EVERYONE:

1. Attendance form keep it up, y’all.

2. Double check the schedules this week due to cold + the Marathon! Right now it’s not looking as frigid early this week as the forecast had initially called for, so we’re planning to run practices as scheduled. But please keep an eye on Slack and the training plan in case things start looking extra cold again. Also, note that the Craftsbury Marathon Ski Festival is this weekend and that means that (a) Sunday practices are funky, and (b) you should be prepared for COC to be very busy.

3. About the marathon: it’s not too late to register! More info at the link above. Registration closes Thursday.

4. Ruth Krebs is headed to Norway: CSC junior skier Ruth Krebs is heading to Norway next month to represent the USA at the Nordic Nations Cup. We’re so proud of her and also so excited!

5. Eastern Cup podiums: juniors Claire Serrano and Ruth Krebs took first and second, respectively, for the U18 women’s age class at this Sunday’s Eastern Cup sprint in Lake Placid (and were 3rd and 5th overall). Woot!

JUNIORS:

1. Wow wow what a weekend in Lake Placid! Huge props to all of you who trekked over there are raced. We saw some awesome, gutsy performances and are so proud. HUGE THANKS to the many parents who helped with food, shuttling, cleanup, you name it—we couldn’t have wrangled 25 teen without your help.

2. Invoicing for team night equipment purchases, wax fees, and Eastern Cup travel: These come from “Concrete Foundation” - that’s legit. Reminder: if you are not enrolled in the 4+ days junior option, you will be charged $25/race for Eastern Cup wax service. Seems like a lot in some ways, but we have to have a LOT of wax in order to always have the goods on race day. I also cannot find anywhere else that does it cheaper. We will catch up on Eastern Cup invoicing… sometime.

3. Qualifier races for the Vermont U16 and Eastern High School Championship teams: are Sunday, 2/9, at Rikert. Pretty much all of you juniors should do this race! Talk to us with questions. Registration is here. Sign up sooner rather than later to avoid late fees.

U14s:

1. “Pretty good” is high praise: Pepa said you skied well today. Good job!

2. Races: check out the BKL list below.

BKL:

1. Note the consolidated practice Sunday: just one, in the afternoon, to accommodate the marathon!

2. More racing for your calendars: These are OPTIONAL! More details to come as the relevant dates approach. If you’re interested in other races around New England, check out the complete NENSA list.

   • Jan. 25-26 (Sat-Sun): Craftsbury Marathon Ski Festival (classic Sat; skate Sun) - these are verrrry long races only appropriate for older/very experienced BKLers

   • Feb. 1 (Saturday): Silver Fox Trot (skate) at Oak Hill in Hanover, NH. Putting this one out there for those interested, but we will focus coaching efforts on the (closer) Tour de Stowe the following day.

   • Feb. 2 (Sunday): Tour de Stowe (classic) at Trapps in Stowe, VT (not marketed as a race, but more of an adventure, so could be fun for those hesitant about racing)

   • Feb. 8 (Saturday): A fun, low-key BKL race at the COC! More details to come.

   • March 1-2 (Sat-Sun): BKL Fest at Quarry Rd. in Waterville, ME (families figure out lodging - lot more info to come on this one later in the season)

BIATHLETES:

1. All: Note the Sunday practice time changes due to the marathon (1:00pm for JR/U14 and 2:30pm for both BKL groups). Also, it is supposed to be cold midweek so we might be doing indoor stuff like laser biathlon or rifle cleaning- check the event barn if you don’t see us at the range.

2. Home Race: Bayley-Hazen Biathlon Race, February 23rd. Jrs/U14s can do the experienced category (either distance); BKL can sign-up for novice. Friends and family (9 and up) can also sign-up; this is a great opportunity to try the sport. Register early as this event will fill.

3. BKL: We need you to do the USBA Basic Rifle Safety Course: It takes 20 minutes online. Please email susand@craftsbury.com once you have completed the online part. (BKL families will need to use the U13 version under an adult account.) We’ll then do the in person portion as part of practice in late January.

4. JRs/U14s: Check back for more info if you are hoping to go to Empire State Games Feb 1-2.

5. Always: Bring hat, dry gloves, and change after ski practice if you got sweaty.

6. Other helpful info: Biathlon race opportunities 2024-25. and Club Kick Off Meeting Notes.

ADULTS/MASTERS:

1. All groups are up and running. Reach out via email or Slack if you have questions!

2. Fun race opportunities: these are also listed above for BKLers, but they’re citizens races that are open to everyone! TBD whether we’ll have masters coach support at any of them, but let us know if you’re interested in going:

   • Jan. 25-26 (Sat-Sun): Craftsbury Marathon Ski Festival (classic Sat; skate Sun)

   • Feb. 1 (Saturday): Silver Fox Trot (skate) at Oak Hill in Hanover, NH

   • Feb. 2 (Sunday): Tour de Stowe (classic) at Trapps in Stowe, VT (not marketed as a race, but more of an adventure, so could be fun for those hesitant about racing)