From Katie Hill:
MASTERS – MNC NEEDS YOU FOR THE CLUB CUP!
(First-time racers & casual racers – this means you too!)
As you’ve probably heard several times by now, the Club Cup race is very tight this year. For the first time ever, MNC stands a real chance of upsetting perennial powerhouses NWVE and CSU to claim bragging rights as THE BEST NORDIC SKI CLUB IN NEW ENGLAND, but we need everyone’s help to do this. That includes getting some of you first-time racers and more “casual” racers to the starting line to earn Club Cup points too (yes – we mean you there, hiding in the back-of-the-pack). Please consider entering a Club Cup race to help the team effort!
What is the Club Cup?
The Club Cup is the ranking of all the NENSA ski clubs in New England, based on age group race results of club skiers 15 and older in designated Club Cup races. MNC is currently in 2nd place out of 55 teams, and closing in on 1st.
Who is eligible to earn Club Cup points?
Any MNC member who is 15 years of age or older; individual NENSA membership is not required. IMPORTANT: SKIERS MUST IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH MANSFIELD NORDIC CLUB AT RACE REGISTRATION TO EARN POINTS.
Which races count for the Club Cup?
Each year NENSA designates a series of masters-friendly races that are used for both the Club Cup (team rankings) and Zak Cup (individual rankings). This year there are 23 Zak/Club Cup races across New England, culminating with the New England Club Relay Championships at the end of March. You can see the full list of Zak/Club Cup races here. At each race, one distance is designated for Zak points but all distances are scored for Club Cup points. (See below for Club Cup races that are most suitable for novice/casual racers.)
How do the points work?
Club Cup points are awarded based on age-group finish place for each gender and for each race distance. 10 points are awarded for 1st, 9 for 2nd, 8 for 3rd, and so on down to 1 point for 10th; all skiers 11th and beyond also earn 1 point. Age groups are U16, U18, U20, U23, SR (23 to 29), and masters by five-year increments: M1 (30-34), M2 (35-40), etc. Scoring is by displacement (i.e., non-club skiers are included in the results when assigning points).
Why do you want a slow-poke like me to enter a Club Cup race?
Because EVERYONE who finishes the race scores points! With so many age groups, there are typically only a handful of skiers in each age group (the Craftsbury marathons are the exception). That means even the slowest person in the age group still often earns 5 or more points. Two slower skiers can typically match the 10 points of an age-group winner. Women tend to earn more points than men simply because there are fewer women in the races.
Most teams average about 6 to 7 points per skier. NWVE, with the fastest roster of masters skiers in New England, is only doing slightly better at 8 points average per racer. With such a small point differential for speed, the best strategy is to send more people to the races rather than focus on just the fastest skiers.
A few more bodies can make all the difference in the point totals at the end of the season. Last year MNC finished 2nd, just 23 points ahead of 3rd place CSU. This year, MNC has been within 20 points of NWVE (last year’s winner) for most of the season. It only takes about four more skiers – of any speed – to cover a 20 point spread so literally every skier makes a difference!
What upcoming Club Cup races do your recommend for novice/casual racers?
- MNC Skiathlon (this weekend, 2/22) – If you aren’t up for the full 14k skiathlon (7k classic + 7k skate), then enter the 5k “What the Heck, I’ll Try it” race, with your choice of technique. MNC Skiathlon info.
- Trapp’s Race to the Cabin (3/1) – 5k classic hill climb with fire, food, and drink at the end. Race to Cabin info.
- New England Club Relay Championships (3/22) – Join an MNC team for this 4x5k relay (2 legs skate, 2 legs classic). This is a great starter race, suitable for skiers of all levels. Club Relays info.
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