The Maine Winter Sports Center Cross-Country Program serves as a nationwide model for developing international caliber racers in a community-based support system. Athletes are provided with coaching, housing, health insurance and professional development opportunities while training full-time to achieve the highest level in the sport. Each athlete is responsible for assisting with school and club-based ski activities, providing support to younger MWSC athletes, and offering healthy lifestyle programs within the state of Maine. Through coaches’ education, club leader internship opportunities and community outreach, the MWSC Cross-Country Program aims to steadily increase the number of Maine residents who experience a positive cross-country ski outing each year.
January
2-5 Canadian World Junior/U23 Trials, Valcartier, Quebec
2-8 U.S. Nationals, Anchorage, AK
16-17 NENSA Eastern Cup, Rumford, ME
24-31 FIS World Junior/U23 Championships, Hinterzarten, Germany
February
6-7 FIS World Cup, Canmore, Alberta
6-7 NENSA Eastern Cup, Stowe, VT
12-13 EISA Dartmouth Carnival, Hanover, NH
12-28 Olympic Winter Games, Vancouver, British Columbia
20-21 NENSA Eastern Cup, Hanover, NH
27 American Birkebeiner, Hayward, WI
March
5-13 USSA Junior Olympics, Presque Isle, ME
24 USSA National Championship 50km/30km, Fort Kent, ME
26-28 USSA SuperTour Finals, Madawaska and Fort Kent, ME
2.2.2010
Racing in Maine
I am more and more impressed with the sheer number of skiers in Maine! This weekend I had the opportunity to spend some time in Rumford for the John Sassi Memorial and the Chummy Broomhall Cup. Both races really drove home to me just how far racing has come in my home state.
When I was coming up through the ranks, we didn't have the Sassi--an event that now draws nearly 30 high school teams and 500+ racers from around the state. Heck, there weren't anywhere near 30 high school ski teams. Nor 500 racers in the state. The event now serves as both the Maine J2 Team trials and an "unofficial" state meet. In the 80s, when I was flailing around the high school circuit, the closest thing to the Sassi was the Maine Team Trials, where we would have roughly 50 racers (boys and girls together) trying out for 30 spots on the Maine Team to Eastern High School Champs. By my tally that's a tenfold increase in real participation over the course of 22 years.
Same deal in the collegiate ranks. The Chummy Broomhall Cup serves as Maine's Collegiate Championships. This past Sunday, there were 4 NCAA skiing programs (Bates, Colby, Bowdoin and UMPI) and 3 collegiate club teams (UMO, UMFK, UMF) represented. In the late 80s, this event would have essentially been a time trial for the Bates team. UMO had ended it's program, UMFK, UMPI, UMF did not have any program, and Colby and Bowdoin competed in the DII and DIII leagues for NCAA--which essentially meant that they were about as competitive as Maine High School League meets. This past weekend, the competition was tough on both the men's and the women's side. Nearly 90 racers toed the line. Roughly half of each field finished within 10% of the leaders.
I really don't know what else to say, except thank you to all who have taken my home state forward in Nordic sport.
Season in Full Swing
19 January 2010
The season is now in full swing. Nationals come and gone, which means that team selection for international racing this year is essentially over. As a team, we came up a bit short in Anchorage. Not short of effort. Not short of talent. Not even short of some excellent performances. Mostly just short of the speed of the Alaskans--especially juniors.
During the classic races, I got out of the wax room for long enough to have a fine trailside chat with Sverre Caldwell of the Stratton Mountain School. Sverre's been around a bit. He's seen ski racing from nearly every perspective. He expressed exactly the same feeling I had--we thought that our teams were faster. In Eastern Cup racing, we look particularly strong this season (An impression reconfirmed for me after this weekend's racing at Rumford). However, when we got to Alaska, it appeared that the home state's crew was really ready to rock. Our teams were left in the dust by APUNSC, AWS, FAST and UAF. Those four programs are getting it right.
More right than us here at MWSC? Actually, I doubt it. What I think we saw in Anchorage is the result of years of steady work. APUNSC is now in its 12th year of strictly racing focus. They have both recruited athletes and an excellent crop of Alaska "homegrowns". They have Kikkan and Southam to chase. AWS has a HUGE crew of junior athletes to choose from--nearly 1000 junior nordic racers just in Anchorage. Of course they'll find a Scott Patterson every now and again. But we'll find a Nick Michaud, Welly Ramsey, Joey Bard, etc. just as frequently. And in any given year, our boys will be just as fast as theirs. FAST is the brainchild of Vermonter and former UAF head coach Bill McDonnell. I'll give Bill tremendous credit for what he's done with three very talented young men. His level of race specific focus and planning over the past 3 years is likely unparalleled in junior racing. UAF has the benefit of early snow, college racing pull and has surprisingly done an excellent job of making sprinters early this season. Best of luck to Jerome, Dunny and the boys over this season!
Finally, without excuses, I want our boys to realize just how far they've come in a year. To travel to Finland, then put in a hard training block at home, travel to Alaska and improve significantly across the board is an excellent sign. Backed up by the strength of the results they put in in Rumford this past weekend.
Just wait 'til Nationals are in our backyard (USSA SuperTour Finals in the St. John Valley in March 2010 and USSA National Champs in Rumford 2011 and 2012), we'll see what the home field advantage can do for us!
For more info on the MWSC Cross-Country Program
Contact Will Sweetser.
Even on sight-seeing tours, balance is key!
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Chambo gets pensive on Turnagain Arm.
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GMVS (gumvahs) Coach Beckwith pondering the waxing situation.
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Pavel playing the "Happy Russian".
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The boys chillin on a bench, last day in AK.
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Touring, posing and spazzing--Hillside Trails.
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