Jumping News

1. DRESS WARMLY: It looks like the wind may start to pick up by tomorrow afternoon, so please dress your children in warm non-cotton layers, mittens, hats, and buffs. If your child is prone to getting cold, consider sending them with hand and toe warmers. We want warm skiers!
2. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Please note that our last scheduled practice is next week, March 3rd. We will have an end-of-the year celebration on the evening of Friday, March 13th, at the Black Recreation Center in Hanover. More details to come.
3. BKL FESTIVAL: The registration deadline for the Bill Koch League Festival is February 28th, and the registration page can be accessed here. Competitive and non-competitive events are held on March 7 and March 8 in Chittenden, Vermont; all Ford Sayre participants will have race support from our coaches.
4. BUFFS/CAR MAGNETS: If your child has not yet received their Ford Sayre buff or if you would like a car magnet, please get one from the bin under the white table.
5. SIGN-IN/SIGN-OUT: Keep up the great work with signing-in AND signing-out your children! Thank you.
6. INTERNATIONAL SKIING: The Falun Nordic World Ski Championships began February 18.  Check out the schedule of events and interactive apps – we are trying to raise awareness of this event and increase US viewership so we can make a case to USSA to get future cross country events on NBC TV.

The New England Bill Koch League Festival will be held March 7-8 at the Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden, Vermont. This event is the culminating race weekend for New England teams. Outdoor activities will include x-c ski racing (skate one day and classic the next), Mike’s mini marathon, paintball biathlon, ice cream on snow, snow sculpture, Roger’s roarin’ terrain park, sledding, tubing, ice skating, horse drawn sleigh rides, 8th Grade graduation ski-down, and the ever popular lollipop race.

In addition to the competitive freestyle and classic races, this year the BKL Festival has added non-competitive options, known as “Nordic Adventure” events. These are perfect for kids new to skiing and nervous about racing, younger siblings who might not be racers yet, or just those who prefer to enjoy the winter wonderland without thinking about results. All skiers (competitive and non-competitive) will have a schedule to allow everyone to experience activities such as ice cream making and paintball, where space is limited.

The New England Bill Koch League Festival will be held March 7-8 at the Mountain Top Resort in Chittenden, Vermont. Outdoor activities will include x-c ski racing, Mike’s mini marathon, paintball biathlon, ice cream on snow, snow sculpture, Roger’s roarin’ terrain park, sledding, tubing, ice skating, horse drawn sleigh rides, 8th Grade graduation ski-down, and the ever popular lollipop race.

In addition to the competitive freestyle and classic races, this year the BKL Festival has added non-competitive options, known as “Nordic Adventure” events. These are perfect for kids new to skiing and nervous about racing, younger siblings who might not be racers yet, or just those who prefer to enjoy the winter wonderland without a sheet of results. All skiers (competitive and non-competitive) will have a schedule to allow everyone to experience activities such as ice cream making and paintball, where space is limited.

Get ready for the Putney Relays 2015!

For our upcoming BKL race, the Putney Ski Club has decided to dust off the old “Putney Relays” brand and run a classic style relay event with an emphasis on participation and fun.

To promote participation by recreational skiers from all clubs, we’re using a unique format:

• Each team will be comprised of one skier from each age group.
• Boys and girls will race in the same race with no separate results or special categories for mixed teams. We’re all in this together!
• Each age group will ski their own lap (different length course for each group).
• Skiers may “ski up” a group, provided they ski the appropriate distance for the leg. (For example, if a 5/6 skier goes in the 7/8 leg, they’ll race the 7/8 course.)
• Skiers are not allowed allowed to “ski down” into a younger age group.

We know this will require a little forethought and planning from everyone, so as you put together your teams this week, please send the line up to Kristin Dawley by Friday, February 20 at 3 p.m.

We also know there will be gaps. If your team has any spots that are tough to fill, let Kristin know as soon as possible. That way, as she gets information she can help to ensure that everybody who wants to race gets on a team.

And be creative! If your team is short a racer in a particular age group, ask a friend who’s never raced before! Or reach out to another club who may have more than one racer in that group! (In addition, we might require adults to fill gaps in their club’s team roster by skiing a special adult lap.) Give yourselves an awesome team name!

To encourage participation AND keep the racing interesting, we’re offering an overall club award for the club with the smallest average time gap between their fastest and slowest teams. We’ll calculate that by looking at the difference in seconds between the fastest and slowest teams from a given club, and dividing that difference by the number of teams entered by the club. This provides an incentive to enter a lot of teams and to distribute the racers carefully.

The race will be timed, but only the team’s finishing time will be recorded and published. No lap splits will be calculated.

There will also be prizes for best relay socks and best costume! Cookies for all teams who wear costumes!

Lap order and other details will be announced next week. Our primary course plan is to utilize mostly open terrain on Page’s Field (which we passed through to get to the course in our last race). If it’s cold and windy, the backup course will be in the shelter of the woods.

Right now Putney’s trails are in beautiful shape with miles of groomed trails. Feel free to stay after the race to ski with family and friends.

Send an email if you have any questions!

The Falun Nordic World Ski Championships began February 18.  The schedule of events is here and you can download the interactive apps.  Below are video invites from Kikkan, Jessie and Liz that are posted on YouTube.

Please pass this info to your friends and families and post it on social media. We are trying to raise awareness of this great event and increase US viewership so we can make a case to USSA to get future cross country events on NBC TV.

Video invite from Kikkan Randall

Video invite from Jessie Diggins

Video invite from Liz Stephen