DECEMBER 2019 PAGE 1 Sitzmarks Christmas 2019 Edition RART November 26 - December1 twenty-five RART athletes, five coaches and twenty-five parents travelled to Canmore for our annual mountain training camp. All athletes trained at Sunshine on Wednesday and senior race team members travelled to Nakiska on Thursday for GS training with members of the Prince Albert, Wapiti, and Table Mountain clubs. Friday the team trained at Lake Louise. Snow conditions were good and athletes got the chance to watch the Men’s World Cup racers train. Saturday Nancy Greene and senior and junior racers trained in the morning. They watched the men’s World Cup downhill race at Lake Louise during the afternoon. Athletes and parents alike had a great day. Saturday was our annual gift exchange back in Canmore. It is always a highlight for kids and parents. Events Sat Jan 4 8:00 AM - Sun Jan 5 Nordic Trip: Madge Weekend Duck Mountain Provincial Pk Jan 4 8:30 AM & Jan 5 9:30 Biathlon: SWF Cup #3 & #4 Qu'Appelle Valley Lumsden Sat Jan 18 Alpine Adaptive: U- Try-It Training Day Mission Ridge Ft Qu'Appelle
Transcript
! DECEMBER 2019
! PAGE 1
SitzmarksChristmas 2019 Edition
RARTNovember 26 - December1 twenty-five RART athletes, five coaches and twenty-five parents travelled to Canmore for our annual mountain training camp. All athletes trained at Sunshine on Wednesday and senior race team members travelled to Nakiska on Thursday for GS training with members of the Prince Albert, Wapiti, and Table Mountain clubs.
Friday the team trained at Lake Louise. Snow conditions were good and athletes got the chance to watch the Men’s World Cup racers train.
Saturday Nancy Greene and senior and junior racers trained in the morning. They watched the men’s World Cup downhill race at Lake Louise during the afternoon. Athletes and parents alike had a great day.
Saturday was our annual gift exchange back in Canmore. It is always a highlight for kids and parents.
Events
Sat Jan 4 8:00 AM - Sun Jan 5Nordic Trip: Madge WeekendDuck Mountain Provincial Pk
Jan 4 8:30 AM & Jan 5 9:30Biathlon: SWF Cup #3 & #4Qu'Appelle Valley Lumsden
Sat Jan 18Alpine Adaptive: U-Try-It Training DayMission Ridge Ft Qu'Appelle
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Para Olympic gold medalist Kurt Oatway spoke with our athletes, coaches, and parents Saturday evening. He shared what it takes to become a world class athlete. Kurt was also officially given his Saskatchewan Male Athlete of the Year award.
RART athletes started training December 7 at Mission Ridge. All club members, including Nancy Greene and junior racers, started on December 8.
Unfortunately poor snow conditions meant our first SaskCup race of the year was cancelled at Table Mountain. Several athletes and families are traveling to Bridger Bowl Montana for the club’s annual family Christmas trip.
The Regina Biathlon Club is doing very well, despite Mother Nature’s curve balls! Due to grassy trails, our dry-land season is extending. Our athletes are well conditioned to cold weather for target shooting and are eager to start skiing on the RWF and White Butte Park trails.
You might have notice our booth at the Ski Swap November 9. Many members purchased equipment for this coming season. This event, with the help of Trevor from FAE and other volunteers, is much appreciated by our community.
Our partnership with Track Attack is fantastic. Athletes gained more confidence, strength, and friendship this fall, with great curriculum offered. Thank you for making this possible. We are looking forward to the winter session, including some of our younger members participating in the Jackrabbit group.
For race events, the SWF Cup 1-2 was postponed to a later date. However, on that same weekend at Blue Mountain Resort, two of our Regina athletes experienced a provincial biathlon camp, and parallel to that,
REGINA BIATHLON CLUB
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A great provincial biathlon camp led by Doug at Blue Mountain Resort near North Battleford.
The SWF Cup 1-2 was postponed. However, on that same weekend at Blue Mountain Resort, two Regina athletes experienced a provincial biathlon camp, and parallel to that, two volunteers attended a coaching clinic…on snow! As always, Doug Sylvester delivered a memorable experience and we were fortunate that Gregg Campbell and Jacqueline Akerman from Biathlon Canada shared their knowledge.
We welcomed a few new members and many cadets athletes have rejoined the club at the end of November. If you are curious to try our exciting sport and are in age range of 8 to 88, let us know! We will arrange a customized open house for you. The club decided to use the Teamlinkt app to communicate. Each member should have received an invitation, if not, please contact us at [email protected]
2020 will be busy. Regina is hosting a race in late January and some volunteers will take part in the upcoming NCCP multi-sport training. We hope to see you there as well. Our trail lighting project is on the go and we expect that many athletes will participate in upcoming races.
Many thanks to our volunteers, who have embellished the target & trail signage, installed new windows at the range, put some elbow grease into writing grant proposals, doing the regular facilities maintenance, and especially for coaching our kids.
Have a wonderful holiday and see you on the trails.
New bright ski trail signage at the Regina Wildlife Federation.
New windows! It will be great for watching our kids, out of the wind.
This is from our Great Pumpkin Shoot November 2nd. Picture taken by Steve Torgerson. We have waivers from the kids’ parents.
Mitchel, Braxton and William.
REGINA BIATHLON CLUB CONTINUED
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Consider joining us at Bridger Bowl near Bozeman February 19-23! Trip includes bus transportation, 3-day lift ticket, 4 nights hotel, breakfast, group functions.
We are staying in the new Country Inn & Suites, with a hot breakfast buffet, indoor pool, and whirlpool. Rooms have refrigerator and microwave, flat-screen TVs, coffee makers along with two queen beds.
Snowflake lift and the new Snowflake Hut offer beginning skiers and riders a fantastic area to learn. Bridger has 2,000 acres of terrain at a maximum of 8,700 feet. Average annual snowfall is 350 inches! There are over 75 runs (longest 3 miles) served by 8 lifts. With four large bowls within the boundaries, the ski area offers wide-open terrain with a variety of landscapes including long, wide-open slopes, glades, chutes and gullies.
Expect moderate temperatures and high chance of fresh snow!
For cross country ski enthusiasts Crosscut Mountain Sports Center grooms 35 kilometers of quality XC ski trails appropriate for both the recreational and competitive skier on private and Forest Service terrain: https://www.crosscutmt.org/
We can match you with a roommate; many join on their own. This is a fun trip beyond the skiing!
Country Inn & Suites – Bozeman. Hot/cold breakfast buffet, free Wi-Fi, pool.
Bridger Bowl, Montana Whitefish, Montana
2,000 acres and 75 runs of terrain for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. 350 inches annual snowfall! 35 km of high-quality cross-country trails.
105 runs across 15 lifts and 23 km of cross-country trails. Home to great restaurants and the legendary Bierstube bar for meals, a beer, and a dance.
Reserve your seat now! Send a $200 CAD deposit (per trip) to Ray Wolfram, 7600 Cattail Place, Regina, SK, S4Y 0A6. Call 306-527-6006 or email [email protected]. Make cheques payable to the Regina Ski Club or send eTransfers to [email protected].
Hibernation House – On mountain. Free Wi-Fi, hot tubs, flat screens.
Depart: Wed, Feb 19, 7:30AM
Arrive Home: Sun, Feb 23
Depart: Wed, Mar 18, 7:30AM
Arrive Home: Sun, Mar 22
Dbl. Triple Quad Single Adult $700 $626 $590 $921
Discounts for seniors and kids.
Dbl. Triple Quad Single Adult $760 $679 $648 $1,063
Discounts for seniors and kids.
Regina Ski Club membership is mandatory! Register/pay online at: http://reginaskiclub.com/membership-join/
The Regina Ski Club is a non-profit, volunteer organization.
ALPINE TRIPS CONTINUED
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It starts with a perfect day: sun shining, crisp air, fast snow, and a perfect track. The parking lot fades as the trail leads us into the forest. A quick wishbone up the hill and whoops! The right ski slips back, the hands go out to stop the fall, the elbow dislocates. Pain and shock (the medical type) overtake perfection instantly.
Minus 12, four kilometres from the bus, no cell service--not even at the bus, incapacitated, on the snow, sweating, and dressed for skiing, not walking. Are you prepared? Skiing is like that sometimes. The most fun in the world becomes an unwelcome game of survivor unlike any reality show.
Staying safe on the snow begins at home. Perhaps if my wax had been perfect, my ski wouldn’t have slipped. Check your gear, check the weather. Know appropriate wax and clothing for the conditions. Or perhaps if I had known the ski area, I would have known that particular hill was beyond my skill. Check your maps. Know the terrain, know your skill. Or perhaps it was poor technique. I could have practiced more climbs or
taken lessons beforehand. Build up to bigger distances and terrain.
Remember to pack extra layers, food, drink, hotshots, matches, a first aid kit, and a multi-tool. Have you go-bag ready for every ski … even local skis on familiar trails. Great days can change quickly.
“I’ve got extra jacket, toques, mitts … let’s get dryer stuff on. I also have a triangle bandage in the backpack. Let’s stabilize the joint.”
“Actually, there’s just a pullover sweater. Anyone else have a jacket?”
“I’ve got a jacket, but do you have Advil? We need to control the pain ASAP.”
“I’ve got gel caps!”
Staying safe on the snow continues with skiing with friends. Always buddy up. Usually there’s at least one or two others at your skill level looking for someone to hang out with. I had plenty of team mates, able to carry gear, help me walk, give me extra layers and drugs.
And sometimes we luck out. Bad days turn great again. The park patrol (which patrolled Shark once per month) happened upon us. Rather than walking the whole way out and waiting in pain on the bus for everyone to get back and then driving to the hospital, she radioed for a sled and an ambulance.
My episode was adventurous, but threats to safety on the trails can be much more mundane. Tweaking your knee in a small dip at White Butte while trying to catch one more loop before sunset can land you laying on the trail for the night. It’s been done before. Prepare your gear, your body, your clothes, your emergency plan, and most important, let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be home. Then relax and have a stupendous day!
Trail etiquette keeps everyone safer. Skier coming down the hill has right of way over the one coming up. Then those of us that sometimes have less controlled downhills don’t have to dodge the uphill plodder.
If you’re not moving, step off the track--all the way off. If you can, leave the phone warm in your pocket for emergencies. But if you must answer, remember to get off the track first. Preferably, stop when there are good sight lines. And if you’re not on skis, stay off the classic track, way off, to the right. Hikers and snowshoers can use the same area, but not the same tracks.
Remember to follow the direction when indicated on the trail. Trail makers know of blind corners or tricky areas and want to avoid any head-on collisions.
Finally, savor the moment. It’s as close to perfection as most of us will ever come. Take it in and spread the love to your trail mates!
NORDIC ETIQUETTE AND SAFETY
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The old hut was moved from the trailhead to Junction 9, at the base of Cherry Hills, in December by Echo Valley Provincial Parks (EVPP) staff. It will provide shelter at the far end of the trail system, especially for special events marshals. A stove upgrade, donated by Jim Noll, was installed by the RSC (Regina Ski Club) grooming crew. RSC volunteers stacked firewood earlier in the fall RSC will supply kindling and matches during the ski season. Additional windows to brighten the dark interior, exterior painting, structural repairs to the base, and a new metal roof are on the RSC radar, in partnership with EVPP.
WHITE BUTTE TRAILS
ESTERHAZY LOPPET
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JACKRABBITS
Athletes and coaches participated at CCS annual on-snow camp in November. The camp was divided into two groups according to the Long-Term Athlete Development set by Nordic Canada (Learn to Train and Train to Train). The camp started on Sunday afternoon with a nice skate ski up Moraine Lake road to get our body moving from the day of travel.
Athletes were on snow twice a day on average one and a half to two hours each session. They practiced working technique and conditioning with coaches from various clubs around the province. The Learn to Train group skied a total of fifteen hours and over 30kms. The Train to Train group skied a total of twenty hours and got over 40 kms at altitude. Goal setting, stretching sessions and sightseeing were also on the agenda.
All coaches and athletes made it back to Regina. With this good quality block of training, we are ready for the upcoming season.
Julie will be stepping down as JR Board rep and Chris Hambleton will be stepping into the role starting December 2019
Chris brings with him significant ski background and experience to the Board, having started skiing as a Jackrabbit in Prince Albert at the age of four. He moved into racing with the Prince Albert Nordic Race program. He also raced with the Saskatchewan provincial Team. His hall of fame has had him race in three junior nationals and the Canada Games. He has a strong history as a coach with CCS, and coached at nationals in 2001 in Quebec. He held the position of Technical Director with CCS in 2001, taught adult ski lessons at the City of Ottawa ski school. In 2005, he moved to Regina and coached with Phyllis and the 2006 Saskgames team, coached adult lessons for the RSC for nine years, and for the last three years has been
working with the JR ski club.
The Brunskills at Silverstar and Sovereign Lake ski resort! We spent ten days Nordic skiing and many other fun activities! We have two kids on Track Attack and two in Jackrabbits.
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If you or your family want to learn more about how this wonderful Canadian destination has improved our family communication, love, pre-season on-snow skills and fun in this winter wonderland feel free to reach out to Scott through the Jackrabbits email address [email protected]
JACKRABBITS CONTINUED
Julie Zepp-Rutledge an inspirational volunteer leader in Regina! Her contributions are very much appreciated by Regina Ski Club volunteers, parents, and young athletes. In 2015 Julie rejuvenated the Jackrabbits program with her planning, communication, and enthusiasm. She rebuilt a program that was near cancellation due to lack of participation. Today, it is a program with over 100 participants, twelve certified coaches, and a succession ski program for compete for life and active for life athletes within three years. During her tenure, she not only improved participation but advocated for improved skill development, introduction of multi-day programming, re-establishment of the Duck Mountain Loppet Jackrabbit bus, Bunnyrabbit and Jackrabbit participation in Regina-based Saskatchewan Cups, Waskimo Jackrabbit Loppet and communication/programming integration development with other Regina ski club programming.
Julie’s volunteerism in the ski club will be referred to as the model of how to run a successful volunteer program! We wish her all the best in the future!
Chris Hambleton has graciously accepted the position as Bunnyrabbit and Jackrabbits Governance Director for this season while Scott Brunskill will continue as programming and coaching coordinator for the program. If you wish to learn more please contact [email protected].
