The Fernie Nordic Racers had a great weekend at the Kootenay Championships Tier 2 race in Kimberley competing against the best skiers in the Kootenays and southern Alberta. Great efforts were put in by numerous Fernie racers with several making the podium for their age group.
Podium finishers
Isla Sauve – 2012 girls – 2nd skate, 3rd classic
Graham Etue – 2010 boys – 3rd skate,
Ella Fuller – 2009 girls – 1st skate, 2nd classic
Noah Glickman – 2009 boys – 3rd skate, 3rd classic
Wes Robinson-Shaw – 2005 boys – 2nd skate, 1st classic
The team will be taking part in a training camp here in Fernie this weekend January 29-30 with National team technician and Cross Country BC coach Graham Maclean, then off to Nelson February 5th and 6th for Kootenay cup # 6 and 7.
submitted by coach Johnny
Louison Dubief at the Kootenay Cup race in Kimberley BC
Read the Free Press article about these races HERE.
The races of the season started in December 2021, for the first time since COVID-19 began. There are still COVID-19 protocols to make sure everyone stays safe while racing. The Fernie Nordic Racers participate mostly in the Teck Kootenay Cup races and in some bigger races. Race weekends are really fun, and it’s very good practice. Races are competitive but friendly and enjoyable.
Kootenay Cups are happening in Rossland and Golden (in December 2021), Kimberley (in January), and Nelson (in February). We had a bigger race in Canmore for the Alberta Cups 3 and 4, and some athletes will also participate in the BC Cups/Championships and Track Attack Championships.
Race weekends usually start on Fridays with a training day and the races are on Saturdays and Sundays. Races are either with an interval start (one by one every 15 or 30 seconds) or mass start (everyone at the same time). For athletes, coaches or parents who want to do it, we have a warm-up routine before the start of the race and then a cool down after the race. There are also amazing volunteers to help organize the race and to help competitors at the end of their races by giving them drinks.
Cross country skiing is a sport for everyone. All ages and abilities can participate. On our team, we have athletes from U10 to U18. Coaches and parents race in the Masters category. Adults can race in the Masters category and win points for the team! Each race completed brings two points for the team. Racing is fun and you can even win chocolate medals! We encourage everybody to participate to these events, it is competitive only if you want it to be competitive, other than that it is only for fun! Races can make you feel nervous and excited, but it is always a very fun experience, and it feels satisfying to finish a race even if it took a lot of effort! We would be very happy if you joined us to race!
Article by Louison Dubief and Aurélie Smithson
Our Team of Racers in Canmore
We had a great weekend of racing at the Olympic, World Juniors, U23 Trials and AB Cup in Canmore, racing with some of the best XC skiers in the country. All of the Fernie Nordic Racer athletes that attended finished in the top 10 in their age group for both skate and classic.
Ella Fuller – 2009 girls – 5th classic, 2nd skate Noah Glickman – 2009 Boys -1st classic, 1st skate Louison Dubief – 2006 Girls -9th classic, 9th skate Wes Robinson-Shaw – 2005 boys – 4th classic, 5th skate Cameron Etue qualified for the BC winter games
Great results!
All results for the January 8-9 weekend are at Zone4.ca
Over forty people came out in the sunshine for the Fernie Nordic Society Annual General Meeting on Sunday July 25th at 4 pm. It was a pleasure to be able to meet face to face once again after a year or more of meetings “by zoom”. Many thanks to all who attended. The minutes for the AGM and the Election of Officers are posted on the Fernie Nordic Society website.
Highlights of the meeting included:
the Directors’ Reports from “a season unlike any other” as we navigated our way through COVID policies and protocols lead by Jenn Heath.
our trails are our biggest asset and grooming them is our biggest challenge. Our contract groomer Mark and our team of volunteers led by Rick logged close to 600 hours of work to keep the trails in the best shape possible. We plan to increase the contract grooming for the 2021-2022 season to 6 – 8am, 7 days a week.
our membership doubled from the previous season to approximately 1600. Successful grant applications this season added approximately $44,000 in grant monies to our budget.
our toughest decision this winter was to cancel the SDP program. However, our kid sized gear was made available for rent to about 85 takers. We had a race program this year but no races to go to. Coach Jeff and the volunteer coaches focused on training, virtual races and time trials.
adult lessons were run by Tarah in smaller groups. With Tarah’s help we are hoping to grow and expand this program in the upcoming season.
There is an opportunity to join the Board this year as the Director of Programming. Please contact Megan at info@fernienordic.com if you are interested in this position or would like more information. The board is transitioning to a strategic level with support from committees. We will be looking for volunteers for the grooming and race team committees.
Thank you once again to everyone who attended the AGM. We encourage you all buy your passes early for the next season. Follow the website at www.fernienordic.com for up-to-date information.
Saturday February 6 will be the start of a virtual adventure for the many cross-country ski enthusiasts who have registered for the 55th edition of the Canadian Ski Marathon – read the press release. This year, the Canadian Ski Marathon is being held exclusively in virtual mode and with more than 1,200 people registered to date. There is still time to register, as this year skiers can do so until the last day of the virtual event, March 7, 2021.
The Elk Valley Nordic Centre in Fernie has been picked as one of the recommended sites for the virtual event.
The organizing committee has created a virtual event that allows participants to meet their challenge close to home, allowing everyone to participate in our event, which is meant to be a celebration of winter. Despite the health restrictions, with the financial support of our partners, skiers and all levels of government, we have worked hard to make this virtual event a reality and keep the legend alive.
Several options have been put in place to facilitate participation, improve the skier experience and make the event even more accessible to everyone.
Categories include distances of 15 km and up. Affordable registration fees apply. For more information, visit the official site at https://skimarathon.ca/register/fees/
Sunday March 15 was a perfect day to run the event. Three team members of Fernie Nordic Racers took part together with 34 adult skiers – 17 women and 17 men – how is this for equality? Everyone rushed from the start at 10:40 am to follow the course along the trails of the Nordic Centre and the Fernie Alpine Resort. A short chair lift ride was also included!
Five adult skiers completed two loops for a total of 50 km. The fastest 50K adult skiers were Naomi Lentz in 4:22 hours and Mike Bragg in 4:13 hours. Thirty-two skiers did one loop of 25 km. The fastest 25K adult skiers were Virginia Robinson in 2:22 hours and Aaron Glover in 2:49 hours. In the Under 16 – 25K category, Wes Robinson-Shaw was the fastest with 2:20 hours. Click the icon below for the full results.
A big Thank You! to the event organizer Sam Sedlowsky who was also participating in the 25 km category. Volunteers were on hand at a food station at the ski hill and at the warming hut where there was more hot food, snacks and beverages for the skiers. Fancy wooden medals and prizes were waiting for participants at the finish. Thank you also to our generous sponsors of this event: RCR, GearHub, Heaven Boutique, Elevation Showcase and the City of Fernie.
Important Change: The event has been rescheduled to Sunday March 15 at 10:30 am. Registration now closes at 3 pm on Saturday, March 14. The event returns to Fernie for the third time. It takes place on Sunday morning March 15, 2020 at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre. The start time is set for 10:30 am. Looking for a challenge? This is the one, a long one but very casual. Excellent prizes, ride(s) on the Deer chair, a lot of yummy food and drinks. Prizes will be awarded for best costume and then as door prizes! You have the option to do either the full 50 km yourself (2 loops to the ski hill trails and back) or you can choose to do a single loop of 25 km. More details on our event page HERE
