Auction Raffle we are auctioning a select group of items online. We hope this will encourage out of towners to participate. Contribute your own items to our online auction and help us fundraise on eBay by donating a percentage of your sale to Far West Nordic. Your donation is tax deductible. AUCTION STARTS FRIDAY OCTOBER 30TH AND ENDS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6TH
The first Far West Senior Team fundraiser evening this past Saturday was a definite success, raising close to $1,000 thanks to the generous support of the 100+ attendees as well as Dragonfly owner and chef Billy McCullough. Thanks also go to the Kimba Madsen Trio, Ben Jammin' All-Stars, and Serina Dawn Band for contributing their musical talents and making the event possible. The Far West Senior Team would like to thank everyone who came out for their support! The money raised will directly help senior team athletes reach their goals this year of competing successfully at the top national level by making it possible to attend more SuperTour races around the country, including the Olympic qualifying races in November, December, and early January. Visit the senior blog for Live Tracks from Saturday!
COACH NANCY GOES TO SCHOOL
"The 2009 USSA National Coaching Conference offered a wide variety of topics for coaches to go home and think about. Just as varied were the coaches and the programs they represent in attendance at the conference..."
Nancy Fiddler shares what she learned in "Coach Nancy Goes to School" Part Two: What Far West Can Learn from the Nation's Top Programs.
2009 AUCTION/RAFFLE PARTY: NOVEMBER 7, 2009
GREAT RAFFLE PRIZES AND AUCTION ITEMS November 7, 2009 Date Set for Fundraiser at Mt Judah Lodge The season kick-off Fundraiser is here! The Annual Far West Nordic Auction/Raffle returns to Sugar Bowl's Mt Judah Lodge on Saturday November 7, 2009. The Grand Raffle Prize Dream Ski Package: Salomon boots and bindings, Fischer Skis, Swix Poles ... all top of the line Great Auction Prizes include a house in Hawaii, a house in Bodega Bay, and a Montana Condo
... each for 1 week
Purchase you raffle tickets from a Far West Junior or in the Far West store or at the door.
GROUP VO2 MAX TESTING
Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance is offering a discounted "group" VO2 Max Test provided we get a minimum of 5 people registered for testing. Individual testing will be performed on October 30th and 31st. Call to reserve an appointment time. Individual results will be provided a week later on November 6th with a group presentation on how to interpret and use your results. Individuals unable to make the November 6th group presentation may contact Colleen Pace at TCHSP to schedule a private consultation for an extra fee.
A Benefit For the Far West Nordic Senior Team
October 24th at Dragonfly Restaurant: 6:30pm - 10pm
Come enjoy an evening of Truckee's best food and music!!
Featuring live music by:
Kimba Madsen Trio
Serina Dawn Band
and a surprise band...
$5 requested donation as well as 10% of all food and drink sales goes to support your local Olympic hopefuls, the Far West Senior Team
This is sure to be a fun-filled evening, between owner and chef Billy McCullough's world-class gourmet food, and the live energy of some of the best local musicians in the Tahoe Region with the acoustic/electric folk-pop of the Kimba Madsen Trio featuring Kimba Madsen (acoustic guitar, vocals), Jeff Wright (bass), and the Far West Senior Team's Ian Case (lead guitar), before gradually progressing to the full-on rocking blues and funk rhythms of the Serina Dawn Band (featuring Tahoe blues queen Serina Dawn on vocals, Ray Erst on drums, Ian Case on lead guitar, and Todd Hollway on keys. Come for an early dinner, some dancing in the evening, or both!
October 24th through November 21st (5 week session) Tahoe XC
Former UNR coach Chauncey Parker
Join us at 8AM at Tahoe XC for a FREE dryland training class. Then if you're hooked, sign up for Coach Chauncey's weekly dryland series that runs through Nov. 21st. Dryland training will teach you XC-ski specific drills and workouts so you can be strong and ready to enjoy the trails when the snow hits! The only things you'll need for this class are a positive attitude, hiking poles, hiking/trail shoes. Details on our Masters Clinics page.
FALL PRESENTATIONS
Jeff Schloss, Sugar Bowl Academy and Far West Junior and Senior Coach, presents:
XC Training and Performance Testing Friday October 23, 2009 5:30pm at Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance
Training plans, endurance training, train to "peak", overtraining pitfalls, and how to train smarter by using heart rate monitors, lactate testing, VO2 Max testing.
Kick Your XC Skiing Up a Notch This Season! Wednesday November 4, 2009 6pm
at Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance
Get the most out of your ski season ... improve your skills and have more fun.
"I recently had the good fortune to attend the 2009 USSA Coaches Conference in Minneapolis. During the weekend, I listened to many hours of information delivered by some of the top coaches and ski educators in our country. We are in an exciting time right now, on the eve of the Olympics in Whistler, and with probably the best prepared U.S. Ski Team in the short history of our sport in this country. The overall tone and mood of the conference was of great hope, and I left with renewed inspiration to be the very best coach that I am able..."
Nancy Fiddler shares what she learned. Read the latest technique information in her first of several installments of "Coach Nancy Goes to School"
FUN RUNS & ASC JUNIOR NORDIC TEAM FUNDRAISERS
The Truckee River Legacy Trail Run: Sunday October 11, 2009 at 10am starting at Truckee River Regional Park
The 2nd Truckee Legacy Trail Run is a 5km trail run along the Truckee River
The Donner Lake Turkey Trot Trail Run: Sunday November 15, 2009: The 33rd annual Turkey Trot is a 7 mile road run around Donner Lake
... we have been busy redesigning the Far West Nordic website, planning new programs and clinics for the 2009-2010 season, reworking our membership structure, finding new benefits for Far West members, inviting our members to join us on Facebook and our new blogs...
FAR WEST NORDIC RACE SCHEDULE
Far West Nordic XC Race Schedules for both citizen and junior races have been posted. These schedules are still preliminary and subject to change.
Highlights of the 2009-2010 season include 2 new races at Royal Gorge and the 3rd annual Tahoe Rim Tour which will end in the Village at Northstar.
Start planning your winter now.
Subscribe to the new Far West Nordic google calendar and never miss a race.
A special thank you to Mark Nadell who took over the fledgeling Far West website in 1998. Mark redesigned the site in the early 2000's and maintained it in his role as Far West Administrator and Webmaster until 2008. Thanks to Mark the Far West website became the place to go for up to the minute nordic news , race results, and stunning photos.
The new website tries to build upon this solid foundation and add additional content as well as useful and fun features. We hope you enjoy the new site.
NEW MAMMOTH JUNIOR COMPETITION TEAM
In May of this year, the Eastern Sierra Nordic Ski Association, in conjunction with Mammoth Mountain Race Department formed a Junior Competition Team. The goal for the program is to provide year round training for motivated juniors who aspire to the Junior Olympic level and beyond. The program is headed by Olympian, US National Champion, and long time Mammoth coach Nancy Fiddler.
MAMMOTH SUMMER BIATHLON
Third Annual Picken Ranch Biathlon
"What a great biathlon. First, many, many thanks to the Pickens for hosting
us. Three generations of the Picken family made the day one we'll always
remember. Thank you.
As promised, the weather was delightful. Fifty competitors had a blast.
Particularly gratifying were the smiles on the faces of the fifteen juniors
as they gave their all.
Fastest Junior 1 was Jack Roten. Fastest Junior 2 was Cody Underkoffler.
Fastest Senior Male was Chris Welch, son of former US Biathlon team member
Pat Armstrong. Fastest Senior Female was Britt Coggan. Fastest Male Walker
was Gary Boyd. Fastest Female Walker was Leslie Byberg. Most accurate
shooters were Finnley Bourne, age nine, and Jack Roten, age thirteen, who
both hit eight of ten shots. Bravo to all the winners and bravo to everyone
who participated. Full results will be posted on the ESNSA website soon."
Glenn Jobe, a winter Olympian in biathlon in 1980, races toward the
finish at the Picken Ranch Summer Biathlon near Benton, CA on Sunday.
Photo by Teri Vance
KEEP NEVADA SKIING
FUNDRAISERS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA SKI TEAM Spaghetti Feed: September 28, 2009 5-8pm at The Little Waldorf
$10 gets you a pasta dinner and $6 goes to The University of Nevada Ski Team Burger Feed:September 28-October 2 at The Little Waldorf
$1 of each burger sold with avoucher goes to The University of Nevada Ski Team
"MICHAEL JENEID, OUTDOORSMAN AND AUTHOR, DIES"
Michael Jeneid was a ski instructor, author, rock climber, kayaker, ornithologist, and poet. He started and ran a ski school near Donner Summit at the Sierra Club's Clair Tappaan Lodge. He wrote several books including "Cross-Country Skiing California" and an instructional manual "Five Easy Turns." Some of you may have raced against Michael back in the 80's. Read the San Francisco Chronicle obituary about Michael Jeneid.
FAR WEST SENIOR TEAM BLOG
Senior Team Gives Back
Far West Senior Team members have been posting updates and thoughts on racing and training throughout the summer and fall, as well as technique ideas (and videos!) and equipment and race-preparation info they hope you’ll find helpful.
Follow the Far West Nordic Seniors Blog
MAMMOTH SUMMER BIATHLON
Third Annual Picken Ranch Biathlon
Sunday, 27 September
Range will open at 0730 for shooting practice. Kids 3-kilometer race will start at 0900. Adult 5-kilometer race will start at 1000. Walkers are encouraged and welcome. Rifles and ammunition will be provided. Rifles are left at the shooting range and not carried during the run/walk. Potluck and awards will be at 1200 on the Picken deck. Entry fees are $35 adult and $15 kids. Entry forms will be posted on the ESNSA web site by mid September. We need help setting up the range on Friday, 25 September. Please email or call if you can help, 934-7665. This is going to be our best biathlon yet. Mark your calendars. Standby for more details.
photo by Jim Stimson
UNR NORDIC SKI TEAM 1936-????
Help Save The Only NCAA Program in the Sierra Nevada Region
The University of Nevada has said it will not fund the ski program for the 2010/2011 season.
The ski team will be cut unless it can show that it can be 100% self-funded.
The UNR Ski Team was one of the first programs in the country and is the only NCAA program in the Sierra Nevada Region.
It provides a high level opportunity for many of our local young athletes. There are three ways you can help: money, contacts, and letters.
Please help support the University of Nevada Ski Team.
For more information and to learn how you can help go to the UNR Ski Team Blog
DONNER SUMMIT BIKE TIME TRIAL
ASC Junior Nordic Team Fundraiser Saturday September 5, 2009 10am
Challenge yourselves & your friends to bike up old 40 from the west end of Donner Lake to Sugar Bowl Academy.
Road, Mountain, and Single Speed categories.
$20 pre registration
Register at Paco's Bike and Ski or online.
For more info and online registration go
to www.truckeefunrun.com
SUMMER FUN RUNS & ASC JUNIOR NORDIC TEAM FUNDRAISERS
Firecracker Mile: Saturday July 4, 2009
1 mile FUN RUN down Donner Pass Road from US Bank to downtown Truckee, followed by the parade.
Squaw Valley Mountain Run / Hike: Saturday August 1st, 2009 Starting at the base of Squaw Valley USA (6200’) the course climbs the 3.6 mile mountain run to High Camp (8200’) where awards, raffle, music refreshments & beer are provided. RUN, HIKE or let the cable car do the 2000 foot elevation gain & participate in the beautiful 3 mile FLOWER WALK on easy rolling terrain. All participants in the run / hike and flower walk will be entered in the raffle for some great prizes. Go to www.truckeefunrun.com for more information and registration.
Northstar Mountain Run / Hike:Saturday August 15th 2009
Auburn Ski Club has just taken over this event in its 2nd year. This will be a 10km trail run ending up at the top of Mt Pluto lift for a scenic ride down
Details at www.truckeefunrun.com
Donner Summit Bike Time Trial: Saturday September 5, 2009
Outdoor Sports Rep Sale: Sunday September 6, 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
June Lake, Two Rivers, 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 in Northern California's Marble Mountain and Trinity Alps Wilderness area. For the up-to-date summer lineup, go to our JUNIOR CAMPS PAGE.
JUNIOR CYCLING CLUB
Long time Far West member, former US National Team Cyclist, and Seven Time World Championship Team member Julie Young is coaching a Junior Cycling Club. The clinic offers excellent, low impact cross-training to improve overall strength and the opportunity to learn new road and mountain biking skills.
Wednesdays starting August 5th from 4:00-5:30 pm at Tahoe Center for Health and Sports Performance.
The six week clinic is $150.
Call 530-587-3769 for more info.
CHRISTOPHER FLANAGAN TAKES FOURTH
US CYCLING ELITE JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The men's 15-16 age category was the final event on a hot sunny Tuesday in Bend, Oregon. Far West junior Chris Flanagan took fourth place in the 75 kilometer action paced race on a rolling course. Read full coverage of the race at www.usacycling.org
photo from www.usacycling.org
JUNE LAKE CAMP by Nancy Fiddler
The Oh Ridge campground in June Lake was the base camp for the Far West Junior dryland training camp July 23-26. The northern and southern factions of Far West converged for four days of training, camping, and hanging out at the beach. It was a fun atmosphere, with 25 junior campers ages 13-18 and 3 coaches. Martin Benes, Lea McKinstry, and Nancy Fiddler made up the coaching staff, Mike McElravey was chef extraordinaire, and Kelly McElravey and John Juba were on board to help out with whatever needed to be done.
Between games of Frisbee and Apples to Apples, a lot of training got done. After setting up camp on Thursday evening, everyone went for an easy run and a swim. The evening ended with a delicious burrito dinner.
Friday was probably the toughest day of the camp, with two workouts and some very warm temperatures. The morning session consisted of a warm-up run, some drills and stretching, followed by some ski walking and bounding technique. Three groups were formed, and everyone went to the hill to do some ski walking intervals on June Mountain. The afternoon workout took place on the scenic Benton Crossing Road on the east side of Crowley Lake. The focus was on double pole and double pole kick, with the different groups tackling drills and then some distance skiing up the Watterson grade. It was hot! Back to camp for a swim in the turquoise healing waters of June Lake and a pasta dinner.
One of the highlights of the June Lake Camp is Saturday's day hike. Two hikes in the Rock Creek area were established, with one group hiking up to Mono Pass and on to the summit of Mt. Starr and the other group tackling Mt. Morgan. Everyone in both groups summitted and enjoyed the spectacular views of the high Sierra. The Mt. Morgan group was treated with a good look at a herd of Bighorn Sheep flying down the mountain at about 13,000 feet. The wildflowers were out at all elevations for all to enjoy, and though some clouds built up, there weren't any thunderstorms. Some campers had a swim on the descent, while others headed back to the vans with ice cream on their minds. The day was capped off with another swim in June Lake and a chicken curry supper.
By Sunday morning, some of the campers were looking a little bedraggled (no hot shower for 4 days!), sunburned, and worn out. But, spirits were good as the vans loaded up for a skate rollerski down at Benton Crossing. This was mainly a technique session with lots of no pole skiing and some easy distance. The momentum was sustained all the way through a short core strength session led by Martin at the Whitmore Ball Fields. There was lots of groaning, but every single athlete was putting out, even on the last workout of the camp.
June Lake Camp 2009 was a productive, motivating, and a hugely fun time for all involved. It was great to see kids from Truckee to Mammoth mixing it up in workouts and in card games. Every single athlete brought a great attitude and a strong desire to learn and work. Thanks to Martin and Lea for sharing their expertise and experience, and to John and Kelly for tagging along and helping out. The food was awesome and plentiful, thanks to Mike's planning and hard work. Based on what I saw at camp, it looks like it's going to be an exciting winter!
MARK NADELL WINS 'GET YOUR SPRING ON' SWIX/FASTERSKIER PHOTO CONTEST
TAKES 3 OUT OF THE TOP 5 PHOTOS.
Long time Far West photographer and editor of Nordic News, Mark Nadell has an amazing eye for action shots and stunning composition.
Winning photo at right: Far West Nordic President Mitch Dion on the Mount Rose to Brockway Summit tour in 2006, with the 3000 foot drop to Lake Tahoe just to his left. (May 6, 2006 by Mark Nadell).
Mark also won the Tahoe.com Tour de Nez photo contest
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)
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
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 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.
(Photo: 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.
(Photo: Marathon winner Ian Case. Story and Photo by June Lane)
SIERRA SKI CHASE, FISCHER CUP, MASTERS TEAM RESULTS FINAL
Results are final for all the season-long competitions. Click on the Results Link for all the standings from the Race Series, including the SIERRA SKI CHASE, the FISCHER CUP,and the FAR WEST NORDIC MASTERS TEAM. Congratulations to Ski Chase winners Jeff Schloss and Beth Reid, Fischer Cup winners Ian Case and Beth Reid, and to the new Masters Team. Thanks to all of you who participated in these great events this year, and thanks to Julie Bradley, Dan Hill , and Molly Zurn for their continued efforts and sponsorship of them.
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'schampionKaterina Vinogradova was no less impressive, finishing over five and a half minutes ahead of second-placedSarah 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.
"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 the 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
(Photo: Katerina Vinogradova on her way to the win. Photo by Emma Garrard.)
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 conditions 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.
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 can't be. But we did! I couldn't believe it! 45k tomorrow"
(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 high school 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 discrepancies 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 division it was Peter Fain and Sarah Raitter taking top honors.
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.
Sunday March 7th, 2010 9AM
Friday February 19th: 10am - 12:30 (Classic 5/10km) Interval Starts
Senior Team member Ian Case has posted JO course previews for the 5k loop and 1.2k sprint courses at Presque Isle, Maine on the 
Friday’s CNISSF Truckee Sprints in Surprise Stadium at Truckee High School showed why sprinting is one of the most exciting and unpredictable of genres in the cross country ski racing world. Bumps, crashes, and spills on the increasingly slushy course made for a rollicking series of races in the both high school and middle school events, but in the end, there was only one surprise winner out of the 4 categories.
Now that the Olympics are underway and will be over before we know it, this might be just the time to be thinking about Masters World Cup 2011 at Sovereign Lakes Cross Country (next to Silver Silver Star) in Vernon, British Columbia. This event will not be in North America again for a long time, and since it is relatively close, it could well be a great opportunity for a lot of Far West members to go.
California Gold Rush
Friday, February 12, 2010 at Northstar at Tahoe 9:00am to 12:30pm
The 30km Boulder Mountain Tour (BMT) is one of the classic American ski races. Starting up at Galena Lodge, (just North of Sun Valley, Idaho), this point-to-point course winds for 32km down the super scenic Wood River Valley. Because of the outstanding views, super fun, yet difficult course, professional administration, time-of-year, and outstanding weather (usually); the competition at this race is particularly strong. Many consider the BMT to be one of the most competitive races in the US. This year, upwards of 700 strong skiers finished the race last Saturday, February 6. 
ALPENGLOW 20K 
Saturday January 30, 2010 was distance classic day.
FrIday, January 29, 2010
The highlight results of the day included an overall win by Bria Riggs in the J3 Girls competition (a wave start 2.6 distance), a 2nd place by Russell Kennedy in the very competitive OJ/J1 division, and a 9th place by Annika Taylor (3rd place in the “B” final) in the J1 Girls division. Others advancing to the quarterfinals, but not moving on to the later heats, included Alex Hamilton (29th), Katrin Larusson (20th), Laurel Fiddler (21st), and Jackson Rohlf (26th).
January 24, 2010 
CONGRATULATIONS RUSSELL KENNEDY & DAVID WISE
SKATE TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE CLINIC
PACOS FUN RACE "SKI THE COURSE" PREVIEW
LACTATE TESTING
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE CLINIC
January 9, 2010, Sugar Pine Point State Park
FIRST RACE at ASC this year is the Sierra Nordic Duathlon - Sun Dec 20th @ 10am. 
SKIING WITH POWER: Generating and Maintaining Speed on the Flats
CLASSIC CLINIC
SKATING TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
Joanne Reid of Palo Alto was 7th place in the women’s 10K skate race at West Yellowstone on Friday among a very strong field. The race is an important Olympic qualifying race and 17 year old Joanne was the 3rd American and the top junior. Joanne is proving to be the strongest junior woman in the country and is also one of the strongest women overall. She also posted a 19th place in the 5K classic (second junior) and a 23rd in the 1.4K classic sprint (3rd junior.) These are the best results ever earned by a Far West junior woman and put Joanne in a very strong position for qualifying for the US World Junior team. Joanne plans to race at the US Senior Nationals in Anchorage, Alaska January 2-9th which are the final qualifying races for the US Olympic team and World Junior team. Joanne’s Mother, Beth, also had an impressive week of racing in West Yellowstone with three top twenty results showing the youngsters that she can still compete with the nations best at the still young age of 50!
A great opportunity for the master skier who wants to improve fitness and form this season. 
Who may apply: Far West Junior (age 12-19) members in good standing who are regularly involved in xc skiing and training, and wish to continue so.
Auburn Ski Club will be assisting and hosting events including:
Local Thanksgiving Camp
Strength and Power Training for Nordic Athletes Adapted from the USSA
RAFFLE 
October 24th through November 21st (5 week session)
A special thank you to Mark Nadell who took over the fledgeling Far West website in 1998. Mark redesigned the site in the early 2000's and maintained it in his role as Far West Administrator and Webmaster until 2008. Thanks to Mark the Far West website became the place to go for up to the minute nordic news , race results, and stunning photos.
FUNDRAISERS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA SKI TEAM
Third Annual Picken Ranch Biathlon
ASC Junior Nordic Team Fundraiser
Firecracker Mile: Saturday July 4, 2009
Long time Far West member, former US National Team Cyclist, and Seven Time World Championship Team member Julie Young is coaching a Junior Cycling Club. The clinic offers excellent, low impact cross-training to improve overall strength and the opportunity to learn new road and mountain biking skills.
SEASON FINALE
Swank, Vinogradova Win 46km In Sierra Blizzard, 139 Racers Finish
Factory Team Skiers Win, 670 Skiers Finish On A Challenging But Fun Day
Far West Master Rick Reynolds 3rd in 4x5km Relay!
Nordic Skiing Is Back at Incline High!
Former Far West Junior First American In 15K Skate