By mid-March, many of us are used to muddy streets, 40 degrees and spitting rain, and feeling the doldrums between ski season and bike season. Well…not this year! As if from a bygone era, temps are still cold, fresh snow coats much of New York State and some areas are reaping the benefits of a full-on blizzard with feet of accumulation. Skiing has been good and remains so. The NYSSRA race season however came to a close at Mt. Van Hoevenberg on March 1st and 2nd bringing to an end a great season of NYSSRA races, exciting points series and the first ever “Wilkinson Cup” Champions.
This season we had 19 different race days around the state and many of our NYSSRA clubs took it upon themselves to play host to our racers. We would like to thanks all the race organizers, volunteers, and friends that help make our race season possible. We want to thank RXCSF, Shen Nordic Club, Peru Nordic Masters, ADK Vauhti, HURT nordic, NYSEF, WFRA, Polar Bear Ski Club, Camden Nordic and Saratoga Biathlon Club for hosting events this past winter season and being a great part of nordic skiing in New York. Thanks to ALL the NYSSRA sanctioned clubs that work with youth and adults throughout the year to grow nordic skiing. We look forward to helping you boost your events in the next sanctioning year. All your efforts help bring the nordic community together, inspire kids to improve their nordic racing and keep old-timers young at heart.
With all the great winter racing there was a lot of points available to clubs and individuals! We want to once again congratulate the Hudson United Racing Team for winning their fifth team title in a row. They are enthusiastic community of skiers that have inspired a lot of people of many ages to get out a race! (author included) We also want to congratulate this years NYSSRA “Red-Group” as the top 30 points earners this season. You can see all the names here and set your next seasons goals to crack this illustrious group. The Wilkinson Cup (The prize going to the top points earners, male and female, in the five “Wilkinson Cup races”) was won this year by Eric Seyse of Glenville Hills Nordic Club and Jennifer Woltjen of Cayuga Nordic. They took home the individual prize money and will have their names engraved on the Wilkinson Trophy for years to come. The series will begin again next season with five new Wilkinson Cup races on the calendar. A full points list for the Wilkinson Cup series can be found here.
(Wilkinson Cup winners, Eric Seyse and Jennifer Woltjen with NYSSRA Prez.)
We also want to send out a special shout out to all the kids who qualified and skied at JN’s in Stowe this year for the Mid-Atlantic Ski team. You made everyone in NY so proud! A special congrats to Everett Sapp who reached ALL-AMERICAN status over that week of racing. Also, congrats to all the athletes and coaches who raced at Eastern High School Championships and (U16) Championships. Thanks to all the coaches that work with these kids and help make these events possible. Your efforts are herculean and appreciated by so many people, young and old.
Remember….just because the racing season is almost over and the snow will be gone soon doesn’t mean NYSSRA goes dormant! Spring planning meetings are scheduled for early April, club sanctioning begins anew in June… and your ski club can plan all sorts of camps, clinics, training events and nordic related activities! We’d love to share what your club is doing with the rest of the NY nordic community. If your club wants some support for your club activities please remember to apply for a NYSSRA Club Support Grants using your club information from this past season. Our vice president, Tim Huneck, will be reviewing all club applications before our Spring teleconference and you can get some money for your club.
Please consider joining us for the Spring teleconference so NYSSRA can continue to grow, improve. We can only do this with your help.
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