Author Archive | Rosemary Shea-Cobb

BKL Practice UPDATE for Thurs. 1/20/22

By Rosemary Shea-Cobb on 19 January, 2022 in BKL Training Schedule

We will end practice today at 5 PM due to the cold. Be sure to make a pick-up plan with your child- we don’t want anyone standing out there waiting for pick up in the cold! The Walker Building will be open if we need it. (Reminder- everyone needs to wear a mask in the Walker Building.)

Temps will be falling into the single digits as the afternoon progresses, but it will be partly sunny and the wind shouldn’t be too bad. Nevertheless, bundle up your kids! Buffs, hats instead of headbands, covered ears, handwarmers and mittens instead of gloves are all good ideas in the cold. Kids can always take off a layer if they get too warm.

BKL Sliver Fox Trot Photos & Blog!

By Rosemary Shea-Cobb on 17 January, 2022 in BKL Race Blog

Ollie Laber skiing in the Lollipop race.

It was a bluebird day with temps in the teens for this year’s Silver Fox Trot held by the Ford Sayer Club at Rikert Touring Center. This is always a fun, well-attended, well-run race and this year was no exception. With a dinosaur leading off the lollipop race and a pair of chickens leading out the 1/2 race the fun factor was high and there were lots of smiling kids! Add to that the post-BKL Citizens Race where you get to watch the juniors, the coaches and maybe even your parents race while you hang out with your ski buddies and you’ve got a fun day in the sun for any BKL skier! Congratulations to Ollie Laber, Finn Laber, Brooke Greenberg, Oakley Crawford, Ansel Sprague, Liam Vile, Dylan Torrizo, Matias Citarella and Jonah Gorman for doing a great job on the challenging terrain at Rikert!

Finn Laber tearing up the hill to the finish line.

Brooke Greenberg skied so fast that she won the 5/6 girls race!

Oakley Crawford pushes hard as he heads out on his second lap.

Ansel Sprague kicks up powder as he rounds the turn.

Liam Vile charging up the hill to the finish.

Jonah Gorman storms up the hill.

Dylan powers up the hill to the finish.

Matias charging through the lap lane.

Matias charges through the lap lane!

BKL Practice Week of 1/17/22

By Rosemary Shea-Cobb on 16 January, 2022 in BKL Training Schedule

With snow on the way, the skiing should be great this week if everything gets plowed, groomed and it doesn’t get too cold.

*Be sure to check the website before you leave on Tuesday to be sure nothing has changed.

* Please check in at the Range gate as MNC.

Tuesday, 1/18: Classic for everyone

There should be powder but don’t count on tracks- the groomers may have their hands filled just getting things packed out depending on how much snow we get.

Bundle up the kids in layers and wear buffs, hats, and warm gloves or mittens! The high is supposed to be only 11F today.

Wax at home if you can: Swix special green, V20, Toko Blue, or anything else for cold, fresh snow. Most greens & blues will work well today.

Thursday, 1/20: Skate

It’s supposed to be a bit warmer with highs in the teens. Bundle up again!

Saturday 1/22: BKL RACE in the Mad River Valley

Technique will be SKATE except for grades 1/2 which will classic. The race will be at the Ole’s in Warren, in the afternoon, 12:30-2:15 PM.

Registration is online until Friday. Day of Race registration also available. See the link below for all information!

Coach Rosemary will be there to preview the course with kids. Please sign our MNC race roster so we know your child is coming (& for last minute updates).

Mad River BKL Race at Ole’s 1/22/22

Sleepy Hollow BKL Race Photos & Recap

By Rosemary Shea-Cobb on 10 January, 2022 in BKL Race Blog

1st and 2nd graders lined up at the start.

Our first BKL race of the season kicked off on Sunday at Sleepy Hollow in Huntington. Sixty-four racers and their fearless parents navigated the somewhat icy roads to Sleepy Hollow for the race. When I arrived, a bit of freezing rain was making conditions a bit tricky for waxing and kids that had them were using waxless skis. Luckily the rain stopped and trusty Toko yellow came through with enough grip to kick up the hills.

The festivities started off with the lollipop race where Daisy Tremble and Ollie Laber easily conquered the loop around Molly’s Meadow. We had a large contingent of racers in the grade 1/2 race: Oliver Tremble, Ben Cross, Ansel Page and Mazzy Merrit all skied the 1 km loop down past the Inn, up Tina Turner and back to Molly’s Meadow. MNC skier Finn Laber and the other 3rd & 4th graders all skied 2 loops of the course and many of them opted to ski over the whale humps on the lap heading out of Molly’s Meadow. MNC Racers Logan Cichanowski, Liam Vile, Ansel Sprague and Oakley Crawford all skied 3 laps of the course and did an excellent job skiing up those hills on Tina Turner in the 5/6 race. Special shout out to Logan who skied an excellent race in his first race ever! Mary Moyer skied the 7/8 race, her first race ever, and did a fantastic job as well! Congratulations to all these MNC skiers!

With the wind whipping around making it a bit cold outside, race organizers opted to forego an organized award ceremony and gave everyone a lollipop or a treat at the finish line. So much thanks to Heather and the folks at Sleepy Hollow for putting on such a fun race!

Ollie Laber with a big smile after the Lollipop race.

Oakley, Liam and Ansel compare notes after their race.

Mary Moyer rounds the turn and heads out for her last lap.

Daisy Tremble swooshes the Lollipop downhill.

BKL Practice Week of 1/10/22

By Rosemary Shea-Cobb on 9 January, 2022 in BKL Training Schedule

A few notes:

*When you check into the Range, tell them you are with MNC from now on.

* Don’t forget to drive no more than 25 mph.

Tuesday 1/11/22: Practice cancelled.

The forecast is for a high of 1 F and a wind chill of -13 in the afternoon. BKL, Masters & Biathlon will be cancelled and most Juniors are having a rest day.

Have your kids warm up with a hot drink and watch this video showing an amazing performance by Jessie Diggins in this year’s Tour de Ski. All our BKL groups worked on their V-1 technique last Thursday and you can see the skiers do it really well in parts of this video, so tell kids to be on the watch for V-1 technique. Also pay attention to how well Jessie tucks, drafts, and works the downhills- she’s amazing!

Tour de Ski Stage 3 Women’s 10km Skate

Thursday, 1/13/22: Skate

Many groups will practice what they learned in skating with a ski tour and games while more advanced skiers will focus on V-2 today.

Races this Weekend: (open to all)

There are two races this weekend. Saturday’s Silver Fox Trot is traditional BKL age group distances and Coach Rosemary will be there to help you ski the course and warm up. This is the race we will focus on attending as a team this weekend. There will also be MNC Juniors and Masters racing in the open race later that day. It should be a fun event and it’s always well-organized. Sign-up on the MNC Racer Roster to let us know you are coming and see below for all the information & registration links.

Sunday’s Craftsbury Scramble is short and looks like fun: 3 x 0.5 k for a total of 1.5 k. I’ve included information on it below in case you want to do it with a buddy, but they state that they will find you a partner if you don’t have one. See the information.

Saturday Sunday: Silver Fox Trot at Rikert

1/12/22 Update: Race has been rescheduled to Sunday 1/16, all starts delayed one hour due to cold.

Classic technique for Grades 1/2.

Skate technique for Grades 3/4- 7/8.

There is a lollipop race. Lollipop registration is the day of the race and it’s free.

Registration for Grades 1-8 is Online by ~~Thursda~~y Friday HERE. There is day of race registration.

Sunday: Craftsbury Scramble

1/12/22 Update: Race may be delayed to to the afternoon or rescheduled to next weekend. Stay-tuned.

A team sprint: 2 x 3 x 0.5k. Mass Start. For BKL, two team members alternate laps of about a 0.5k course until each team member has skied 3 times. Skate technique. Registration, the schedule and all the other information is HERE. You can sign up with a partner or they will find one for you.