Nordic Racers Ski Club:
The Leading Edge,
April 2000

Annual General Meeting

The club AGM will be held on Wednesday evening May 17th at Sigge's. Pizza and beer will be served at 6:30; the meeting will start at 7:00 pm.

This is your opportunity to volunteer or nominate others to the executive. Please contact any executive member if you're public spirited enough to get involved and/or would like to find out more.

Diamond Head Ski Tour

Craig Oliver is organizing a ski tour snowshoe trip to Diamond Head on Sunday April 16. There's still time to join the group of 12 heading out to Diamond Head for the day. This is a beginner/intermediate trek and all are welcome. Note: this is safe terrain but participants are requested to rent and carry an avalanche beacon. This is standard gear for all backcountry skiing/snowshoeing. Contact Craig Oliver for details and/or help to rent the gear.

Off Season Events

WEDNESDAY NIGHT KAYAK RACES

Kayak races are organized by the Deep Cove Kayak and Canoe Shop starting Wed April 12. Check out www.deepcovekayak.com for details! If you have never kayaked and are interested in learning, Tony Chin is organizing an introductory race lesson with Deep Cove Kayak. Tony Chin has more.

THURSDAY NIGHT GROUSE GRIND

When sunset comes a bit later, fellow Nordic Racers will meet at the base of Grouse Mountain at 7 pm to do a Group Grouse Grind. Details and organizer TBA later by e-mail.

DAY HIKES

Mary Tam has volunteered to organize/lead day hikes! If you would like to help Mary with the planning and/or organizing of hikes, participate in any hike, suggest hiking trips, etc. please contact Mary. E-mails will be sent out regarding dates and hikes that are being planned.

WEEKEND EXPEDITIONS

There is considerable interest in weekend trips to the Gulf Islands. The trips would be either bike trips or kayak trips. If anyone is interested in organizing this or helping to organize this, please e-mail Tony Chin.

OTHER

Here are some events that fellow club members are participating in, want to join in?

• Sunday April 9 - Pacific Populaire Bike Ride (25, 50 or 100 km). See www.randonneurs.bc.ca/pacpop" for details. If you are interested in joining other club members in this bike ride, contact Julia McDonnell. Oops missed this one!
• Sunday April 16 - Vancouver Sun Run (10 km). Contact Tony Chin if you are interested in running with other club members.
• Sunday May 7 - Vancouver International Marathon (26.2 miles or 13 miles). Several members are going all the way, some the half. Contact Tony Chin if you are interested in running with other club members.

Mt. Washington - March 18

by Chris Bowlby

Nordic Racers were well represented in the season's last race, the Mt. Washington Loppet. We fielded 22 of the 96 finishers (in all categories), second only to Strathcona Nordics, the host club. No one from our club DNF-ed, despite the difficult conditions. As usual the Mount Washington event came with some surprises which made for a great weekend.

First several members realized that our travel date to the race was the beginning of the March break for BC schools. The race to the ferry line-up was the first challenge of the weekend, then came the race to the ferry food line-up and the race to ferry unloading. Whew - by the time we reached Nanaimo, we were already tired.

The drive to Mount Washington was great - the new island highway has been finished.

Race day brought another surprise - from Mother Nature. We woke to an arctic blizzard with strong winds and a hefty dump of snow - about 12 cm of the stuff. Although it was beautiful, light, and fluffy, it meant the grooming was obliterated. This year the start was different - the course began at the base of the blue quad chair with a run down a bunny hill. Early morning downhillers gawked at the skinny skis and racing suits of the cross country crowd. At the gun, the pack headed out into the blizzard and down the bunny hill. Quite a few wipeouts, but no multi-vehicle pileups as the run is wide and you could avoid rear enders. Immediately after came the big climb. It was up a wide downhill run - no problems passing.

The most arduous part of the course was the 4 km stretch coming off the upper meadows. We were racing head into the snow storm. I thought it felt like what I imagine an Everest trek to be like - cold, blowing, blinding snow. It was difficult to see the skiers in front of you. Fortunately, once we were off the Jutland trail, the wind was behind us. The rest of the course was easy in comparison.

By the time we finished, the storm had blown over. Hot drinks, chili, fruit, and cookies were there to replace lost drive. The sun came out and we enjoyed relaxing, feeding and story-telling.

Saturday evening Tony Chin organized yet another successful pot luck dinner. Nordic Racers feasted on delicious casseroles, appetizers and Dirk Ricker's most remarkable trifle. A small contingent later headed for the pub on the mountain.

Next morning we returned to the trails to retrace the course. It was sunny and beautifully groomed - hard to believe it was the same place. Note: Mt. Washington gives a discount to Cypress Bowl full season pass holders - next time you head to Mt. Washington, bring your Cypress pass.

Buy and Sell

Doug Grimes has ski equipment for sale. See our website for details.

Mt. Washington Photo Album

NORDIC RACERS STORM MT. WASHINGTON - THE SEASON'S LAST HURRAH

Click images to enlarge

Most of the Nordic Racers crew that participated - recognize yourself? This was taken immediately after the race when the sun had replaced the blizzard in which we skied the whole race. It was fun, and tough. The course differed from that of previous years. We started at the Downhill lodge down a bunny hill in deep powder and then up the big hill which used to be reserved for the end.

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David Wyness had a great race - 45 min. for 15K - and that in a blizzard!

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Julia McDonnell (2:51) and Chris Bowlby (2:06) have forgotten the agony already.

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A near-sweep by Nordic Racers in Men's Recreational 15K. Richard Sones (1:04) and Barton Pietras (1:03).

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Nordic Racers sweep the Women's 15K. Teri Martin (1:31), Nancy Crump (1:08) and Leila Chrobok (1:53).

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Carolyn Daubeny: 3rd woman in 2:13 - reason to smile.

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Feng Chen - getting faster! 2:28 and 12th in group.

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Dave McKee - smiling as always. 2:00 - 3rd in class.

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Our VP Stu Croft got 2:24 for the 30K. Lose the hat, Stu.

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Terry Lewis had a great season. He got 7th overall here in 1:57.

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Tony Chin, our social chair, did the 15K in 1:12, good for 6th in group.

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Leila Chrobok and Neil Connolly enjoyed racing in the blizzard - but enjoy the sunshine afterwards more.

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