Hello U12 and U10 Families,
This week’s updates will come in 2 parts as I don’t yet have race day details for S6 for the 12s on Saturday. Registration link is below – note if you’ve been looking for the link the race is under Woodstock Ski Runners – that is the ski club at Saskadena 6. Please read carefully – lots of info here!
A big congrats to all U12s and U10s for a great start to the season at Killington this past weekend. Official results are generally posted to the VARA website by the host mountain, in the days following the race, if not the same day. Remember U12 awards are by combined time, U10 are by single best run. You can check them out here:
This weekend:
Friday 1/31: VARA U12 and U10 SL and Skills Project – optional (but VERY fun!) training day at Quechee – highly recommend this! More info below. Reg link is HERE. Deadline is Wednesday 1/29 at 5 pm. There is NO FRIDAY TRAINING at Okemo on this day due to coaches needing to support the camp. Details below.
Saturday 2/1: U12s race Tall Gate SL at Saskadena Six (link to register is HERE; deadline is Friday 1/31 at 9:30 am) – S6 hasn’t yet shared race day details -I’ll send an update later this week when available – plan on about a 7:30 am arrival; U10s train Stubby SL
Sunday 2/2: U12s train GS, U10s train Stubby SL
Other fun events this weekend:
U10 Pizza Party at Off The Rails – Saturday February 1 from 4pm-6pm for some Aprés Ski Pizza and drinks! We’ll pre-order some pizzas and have a cash bar available. Please respond to our RSVP form so we can tell OTR how many we expect. U10 Team Parents are asking for a $20 donation per family. Cash at the event or venmo @snosin.
Cami and Chloe Blount’s Runs4Research Fundraiser – Saturday 2/1: Cami, OMS U18, and Chloe, OMS U16, Blount are hosting their annual fundraiser for cancer and type 1 diabetes research. Support them for taking some runs on Nastar from 10am – 2 pm and then joining the after race party at Calcutta’s from 5 – 8 pm – or simply donate in support. Learn more here: https://www.runs4research.org/
Quechee SL Camp Details for January 31:
Athletes can pick up their lift tickets (no bibs for this event) in the basement of the Quechee Base Lodge from 7:30 – 8:30 am. U12 athletes should have full SL armor on (chin, pole, and shin guards). U10s do not need any armor, but may wear shin guards if they have them.
There will be a camp meeting for all coaches and athletes on the deck (slopeside side of the base lodge) at 8:40 am. Athletes should be dressed and ready to ski when they report to the meeting. Campers will be divided into mixed mountain groups with a coach leader and depart for skiing from there. Groups will ski together using the drill courses set all over the mountain until 11:45 am. Then there will be a lunch break until 12:30. Athletes must bring lunch or buy one from the cafeteria. The afternoon session will go from 12:30 – 2:00 pm and will involve dual training courses. The camp ends at 2:00 pm and all athletes should be picked up by their parents at this time.
Quechee is a small (but fun :)!) ski area – you can see almost the whole thing from the base lodge. The base lodge is also quite small, so planning to spend time outside primarily will be helpful. Using your car as a place to store stuff is helpful to Quechee. There is a nice deck to hang out on though and they have good food! You can leave your kids for the day if they are self-sufficient with lunch, or if you wish to stay and ski, parent tickets are available at the ticket window for $30 ($25 for children/siblings) – let them know you are there for the camp.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS to Quechee:
Take 100 North (the right hand turn before Jackson Gore). In Plymouth, take a right onto 100A (be sure to slow down when the speed limit drops). When this dead ends at Rt 4, take a right. This will go through Bridgewater and Woodstock – watch for speed traps in both towns! The speed limit goes down to 25/30 a few times – obey the speed limit. Continue through Woodstock and after a few miles as you come to the town of Taftsville (don’t blink) you will see a big red covered bridge with a green roof on the left. Take a left to get to the bridge. Go across it and head straight up the hill. Follow this road for a mile or two until you see Quechee on your left. You can either park before the white building (this is the base lodge) or after it. It takes about an hour to get to Quechee.
Looking ahead:
2/8: U10s race Stubby SL at Quechee (reg link is HERE; reg closes 2/4 at 5 pm); U12s train GS
2/9: U12s MVC SG Camp at Okemo (reg link is HERE; reg opens 1/23 at 9 am and closes 2/7 at 11 am); U10s train GS.
Monday 2/10: Optional, but again very fun! VARA GS Terrain Camp for U12s (only U12s) at Okemo – link to register is HERE – registration will open first Thursday 1/23 at 9am open to second year U12s only for first 24 hours. All can register as of Friday 1/24 at 9 am; reg closes 2/7 at 11 am. More info below.
2/12-2/14: OMS Valentine Victory Camp – see below for info and to register!
Upcoming Special Event Info:
MVC U12 SG Camp – Sunday 2/9: On Sunday, February 9, we will host the MVC U12 SG Camp at Okemo. This is a very gentle introduction to the discipline of Super G and is always a fun day. Athletes get comfortable with speed in various training environments, but there is no timing, or any race held. Athletes should use their GS skis (no SL skis allowed). Registration is required at the link above. There will be no other U12 training offered that day, just like a race day. More details to come, but plan on about 8:30 am – 2:30 pm.
VARA U12 GS Terrain Camp – Monday 2/10: This is another special statewide training opportunity on Monday, February 10th at Okemo; however, this is only for U12s. It is a really great training opportunity for athletes to get used to skiing various terrain (rollers, wave tracks, spines all built on Wardance) that will improve their GS skiing. Registration is first come, first served and it may fill up, so please register early if you want your athlete to attend. To give second year U12s priority in participating, they have a 24 hours protected window for registration from 9 am Thursday 1/23 – 9 am Friday 1/24. Again, totally optional, but very fun if your athlete can make it. The day will run from approx 9 am – 2:45 pm.
OMS Valentine Victory Camp – Feb 12-14:Get a mid-winter boost for your training by joining OMS for 3 days of on-snow and dryland training! U10-U16 athletes are invited to attend the annual OMS Valentine Victory Camp from February 12-14, 2025. The camp will provide training in either SL, GS or both (final training schedule TDB) to help finish the competition season strong. The on-snow portion of the day will run from 9 am – 2:30 pm at Okemo Mountain – the exact training schedule will be shared with registered campers the week prior to the camp. Campers will eat lunch on the mountain and should be prepared with a packed lunch, or with money to purchase lunch. All campers are invited to attend afternoon dryland sessions, as well as a video review and trampoline session, at OMS each day as well (exact timing of these sessions will vary by age group). Parents are responsible for drop off and pick up at the OMS building for the afternoon sessions. Click HERE to learn more and to register!
That’s all for now! If after reviewing this email and the attachments you have any questions, please let me know. Keep thinking SNOW…it’s been working :)!
Thanks,
Mariel
