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Canadian Master Skiers Newsletter - Fall 2005 |
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The order of the flags is link to the number of members of the province
Greetings fellow skiers, Almost all of our provinces enjoyed an exceptionally good summer, although perhaps a bit too warm in some areas. The good weather allowed us to train to our heart’s content and to enjoy our favorite off-season sports. As always, time flies by too quickly, and now we find autumn at our doorstep. Time has come to begin more serious cross country training and to plan for the coming season. The cross-country skier, competitive or not, should be thinking about a certain number of questions regarding the upcoming season. Is my equipment adequate for my needs? At what ski centre should I become member? How many outings per week should I plan for? What training should I do to get in shape before the snow falls? What could I do to improve my technique and performance to ensure a more enjoyable season? I must not forget to pay my membership fees for the association! The competitive skier must also address some additional questions. What type of training should I do to reach my peak form in time for the most important races? Should I plan to participate in the world championships in Brusson, Italy? I must make plans to participate in the Canadian championships in Rimouski, Québec. In how many regional races should I participate? Here is a list of major events for the coming season. Two of the most important events in the world of cross-country skiing will be held in Canada this year: a world cup race in mid December in Vernon, BC and Canmore, Alberta. I am envious of you westerners that will be able to get to see these races without having to mortgage your houses! Here is the schedule for these races : 10.12. Sat Vernon CAN Pursuit Pursuit 11.12. Sun Vernon CAN Sprint F Sprint F 15.12. Thu Canmore CAN 10 km F 15 km F 17.12. Sat Canmore CAN 15 km C 30 km C Mass Start 18.12. Sun Canmore CAN Team Sprint C Team Sprint C Masters World Cup 2006 Brusson, Italy In the previous two newsletters I provided you with details of the Masters World Cup to be held in Brusson, Italy from 4 to 11 Februauy, 2006. It remains for me to invite you to participate in this important event which will take place against a magnificent mountainous background at an altitude of 1350meters. Good lungs are a prerequisite! For those interested in participating I must insist on the urgency of making your reservations immediately. As of late June 1000 skiers from a variety of countries, including several Canadians, had already made their reservations. I am expecting a Canadian contingent of at least 45. All information for this event can be found on the web site. Click on “www.mwc2006.com “ to view the availability of hotels and rooms. Certain hotels were reserved for Canadian participants. Because we are likely to be more numerous than expected it is possible that these hotels will already be booked up. But this is not important. Having visited most of the hotels listed on the internet site, I can assure you that all are clean and relatively comfortable. Also most offer half-board (B&B) at reasonable rates. They are all located within 20 min of the race site. Shuttlebuses are scheduled to run every 15 min (starting at 7:00 AM) on race days and every 30 min on other days. You can therefore register at any of the hotels without hesitation. The racing trails are interesting and 15 km of them benefit from an artificial snow system. No need to worry about inadequate snowfall. One hundred and fifty volunteers and 30 translators will be available. Everything is in place to ensure an excellent week of skiing. Several of the Canadian participants at Brusson have already bought tickets to watch cross country ski events at the Olympics at Pregalato, near Turin. Most have reserved for 12 Februaury when there will be « pursuit » races, classic and free style, men and women. Bus service will provide transport from Brusson to Pregalato. This is an opportunity not to be missed! Attention ! Attention ! There will be control tests for drugs at the Brusson World Cup races. Any participants that take medication containing illegal substances should have a medical certificate on hand. Even cold tablets such as Sudafed could cause problems. Caution is the keyword – one never knows who will be selected for testing. Annual meeting of the World Masters Association in Rovanie, Finland I had the pleasure of participating at this meeting on 2 July 2005. The meeting had been set up to allow the national directors to see the midnight sun. Rovaniemi is located near the Arctic Circle where there is daylight for the full 24 h at that time of year. It was quite an experience to relax on the terrace with a cool beer at midnight while the sun never dipped below the horizon. It was as bright at midnight as it would be at home at 8:00 PM. In fact on that day there was a marathon race that terminated at midnight within sight of our terrace. Rovaniemi is a magnificent little town of 35,000 inhabitants located 1h45 by plane north of the capital, Helsinki. The annual meeting was conducted as scheduled with 20 national directors attending. A main agenda item was the organization of future world masters cups; there were several presentations and discussion. Several adjustments or corrections will have to be made.
Coupe du monde à Rovaniemi Finlande 2007 Another objective of the meeting of national presidents at Rovaniemi was to allow evaluation of the facilities in place for the 2007 World Cup. Rovaniemi is home to a magnificent ski centre with a complete trail network, reflecting the deep roots of cross country skiing in this Nordic country. The centre was established in 1927 and has recently been revamped. Several world class skiers from Finland have trained at this centre. The organizers have a long experience in running important events, including the World Juniors Championships in 2005. The Masters World Cup will be held there from 2 to 11 March 2007, a time of year when snow cover is guaranteed. We walked part of trails originally selected for the World Masters races but concluded they were too difficult. The organizing committee has ensured us that another circuit will be selected, one that is more in line with the normal degree of difficulty accepted for World Masters Cup races. The town is only 6 km away from the starting gate which means that all hotels will be only a few minutes away. Travel to the stadium will therefore not be a headache. Rovaniemi, being a tourist town, has many hotels. We visited most of them and found them very acceptable, and of all categories. Prices will be known later on. World Cup 2008 at McCall, Idaho, USA The 2008 World championships will be held in McCall, Idaho in 2008. McCall is located at low elevation within the mountainous area of northwestern USA. The area benefits from natural snow cover from mid-November through mid-April. This is a charming rural area, popular among outdoor enthusiasts. All facilities for the event are within a radius of 20 km of McCall. Full details of the event will be given in upcoming newsletters. Canadian Cross country Championships Desjardins Rimouski 2006 Under the honorary presidence of ex-olympic athlete Pierre Harvey, the city of Rimouski and the Mouski outdoor centre are proud to host the 2006 Canadian Cross Country Desjardins Championships. The event will be held from 26 Februeary to 4 March 2006, and is open to all Master skiers over 30 from all regions of Canada. It is held under the auspices of the Association québécoise des maîtres en ski de fond and the Canadian Masters Cross Country Ski Association, whose joint objective is to promote the sport among both those over the age of 30 and the public in general. The charming coastal city of Rimouski is characterized by its beautiful location and the dynamism of its 42 000 inhabitants. The many public and educational services of the city make it the capital of the Lower St. Lawrence. Le Centre de plein air Mouski, located about 15 km from the centre of Rimouski, is hard at work setting up the 2006 Canadian Cross Country Desjardins Championships.
Site of the competition
All races will be held at the Centre de plein air Mouski situated at about 15 km from Rimouski. Participants coming from points west should take Autoroute 20 eastward from Montreal or Québec City, then Highway 132 to Rimouski. Those coming from points east (e.g. Gaspé), will take Highway 132 westward. Those coming from the Maritimes by way of the Trans-Canada, take the trans-Canada through Edmunston to Rivière du Loup, then Autoroute 20 and Highway 132 eastward. For those traveling by plane, the Mont Joli regional airport, 30 km east of Rimouski, is served by flights from most large centres.
To get to the Centre de plein air Mouski from Rimouski, take route 232 to Sainte-Blandine and from there follow road signs to the site of the competition. The Centre de plein air Mouski can provide transport service to the race centre at $3 one-way.
Services available for athletes at the Centre plein air Mouski
Accomodation We have negociated special rates with two local hotel operators both of whom will offer a room for waxing. (at specified hours, for safety reasons). Hôtel le navigateur two complexes 1) Suite appartments at 91 rue de l'évêché ouest 418-724-6944 or 1-888-724-6944 7 condo units (capacity 4-6 persons, 2 rooms with 1 double bed per room and a sofa/hide-a-bed in the salon) at 89$ plus taxes per day 7 condo units (capacity 2-4 persons, 1 room with double bed and a sofa/hide-a-bed ) at 79$ plus taxes per day.These condos include stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishes and bedding. 2) Hôtel le navigateur 130 avenue Belzile au 418-724-6944 or 1- 888- 724-6944 . Rooms with 2 double beds at 79$ (double-occupancy) plus 10$ per additional person, maximum 4 per room, and 72 $ single occupancy plus 10$ breakfast at $4.50 from 6- 10 h a.m Hôtel Rimouski 225, boul. René Lepage Rimouski (Québec) G5L 1P2 Tel (418) 725-5000 1 800 463-0755 Téléc (418) 725-5725 www.hotelrimouski .com 185 rooms and suites Rates: Single Occupancy 99.00 $, Double Occupancy 109,00 $ Triple Occupancy 122,00$ Quadruple Occupancy 132,00 $ -Section of the hotel with regular rooms entirely renovated in 2004 - Exercise room - Interior Pool and water slide-Spa and Sauna- Waxing room 25 X 70 feet accessible at all times - Breakfast at $4.95 from 6-10 h a.m.-P.S.
Programme for the week
1. An open class for 18 y or more will be added to the programme on Saturday. Note that these races on Saturday are also part of the provincial circuit Fisher-Swix master-skiers, but only members of the AQMSF will be classified.
1. Une classe ouverte pour les 18+ sera ajoutée pour la journée du samedi. Précisons que les courses du samedi font également partie du Circuit provincial Fisher-Swix des maîtres-skieurs, mais seuls les membres de l’AQMSF seront classés.
Registration Form
Town :.......................................Province :.................Postal Code:................ Tel: ( )…………. Date of birth :...................Email:……………………………. Name of your club :............................................................................................................ Membership number to your province master x-c association……………………….
Deadlines and registration fees
Cost for the meals on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday: Popular breakfast Sunday 26 February: 12 $ + TPS et TVQ = 13,80 X........... pers. = ................. …………..$ Banquet Wednesday 1er march : 25 $ + GST et TVQ = 28,75 $ X ......................pers. = ...................$ Closing dinner Saturday 4 march : 10 $ + GST et TVQ =11,50 $ X ...................... pers.= ...................$
Bay a souvenir tuque of Canadian championship 2006 : Coût 25 $ (taxes incluses) : Qté :............=............................... .$
Global =.........................$
N.B. N. B. There will be no reimbursement in case of abandonment.
I will pay by : Visa Master Card Cheque attched : Credit card number: ............................................................... Expiry date :................................................... Make your cheque at : Mouski Maîtres 2006 Send to : Roger Belzile 690, rue des Galets Rimouski (Québec) G5L 1M1 For informations : Louise Martineau(418) 722-3291
Do you plan to use the shuttle busses from down town to the Centre de plein air Mouski
To register electronically :www.rimouski 2006.ca
Waver of responsability Organizer of the Canadian Cross country Championships Desjardins Rimouski 2006,le centre de plein air Mouski,the town of Rimouski and is administrators, all the partners, officials and associates do not accept any liability for accidents or loss of life of the participant during the whole stay at championship.
Signing………. Date:….
Canadian Masters Welcome At U.S. National Masters, March 22-26, 2006 In Bend/Mt Bachelor, Oregon (by John Downing national director)
Come experience the magical area Olympic Champion Beckie Scott already discovered several years ago...Bend/Mt Bachelor, Oregon...at the 2006 U.S. National Masters!
Canadian skiers are welcome to participate in all events and will be fully eligible for all awards. The NM2006 will open with official training and a reception on Wednesday, March 22 with the first race slated for Thursday, March 23. The event will conclude by mid-day on Sunday, March 26 (just in time for east coast folks to catch cross-country flights!). Races include a 18km CL/FS Skiathlon & 2-person Relay...15/10km classic (or "fun" 10km FS)...and 30/20/15km FS. All races will be wave start by age groups.
The U.S. masters association -- American Cross Country Skiers (AXCS) -- will hold the National Masters in Bend for two consecutive years to experiment with a "season-ender" format designed to avoid conflicts with established regional races. The 2007 event will be March 21-25, 2007. If successful, the National Masters will be a permanent fixture in Bend beginning in March 2009 (following the MWC2008 in McCall, Idaho).
Bend, Oregon is a day's drive from many southern B.C. locations and can easily be reached via convenient air connections from the rest of Canada. Multiple daily flights into Bend/Redmond airport (20 minutes from downtown Bend) are offered by United, Horizon (Northwest/Alaska partner), and Delta with easy connections from Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City. A shared rental vehicle is a good idea as it is roughly 20-30 minutes drive from Bend to the race venue.
The area boasts one of the longest ski groomed ski seasons in the world with typical snowpacks lasting well into June. Late March conditions are exceptional with often mid-winter snow and temperatures. The elevation is moderate with racing between 5800-6300 feet. Overnight your body will recover nicely at the 3500 feet in Bend which is typically snow-free in late March. This combination means that you'll be able to ski in the morning and enjoy many outdoor recreation activities (golf, hiking, rockclimbing, paddling, cycling) in the High Desert in the afternoon...all within a short drive!
Bend offers an incredible array of restaurants, shops, and area attractions perfect for a spring vacation. Better still, families will find the NM2006 very attractive as the Western States Youth Festival will take place the same weekend at Mt Bachelor.
Complete information about the NM2006 as well as registration materials can be found on xcskiworld.com website. Please join us
World master association president (par Jack White) This coming year at the WMA annual meeting in September in Mc Call USA, Dieter Heckmann will step down as President of the World Masters Cross Country Ski Association. For the past 17 years Dieter has been the driving force behind our Association, albeit with considerable help from wife Lisa, Sepp Schelbert, and Bob Frampton. Those of us who have served terms as national Directors know them as friends who have been dedicated to making our Association highly visible and respected throughout the world of cross country skiing. Clear evidence of this is shown each year when countries vie for the opportunity to host the Masters World Championships. This event annually attracts between 1,000 and 1,400 competitors from 27 member countries. Imagine the dedication required to spend 17 years as a non paid volunteer. An average year in the life of the WMA President includes an Annual General Meeting which is normally held each September in the town hosting the MWC two years down the road. Meetings are held over a 3-4 day period. At this time, Directors do an inspection of the ski trails which will be used for the competition. A visit of local accommodations is also done so that Directors can make suggestions to their members of possible places to stay. Then sometime that winter, the WMA President will again travel to the site to do an on-snow ski inspection of these same trails. In February/March comes the Masters World Championships with all the minor and/or major problems which will inevitably arise from a competition of this magnitude. When they occur (and they will) I’m certain you are all aware of “where the buck stops”! At some MWC’s it was amazing to see the many things that went on behind the scene and were most often handled with diplomacy and haste. The average Master skier rarely sees or hears of this. A second General Meeting also takes place during the MWC. Consider 27 National Directors, plus translators, and the Organizing Committee members for the following two MWC’s all seated around this large table and you can guess that from this diverse group many conflicting ideas may arise. However, the majority will leave these meetings with a positive and satisfied outlook, thanks to the rational and common sense approach shown by Dieter and his staff. In my seven years as National Director for Canada, I can recall only a few occasions where Dieter was noticeably disturbed, but usually with good reason. These are but a few of the duties of the WMA President. I can attest to the fact that it is as close as you will get to a full time job. I feel confident in saying that everything Dieter has done or tried to do was always for the betterment of the WMA and our presence in Cross Country Skiing. The main reason the WMA is very sound financially all these years is because Dieter has paid his own way throughout, even though Association funds are there to avail of. In future years I’m certain his successor will from time to time ask for Dieter’s valued opinion on certain matters and I’m also certain that Dieter will willingly oblige. I wish Dieter, Lisa, Sepp and Bob many fruitful and relaxing years, both at MWC’s and in other of life’s endeavors. Jack White Former National Director, Canada P.S The next time each of you see Dieter, tell him thanks.
Annual drawing for a pair of skis - ENTRY FORM At the annual meeting two years ago it was decided that the profits from the drawing for a pair of skis would remain within the funds of the association rather than being given to the national junior team. At the meeting last spring it was decided that the limit of one ticket per member would be lifted and that a member could purchase more than one ticket. You may therefore support your association by purchasing several tickets and, at the same time, increase your chances of winning a pair of high-quality skis. Last drawing was won by: John Reeves from Alberta
News from the provinces We have a new director within our ranks. Danielle Papin has accepted the position of director for Manitoba. Welcome on board Daniel and best of luck in your new position. Alan, thanks for your many years of service for the association. With Mary Whitley (Yukon) and Francine Déry (Québec) we now have three women as provincial directors! Perhaps not a record, but a step in the right direction. Danielle can be reached at : dpapin@wsd1.org
Alberta by Frank Mc Namara :A lot of the Masters in Alberta I am sure are training hard and looking forward to going to the Worlds in Italy. The rest of us are looking forward to Volunteering at the World Cup races in December at The Canmore Nordic Center or out in BC at Sovereign Lake Nordic Center. Starting with a NorAm/Alberta Cup races on Dec. 3 and 4th. We then move to BC, December 10 and 12 for WC races( information at www.sovereignlake2005.ca). Moving on over to Canmore Alta. For races Dec. 15,17 and 18 th /2005..Canmore information: www.canmore2005.com. The hope is that all the Trails and Stadium upgrades will be completed in time for the first snows as it has been a summer of a lot of rain. Alberta rep: Frank Québec : The provincial association is running smoothly thanks to the enthusiasm of the board of directors and its president Léon Simard. For the 15th consecutive year, a pre-season training camp will be held at the Forêt Montmorency from 8 to 11 December; there should be snow cover by then. The “circuit des couleurs”, a series of 9 cross country races, is moving into its 6th year; these races offer an excellent means of preparing for the competitive season Prepared by : JY Babin Translation : A. Reed
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