Dartmouth XC Ski Center, Occum Pond, Hanover, NH
Saturday, February 5, 2005
A day of cross-country skiing for women, by women
February 5th (Hanover, NH): The 4th Annual New England Women’s XC Ski Day, sponsored by Banknorth, is coming to the Dartmouth XC Ski Touring Center at Occum Pond next Saturday. A cross-country event “for women, by womenâ€, it was inspired by similar events in Norway (the Inga Lama) and Alaska (the Anchorage Women’s Ski Day).
Event organizers Trina Hosmer, a member of the United States’ first women’s Olympic XC Ski Team in 1972, and Anne Donaghy, of Meriden, NH, invite all women and girls, of all levels of skiing, to the XC Ski Day. “We have clinics for Never-Evers, Beginners and Intermediates†says Donaghy, herself a former Dartmouth skier. “And they’re coached by women who love the sport so much, they want to share the joy of gliding on snow, the beauty of winter, and encourage other women to participate in life-long fitness.†Instructors include collegiate skiers, former Olympians, and the mothers of Olympic skiers, like Sally Swenson, Carl Swenson’s (Dartmouth ’91, Olympic Team 2002) mom. May instructors feel just as Hosmer does: “All my life,†she has said from the start, “I’ve wanted women to discover the joy of gliding that lies just beyond the plodding walk usually taught to new skiers.â€
Registration begins at 9am and clinics begin at 10am. Ski equipment expo of suppliers, including Rossignol, Alpina/Madshus, Atomic and Swix, Toko and Karhu/Excel will be on hand with demos and help choosing boots, poles, skis and waxing, as well as clothing suppliers Isis, Patagonia with items to try and to buy. L.L.Bean is providing coupons to all participants to use at their W.Lebanon, NH Outlet. The Dartmouth XC Ski Center will have rentals available. Lunch is catered by the Hanover Inn, and there will be a raffle during the break, hosted by gold medal Olympian, mom, cross-country skier and coach, Joan Benoit Samuelson. More clinics continue in the afternoon, culminating in a fun, optional, two-women relay with awards given for mother/daughter, sister/sister, relative/relative, friend/friend and oldies/oldies (combined age 100) teams.
An instructor for the past three years, past Olympian Dorcas Wonsavage (Etna, NH) looks forward to hosting and instructing at this year’s Women’s Ski Day in Hanover. “The Upper Valley community values health and fitness, and has many resources like the Dartmouth (Ski Center)’s trails. But we need to show more women, mothers and professionals especially, who are strapped for time and energy as it is, that they can make time for themselves, and that cross-country skiing is a lifetime fitness activity they can share with their friends and their daughters.â€
Every year New England Women’s Ski Day raises money for a local women’s charity and this year they are supporting WISE, Women’s Information Service, an Upper Valley United Way member (www.wiseoftheuppervalley.org). A portion of the event’s $15 registration fee will go to support WISE programs and services. Registration is available on line at www.nensa.net, by phone (603)448-4133, and email (anne.t.donaghy@valley.net).
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New England Women’s XC Ski Day, Saturday, February 5, 2005
Schedule:
9-10am REGISTRATION
10am-4pm NENSA EXPO
10-10:45am CLINICS
Skating and Classic technique clinics for never-evers, beginners and intermediate level skiers.
11-11:45am CLINICS
12noon-1:30pm LUNCH AND PRIZE DRAWING
Check out clothes, skis, boots, poles, waxes, and all sorts of xc ski stuff at the retailer tents of the NENSA Nordic Expo.
1:30-2:15pm CLINICS
2:30-3pm FUN, TWO-WOMEN RELAY
Teams of mother/daughter, sister/sister, relative/relative, friend/friend, oldies/oldies (minimum combined age 100).
3:15pm AWARDS
