January Newsletter
Happy New Year!
The season is well underway with NWVT having some very impressive results. One month into the season we have co-hosted two of the largest citizens races thus far, participated in many events and have had marked improvement from all of our competitors. We have much to be excited about as we turn the page on 2008 and head into mid season. 
January has a lot to offer in terms of skiing events. This will be our first time defending the Club series title and half of this years series is in January. I know our core racers have been preparing and looking forward to this, but we need the help of everyone to retain the title. As we know from past years every effort helps: carpooling, cheering, babysitting and most of all participating has been what has given our relatively small club the advantage. Lets keep the trend going.
Club Series Races for January are The Bogburn, a low key citizens race at the Haydock Residence in Pomfret VT. This race has a great atmosphere because of its rustic environment, the friendly competition and the home brew trails that are unique to the mainstream racing circuit in New England . The next is the White Mountain Classic. This is another great event. Now in its 5th year, this race serves as the essential final tune up for the Craftsbury Marathon. This is a relatively 
easy 30K with one of the best prize tables and post race meals of the winter. This also serves as the one day Club Championship where team scoring is used to determine the strongest team. The folks in Jackson always put on a great race and participants are not disappointed. The third race is the Mother of all races in New England , The Craftsbury Marathon. This signature event is the main race of the season for many skiers. It has a long history of skiers of all kinds participating. This years course looks to be a little less technical than last years Ice-capade, but do not let that fool you, it will still have its challenges. I see many have already signed up for these events, and I encourage everyone to do so. They are all great events each with there own character. Plus there is no better way to build for Craftsbury than to race the Bogburn, and White Mountain Classic. Event the Vermont Sports Craftsbury Marathon training program says to utilize these two races for training and gaining experience. I say finishing the Bogburn will take at least 1-0 minutes off your Marathon time because it forces you to think about your technique, transitions and racing limits.
January also has a whole variety of other racing and skiing opportunities starting this weekend with the Craftsbury Classic. A mass start citizen’s 10K. Sure to be exciting. There will also be the Eastern Cup Races in Rumford for those trying to get a spot on the development and elite teams. There are a whole slue of other events on the NENSA calendar as well. 
http://www.nensa.net/sched&result/racing_index.php
Lets keep the momentum going. There will be Carpooling to the Craftsbury Classic this Sunday with people departing the Burlington area by 8:00AM to get there in time to test wax for the 11:00 start. There may also be a car leaving a little later for those who are not early birds. As usual we will have a wax bench on site and plenty of wax and advice on hand. Look for the NWVT Jerseys .
Fall Newsletter
It is once again time to turn our attention to another season of skiing success. The 2008- 2009 ski season is shaping up and things look promising for NWVT as we approach our first year as NENSA’s Defending Club Champions! (in case you missed the press release http://www.nensa. net/news/ news_more. php?id=2658) We have a lot to celebrate, and much more to look forward to. NWVT has not been as idle over the summer as in years past with many members planning and plotting a return to skiing to pick up better than where they left off. This has always been a goal of the club and it is exciting to see and hear from those who have been diligently working behind the scenes over the summer anxiously waiting to unveil their progress.
The summer was very successful for NWVT members especially those that wear spandex year round. After a great winter season, Eric, Jake and Damian continued onto decisive road biking wins over the summer. Damian made a late charge on a fluke to win the Whiteface Wilmington Road Race, Eric made a risky move stick for the W in the Tour of Somerville Criterium, and anyone who watched heroics 
of Jake in the last seven laps of the Burlington Criterium knows how gratifying years of dedication and determination with the achievement of a long standing goal in front of a hometown crowd can be. Ilke and Andre’ represented NWVT in the Summer Roller Ski series. Ilke set the example with a win early in the series setting a mark for the areas top collegiate and professional skiers.
NWVT members have been quietly working on other fronts as well. Recruiting is going well with some very exciting potential new members. Jessica filled a vacancy on the NENSA Masters Committee making inroads to help shape the Masters racing season. Bolton Valley has also been bringing things together in the off season to help with our exposure in the region.
We are the host Club for the Bolton Season Opener on December 13, 2008. There is also some talk of hosting a late season race in March. Be sure to attend the fun training series being held at Bolton with weekly Friday runs through October (schedule below). This could be a fun alternative/complement to the NWVT weekly roller ski workouts that have yet to get underway this year. This partnership is a great benefit seeing that Bolton naturally has the longest snow season, has a large multi-sport facility where we can host an event inviting our friends from around New England to ski where we train (probably at a time when many have yet to see much ski-able snow).
As usual the club has goals for this season. Most familiar and some new.
- Continue to grow as a club, as we have in the past, by getting friends together for a ski and a good time.
- Continue the focus on developing a women’s racing group, by getting interested athletes out and participating.
- Defend our title of NENSA Club Series Champions! Keeping the crown in Vermont .
- Have better communication about club events such as group skis, clinics, regular interval workouts… as well as interesting recreational events.
- Provide more incentives to club members. We would like to acknowledge your efforts and are looking
- into more ways to do so.
- Expand our focus beyond the Club Series. We should be shooting for an overall Zak Champion, as well as putting more athletes on the NENSA Elite teams.
- Make sure our club and its members are recognized and accounted for by NENSA.
We have proven we can achieve ambitious goals. We have the talent and depth get more athletes to the top. NENSA is committed to rallying the citizens of New England to stay involved in the sport as well as developing top level racers. There has been discussion about increasing the incentives for Senior and Masters racers by NENSA, and NWVT is positioned well
to take advantage of this. There is not a lot of love out there for the nordic skiing enthusiast but by taking advantage of what is being offered and having fun while doing it is a great benefit to any who participate.
Since it worked out so well last year we will start this season the same:
1. We strongly urge you to join NENSA early and make sure you sign up as a NWVT Nordic Ski Club Member. NENSA is involved in many nordic skiing activities and really work hard to put on great events that everyone can enjoy. The benefits are worth the small fee, and supporting this organization will keep our sport healthy in the future. Our Club is listed as NWVT to simplify signing up for NENSA and registering for races. This is very important if you are not listed a club member you will not score points for the team. Just print and fill out the form at https://www.nensa.net/reg/.
2. Encourage your friends to join the club, and to participate even if it is as a volunteer, touring skier or beginning racer. Remind them it is a fun club and members are always helpful and encouraging.
3. Train
This year the Zak Cup, Club Series Championship and NENSA Citizens Series will all use the same six races as follows:
1. Bogburn, classic 15k Jan. 10.
2. White Mountain Classic, classic 30k,. Jan 24 and the1-day club champ.
3. Craftsbury Marathon, classic 50k, Jan 31, 2008
4. Coastal Nordic skate 10/15k, Feb 14.
5. Flying Moose classic 20k, Feb 15.
6. Mt. Washington Cup, skate 10k, March 15, 2008
For more information on each race see the NENSA race calendar.
https://www.nensa.net/sched&result/racing_index.php. We will also be sending out reminders for these and other events throughout the season.
It is still early in the season please email comments and suggestions as to nwvtnordic@yahoo.com. We hope that everyone is motivated to get things going this winter. We will keep you posted on events to help prepare for the season such as the Bolton Training series that follows. Friday runs. anyone is welcome. Meet at 5pm, Bolton Nordic Center , Run and Hike, be ready for anything.
1.October 3- Harington's View
2. October 10- Run/ Hike to Jim Bond's look out tower at the top of Lift 4.
3. October 17- Clifhanger, Georges Gorge, Birch Loop
4. October 24- Maple Loop , Deer Run and Beaver Pond
5. October 31- Halloween- Costume Run