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Greetings NENSA Community,
I’m still trying to find the right words for the Lake Placid World Cup. It was simply magical to experience the spirit of our regional and national community on an international stage.
We loved connecting with so many of you throughout the weekend! With the strong foundation of community and programming we’ve collectively built in the East, a snowy winter, an Olympic year, and an Eastern World Cup, the future feels undeniably bright.
We’re about to turn the page and double down on planning for the year ahead. Bid sheets are being updated and shared, and committee meetings are being scheduled, all in advance of NENSA’s annual meeting in late April.
First, though, we have one more important event to highlight: the NENSA Club Relay Championship and Community Barbecue/End-of-Season Awards Celebration this Saturday at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Registration has been extended until tomorrow, Thursday, at 5:00 p.m. Officially, this is for BBQ planning purposes, but perhaps also to allow a little extra time to accessorize. We look forward to celebrating the end of the season with you. All the details are below - we look forward to seeing you!
All my best,
Heidi
Heidi Lange
Executive Director
New England Nordic Ski Association
heidi@nensa.net
| | NENSA is a Member and Donor Supported Nonprofit Organization. | | |
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In this week’s Kickzone
Job Openings
| | NENSA News From the Field | | NENSA Club Relay Championships Reg Deadline Thursday (3/26) at 5pm | | |
The NENSA Club Relay Championships are this Saturday, March 28, running concurrently with the US Spring National Championships at Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, Vermont. Come show your club spirit, with different categories for combined ages of club participants (all ages from BKL to masters are welcome).
Following the race, there will be a fun, celebratory barbecue with awards for the relay as well as for NENSA's season long Marathon and Zak Cup Series, and the annual Club Cup. We're excited to offer hats for the marathoners and Allagash/NENSA Chalices for the Zak Cup winners.
The registration deadline is earlier than most community races to ensure there's enough BBQ goodness to go around. So gather your friends and register by 5pm on Thursday, March 26th for what promises to be a fun day of friendly competition, camaraderie, and food to celebrate the end of the season!
| | A throwback to Relay Champs in 2023! | | Team New England at 2026 Junior Nationals in the Birkieland of Wisconsin | | |
When you reach the Northwoods of Wisconsin, the trees all grow and mature. Earlier this month, as went the trees, so went the skiers.
Team New England had a wonderful week of racing which spanned six days, included four races, and was supported by a Staff which looked to make our junior skier’s Paul Bunyan sized dreams a reality by working like Babe the Blue Ox.
| | THANK YOU TO OUR PLATINUM SPONSORS | | Opportunities After the BKL Happening Tonight! | | |
What’s next in your nordic skiing journey? Are you wondering what comes after the Bill Koch League (BKL)? Whether you're a skier, parent, or coach, this webinar will guide you through the exciting opportunities available for junior skiers in New England.
Join NENSA's Youth & Introductory Program Director, Mackenzie Rizio, as she explores the next steps in competitive and community-based Nordic skiing, including: Popular & Community Events, the Eastern Cup Series, NENSA U16 Eastern Championships, NENSA Eastern Cup Series, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Junior Nationals.
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, ask questions, and explore the next steps in your skiing journey.
When: March 25, 2026 from 7:30-8:30pm
Where: Virtual on Zoom - Register HERE
| | Reflecting on World Cup Finals | | Perhaps the best word on last weekend’s World Cup Finals in Lake Placid comes from the archetype for New England sport valedictories: upon watching watching Ted Williams' last at bat for the Red Sox improbably sail into the right field bleachers down at Fenway Park, John Updike wrote that it was, "such a perfect fusion of expectation, intention, and execution, that already it felt a little unreal in my head." | | We know a number of you wanted to enter the Fischer giveaway but couldn't due to connectivity issues at the World Cup so Fischer has extended the donation deadline to 5pm on Friday, March 27. Make a donation to NENSA before 5pm on March 27 (minimum of $1) and you'll be entered into the giveaway of a Framed Original Donald Moss 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Poster as well as a Fischer Prize Package. Thank you to Fischer, Donald Moss’s family, and all giveaway entrants for supporting youth skiing and development! | | THANK YOU TO OUR GOLD SPONSORS | | Jessie Diggins leaves a legacy of glitter and grit as she ends her ski career in Lake Placid | |
By Emily Russell | Adirondack Reporter, NCPR | March 22, 2026
Heidi Lange, who leads the New England Nordic Ski Association, said Diggins’ success has lifted cross-country skiing to new levels.
"Our sport has been growing in the United States over the last few decades and I think that the level of success and the amount of visibility that she has achieved has brought the sport to more people," said Lange.
| | Bidding open for the 2028 L.L.Bean BKL Festival & 2027 Women’s XC Ski Day | | |
The L.L. Bean BKL Festival is the premier event of the NENSA’s Bill Koch Youth Ski League, dedicated to introducing young people to the lifelong sport of cross-country skiing in a fun, inclusive, and safe environment. Women's XC Ski Day is a signature event that brings together women from across the region for a day of energy, learning, and connection.
Hosting either of these events is a powerful opportunity to rally your club, engage your community, and help create an inspiring experience for all attendees. The deadline for bid submissions is April 8, 2026.
| | THANK YOU TO OUR SILVER SPONSORS | | Welcoming Nominations for NENSA's Annual Awards | | NENSA is accepting nominations for folks in our New England ski community who fulfill the ideals of our Annual Awards. These awards honor the achievements and contributions of our members who work to support NENSA’s mission of sustaining a vibrant and active Nordic skiing community in New England. Learn about the different awards and prior winners here. | | John Caldwell’s Wild West Ski Tour | | |
By John Morton | Vermont Sports | November 1, 1999
This essay was originally broadcast on Vermont Public Radio (now Vermont Public)
My early cross-country ski racing career benefited from the guidance of John Caldwell, Putney School’s famous math teacher and ski coach. After the publication of his popular book Cross-Country Ski in 1964, Caldwell became the guru of nordic skiing here in America, and Olympic hopefuls migrated from across the country to work out in Putney, Vermont.
| | THANK YOU TO OUR BRONZE SPONSORS | |
Medals in the Mountains: Celebrating Local Olympians and Youth Sports
STRATTON, VT, UNITED STATES, March 23, 2026 — U.S. cross-country skiers Ben Ogden and Bill Koch will attend Medals in the Mountains: Celebrating Local Olympians and Youth Sports on Sunday, April 12, 2026 at 3 p.m. at Bromley Mountain Resort. The fundraiser will benefit SMST2, Mountain Towns Recreation (MTR), and the West River Sports Association (WRSA). WRSA has entered its 54th year of operation and collaborates closely with the recently created Mountain Towns Recreation to provide and serve youth sports programs for countless kids from the Greater Southern Vermont region.
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Recycle your Coach bib Collection with BirdieBlue
This season, the Nordic community has an opportunity to keep retired coach bibs out of landfills and turn them into something meaningful. The National Nordic Foundation has partnered with Vermont-based upcycling brand BirdieBlue to safe retired Nordic coach bibs from the landfill and turn them into limited-edition Carry All bags.
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Green Racing Project Snow Team 2026-27 Application Open
The Craftsbury Green Racing Project Snow Team is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 season. The GRP is seeking applications from skiers and biathletes who have shown good ski speed over the past several seasons. Skiers who have not yet tried biathlon will be given the opportunity if they’re interested. Applications will be due by the end of day, April 9th. For details on the Snow Team concept, the Mission of the team and the Outdoor Center, and details on GRP life, please review the application HERE.
The GRP is currently in the process of hiring two new ski coaches. The Head Coach will
be announced on or about March 25th, and a second coach on or about April 10th. Both
new coaches will be in the group which will nominate new athletes, along with the
existing Snow Team staff. New athlete offers will be sent out April 12th, and nominated
athletes will have 1 week (April 18th) to accept or decline their place on the team.
If you have more questions about the Snow Team or the Outdoor Center, please reach
out using biathlon@craftsbury.com for biathlon related inquires and
jrskiing@craftsbury.com for cross country questions.
| | Scenes from the NENSA Community | | Some more scenes from Lake Placid last weekend | | |
Executive Director - Jackson Ski Touring Foundation
The Executive Director (“ED”) is a full-time position responsible for all operations of the Jackson Ski Touring Foundation and for providing leadership for the Foundation and its operations. The ED works with the Board of Directors to set policy and procedures for the operation and future of the Foundation, and to ensure mission alignment, organizational stability, and community impact.
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The Case for More American World Cups
Mar 21, 2026 | Luke Dykowski, FasterSkier
Read here
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Ava Thurston Ninth in 20km Skate at World U23s, Corbin Carpenter Tenth, Haley Brewster Twelfth
Mar 5, 2026 | Gavin Kentch, Nordic Insights
Read here
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New England Nordic Ski Association
P.O. Box 97
Lyme, NH 03768
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