A HUGE thank you Race Team for the many hours of volunteering this weekend for the Biathlon Races.
I was SO happy to see you all out there this weekend and we received MANY compliments on how amazing you all were in your roles out there! So thank you, for allowing the other members of the ski club to see how awesome you really are!! Also, a huge thank you to Liz and Bob for organizing the food stand and to those athletes who baked!!! SO awesome!There are some really important details to take note of in this week's blog- so please read it all, somewhere it will apply to you. :D
Drayton Valley Update: The expectation is that the race team, development team (optional) and junior race team will be competing at this event. The event is set for Feb 16-17 (Alberta Cup 5, 6 & 7) but we usually meet the Friday before to ensure that all athletes know their race course in advance. I spoke with the race secretary this weekend and she let me know that Saturday will be skate sprints and Sunday will be a short classic distance FOLLOWED by team relays. This will be a long day of racing with two events, but their thinking is that because it's the long weekend, people won't mind staying later. Please check your hotel bookings and if you are planning to stay an extra night in Drayton Valley- ensure that your hotel bookings are confirmed for an extra evening stay. As of right now, we don't know when the races will be over on Sunday. Details for hotel are found on the Teamsnap App- of which junior team you will have been invited to join.
Tuesday: Junior Team- you will be classic skiing with coach Caroline. Everyone else you will be skate skiing (those going to Canmore can start cleaning off their classic skis before practice). For the rest of you- we will be doing a 2 lap warm-up followed by race prep sprints- double poling and skate. Once the race prep is done- we will be splitting into two groups again. Those going to Canmore will then go inside and prep their race skis- classic and skate with Rex Blue- scraped off and poles and skis in their bags. I will need some parent assistance with this as I have a bit of work to do with the athletes that aren't going to Canmore and coach Shannon and coach Theresa will be busy.
Team Supper- please check the emails from Mary-Ann Lynch to see if you're on supper duty please. Usually there's enough food for the whole team to eat after prepping skis, if you have time to hang out.
Thursday: Junior team and those not in Canmore- will be a classic ski. Come prepared for a distance ski and headlamps. Coach Caroline will be on her own, so if there's a parent who can go out with the team, we'd greatly appreciate it.
Friday/Weekend: Racers in Canmore- meet at the lodge in Canmore for 1:30. We will go over maps etc and please check Teamsnap for updates otherwise.
Saturday: Junior and those not in Canmore- will be classic skiing. Junior team, please remember, that if by 9am on Environment Canada, the temperature is -20oC or colder, there will be no training. You will be skiing with Coach Caroline and Coach Pinky.