Dear U12 and U10 Families,
I hope this email finds you well and enjoying the week! We are looking forward to a great weekend ahead. Read on carefully for a couple of important notes, info for the weekend, including some fun social events, a look ahead, and race info for both the U12s at Middlebury and U10s at Okemo – DON’T FORGET TO REGISTER!
Also – don’t forget that the Tri-Council registrations open at 9 am on 3/1 for the boys (2013 YOB only for 24 hours, then open to 2014 as well) and 3/2 for the girls (2013 YOB only for 24 hours, then open to 2014 as well) – these races fill quickly, so set a reminder for yourself.
This Weekend:
3/1: U12s train GS; U10s train panel SL (no armor for panel SL)
3/2:
U12s race GS at Middlebury reg link HERE. (closes Friday 2/28 at 11:59 pm)
U10s race Panel SL at Okemo – reg link HERE (closes Friday 2/28 at 1 pm)
Details for both below!
Social Events this weekend:
1) U12 Apres at the Bull 3/1: Dear U12 parents – it was great to see many of you at our last happy hour. Please join us and OMARA on Saturday, March 1st, for an apres ski happy hour from 3-5 at the Clocktower Base Lodge at the Sitting Bull, sponsored by Diamond Realty. Kids are welcome too! – Steffany and Todd, U12 parents
2) COMEDY NIGHT Sponsored by William Raveis Vermont Properties is Saturday 3/1 at 7 pm at Okemo’s Clock Tower Base Lodge. This event supports OMARA’s fund for coaches’ education – please attend this super fun evening and support coaches’ education!! Purchase tickets HERE.
3) U10 Apres at the Bull 3/2: Dear U10 Families, Athletes and Coaches, We invite you to join us at The Bull on Sunday, March 2 after our U10 Race and Awards. Please respond to our RSVP form below so we can tell The Bull how many we expect. The Bull will have the back section by the TVs reserved for the U10 Teams:) – Courtney, Dawn, and Chrissy – U10 RSVP at The Bull
Looking ahead:
3/8: U12s race Meisterschaft tall pole SL at Willard – reg link HERE (closes 3/6 at 12 pm) OR freeski GS at Okemo; U10s train GS (Nastar)
3/9: U12s race Meisterschaft GS at Magic Mtn – reg link HERE (closes 3/6 at 6 pm) OR freeski SL at Okemo; U10s race GS at Pico (reg link HERE – opens 2/18 and close 3/8 at 9 am)
***The Meisterschaft race series is a fun, two day series in Southern VT. We encourage all U12s to consider this since we are limited on training space at home due to hosting the U14 States. However, we will offer programming at home for any 12s who don’t want to race.***
3/15: U12 BOYS race one run SL/one run GS at Pico – reg link HERE (opens for 2013 YOB athletes 3/1 at 9am and for all U12s 3/2 at 9 am – this will fill quickly!!! Put it in your calendar to register!) OR U12 SL Training; U10s stubby and intro to tall pole SL
3/16: U12 GIRLS race one run SL/one run GS at Okemo – reg link HERE (opens for 2013 YOB athletes 3/2 at 9 am and for all U12s 3/3 at 9 am – this will fill quickly!!! Put it in your calendar to register!) OR U12 freeski SL; U10 freeski SL
3/22-3/23: Training at Okemo TBD
3/29: Tentative date for End of the Year celebration…Kid v Parent race and Awards.
3/30: Training at Okemo TBD OR Killington Memorial Race for U10 and U12s – register HERE (opens 3/1; closes 3/28 at 12 pm) – last day of the program!
U12 GS Race at Middlebury – Sunday 3/2 Details:
Middlebury is a great little mountain with a lot of history and it’s an awesome place to race! You can view the race trail without skiing. The lodge is SMALL though and they request that racers use the upstairs and store bags outside along the building on the lower or upper deck or in your car. The lodge opens at 7:30 am, but note that the kitchen doesn’t open until 9:00 am!! Athletes should meet the coaches inside of the lodge from 8 – 8:15 am to get their bibs and lift tickets – though sometimes they have the bib = ticket. Then athletes should be outside at 8:20 am dressed and ready to ski to meet coaches for a stretch and warm-up and to go for inspection.
Race starts at 9:30 am. Second run will start about an hour after the conclusion of the first – reverse running order as usual. Athletes should listen to coaches instructions about meeting time for second run inspection. PLEASE do not have your athlete eat a full lunch in between runs – they are coming back out sluggish for second run! A light snack with some carbs to give them a quick boost of energy and keep them from being hungry is perfect – save the cheeseburger deluxe for after the race! The course will stay up for untimed training runs after the second run is over (if conditions permit) and awards will be about 30 minutes after the completion of the second run outside of the base lodge. Be aware that even though it’s kind of a small place, the lift ride is 8 minutes.
$65 parent tickets will be sold at the ticket window beginning at 8:30 am – again you can see the race from the bottom, but it is fun to ski at Midd!
A few other things to note about Middlebury: NO outside ALCOHOL, dogs allowed only in the parking lot and must be leashed – no dogs on ski hill or base area, NO ONE CAN CARRY SKIS UP THE LIFT – this includes parents (not that this is really a consideration as U12s can only have one pair of skis anyway!). Please respect these rules :)!
Directions to Middlebury:
Take 100 North like you are going to Killington. Watch for cops in Plymouth. Take a left at RT 4. Watch for cops on the flats just past the Skyeship gondola. Just past the access road to Killington, Rt. 100 splits off to the right. Take this right to stay on Rt. 100. You will go through the town of Pittsfield and after another 5 miles or so you will come to a fork in the road. Stay to the Left (almost actually a left hand turn) to stay on Rt. 100. Follow this for another 10-12 miles or so and you will come to the town of Hancock. Take a left onto Rt 125. This will take you all of the way to the Middlebury Snowbowl. It will be on your left after climbing up a big hill on a windy road. The trip takes about 1 hour and fifteen minutes from Ludlow. Keep in mind that the Snow Bowl is technically in Hancock, not in Middlebury and so you don’t go there like you would go to the town of Middlebury or the college. Unless you don’t like bumpy roads – in that case go up Rt 7 and over on 125! 100 is very bumpy!
U10 Panel SL Race at Okemo – Sunday 3/2 Details:
Remember no chin bars or shin guards for panel SL (pole guards are fine to leave on). Coaches will have athlete bibs and will meet athletes inside of the Yurt between 8:30 and 8:40 am to hand them out. At 8:40 am athletes will stretch and then go for a warm up run and inspection. The race starts at 10 am. As usual girls go first, then boys in bib order, which will be by team as usual. Second run in reverse bib order. Second run will start almost immediately after the end of the first run, so please remember not to have your athletes eat a full lunch – a quick snack, bathroom and/or warm up break, but don’t leave the Wardance area for too long! Athletes should listen to their coaches for instructions on timing – parents, please help your athlete manage their time to make it back up for second run.
The course will stay up at the end for 30 minutes after the completion of the second run for fun runs. Awards will be in front of the Bull in the Clocktower Base about 20 minutes after the completion of the fun run.
The race is on Wardance – it will start just above the “Innkeepers” start (halfway down the pitch) and end towards the end of the flats, but not at the bottom of the trail. We are working on possible trail access from Blackout or you will be able to hike up from the bottom of Wardance to view the race from the finish. You cannot ski onto Wardance from the top of the trail.
That’s all for now! Any questions, feel free to reach out!
Best,
Mariel
