Far West Nordic ski educatioN associatioN • P.o. Box 10046 • truckee, ca • 96162 • WWW.FarWestNordic.org

INSIDE THIS ISSUE…“MoTHEr KNowS BEST”“oUr TraININg oaSIS”

“SUMMEr BIaTHloN”“racINg for EvEryoNE”

“NorDIc foUNTaIN of yoUTH”“TIME MaNagEMENT TraININg”

“THE NorDIc SKI JUNKIE”aND MUcH MorE, INclUDINg

THE far wEST NorDIc racE ScHEDUlE for 2012-2013!

2 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

2012/2013 Far West MeMbership ForM

MEMBErSHIP BENEfITSSUPPORTING MEMBERSHIP: These memberships are offered as a structured way for individuals and families to donate a major level of financial support to Far West Nordic. Supporting members receive all the benefits of Basic and Racing Membership.

RACING MEMBERSHIP: Offers all the benefits of Basic Member-ship, PLUS eligibility to compete and be scored in any Far West Race series: the Sierra Ski Chase competition, the Fischer Cup, and the Masters Challenge competition.

BASIC MEMBERSHIP: Benefits include ski area discounts, eligibil-ity to enroll in Far West programs and clinics at discounted member rates, eligibility to participate in the Sierra Ski Chase periodic e-mails newsletters, and access to all of our archived race results, photos, & articles. Far West Nordic members also will receive a $5 discount on registration for each of the Far West Nordic races: the 2013 Tahoe Rim Tour and the 2013 Billy Dutton Uphill.

JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP: Eligibility for Far West’s junior programs and scholarships, and participation in the Sierra Ski Chase.

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP: Includes Supporting, Racing, or Basic Membership for up to TWO adults, and Junior Memberships for in-dividuals under the age of 20. All individuals applying for a family membership must reside at the same address.

Far West Nordic dues may be tax deductible given the nature of benefits associated with membership and as we are a 501(c)(3) California Non-Profit Corporation. Please check IRS Publication 526 for more information or with

your accountant regarding your tax deductibility.

FAR WEST NORDIC SKI AREA DISCOUNTSAuburn Ski Club Far West Members Eligible for One Free Day Pass at ASC Training Center Bear Valley XC $2 off Full Day Trail Pass Valid Non-Holiday PeriodsKirkwood XC $5 off Full Day Trail Pass Valid AnytimeMt. Shasta Ski Park Donation Only Method Valid AnytimeRim Nordic (Arizona) 25% Discount off Trail Pass or Rental Valid Anytime

Royal Gorge XC Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid Midweek, Non-Holiday Period 2 for 1 pass on TuesdaysSquaw Creek Nordic $5 Off Full Day Pass Valid Anytime Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid AnytimeTahoe XC “Far West Fridays” Sandwich and Trail Pass $23 Valid any Friday 2 for 1 Pass for NEW Far West Nordic Members Valid Anytime, Once onlyTahoe Donner XC $4 Off Full Day Rate Valid AnytimeTamarack Lodge Full Day Pass for Afternoon Rate Valid Anytime

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Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 3

“DWelcoMe to “Nordic News” 2013

on’t it always seem to go…That you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone.” It’s been over 40 years since Joni wrote that, but we can still find lessons in those words today. Take, for example, last winter and the worst snow drought I can remember since the 70’s (and, please, no old age jokes). The tagline on our ACMS Middle School Nordic Team sweatshirts

said it all: “The Lost Winter.” And while many of us tried to cope with extra rollerskiing, hiking the Sierra Crest and riding our bikes through Yosemite — in JANUARY! — it still

didn’t make up for the fact that we lost much of the winter to the vagaries of our fickle weather gods.

TaBlE of coNTENTS

Mother kNoWs Best. . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4 by Paige Derdowski & Stacey Herhuskyour LittLe training oasis . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 by Emily BlackmerBiathloN iN the suMMer? . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 by Sam Zabellracing: not Just for the “eLite” . . . .Pg. 10 by Sally Jonestricks of the trade: earLy driLLs . . . Pg. 11 by Sally Jonesthe nordic fountain of youth . . .Pg. 12 by Andy Pasternaktime management training. . . . . . .Pg. 14 by JD Downinguse Your BraiN For traiNiNg. . . Pg. 16 by Kara LaPointthe nordic ski Junkie. . . . . . . . . . . .Pg. 18 by Martin Benesmasters chaLLenge/sierra ski chase Pg. 20 by Andy Pasternak and Peter Hanson

ussa suPertour FiNals . . . . . . . . . Pg. 22

2012-2013 Far West race schedule. . . Pg 23cover Photo: toM McelroY, Fall colors at tahoe doNNer xc, octoBer, 2012. Photo BY Mark Nadell

all coNteNt Photos BY Mark Nadell, WWW.MacBethgraPhics.coM (uNless otherWise sPeciFied)

“Nordic News” is a production of the Far West Nordic Ski Education Association, and is published in November every year. Copyright © 2012. Design and typesetting is

by MacBeth Graphics of Truckee. Any submissions, questions, or corrections, please contact:

Mark Nadell, Editor • mark@macbethgraphics.com

Global Warming? Perhaps. But, as they say, there’s no one weather occurrence that can be linked to Climate Change. Although having the earth’s atmosphere and oceans dramatically warming, whatever the causes, can never be a good thing for people who depend on frozen water for their recreational jollies. But, like for any downturn, the key is to be able to see the silver lining, and one of those is to recognize just how important sliding over the white stuff is to those of us who live and play in our mountain regions. And how the lack of it sure puts a damper on our endorphin and adrenalin-powered mood swings. (Not to mention our water supply and forest health).

So what do we do about it? Well, lacking the ability to immediately turn down the Earth’s thermostat a few degrees and direct the Jetstream through the center of Northern California (how provincial of us), we need to just plan bigger and better events in the expectations that things (ie., snow) will be better this season. And our region has definitely done that. The first plus for this season is the revitalization of some of our local XC ski areas. While a couple of stalwarts — Tahoe XC and Kirkwood – continue with their strong programs, two others are giving us new and higher expectations for the Winter of ‘13. Royal Gorge, now under the umbrella of Sugar Bowl Resort and the management of JoJo Toeppner, looks to be re-born this year, and Tahoe Donner is showing more and more commitment to Nordic skiing by sponsoring high level races and hiring former ASC Nordic director Sally Jones. Another exciting event is the arrival of the U.S.S.A. SuperTour Finals in April, bringing many of the top skiers in the country (and possibly even the world) here to Truckee/Tahoe. But first, we start with a new event for everybody: the Lake Tahoe Nordic Festival, scheduled for December 14-16 (details at TahoeNordicFestival.com). And, if we really want to future-trip, how about the fact that Auburn Ski Club is scheduled — again — for Junior Nationals 2015!

Now in the meantime, we just have to make sure they don’t go paving our paradise and putting up more parking lots.

Mark Nadell, Nordic News Editor

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Brandon’s early races were notable for his Michael Jordan imitation.

Even though he waited until 7th grade to start

his Nordic career, Peter has tried to make up for lost time by schooling at the Sugar Bowl Academy and

training every day.

4 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

Mother KnoWs best?

So imagine the shock and surprise when our young alpine racers told us that they wanted to quit skiing downhill and think about racing uphill instead. There came a day when our sons said that they still love to ski but they “love nordic more.” Nordic? What? Our only experience with nordic at that time was the wonderful Strider Glider program at Tahoe XC or Alder Creek’s great middle school Nordic team. These programs did a great job of providing the children with a healthy and fun after-school activi-ty. But we had no idea that this activity had planted a seed in our children’s minds and that this is what they would actually love to do to the exclusion of everything else. What caused this? Was it the fun of going off jumps without any edges on your skis or protective gear on your head? Or was it the couple of great moments in youth rac-es that gave a new feeling of success that had been more elusive in the alpine world. The success bred in them more desire. With the decision made to “do nordic,” we did not know where to go next. At times, we thought this was a crazy plan. At least one of our husbands almost had to be institu-tionalized. For him, alpine ski racing was a life-style. It was where all of our friends were and it was just what you do on weekends. Now what?

How can one really complain when your chil-dren now want to participate in what is prob-ably the healthiest sport on the planet? There are no knickers and knit sweaters—that is just in the books. But, don’t worry, there are still many new things to purchase. At first it was just the deposit for the middle school uniforms and some combi boots and a pair of fish scale skis and a pair of skate skis. “Wow, this is CHEAP!!!!” We marveled when our sons started on the middle school teams, comparing the cost of the skinny skis and bindings to their alpine counterparts.

t

middle school coaches and just procure the wax-able skis that would be a palette for them to work their artistry on. Hah! The first race on the waxable skis was a complete disaster for at least one of our kids. Klister was on everything, even in his mouth. On the base of his skis was about 3 inches of snow. They could not glide. He was al-most motionless on the downhills, with a pained expressions on his face. Many of the children, after first trying klister for the first time exclaim that their “skis sucked.” But, yet they still love nordic. (Editor’s note: I’m guessing this wasn’t on the ACMS team ;-)

Following those early years, they inevitably decided to take the sport to the next level and join a club team like Auburn Ski Club or Sugar Bowl Academy. We never even knew there was a ski club at the far end of the Boreal parking lot or there was a school teetering on the top of a crag of rocks on Donner Pass. These became veritable oases of complete nirvana for our sons, and so the fact that these places are a mere 50 miles away from Lake Tahoe, or that Sugar Bowl Academy can only be accessed by travers-ing some of the most dangerous winter passes in the country was something we conveniently chose to overlook. These teams have produced some great nordic athletes. Through Auburn Ski Club and its fearless leader coach Ben Grasses-chi (who truly is the Willy Wonka of the nordic world) and through Sugar Bowl’s strong coach-

Also, recalling that we had to have 4-5 pair of skis for alpine versus what we (naively) thought would only be two for nordic. After purchasing our nordic requirements that first year, we felt that we had won the lottery.

The next year we found out fish scales really were not going to fly at all. We would need wax-able skis. This term was very confusing since we were already putting wax on the “waxless” fish scales too. We learned that waxable meant just the wax underfoot and that there were about 57 different wax combinations that could be used depending on the temperature and type of snow. We decided not to invest in any wax that first year. Much too confusing. We would rely on the

he Tahoe Truckee area and the Far West region bear little resemblance to Norway. We do not have small children in adorable wool knit sweaters heading to school or chasing polar bears on their nordic skis, straight out of a Jan Brett novel. The children of the Tahoe Truckee area, like most kids, love speed and seek it in the cliffs of Squaw Valley or the

chutes of Sugar Bowl. They love to put on their helmets and point their skis down the hill. This all seems quite natural, given Tahoe’s alpine racing legacy.

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Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 5

ing staff led by Jeff Schloss, our sons discovered that they have an innate love for agony and physical torture on a year-round basis. It pains them to miss a workout. Whether they are biking 30 miles, running 12 miles, hill bounding, doing intervals, racing on asphalt on roller skis, they do not care. They will try to skip anything, even their own graduation, to avoid missing a prac-tice. Many days we go to them, bargaining and bribing, dreading yet another snowy drive up the summit and suggest that perhaps they might be sore or tired or want to take a day off. The an-swer is always a resounding no. And so they keep training. And there is always a van that takes them to all of these magical places and adven-tures. There are always laughs and adventures overlaying the training, so all of this hard work is cleverly disguised as fun.

We just drive. And we embarrass our kids. None of us parents can seem to figure things out, even after years of this. We are known to shout out as they get out the car, “Did you bring the right rollerblades today, honey?” “Do you have the right shoes?” Of course, they are not rollerblades, they are rollerskis and the shoes are called boots, just like in the other kind of skiing. But what do we know?

And we love to attend the races. As a Nordic mom you learn to dress in layers (lots of layers) to watch the races. And just like at the alpine races, you always say that next time you’ll re-member to bring a cowbell so you can cheer the kids on in the next race, but you never do. Where do you even buy a cowbell in Truckee? Some of the parents are very accomplished nor-dic skiers themselves. They show up in the races, sometimes even in spandex, and ski around to watch the kids at five or six different vantage points. Not us. This would require taking up our skiing a notch which is hard to do from inside the comfort of the car where we spend most of the winter. Instead, we stay bundled up and we take photos (lots of photos). Of course, these are all taken at or around the start or finish line, or in the occasional glimpse of a familiar child zip-ping past you in the trees, because there is no skiing happening on our part.

And we have come to realize that this sport really isn’t cheap after all. That was all just a big bait and switch. We learned that “Combi boots” are only for 6th graders. We need skate boots and classic boots and when you get into the race boots they cost just as much as alpine boots. We are currently researching whether there are any cases where parents have been convicted of child abuse for binding their children’s feet so they will not grow. At least one of our sons, at 14, is already butting up against the maximum shoe size offered by most boot companies.

Once our children finally figured out how to keep the snow from glomming on to the klister, they started to love the waxable skis (and all of the expensive wax that can be purchased). Then the kids told us that they also need a pair of “Ze-roes.” Wait…what? What does that mean? Well,

Zeroes are not fish scales or waxable, but these fancy little models with hair on the bases. You can only use zeroes if the temperature is perfect-ly within a three or four degree range and you have to sand them just so the little hairs stand up and create the perfect amount of friction. Our kids maybe used them twice last season. And now the ones we bought are clearly too soft. And too short. Like all the other skis for next year. We need a new pair. Pairs, probably. Maybe, if we are lucky, and Mars aligns perfectly with Neptune, we can use the Zeroes three days next season. And, in addition to the escalating numbers of skis and poles required, you will need a heart rate monitor, wind briefs, all manners of water transport and really cool sunglasses. Cha-Ching!

And as time marches on, we have learned that skiing in Tahoe is not enough. We are signing up for camps and trips and our children are trav-eling more than we do. We are convinced that they will never grace our own Thanksgiving table again. They have discovered Yellowstone and the nordic-palooza that happens there at Thanksgiv-ing every year. Trips to Oregon to chase the snow and races in Utah round things out nicely as well as the fact that this year Junior Nationals will be in Fairbanks, Alaska. Did you know there are no cruise ships that sail into Fairbanks? And you probably can’t buy a cowbell there either.

But we keep on keepin’ on because nothing can warm our hearts like the smiles we see on the faces of our children every time they get out of Willy Wonka’s van or go climbing mountains and chasing snow with their teams. Or when they are laying on the ground after a race, com-pletely spent, gasping for breath having given their all, and it is clear they are in a complete state of bliss. And we wouldn’t really trade any of it for anything.

Stacey and Paige are parents of two adorable “little” Far West Junior skiers. Peter and Brandon are both veterans of one Junior National Championship, and expect to travel to many more.

EPIlogUEJust as we were going to print, this item

was posted (about 14 times) on Facebook. It’s a clear example of some of the more severe side effects of Frazzled, Overworked, Nordic-Mom Syndome. The only known cure seems to be a week in Cabo (without the kids).“In a bizarre and ridiculous error, I put all of Brandon’s skis and bindings

in what I thought was his coach’s white truck tonight and it turned out it was someone else’s truck and now the truck is gone. We are looking for the owner of a white truck with a covered cab that had their truck

parked behind Truckee HS this evening at 6 p.m. Most likely they don’t even realize the skis are in there yet. We put them right in on top of their mountain bike! We put skis in the back to be mounted and bindings up front. Found out it was the wrong truck.

Please help!!!”

“Found them. Whew!”

our little training oasis?Truckee/Tahoe Becomes the

College Skiers’ Go-To Destination for Great Summer Training

By Emily Blackmer

and Donner Lake, and saw fireworks over iconic Lake Tahoe and from Donner Summit. I spent my days with the constant feeling of being a kid in a candy shop: I get to spend my whole summer here? You’re kidding, right? Nope. Not kidding. I guess I’m just another Eastern girl wined and dined by—and falling for—Truckee, Tahoe, and the Sierra Nevada. And I even began to accept the rigor of the Drifter Time Trial by the end of the summer, too—who doesn’t enjoy running up-hill at 7000 feet? (I know I do ;-)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I’m now back in the East at school. Just a few

days ago, I mentioned to a new girl on my team that I had spent the summer training in Truckee. “Oh yeah,” she said knowingly. “I heard you train hard out there.”

I’ll say. In 8 1/2 weeks in Truckee, I trained far more, and with far more focus, than I ever had before in my life. That was the point of the sum-mer, of course: to see what I might be able to accomplish if I applied myself to ski racing in a way that I never had before. By and large, the jury is still out; it’s only Autumn here in New Hampshire, we’re still a ways from real snowfall. However, all the signs are pointing in the right direction. When Dartmouth practice started up, I came to workouts feeling fitter and more con-fident that I ever had before. Sure, part of that

students. This means that we don’t have a lot of money and that a singular focus on ski training may not be feasible. There is a bit of irony here. Though I am partially employed doing research for folks back in New Hampshire, I was not very successful at finding employment in Truckee. However, Mom, Dad, & Co. generously agreed to sponsor what will probably be my final summer of ski training. Thankfully, Martin had done a wonderful job of keeping costs low by providing transportation to training and finding homes for us and other inexpensive living arrangements. It was certainly much easier to convince my par-ents that training was a better idea than a job when a summer in California proved to be af-fordable.

And finally there was Truckee itself. I never competed at Junior Nationals here, but friends who did told me stories of perfect weather and beautiful mountain views. Sounds good, right? But Truckee was even better than I had an-ticipated. I spent my days running through the mountains on the Pacific Crest Trail, at Don-ner Summit, and at Squaw Valley. Alternately, I found myself rollerskiing through Tahoe Na-tional Forest; I think training at Boca Reservoir provides some of the best rollerski vistas I’ve ever had. Or is it the views of Donner Lake on the way up Old 40? I can’t decide. I cooled off in Boca

am an Eastern girl at heart. Well, a New Hampshire girl, if we’re going to be specific. I was born and raised near the state’s capital and I’ve spent the past three years at Dartmouth College in the small town of Hanover. So when I decided that I wanted to focus on ski training last summer, I knew that I was due for a westward adventure. It was time to see the country a little bit. Dartmouth attracts its fair share of Westerners, and my Western friends heap high praise on their home states. I’ve heard legends of endless sunshine, negligible humidity, rugged mountain ranges out the back door, and in the winter, extra blue wax every day and more snow than you know what to do with.

i

6 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

So I was easily sold on the West, but where exactly was I going to spend my summer? Boul-der? Sun Valley? Bozeman? Bend? In addition to endless sunshine and backyard mountains, I was looking for a strong training group with girls who would push me in workouts and a knowl-edgeable coach who could help me achieve my goals. I walked onto Dartmouth’s Development Team with no aspirations of Carnival racing, but after a very successful season last winter, I started looking to compete for Carnival starts in 2013. In order to have a real shot, I knew that I would need to improve overall fitness and strength and specifically my skate technique. I talked to my Dartmouth coach, Cami Thompson Graves, and contacted several coaches at her suggestion. Among them was Far West and Sug-ar Bowl Academy coach Martin Benes, who had worked at Dartmouth prior to my arrival. Cami knew that Martin had recently started a summer training group for college skiers. Little did she know, it was going to be a great fit.

In addition to Cami’s recommendation and the promise of a strong group of girls, several things drew me to the Far West Residency Program and a summer of training in Truckee. I appreciated Martin’s suggestion that athletes look for part-time work. It’s a realistic perspective: dedicated athletes though we may be, we are also college

Blackmer and Drifter. A match made in heaven.

Emily and her college buddies at a bit more

enjoyable running event:

The Truckee Firecracker Mile.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 7

comes from being a senior—but not all of it. I knew that I had put in the hard work over the course of the summer, and I was eager to see what would come of it. So far, only good things have come. I have set a handful of PRs in our regular tests and time trials, and on most days I am able to push myself with the strongest girls on the team. I think that Martin would be par-ticularly pleased to know that I crushed my pre-vious push-up scores (we did a lot of push-ups this summer). It is very exciting to see these signs of progress. For me, there is nothing more re-warding than hard work paying off. That’s one of the reasons that I love training; hard work does actually pay off.

It’s a good thing that I don’t mind hard work, because there hasn’t been any shortage of it this fall. After a summer of ski training and “fun-employment,” I’d forgotten the demands of balancing school and training. It is a continual challenge to try to be both the best student and the best skier that I can be. There are classes, labs, homework, studying and papers, and there are also practices, lifts, stretching, recovery, and sleep. I am reminded what a privilege it was to spend my summer focused on only one thing. And that one thing happened to be playing outside, in the mountains, with a great group of people, doing something I love, everyday—at that point, you know you’re lucky.

It’s hard to believe that it has been over three months since I first experienced the delights of

living and training in the Tahoe area and over two months since I left. As I write this, I waver on the brink of nostalgia, recollecting beautiful hikes in the Tahoe Basin, long rollerskis at Boca, swims in Donner, and post-OD meals at Tacos Jalisco with a big group of friends. I almost even miss Drifter Time Trail (just kidding—I don’t think I’ll ever miss the Drifter TT). However, I think that I’m too eager for winter to be truly nostalgic. The ground has been painted with brilliant red and yellow leaves and mornings have been de-lightfully crisp. Pretty soon my rollerski ferrules will begin to scratch over the pavement, and even though that is really annoying, it is a sign of good things to come. I’m eager for the snow to fall and the ski season to begin. Not only will I be ready to test my preparation, but I’ll also be ready to catch up with—and go head to head against—my friends and training partners from the summer we spent in Truckee. Emily Blackmer is a rising senior at Dartmouth College where she studies anthropology and has a particular interest in environmental issues. In addition to ski training and racing, she loves playing in the mountains (obviously), reading books, food (both cooking and eating!), and outdoor adventuring with friends.

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2013 FISCHER CUPDecember 23, 2012 • Snowshoe Thompson Classic

@ Auburn Ski ClubJanuary 13, 2013 • Alpenglow Freestyle Race

@ Tahoe Cross CountryJanuary 21, 2013 • TDXC Skogsloppet

@ Tahoe Donner Cross CountryJanuary 27, 2013 • Tahoe Rim Tour

@ North Tahoe High SchoolFebruary 10, 2013 • Paco’s Valentine’s Race

@ Tahoe Donner Cross CountryFebruary 18, 2013 • President’s Day Freestyle

@ Auburn Ski ClubMarch 3, 2013 • The Great Ski Race

@ Tahoe Cross Country

A trio of Summer Biathletes in standing position at Auburn Ski Club

8 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

All of this progress is the result of hundreds of hours put in by coaches Glenn Jobe, Tom McElroy, Joel Chew, Carol Schick, along with the Club’s Bill Clark, Sally Jones and dozens of volun-teers, culminating in hosting the 2012 U.S. Sum-mer Biathlon National Championships at Auburn Ski club this past August. This event has brought Auburn Ski Club into the focus of the national

biathlon community and with it has come incredible potential for Auburn Ski Club bi-athlon.

The Summer Biathlon National Champi-onship was a series of three races held on consecutive days. There was a mass start race, a sprint race, and a pursuit with men’s and women’s divisions in all age catego-ries. For the fifth time in his career, Douglas Hoover of Williamsburg, Pennsylvania took first place overall for the men’s division, closely edging out Marc Shepard of West Yellowstone, Montana. Phillip Violett, a member of the Far West Nordic Farm Team, took fourth place overall. In the women’s division, Britt Cogan of Mammoth Lakes took top honors, followed by Raylene Chew, a member of the Auburn Ski Club junior biathlon team, in second place.

By hosting the 2012 Summer Biathlon Na-tionals, Auburn Ski Club is now prominent in the minds of biathletes around the country when they think of biathlon clubs and programs, both summer and winter. Summer Nationals drew

competitors from New England, the South, the Rockies, Alaska, and the National Guard team. It is large-scale events such as these that serve to put Auburn Ski Club and biathlon in the Far West region on the map. Many of the athletes who competed in the event had no knowledge of Auburn Ski Club or the Far West region prior to this event. For most, the only reason they dis-covered Auburn Ski Club’s programs at all was

How the Summer Biathlon National Championships can put Winter Biathlon in the Sierra on the MapBy Sam Zabell

a

biathlon in the suMMer?

few years ago, Auburn Ski Club, its biathlon program, and biathlon in Far West in general were unknown to much of the national biathlon community. All we had were a few target boards against a snow bank. Now, Auburn Ski Club has gained attention from biathletes around the country and is looking to install the only permanent biathlon range on the west coast. Their programs have grown exponentially over the last few years in all areas, from clinic attendance to now having a junior biathlon team and a sizable group of dedicated master skiers.

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Thia Siphron of Los Angeles competing in the 2012 USBA Summer Biathlon National

Championships at Auburn Ski Club

Not many of us can claim to be the veteran of over 6 years of Biathlon racing at age 15. The author racing at ASC in 2006.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 9

by simply following the Summer Nationals. “My coach has been going to Summer Na-tionals for many years and he encouraged me to come this year,” said Annie Jehle, a junior biathlete from West Yellowstone, Montana. “I had no idea that anybody from Truckee did biathlon or had a program.”

The event overall was a huge success and will likely draw more biathletes to the Far West region in the future. The ultimate goal of installing a permanent range at Auburn Ski Club and hosting national level races will mean that Far West can become a hub of biathlon competition. A year-round, per-manent range would ensure that Auburn Ski Club will gain bids for high-profile events both summer and winter, and be able to at-tract a large number of athletes from around the country. “Having a permanent range at ASC will allow us to have practices and races regularly without having to set up and take down the range for each workout or event. With construction of a permanent range, ASC will have the only range in Far West available for bi-athlon practice and racing on a consistent basis, which will support the contin-ued growth of the sport in our area,” said Glenn Jobe, head coach of the biathlon program. Details on Biath-lon and the fundraising ef-fort to make this possible can be found here: http://auburnskiclub.com/nordic/biathlon/

An interest in biathlon locally is also a big part of having a successful winter program, and Sum-mer Nationals has helped greatly on that front. By hosting a novice race as part of the race se-ries, along with numerous winter novice clinics, more local athletes have been drawn to biath-lon. If we can create an interest locally, we can drastically increase participation in our events which will help us to move forward. “The ASC biathlon program has been growing steadily over the past 2 years. Hosting the summer nationals brought more attention to the program both nationally and locally which will help in its con-tinued growth and sustainability,” Jobe said. The novice race at Summer Nationals had over 20 participants from Truckee, the Bay Area, Mon-tana, and New York. By generating this type of interest in the sport, we can help to expand the national biathlon community as well as recruit new members to our junior, senior, and master teams. Auburn Ski Club also hosts several other pro and novice citizen biathlon races including the Chuck Lyda Memorial Summer Biathlon and the 10th Mountain Division Winter Biathlon. Over the past few years, Auburn Ski Club biath-lon programs have experienced a spike in partici-

pation. Summer Nationals have contributed greatly to the con-tinuation of that spike, driving progress toward expansion of Auburn Ski Club biathlon pro-grams and facilities. “I think that Summer Nationals, and summer biathlon in general, is a great way to attract people to the sport,” Annie Jehle com-mented. “Some people may not know how to ski, but everyone knows how to run.”

The key to expansion of biathlon in Far West is to consistently attract athletes from other regions to our events, and the 2012 U.S. Sum-mer Biathlon National Championships has done just that. It has established Auburn Ski Club as a unique venue that offers a wide array of condi-tions, excellent shooting, and the challenge of high altitude. If they are able to build a perma-nent range at Auburn Ski Club, the biathlon pro-grams can only grow. Through having a strong and dedicated group of biathletes both in the Far West division as well as biathletes from around the country, Auburn Ski Club can be recognized as a center of biathlon nationally. In the mean-time, the further development of the programs coupled with attracting new biathlete, local, and non-local, will continue to drive Far West biathlon into the future. Annie Jehle states, “I will definitely tell all of my ski friends and peo-ple I know around the country who do biathlon about Truckee. The courses are great and I would like to come to another biathlon here.”Sam Zabell is one of those uncommon Junior athletes that not only knows how to write, but also how to s-p-e-l-l. He currently studies and skis at the Sugar Bowl Academy on Donner Summit, and is a veteran of 3 Junior National XC Championships at the tender age of 15.

10 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

not Just For the ”elite”Citizen Racing WILL Make You a Better Skier — If you DareBy Sally Jones

i often hear skiers comment that they are not good enough to race! Or that they just aren’t competitive! Sorry folks, but neither of those excuses fly! The good folks at Far West Nordic would love to see those myths dispelled and see more skiers taking advantage of what Citizens XC ski racing has to offer.

in Wisconsin and the Boulder Mountain Tour in Idaho are other examples of huge numbers of “citizens” who set out to achieve personal goals, not to mention the hundreds of races in Europe featuring thousands of skiers.

If you get the chance this season go and watch a middle school or high school race, and you cannot help but be inspired by a couple hundred kids out pushing themselves while hav-ing fun on the trails. Just like in citizen races, some of these racers are incredibly competitive, training vigorously year-round to battle with the lead pack to take the top spot, or to qualify for a team or series points. But others are simply in it for the fun, the exercise, the motivation to im-prove, to be part of the ski community, and hang with their friends.

I’m always a strong proponent for getting some expert advice to help tune up technique. We are lucky to have some great P.S.I.A. Certified Instructors at our local resorts who offer private lessons to meet your needs. Also check out ski training groups like the Auburn Ski Club’s Thurs-day and Saturday Masters Training sessions.

There are races offered on most weekends at various resorts. Distances vary from 5km (an op-tion at Auburn Ski Club’s races) to a full 42km Marathon in Mammoth Lakes in the Spring. More commonly, most races are 10km to 15km for adults. The race calendar on the back page lists distances and whether the race is classic style (traditional kick and glide) only, or freestyle

where you can either skate or classic.

A couple of my favorites are the Snowshoe Thompson Classic at Auburn Ski Club, which is one of the oldest ski races in the West (honor-ing the Gold rush era mail carrier who skied the mail across the Sierra Nevada). As well as being a U.S. Ski Association sanctioned junior national qualifier race this year, this race is always a great warm up for the season — whether you are strid-ing on waxless skis or racing on the latest fast wax.

Like the Great Ski Race, Far West Nordic’s Tahoe Rim Tour is also a “must do” for those who like longer distance “point-to-point” events. The Rim Tour is unique in that it encourages racers and tourers to enter with divisions for classic and freestyle skiers, and even snowshoers. Starting on the trails at Tahoe XC in Tahoe City and finishing at Northstar resort, it traverses some beautiful terrain, and organizers even offer shuttle buses back to your car.

And the season would not be complete with-out the famous Billy Dutton Uphill Challenge in April, a fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Junior teams. Like the Squaw Mountain Run in August, the BDU climbs from the base of Squaw up to High Camp — 2000 feet of vertical in just over 3 miles! Participants can ski, snowshoe, or even run if the snow is firm enough.

So talk to your skiing friends and motivate them to join you in tuning up your skills and en-tering a race or two this season.

First off, citizens races are not just for the hard core, elite racer. Far from it. Every week during the winter, all over the world, thousands of skiers of all levels line up on the start line not ex-pecting to win a medal or set any world records. We see that kind of spirit at our own Great Ski Race in March, where many folks dust of their skis for the first time that season & ski from Tahoe City to Truckee alongside a thousand other like-minded folks. Yes, the party at the end is a big draw, as is the opportunity to support Tahoe Search and Rescue, but more so, I suspect, is the personal challenge to ski 30 kilometers and potentially cut a few minutes off from the previous year. The American Birkebiner

All ages and abilities of skiers can enjoy racing at events

like Far West Nordic’s Bronze Rush at Royal Gorge.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 11

Starting off the season with some basic drills is time well-spent in order tune in your balance and coordination. We are usually so excited to get back on skis that we race out and start re-inforcing our old bad habits, without taking the time to re-visit the basics.

I’m sure we all remember the lack of snow last December and January — very frustrating for us skier types — but while many skiers grumbled and headed out on running shoes or bikes, the coaches at Auburn Ski Club were secretly de-lighted to have the time to share with their mas-ters training group some of the “dry land” drills they used all summer with the juniors.

We all know (I hope!) that we can’t learn to ski by reading an article — and nothing beats prac-tice under the watchful eye of a skilled instruc-tor or coach — but we are wiling to share some of the “secrets” of early season drills to help you get started this season.

BalaNcE, BalaNcE, BalaNcE! So much of skiing efficiency is reliant on be-

ing able to balance on one ski at a time. As your single ski balance improves, longer gliding and more powerful propulsion become possible in both skating and classic.

Take the time to practice standing on one leg whenever you get the chance. In the shower, in the grocery line, in front of the TV, etc. Seek to find the ‘sweet spot’ of balance by dropping your attention low into your hips and through your feet to find a relaxed, balanced stance (be as-sured it is possible — it just takes practice!).

Spend some time when you are out on snow balancing on one ski. Use a hill, a few strides or skates or double poles for momentum, and practice gliding longer, noticing if you can pur-posefully put your other ski down rather than it catching your balance.

alIgNMENTBalance will be much easier, less energy will

be used, and your propulsion so much more ef-ficient if your body is aligned on your bones rather than held by muscles.

Use a mirror to check your alignment and notice any leaning or twisting that may be hin-dering efficiency. Think of how the bones on a skeleton naturally hang in alignment.

Once aware of how you tend to twist and com-pensate to try to stay balanced, you can catch yourself when skiing. Slow it down; spend time on one ski at a time and practice relaxed alignment.

aTHlETIc STaNcEAnother term that coaches love to emphasize:

skiing with an athletic stance allows our move-ments be relaxed and dynamic.

What we are referring to is being willing to flex our ankles so our hips are over our feet. Bend just your knees and see how your hips drop back, which will significantly slow you down on the uphills. The ability to align and balance your hips over your feet rather than back allows your center of mass to move you forward with mini-mal energy.

Similarly stiffen your legs and notice how ev-erything stiffens and power and glide reduces. Engaging our core so our movement initiates from our power source, not from our smaller arm and leg muscles, means less fatigue and faster travel.

To get a sense of this, try double poling just using your arms, compared to initiating the power with a small crunch at the core. Less obvi-ous, but just as important is to initiate leg move-ments from the core too.

So get out there on the snow when you can, but make sure to take some time to practice some of these very basic drills and exercises. Your body will thank you all throughout the season.Sally Jones is a long-time Far West Nordic Board Member and coach, and is the new Manager at Tahoe Donner Cross Country. Despite her upbringing and education in a foreign country, we’ve found that she has an excellent command of the English language in her teachings.

tricKs oF the tradeEarly Season Drills Make you a Better Skier throughout the Winterby Sally Jones

U.S. Ski Team member Andrew Newell demonstrates perfect body position drills at a clinic at Northstar in 2011.

12 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

aThis study compared nine lifelong endurance

athletes from Sweden, all over 80 years old. The athletes primarily participated in track and field, orienteering and…..(surprise) cross-country ski-ing and they each had over 50 years of consistent exercise with no more than a 6-month break at any time. Over that time, they averaged 8-hrs/exercise week (range 3-20). They compared these Swedish gentlemen with a similarly aged cohort from Muncie, Indiana who did little to no exer-cise on a regular basis.

But first, a quick aside: as we age, a number of things happen that cause us to get a bit slower. First off, your VO2 max (a measurement of es-sentially how well your body gets oxygen to the muscle, often described as how big your “motor” is) does decrease over time. This decrease usu-ally occurs at a rate of about 5-10% per decade. Secondly, our mitochondria, the “power plants” in the muscle cells that create energy lose their efficiency. Finally, with aging, we tend to lose overall muscle mass and we especially lose the fast twitch muscle fibers that generate high power and short bursts of strength and speed.

Now back to the study. Because you are astute readers of the Far West Nordic News, you won’t be surprised to learn that the athletic group per-formed better on a variety of measures including VO2 max, daily step counts, ventilatory efficien-cy and mitochondrial function (muscle activity at the cellular level). When you look specifically

FinDing the norDic FouNtaiN oF Youth“We don’t stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing.”

By Andy Pasternak

ccording to legend, Juan Ponce de Leon sailed to Florida in the early 1500’s to search for the elusive “Fountain of Youth.” Perhaps Señor Ponce de Leon would have been better off visiting our neck of the woods, strapping on a pair of skinny skis and touring the Sierra Nevada. As the population of the US of A ages, we’re beginning to see more and more examples of the continued benefits of exercise in people in their seventies, eighties and beyond. One of my personal favorites, Fauja Singh, a.k.a. the Turbaned Tornado,

became the first 100 year old to complete a marathon in 2011. A recent study out of Ball State University once again demonstrates the importance of life-long exercise.

Four of the toughest ski racers in the country. From Left: Ulrich Luscher (80); Jack Wilson (76); John Goodman (77); Arthur Sable (82)

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Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 13

at the physiologic data from these athletic oc-togenarians, what’s really amazing is how their data compares to younger people.

For example in the athletic group, the average maximal heart was around 160 beats per minute (average for an 80 year old is usually around 140 according to the 220-age model). On their VO2 max tests, they ranged from 34-42 ml/kg/min, roughly double that of their sedentary counter-parts and about average for a 40 year old man.

To be fair, this study did select a group of fair-ly elite athletes, including a two time Olympic champion. With some back-calculations, the re-searchers estimated that athletic octogenarians VO2 max had probably dropped about 5-7% per decade, similar to drops seen to previous studies. There are mixed results in studies that show the effect of exercise on the percent decline in V02 max over time. What is clear, however, is that people who exercise have higher absolute V02 max levels at younger and older ages

As I mentioned, as we age, the ability of our mitochondria to generate power does decrease. What’s even more important is that in sedentary adults over the age of 80, there is a true “use it or lose it” phenomenon. In older people, once their mitochondria become less efficient, that change does not appear to be reversible with training. Doing strength training and speed training also seems to help older athletes maintain more of their fast twitch muscle fibers and retain more overall muscle mass.

Bottom line: Stay active at every age, my friends!

(P.S. If you are interested to see how your VO2 max stacks up against these Swedish ath-letes, Silver Sage Sports Performance now has the same ParvoMed VO2 max system used in this study and used at Olympic training facilities. Go to silversagecenter.com for more details). Dr. Andy Pasternak owns Silver Sage Sports Performance Center in Reno, is an active racer on the Far West Nordic circuit, and is one of Far West’s strongest supporters.

And the Queen of Far West Nordic Ski Racing, the ever-smiling 75 year

old Helga Sable.

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14 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

tiMe MaNageMeNt trainingThree Tips for Nordic Fitness SuccessBy JD Downing

tIf we accept that busy masters are going to have vastly different perspectives and approaches to

training, the key then is finding some common elements that can make every master more orga-nized and efficient with the time that we do have to put into the sport.

STEP oNE: aDvaNcED PlaNNINg

There simply is no better way to get more bang for your training buck than having a written plan for your training year. However, there is a great deal of latitude in how you go about this critical first step. Some masters will benefit from detailed charts that lay out precise hourly goal targets for every training month, every week, with progress monitored weekly throughout the year. Others are better off with a basic weekly model (i.e. Tuesday & Thursday: strength; Wednesday: intensity; Saturday/

Sunday: distance) that they then modify to fit the training period.

Bottom line: Whatever plan works for you is the best plan for you. The key is to simply have a plan in the first place.

Helpful Tips: For the super busy, take 10 min-utes and write in the various workout types on your daily work/activity planner about 1-2 months ahead of time. Also try and write in hourly targets for each week. As you get to each week, take 5 minutes and write in locations and possible training partners for each session.

STEP Two: rIDE THE lIfE rIvErI’m not much of a whitewater paddler but

I like the analogy of a typical masters training year being similar to a river rafting trip. You’ll have periods of flatwater (easy going) and you’ll also have rapids. Occasionally you will have to portage around obstacles that would otherwise do you in. In terms of training efficiency, I’ve found athletes have much easier (and satisfying) training years when they allow “life’s river” to take the lead in dictating a fair amount of the how, why, when, where, etc. in any plan. This as opposed to fighting the situation and trying to “force feed” a certain number of hours or types of workouts when your life just can’t accommo-date that demand at that given time.

Make no mistake, however, you are still in charge of the overall goal! Your goal of top 20% at the National or World Masters or finishing with a PR in a major ski marathon is still the

guiding force pushing you to ride this particular stretch of “river.” The point is to allow yourself to be creative, innovative, and flexible when it comes to how you are going to reach your desti-nation given the challenges at hand.

An example: Jim works for himself and has isolated periods where his job demands the working of 10-14 hour days. During these heavy work weeks, he is lucky to get in just a few hours of training. On the plus side, Jim is often reward-ed for the heavy work weeks with the luxury of periods with a relatively open schedule where he can train for several hours on a midweek day in addition to weekends. He also can incorporate “mini-camps” where he fills occasional weekends or even short vacations with loads of workout time.

Going back to the river analogy, the heavy work periods would be Jim’s rapids and the light periods the “calm water.” To maximize training efficiency, Jim needs to not only accept these periods but actively plan training around them. If he knows he is coming up to a big work week, he needs to figure out how to get in bigger training hours before and/or after that binge. He also needs to relax and enjoy the couple hours he can get in during his monster work period. It is notable that this same “life’s river” approach can be utilized with other challenges such as illness, injury, family, school, etc..

Bottom line: Efficiency is relative to the situ-ation you are in. By learning how to ride the life

he time available for adult skiers for general ski fitness or event training runs the gamut from “almost none” to “more than some” for elite

20-somethings. In the same fitness class or training group it is possible to have a mother of three trying to squeeze in 4 training hours per week, a CEO that can train 15 hours one week and barely 3 hours the next week, and a retiree that averages 10 hours every week of the year. Amazingly, all these situations could be ideal for the individual at the time!

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and training river, you’ll eventually get to the point where you can anticipate rough spots and plan ahead so that you’ll come out just as strong as if everything had gone perfectly.

STEP THrEE: THE MUlTI-HEaDED worKoUT MoNSTEr

In my college XC fitness classes I have devel-oped a reputation for leading fast-paced work-outs that are constantly incorporating different training elements. It is not unusual for a single 90 minute workout to incorporate weights, roll-erboards, wind machines, field circuits, ski imi-tation drills, balance/agility/coordination drills, light plyometrics (spenst), and even a few min-utes of technique refreshers. The fundamental reason I try to cram so many different elements into every workout is that I know full well that many adults lack the background or patience to do all the various “little things” that make up a good training program. You can read about dif-ferent drills and exercises until the cows come home, but most of the time it is just easier to go out for a basic run or bike ride. Maybe tack on some sit-ups at the end.

Multi-headed monster workouts are a great way to make your XC training more efficient pri-marily because they recognize both time limi-tations as well as limited tolerance for complex workouts/training methods. For the majority of performance skiers, it is simply unrealistic to ex-pect the level of day-in, day-out specificity that you can read about in World Cup skier blogs. Yet it is perfectly possible for masters to toss in small doses of specific training into more basic activi-ties and really profit out on the ski trails.

For example, if you live near a park or school with a decent 5 minute running or walking loop, you have a perfect setting for multi-headed workouts. Try doing a 5 minute run or walk loop and stop after each loop at a playground, picnic area, or other structure for 1-2 minutes of body resistance strength stations. If you need more strength time than cardio, stop halfway thru each loop as well so you get double the strength time. If there’s a short grass or dirt slope nearby,

you can also toss in a few reps of hill bounds or ski walking.

Bottom line: Think of these workouts operat-ing the same way as multivitamins do in your diet. Even if you aren’t getting enough such-and-such mineral via foods, you at least can get it in via the multi-vitamin.

Taken individually, these tips can seem fairly self-evident, but if you have a detailed plan, whether written or just formulated in your mind, your workouts — and your ski performance — will show great gains throughout the year.

John “JD” Downing grew up in South Lake Tahoe as one of the top Junior skiers in the Far West, and has moved on in his “adult” life to become one of the most respected coaches in the sport. Based in Bend, Oregon, he runs the xcskiworld.com website and is head of the American Cross Country Skiers Association (AXCS) for Masters skiers. And, as evidenced by the photo above, still quite the ski racer.

JD can still bring it, winning the 27 kilometer Freestyle distance at the 2012 North American Vasa race in Traverse City, Michigan.

(Photo by Jan-Michael Stump, Traverse City Record-Eagle)

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16 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

use Your BraiN!Your Mind is your Most Important Muscle for TrainingBy Kara Lapoint

t raining for endurance sports is a complex process. We create comprehensive peaking plans to ensure we’re in prime shape for our big event. We make sure these plans target different aspects of our physical fitness, considering each muscle group and the ways our body might be tested on race day. But perhaps the most important “muscle” we should be considering, and training — and one that often gets overlooked — is our mind. The

importance of the mind for an athlete truly cannot be overstated.

As athletes, our mind can be our greatest source of power and strength, or it can be our greatest source of self-destruction. It can make or break a race, and ultimately make or break an athlete. The mind is the great divider at times when we are most tested, separating the typi-cal strong competitor from the truly exceptional. The mind is the cause of many of sport’s greatest “upsets,” allowing less talented or physically fit athletes to prevail, or causing even the strongest to fall apart.

I am confident I have beaten people much

stronger, more talented and more physically prepared than me in races strictly because I was stron-ger in my mind. I was more men-tally prepared, and when the going really got tough and it came time to rely on mental strength, I came out on top. Specifically, I was more willing to suffer, more ready to push myself through the pain of race day, and most importantly, more able to control my thoughts and keep my

Kara Lapoint showing her

exceptional focusing skills while racing at 2011 Classic Sprint at

Auburn Ski Club.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 17

mind in a positive place. Of course, I’ve also fall-en victim to my mind at times, letting negative thoughts take over and get the better of me. In these cases, I wasn’t mentally prepared.

By nature, endurance sports are a test of will; a “mental game.” This is why we, as endurance athletes, are often called “slightly insane.” We have to be able to be comfortable with pain, and even embrace it, knowing it’s making us stronger or helping us to prevail. And through that pain, we must remain powerful in our minds, so they keep us pushing out of our comfort zone, rather than holding us back.

Four-time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington wrote in an article for CNN Health this July that, “Discomfort is little more than a conversation between your body and your brain…” We need to acknowledge the truth of this connection, and just how powerfully our minds can impact our bodies and change our physical outcomes as athletes. More importantly, we need to be sure we are able to control the outcome of this “conversation.”

To succeed as athletes, we must teach our minds how to respond effectively when we’re hurting. There is no other way to learn this les-son than by arriving at this place of discomfort in training; by making it hurt, and teaching ourselves what to do in that moment. This way, when we get to those pivotal moments in our race, both our bodies and minds can say, “I’ve been here before, and I know just what to do.”

So don’t wait until your big day to test and train your mind. If you haven’t hit that point of discomfort before, and you haven’t practiced that mind-to-body “conversation,” how will you know what to do when you get there? Just like training your body, practice makes perfect. Ex-periment with different mental approaches and reactions, and figure out what works for you. Perhaps it’s a certain mantra you need to con-tinually repeat (I’ve got several of these tucked away). Maybe you are someone who benefits from trying to find a “happy place” in your mind, or learning how to just “shut if off,” and let it all go. Maybe you’re someone who prefers to stay focused and aware of how your body is feeling. Maybe, like me, you do best when you just smile and enjoy the ride. We are all different, and our minds work and respond in different ways. The important thing is to understand yours, and to know how to make it work for you.

So keep in mind as you’re out there putting in the hours to strengthen your body that you must work to strengthen your mind as well. Don’t ne-glect your most powerful asset. Train it, use it, and make your mind your greatest strength. You may be surprised just how far it can take you.Kara Lapoint is a frequent contributor to Nordic News. A former top Junior competitor for Far West, she has gone on to become one of the top amateur triathletes in the world, finishing second in her age class at last month’s XTERRA World Championships in Hawaii.

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The skiing is out there...

t

coNFessioNs oF a norDic sKi JunKie

by Martin Benes

My Life on YouTube

18 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

how I spend my days.

In addition, I can only assume I will spend the off-season contributing to comment chains on the same websites. I will make erudite contribu-tions to discussion boards regarding the best lo-cal CatSki terrain, how to build your own roller-board, and who the next great North American Nordic skier will be. Occasionally, these com-ments will be crotchety, thinly veiled rants of how today’s juniors aren’t tough enough. (Just wanted to give you all fair warning of what’s coming.)

I know that I am already well on my way to this level of…enthusiasm. But, the bottom-line is that I am totally fine with it. When I realized that I had found videos of Thomas Alsgaard’s current strength workouts, I was really excited. I proceeded to try it out myself before putting some of the Farm Teamers through the routine.

I have probably seen videos of Petter Nor-thug’s sprint finish at least a thousand times, and yet it never gets old. Ever since he exploded onto the scene at the 2007 World Champion-ships in Sapporo with a stunning relay anchor leg, he has been as thrilling to watch as any athlete. YouTube is filled with clip after clip of stunning finishes from Petter Northug. It is a joy to watch.

At this point, dear reader, you are probably wondering how you can become such a junkie of Nordic skiing. Either that, or you are wondering what’s for dinner. Unfortunately, I can only help with the former, so here are a few simple steps on how you, too, can become a Nordic Ski Junkie.

he realization comes suddenly. I have spent the last hour and a half lying on a couch with my laptop on my stomach. In that time I have watched

approximately eight different videos of Thomas Alsgaard doing various strength exercises, multiple videos of Thomas Wassberg skiing (including three different ones of his .01 second victory over Juha Mieto), and some brief highlights of Aino-Kaisa Saarinen. The realization is this: I am a Nordic Ski Junkie.

If you did not recognize any of the names above, I would recommend you look them up on the internets. Note: Wassberg and Mieto may also be found in a compendium of Great Sports-men and their Beards. Alsgaard, though retired from the World Cup circuit, continues to be one of the smoothest skiers you’ll ever see. And if you’re still not sure what an Aino-Kaisa Saarinen is… Well, fear not, she is a Finnish skier and for-mer World Champion.

Thinking back, I realized that I have been on this road for some time. I remember watching videos of races at the 1999 World Champion-ships in Ramsau, Austria on VHS. I had most of the race pretty well memorized; yet it was excit-ing every single time. Watching Thomas Alsgaard come from behind in the 15 km Freestyle pursuit to edge Mika Myllylä by less than 1 second has stuck with me forever. There was also the time I went to the “worldwide” premier of Andy New-ell’s X-Ski Films release in West Yellowstone. It was pretty good, with the obvious highlight be-ing a sing-a-long with Willie Nelson scene.

As the Internet becomes inundated with more and more websites devoted to Nordic skiing, I can see my future, even if it is a little blurry. It is

only a matter of time before I am waking up at 2 A.M. to watch live streaming of World Cup races. I will then presumably spend the rest of the day caffeine-fueled and bleary-eyed, reading race recaps on FasterSkier and its ilk. Actually, that last sentence is already a pretty ac-curate description of

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 19

First off, there are a few websites you will need to check regularly. The most important one to keep up on is FasterSkier. Starting in October, you should check up on this at least three times a day, sometimes more on World Cup race week-ends. You should also check JohnnyKlister daily, in addition to skierssaywhat.tumblr.com. These three sites will provide you your daily dose of results, insider Nordic jokes, and breaking Nordic news. If you are feeling extra Canadian for some reason, feel free to check in on SkiTrax from time to time. In addition, I would recommend finding several athlete blogs to follow along with— don’t worry, everyone has one.

Next, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the US Ski Team. It is important to note that you should only refer to the ski teamers by a single name. Liz Stephen, Simi Hamilton, and Andy Newell will become Liz, Simi, and Newell, respec-tively. Kris Freeman may be referred to, simply, as “Bird.” Do not question why. Noah Hoffman should be only referenced as “Hoff,” or if you are the reverential type, “The Hoff.”

Lastly, follow World Cup skiing. It is entertain-ing. Figure out who your favorites are. Past and present. Learn if you are a Dario or a Petter fan. Justyna or Marit. Watch races and highlights of races that have already happened. And then do it again. And again. Wonder aloud how Petter Northug is so fast. Ask how long it will be before Devon Kershaw will be faster.

You should do this because it is fun, it is en-tertaining, and most importantly, because I will need someone to talk to on the message boards. Martin Benes grew up in the Far West Nordic world as a Junior racer, and had a successful career at Bates College as both an athlete and assistant coach. He is currently an assistant coach at the Sugar Bowl Academy. He also seemingly has a lot of computer-watching time on his hands.

You can just call him “Bird.” Kris Freeman at Northstar XC in 2011

www.royalgorge.com800.500.3871

America’s Largest Cross Country Ski ResortROYAL GORGE RISING!

There’s a new day rising at Royal Gorge this season, as Sugar Bowl Resort takes over operations. Improvements include a renovated Summit Station lodge, modern grooming machines, enhanced signage, a new website, and much more. Open and grooming 7 days a week, Royal Gorge boasts over 200km of trails on 6,000 acres of pristine land with spectacular vistas, offering rentals, instruction, and more.

Contact one of our season pass professionals at 530.426.6783 today to find the pass that’s right for you. Dual-resort Royal Gorge/Sugar Bowl season passes are available now!

20 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

Far West’s Masters challeNge

anD sierra ski chase race series

• Scoring will be the same as the individual competition. The total team points will consist of any points from any race that the skiers par-ticipate in ( no best 5 races).

• In the case of a tie, the total number of points/total number of races done by the team will be used as a tie breaker.

DEaDlINEYou must be a RACING or SUPPORTING Far

West Nordic member and have either done 1 race or let us know that you want to partici-pate by 1/15/2013. For more information, contact Andy Pasternak at avpiv711@sbcglobal.net.

MaSTErS cHallENgE

ar West Nordic sponsors TWO major Race Series for cross country ski racers, in addition to helping coordinate the Fischer Cup series on the Race Calendar. These races are the perfect way to compete over a full season against your peers in the sport, either using Age Group divisions for the Masters Challenge

or the Age Handicap overall system in the Sierra Ski Chase. F

MaSTErS cHallENgE racES

Snowshoe Thompson Classic • 12/23/12 • Auburn Ski ClubPaco’s Freestyle Race • 12/31/12 • Auburn Ski ClubSierra Nordic Duathlon • 1/6/13 • Tahoe Donner XC

Alpenglow 20K Freestyle • 1/13/13 • Tahoe XCSierra Skogsloppet • 1/21/13 • Tahoe Donner XC

Tahoe Rim Tour 30 K • 1/27/13 • Tahoe XC/NorthstarAllan Bard Classic • 2/3/13 • Tamarack Lodge XC

Paco’s Valentine Race • 2/10/13 • Tahoe Donner XCPresident’s Cup Race • 2/18/13 • Auburn Ski Club

Great Ski Race • 3/3/13 • Tahoe XC to TruckeeMammoth Marathon • 4/7/13 • Tamarack Lodge XC

MaSTErS DIvISIoN agE groUPSSenior…20-29

M 1…30-34M 2…35-39M 3…40-44M 4…45-49M 5…50-54

M 6…55-59M 7…60-64M 8…65-69M 9…70-74M 10…75+

This is the race series to see how you stack up competitively against your age group peers. The Masters Challenge also has a Team Competition. Prior to the first set of races, you put together a three-person team and give yourself a team name. Each skier on the team needs to be in a different age/sex group. Over the season, the team score will be the cumulative score of each of the three team members. Unlike the individual competition, you can earn points with every race (no restriction to top 5 races). We’ll put together the cumulative scores and there will be some fun awards for the teams at the end of the year. You can participate in both the individual point series and the team point series.

INDIvIDUal rUlES• Skiers must participate in at least 5 of the 11 races to be eligible.• Skiers must have a Far West Nordic Racing or Supporting Membership (Not Basic).• One of the races competed in must be a classic event to be eligible for awards.• Age groups will be divided every 5 years and will include a 10-Year senior age group.• Racers will receive 5 points for 1st place in their age group, 4 for 2nd place, 3 for 3rd, 2 for 4th and

1 point for 5th place.• WAVE START RULES: Women who choose to race in the MEN’S wave of any race with wave starts

by gender will score the points calculated by her placement in the MEN’S Wave, but those points are applicable to her overall series score.

• Cumulative score will be the best 5 races for each individual skier.• In the case of a tie, the results from a sixth race will be used as a tie breaker. If one of the racers

has only done 5 races, the racer with 6 races will be ranked higher. If there is still a tie, we will use the score from the 7th race/8th race and so on.

• Awards will be given to the top three racers in each age group.

TEaM rUlES• Skiers must participate in at least 5 of the 11 races for their team to be eligible.• Each Team is composed of three skiers. Teams need to be formed by January 1st.• All team members must have a Far West Nordic Racing or Supporting Membership.• All three skiers must be in different age or sex categories. For example your team members could

be M35-39, W35-39, and W60-64.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 21

SIErra SKI cHaSEThe Sierra Ski Chase is a low-key race series now in its 20th season, and open to cross-country skiers of all ages and abilities. The purpose of the Ski Chase is to promote greater participation in XC ski race events, which currently draw a wide range of skiers, from top-level athletes to recreational skiers who complete courses at their own pace. Whether you want to race, push yourself a bit, or take on a Ski Chase event as a “tour” is up to you!

TaHoE XcRacing competition standings will be updated

throughout the race season and posted on the 2013 Racing Standings page.

Races with at least 40 Seniors and Masters competitors will be scored with placing points shown on the website. Age handicap points will be given to the best 5 races per participant—that means 1 point will be added per year over age 34. Everybody will receive 10 points for finish-ing a race plus placing points. After your best 5 races, each additional race will be worth another 10 points. Additional race scoring rules for spe-cific races are listed on the website at www.far-westnordic.org/sierraskichase.html. In the event that a race has less than 40 adult participants, each participant will be awarded a flat 10 points.

wavE STarT rUlESWomen who choose to race in the MEN’S

wave of any race with wave starts by gender will score the points calculated by her placement in the MEN’S Wave, but those points are applicable to her overall series score.

PrIzE awarDS cErEMoNyParticipation prizes will be distributed at an

end of season party, and at other XC events by prior arrangement. Raffle Prize drawings will be held at the end of season party. You must be present to win.For more information, contact Peter Hanson at phansonmd@hotmail.com

There are two ways Far West members can enjoy the Sierra Ski Chase, whether it’s by PAR-TICIPATION (open to all Far West Nordic mem-bers of any age) or COMPETITION (open to Far West Nordic Racing and Supporting members only). PARTICIPATION is all about completing a series of races—many participants like having such a goal for their ski season. RACING is an age-handicapped competition in which points are awarded based how you place at each race in which you complete.

SIErra SKI cHaSE: ParTIcIPaTIoN

All Far West members who complete a mini-mum of 5 eligible XC races this season are eli-gible to receive the 2013 season commemorative Participation Prize. If you’re a first-time Far West member this season, you’re eligible to receive a bonus prize after your first 3 qualifying races (while supplies last). Each race you complete must be a minimum of 5K in length, and races must occur in the Far West region (California, Nevada, and Arizona).

Great Raffle Prizes: All participants ages 20 and over who complete a minimum of 5 races will be eligible for raffle prizes donated by our sponsors (in addition to the participation prize). You must be present to win a raffle prize at the prize awards ceremony (see below). Other than being a Far West member, you don’t need to do anything to start your Ski Chase participation. Just start doing some of the XC races and keep track of which races you’ve done. When you’ve completed your 5 races (3 qualifying races for new members) please fill out our online form at www.farwestnordic.org/sierraskichase.html. Far West Nordic Racing and Supporting members do not need to submit this form—we keep track of you.

SIErra SKI cHaSE racINg: racINg coMPETITIoN

You MUST be a Far West Nordic Racing or Supporting member age 20 or over to be scored in the Sierra Ski Chase Racing Competition. If you’re a Basic member and wish to upgrade to a Racing or Supporting member, you may do so in the online store. All Racing and Supporting members will automatically be scored, there’s nothing you need to do to start being scored other than completing races.

coMPETITIoN awarDSThe top man and woman will have their names

inscribed on the SIERRA SKI CHASE PERPETU-AL TROPHY on display at the Auburn Ski Club.

22 • Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013

ussa supertour FiNals

he United States Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) SuperTour Finals and Distance National Championships are the premier cross country ski races in the United States,

held annually in the spring so that the top American skiers can return from the FIS World Cups to compete with more than 200 of our nation’s best domestic cross county skiers. The SuperTour itself is a season-long series of races that take place across America, beginning in West Yellowstone in November and traveling across the country throughout the winter.

tanD national Distance chaMpionships 2013

The leaders of the SuperTour earn FIS World Cup start rights, and the SuperTour Finals are a mini-tour of four races that cap off the 2012-2013 series. The times from all four races are combined, with sprint and climbing “preems” (similar to stage racing in cycling) to determine the Yellow Bib (Over-all Winner), the Green Bib (best Sprinter), White Bib (best Junior, Under 19), and the Polka-Dot Bib (best Climber.)

Additionally, the USSA Distance National Championships are added to the mix in order to gain the highest participation from all the top skiers, so after a difficult week of skiing in shorter races, the Men go off on a 50 kilometer jaunt, and the Women race 30 kilometers to de-termine the overall fastest skier in the country over a long distance.

Far West Nordic has been chosen as the host division for this year’s Super Tour Finals and Dis-tance Championships. This is an incredible op-portunity for the entire cross country ski com-munity to see — up close and personal — many of the best skiers in the country and even the en-tire world. Last year’s Finals featured the likes of Kris Freeman, Tad Elliott, Sylvan Ellefson, Sime-on Hamilton, and more, and the women’s field boasted names such as Kikkan Randall, Jessie Diggins, Liz Stephen, and Holly Brooks. No guar-antee who will show up this year, but there are also rumors of World Cup teamers from Europe thinking hard about coming here for a California “Spring Break.”

The benefits to the Far West region are many. Most important, perhaps, is the opportunity for the community’s growing base of young skiers to see the very best skiers in the country. Imag-ine if the L.A. Galaxy played D.C. United in the Major League Soccer finals, but it was held at Truckee’s Surprise Stadium. Think there would be some buzz around Tahoe, especially among the youth contingent?

Far West Nordic and Auburn Ski Club Head Coach Ben Grasseschi is especially excited to

have the top skiers on display here in the region. “This is a great chance for our skiers — especially our youth — to go and see these athletes,” said Grasseschi. “Hopefully kids can get out of school and come up and watch some of the races. It will give our kids a live shot of what actually hap-pens in the big leagues, and maybe inspire them to train really hard, even in the summer, to mo-tivate them to get to that level.”

Preparations have been feverishly underway all summer. Tahoe Donner Cross Country has stepped up to the plate as one of the major host venues, with some of the shorter races and the National Distance events scheduled to be held on the tracks there. TDXC has already spent much time and effort in homologating their trails in preparation for the competition, and they look forward to showing the country some of the best XC ski trails in the world.

The week will begin with a short “Prologue” event, a 3+ kilometer jaunt over the trails at the Home Range at Tahoe Donner. The next day, races start in earnest, with a 15 kilometer for the men and 10 kilometer for the women mass start Classic technique event over some of those same trails. With no rest for the weary, Saturday’s race will be the always-entertaining Sprint event, with early qualifying heats and then a head-to-head competition against the top rivals. The venue for this event is still under consideration, but plans are for it to be held at Auburn Ski Club, with Tahoe Donner as a backup venue.

After a day of rest comes the Hill Climb, a unique, grueling, and exciting spectator event, to be held at Sugar Bowl, with a warm-up on the now-linked trails at adjacent Royal Gorge Cross Country. The climb itself will begin at the base lodge, and climb up the steep alpine slopes of Mt. Disney, with a steepness of pitch that rivals any cross country ski race in the world.

Finally, after another “rest day” (where we hope many of these skiers will take the oppor-

SUPEr ToUr 2013 ScHEDUlE

Thursday, April 4, 2013 Freestyle 3.3 km. Prologue • Tahoe Donner

Friday, April 5, 2013 Classic 15/10K Mass Start • Tahoe Donner

Saturday, April 6, 2013 Classic Sprints • Auburn Ski Club or TDXC

Monday, April 8, 2013 Freestyle Hill Climb • Sugar Bowl

Wednesday, April 10, 2013 Women’s Classic 30K/15K Mass • TDXC

Thursday, April 11, 2013 Men’s Classic 50K/20K Mass • TDXC

tunity to partake in some of our other incredible venues for nordic skiing in the Tahoe region), will come the first day of the U.S. Distance Champi-onships, a Classic technique 30 Kilometer mass start event at Tahoe Donner. The next day is the final race of the long week, the Men’s Classic 50 kilometer Mass Start, also at TDXC.

SPoNSorSHIPSWithout our sponsors, we will not be able to

make this event happen. This high-profile elite competition series will put our businesses and community directly in the eyes of winter sport enthusiasts, with media coverage internation-ally, nationally, and in the Reno, Sacramento, San Francisco/Bay Area, Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe regions. Far West Nordic and the 2013 or-ganizing committee are currently soliciting spon-sors for the SuperTour Finals and the US Distance National championships. For more information on how to sponsor these events, please go to www.supertourfinals-tahoe2013.com. And be sure to check the website for all the up-to-date information as we get closer to the event.

2012 SuperTour champions Sylvan Ellefson and Jessie Diggins are just 2 of the athletes expected to compete in the 2013 Finals.

Far West Nordic News • Winter, 2013 • 23

HIGH SCHOOL/MIDDLE SCHOOL RACESDECEMBER 14, 2012

SCOTT HUDSON KIRKWOOD FREESTYLE RELAYSJANUARY 11, 2013

SUGAR BOWL FREESTYLEJANUARY 18, 2013

AUBURN SKI CLUB CLASSIC JANUARY 25, 2013

NORTH TAHOE FREESTYLEFEBRUARY 1, 2013

MAMMOTH LAKES CLASSICFEBRUARY 8, 2013

NORTH TAHOE PURSUITSFEBRUARY 15, 2013TRUCKEE SPRINTS

MARCH 2, 2013ASC CNISSF STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

MARCH 3, 2013THE GREAT SKI RACE9 am • Sunday • Tahoe XC to Truckee30 k • $55 by 2/15 • Late: $65 by 3/2 • $100 Race Day • U-18: $25 WAVE STARTS • www.thegreatskirace.com • (530) 583-5475Benefit for Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team

MARCH 9, 2013BJORNLOPPET/CALIFORNIA SENIOR GAMES10:30 am • Saturday • Bear Valley XC20 km or 10 Km • $35 by 2/23 (Jrs: $25) • Late Reg: $40 (Jrs: $30)Includes T-Shirt, Party, Prizes, Food and Musicwww.bearvalleyxc.com • (209) 753-2834

MARCH 10, 2013BJORNLOPPET CLASSIC (CA SENIOR GAMES)10:00 am PDST • Sunday • Bear Valley XC10 km. • $25 by 2/23 • $30 Late Registration Party & Prizes • DIAGONAL STRIDE ONLYwww.bearvalleyxc.com • (209) 753-2834

MARCH 17, 2013ROYAL GORGE “SAVE THE DATE” RACEDetails To Be Announced • Royal Gorge XC“Save The Date” for Racing! • www.royalgorge.com

MARCH 23 & 24, 2013MAMMOTH WINTER BIATHLON9 am • Saturday & Sunday • 3-Day Event15 km. (Short: 7.5 km.) • $65 (Jrs. $30) • Clinics on 3/23Rifles Provided • Skiing with Rifle not requiredEastern Sierra Nordic Ski Assoc. • (760) 934-7665 • www.esnsa.org

FEBRUARY 1–2, 2013SUPER JNQ RACES, SOLDIER HOLLOWJunior National Qualifier Only, Utah. Freestyle Sprint • Classic Distance

FEBRUARY 3, 2013ALLAN BARD MEMORIAL CLASSIC10 am • Sunday • Tamarack Lodge (Packstation)20 km. (Short: 10 km., Jrs. 5km or 10km) • $25 by 1/28 • $30 Late (Jrs. $5)DIAGONAL STRIDE ONLY (Start at Packstation)www.tamaracklodge.com • (760) 934-2442

FEBRUARY 6, 2013TAHOE DONNER NIGHT RACEFreestyle Event • 6 pm • 5 km. • $15 (Jrs. $8)

FEBRUARY 10, 2013PACO’S VALENTINE RACE10 am • Sunday • Tahoe Donner XC15 km. (Short: 7 km) • $25 (Jr: $18) by 2/9 • $30/$23 Race DayWAVE STARTS! • www.tdxc.com • (530) 587-9484

FEBRUARY 18, 2013PRESIDENT’S CUP RACE10 am / 10:30 am • Monday • Auburn Ski Club10 km. Adults, OJ, and J1 • 5 km. J2 • (Kids 13 & under: 2k) $25 by 3pm on 2/17 (Jr: $20 • Youth: $10) • Pre-reg for JN Scoring Late Reg: $30 (Jr: $30 • Kids: $10) • +$10 for USSA Points ScoringWAVE STARTS! • Adult members $5 Off PreRegwww.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

FEBRUARY 20, 2013TAHOE DONNER NIGHT RACEFreestyle Event • 6 pm • 5 km. • $15 (Jrs. $8)

FEBRUARY 23, 2013YOSEMITE NORDIC HOLIDAY10:30 am • Saturday • Badger Pass, Yosemite18 km. (Jr.: 10 km.) • $30 by 2/9 (Jr. $20) • $40 (Jrs. $30)Price includes Sat/Sun Races (& Tele race Sat.), 1/2 day lift ticketDIAGONAL STRIDE ONLYwww.yosemitepark.com • (209) 372-8444

FEBRUARY 24, 2013GLACIER POINT SKATE RACE9:00 am • Sunday • Badger Pass, Yosemite38 km. (10 km. Short distance)$30 by 2/9 (Jrs. $20) • Late Registration: $40 (Jrs. $30)Price incl. Sat/Sun Races (Tele race Sat.) • 1/2 day lift ticketwww.yosemitepark.com • (209) 372-8444

FEBRUARY 24, 201310TH MT. DIVISION BIATHLON10 am • Sunday • Auburn Ski Club10 km. Pro • 3 km. Novice • 2 km. Youth • Wave StartsPre-Reg: $60 by 2/23 (Jrs: $35) • ASC Members: $40 (Jr: $25)No Race Day Registration • 9 am Mandatory Safety Clinicwww.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

APRIL 4–11, 2013USSA 2013 SUPERTOUR FINALS USSA NATIONAL DISTANCE CHAMPS6 Days of Racing • Tahoe Donner • ASC • SugarBowl3.3K Prologue • Classic 15/10K • Classic Sprint • Freestyle Hill Climb Womens 30K Classic Distance & Men’s 50K Classic DistanceUSSA Licensed Skiers Only • www.supertourfinals-tahoe2013.com

APRIL 6, 2013TOM’S 10K CLASSIC RACE10 am • Saturday • Bear Valley Cross Country10 km. • $25 by 3/22 • $30 Late RegistrationDIAGONAL STRIDE ONLYwww.bearvalleyxc.com • (209) 753-2834

APRIL 7, 2013MAMMOTH MARATHON9 am • Sunday • Tamarack Lodge XC42 km. or 21 km. (Juniors: 10 km. • Youth: 2 km.)$60 by 3/24 (Jrs. $20) • $65 Late Reg. (Juniors: $20) (Kids 2k: $5 • Includes Entry, Ribbon, T-shirt)Entry includes T-Shirt • Banquet • Rafflewww.tamaracklodge.com/xcountry • (760) 934-2442

APRIL 14, 2013 BILLY DUTTON UPHILL8 am • Sunday • Squaw Valley U.S.A.3.2 miles Uphill • $20 Pre-Reg • $25 Race Day • $5 Off FW Pre-RegReg. @ 7 am • www.billyduttonuphill.com • (530) 587-852-0879Fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Jr. Program

DECEMBER 2, 2012 (CANCELLED)KIRKWOOD 10K10 am • Sunday • Kirkwood XC (Meadow)10 km. (Short: 5 km) • $15 by 12/1 (Jrs. Free) • $20 (Jrs. $15) www.kirkwood.com • (209) 258-7248

DECEMBER 16, 2012TANNENBAUM 10K CLASSIC10 am • Sunday • Tamarack Lodge XCDIAGONAL STRIDE ONLY • Packstation Start10 km. Classic (Juniors: 5 km.) • $30 (Juniors: $5)www.tamaracklodge.com • (760) 934-2442Fundraiser for Eastern Sierra Nordic Skiing

DECEMBER 22, 2012ASC CLASSIC SPRINT JNQ10 am • Saturday • ASC Training Center1 Km. Sprint Course Format • Interval Starts + Heats + Youth (U-13)$25 by 12/21 (Jrs: $20) • Youth: $10 • ASC Members $5 Off Pre-Reg $30 Late Registration (Youth: $10) • $10 More for USSA ScoringPre-reg. required for JN qualification • USSA Sanctionedwww.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

DECEMBER 23, 2012SNOWSHOE THOMPSON CLASSIC10 am • Sunday • Auburn Ski Club10 km. / 5 km. • Pre-Reg by 12/22. required for JN qualification $25 (Jrs. $20) by 12/22 3 pm • ASC Members $5 Off Pre-Reg Late Reg: $30 (Juniors: $30 • Youth: $10) • • +$10 for USSA ScoringDIAGONAL STRIDE ONLY • Interval Startswww.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

DECEMBER 31, 2012PACOS FREESTYLE RACE10 am • Monday • Auburn Ski Club10 km. (5 km. Short Course) • Freestyle • Interval Starts • Youth 2km.$25 (Jrs. $20 • Youth $10) by 12/30 3 pm • ASC members $5 Off Pre-Reg. • Late Reg: $30 (Jrs: $20 • Youth Race: $15) www.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

JANUARY 6, 2013SIERRA NORDIC DUATHLON10 am • Sunday • Tahoe Donner XC5 km. Classic • 5 km. Freestyle • Continuous Pursuit • Interval Starts$25 (Jrs. $18) by 1/5 • $30 Race Day (Jrs: $23) www.tdxc.com • (530) 587-9484

JANUARY 6, 2013LAKES BASIN 15 K10 am • Sunday • Tamarack Lodge XC (Packstation)15 km. (Jrs: 5 km.) • $25 by 1/1, Noon (Jrs. $10) • $30 Late (Jr. $5)www.tamaracklodge.com • (760) 934-2442

JANUARY 9, 2013TAHOE DONNER NIGHT RACE6 pm • Wednesday • Tahoe Donner XCDIAGONAL STRIDE • 5 km. Under Lights • $15 (Jrs. $8)4 Race Series • www.tdxc.com • (530) 587-9484

JANUARY 13, 2013ALPENGLOW FREESTYLE10 am • Sunday • Tahoe XCWAVE STARTS! • 20 km. (OJ/J1 Boys: 10k, Girls & All J2’s: 5k )Cost: $25 (Jrs. $5) by 1/12, 5 pm • Late Reg: $30 (Jrs. $5) www.tahoexc.org • (530) 583-5475

JANUARY 20, 2013JNQ CLASSIC DISTANCE RACE10 am • Sunday • Auburn Ski ClubOJ/J1: 10 km. • J2: 5 km. • Youth 2k • ASC Members $5 Off Pre-Reg $25 (Jrs. $20 • Youth $10) by 1/19, 3 pm • Pre-Reg for JN Qualifying Late Reg: $30 (Juniors: $30 • Youth: $10) • +$10 for USSA ScoringDIAGONAL STRIDE ONLY • Interval Startswww.auburnskiclub.org • (530) 426-3313

JANUARY 21, 2013SIERRA SKOGSLOPPET10 am • Monday • Tahoe Donner XC15 km. (Short Course: 10 km. & 2 km.) • $25 (Jrs. $18) by 1/20 $30 Race Day (Jrs: $23) • Truckee School Teams Fundraiser WAVE STARTS • www.tdxc.com • (530) 587-9484

JANUARY 23, 2013TAHOE DONNER NIGHT RACEFreestyle Event. 5 km. Under the Lights • $15 (Jrs. $8)4 Race Series • www.tdxc.com • (530) 587-9484

JANUARY 27, 2013TAHOE RIM TOUR & RACEClassic Wave: 9:00 am • Skate/Snowshoe: 9:30 amSunday • North Tahoe High School to Northstar26 km. (21 km. S-Shoe) • $45 ($10 Juniors) postmarked by 1/20 Online 9 pm, 1/25 • $60 Race day ($15 Jrs.) • $5 Far West DiscountWAVE STARTS • www.tahoerimtour.com • (530) 852-0879Far West Nordic Junior Programs Fundraiser

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For more Events, Updates, and Race Results, go to www.farwestnordic.org

APRIL

CNISSF RACES

FREESTYLE CLASSIC MIXED RACE BIATHLON

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JQ

MASTER CHALLENGE QUALIFIER

JUNIOR NATIONALS QUALIFIERAll Races Over 5 Kilometers Qualify for Sierra Ski Chase

MC JQFC

MC FC

MC JQFC

MC JQFC

JQ

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X-IUM WORLD CUPSKATE

X-IUM WORLD CUPCLASSIC

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The new, zero-ramp Xcelerator sole keeps the foot fl at for increased leverage and power transfer in both Skate and Classic. Deeper fl ex grooves allow more natural foot fl ex while the wider sole creates a more stable platform.A new, more anatomical 100% carbon cuff on Skate boots increases stability and power.Available in standard and low-volume fi t (LVF).

• X-ium WC Skate is now 50 grams lighter than previous version• X-ium WC Classic is now 30 grams lighter than previous version• NEW lacing system for increased comfort• NEW modifi ed forefoot fi t• Thermo-adjustable fi t

ROSSIGNOL_FAR WEST_2012.indd 1 9/20/12 4:03 PM