Call out for Loppet Volunteers

| Wendy Shannon

The Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is hosting the 37th annual loppet on March 11, 2018.

We’re reaching out to our members to volunteer and if you are not in a position to do so, perhaps you could encourage family members or friends to take your place.  It takes a lot of volunteer hours to make this event a success and we are appreciative of your continued support.

What do you get out of volunteering for this event?

  • Free day pass / free lunch / some swag
  • Satisfaction to contribute to a successful race
  • Spent a fun day in our snowy  play park
  • Cheer on your skier

We would appreciate if you can join our team of volunteers by clicking on the web link here to go to the signup sheet. It’s very easy! All we need is your name, email, and phone number. Just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to be part of this event.

OR send an email to [email protected] and indicate which position is of interest to you.

PS If the link to the sign-up sheet doesn’t work, you can copy this link into your web browser:  https://www.volunteersignup.org/8YLJY

 

Thank you so much for volunteering!

Jennifer Hyde – Chief of Race

Johanna Tul – Volunteer committee 

World Junior Championships Report: Athlete Hannah Mehain

| Wendy Shannon

The team WJC Canadian Team flew to Geneva, Switzerland and then drove to Praz de Lys, France for a training and acclimatization camp before the races in Switzerland.  The sky was overcast and it dumped with snow for the first week that they were there but then the sun came out on the last two days, revealing the beautiful French Alps!  “I absolutely loved the hotel where we were staying and the French host who served us the most amazing food.  The mountains were beautiful and you could ski over a pass into another ski area.  Everyone there was very kind to us Canadians.  It was hard to leave.”

 The French Alps 

 Hannah out for a training session in Praz de Lys, France.

The first race of the World Junior Championships in Goms, Switzerland was the Women’s Junior Skate Sprints.  It turned out to be Hannah’s most successful race.  She qualified 27th out of 79 competitors from around the world.  Only the top 30 move on to the heats.  “I was happy to have made it to the heats for the first time at an international competition.  The uphills and downhills on the sprint course were very challenging and technical.  The day before I skied the downhill over and over until I was confident with my line.” During the quarter-final, Hannah was on the outside and got slightly behind halfway up the first climb and couldn’t close the gap.  She ended up 29th, the top Canadian Junior Women for that day!  “It was very motivating to be racing in the heats with the best juniors in the world and I realized just how fast I need to be in order to be competitive with the top.”

Goms, Switzerland was Hannah’s 2nd race of the competition.  “I had a great first half.  I could hear the traditional Swiss cowbells cheering me on as I raced!  Although I lost my focus in the second half, I was still satisfied with my race”.  Hannah ended up 45th out of 83 competitors, the second Canadian women behind Natalie Hynes from Whitehorse who was 36th.

The third race of the competition was the 10 km Skiathlon, where you had to ski the first 5 km Classic and then switch skis and poles in a transition area and skate the last 5 km.  This was Hannah’s first mass start race at World Juniors.  The competition was fierce with 65 competitors starting all at once.  “I focused on staying calm and clean in the start.  I wanted to pace the beginning so I could push in the last lap.” The course was very challenging, looping back into the stadium four times and doing the two very long sprint course hills each loop. “For me it was a success!  I didn’t fall or break a pole and I even had to dodge a fall in front of me.  My skis were fast and my pacing was good.”  Hannah ended up 37th, the second Canadian Junior behind Natalie Hynes who was 24th.
The last race was the Relays where each team member skied 3.3 km.   Hannah was the first to go for the classic leg on the Canadian Junior Women’s team of four, followed by Natalie Hynes of Whitehorse (classic), Annika Richardson of Thunder Bay (skate), and Alexandra Racine of Mont Orford, Que. (skate).  “I raced my heart out in the relay today.  I had an excellent start and was able to get into 4th position by the end of the first long climb.  I maintained 6th position until about 3/4 into the race where I could feel the lactate building up.  I struggled to keep going as fast as I could up the long second last climb.  We were in tenth spot when I tagged Natalie.”  The rest of the team gave a solid effort and we finished 14th.
“While flying home, I could feel every muscle in my body ache.  I knew that I had given it my all, not only in the relay but in all of the races at World Juniors.  For me, that is a very satisfying feeling.”
Hannah has many people to thank.  First of all, thanks to Cross Country BC, Cross Country Canada Women’s Committee and Jess4Kids.  She would also like to thank her sponsors Fischer, Swix, Julbo, Nordic Ski Grinds and Stussi Sports.  Lastly, thanks to all those who have helped her get to where she is including her parents, her first Sovereign coach Darren Derochie and her present coach Adam Elliot.

SOVEREIGN LAKE RACERS STRONG AT WESTERN CANADIANS

| Wendy Shannon

January 19 – 21 saw 11 Sovereign Lake athletes and a couple of masters take to the Riverbend Golf Course for a weekend of intense cross-country ski competition at the Haywood Western Canadians in Red Deer, Alberta.

Red Deer is preparing to host the Canada Winter Games in 2019 so this was a means to get some preparation in for their organizing committee and race crew.  The weather was pretty decent for cross-country skiing but a lack of snow challenged the facility.  They managed to rob snow from the golf course and pack and groom it into the short courses that created an exciting spectator venue for sprint and distance races.

Day 1 saw Classic Sprints dominate the day. 

 Paige Latta leading the start of a sprint heat with her famous power starts.

All 11 racers Qualified to race in the heats which is a great accomplishment at this level of competition.

Junior Girls started us off with a fast and technical 800M course.  Clara Hardy, Hannah Stocker, and Madison Land qualified to the quarter heats but didn’t get past that round.

Paige Latta won her first quarter heat and came second in her semi sending her to the A final.  She took the early lead in the final heat but was boxed out in a tight corner and finished 5th overall.

Ian Oliphant, Junior Boys 800M race was fast and exciting.  He placed within the top two in all of his heats advancing him to the A Final where his textbook technique took him to a Gold medal.

Ian Oliphant pushing hard on the left in his Team BC suit. 

Charlie Hiam, visiting from Australia, joined the SLNC crew and was thrilled to qualify in his first Western Canadians event.

Torin Andrews and Lucas Sadesky also skied the 800M course in the Juvenile boys category both qualified but didn’t advance past their quarter heats.

Midget Boys had a fast 300M course and Pedar Ree dominated every heat taking Gold.  Parker Munroe just missed making it into the semis but was pleased with his efforts.

Sierra Munroe placed 7th in the Min Midget Girls category for that day.

 

Day 2 brought on Classic Distance competition.

The Junior Girls and Boys took 3 laps of a 3.3km course creating a 10km distance.  Paige Latta just missed the podium and took 4th.  Clara Hardy, Hannah Stocker and Madison Land had strong performances keeping them in the middle of the pack.

Ian  Oliphant was leading the race but took a bit of a stumble in his third lap and wound up 7th.  Charlie Hiam was near the end of the pack but was happy to not be the last racer into the stadium.

Juvenile Boys had a 5km race with two laps of a 2.5km course.

Torin Andrews took Gold and Lucas Sadesky Silver for their efforts.

Midget Boys also skied the same 5km distance and Pedar Ree and Parker Munroe had respectable placings in this large group.

Sierra Munroe completed 3km and place 9th in the Mini Midget Girls.

 Parker Munroe skating into the stadium.

Day 3 Split the Competitors into teams of 3 for a Skate Relay race.  Athletes were grouped by province for a showdown of sorts.

Junior Boys started the day with a 3×3.3km course and Ian Oliphant was on the BC Machine team.  They took the Gold.

Charlie Hiam raced with a mixed group including a Juvenile skier and took 9th.

Junior Girls had our 4 spread out.  Paige Latta was placed on the BC Twisted Sisters team and anchored them to a Gold podium finish.

Clara, Hannah, and Madison all did super work in supporting their teams.

Juvenile Boys  Lucas Sadesky and Torin Andrews teamed up with a third BC Athlete on Team Avalanche and took 4th.

Midget Boys skied 3 x 3km and Pedar Ree’s Team Heavy Duty won Bronze.  Parker Munroe raced up in the Juvenile category and had a great experience racing with the older skiers on a longer course.

Sierra Munroe’s team of the BC Ice Pirates finished the day on a 3 x 3km ski placing 1st.

Master skiers Paul Hardy and Chris Andrews skied a 10km course and both placed 6th in their age groups.  Chris said it was a fun and fast ski.

The next events for SLNC racing will be the Okanagan Cup in Kamloops Sunday, January 28th.  Ian Oliphant and Paige Latta will be heading to Ottawa January 31st – February 4th for Eastern Canadians and some of the JD athletes will travel to Prince George for BC Cup#2.

SUPER BIG THANK YOU !

| Wendy Shannon

To all of our SLNC Biathlon Regional Fun Race volunteers we would like to extend a
SUPER BIG THANK YOU !

The SLNC Biathlon Regional Fun Race and BC Winter Games Biathlon Qualifier
Competition this past weekend was a HUGE success! We received much positive
feedback from the biathletes and their teams, complimenting us on the excellent
job that we did. The biathletes all had a lot of fun and got some great early season
competition “under their belts”. For many of the biathletes, it was their first ever
competition and we gave them a very positive experience. We couldn’t have asked
for better conditions or for better volunteers to showcase our club and the quality
of event that we can provide.
All of your hard work and efforts, big and small, made this event the great success
that it was! Thanks so much to each and every one of you,

Laurie

 

Burgers and Beer?? Yes Please!

| Wendy Shannon

The SLNC Racing Team is raising funds to  help offset their expenses to Thunder Bay for the Canadian National Championships this March. Raise a Pint and down a burger to help these great kids achieve their goals!

SLNC nominated “Best XC Ski Resort in North America” by USA Today

| Wendy Shannon

Sovereign Lake Nordic Club has been nominated in the latest “10Best” Readers’ Choice travel award contest! Their expert panel selected Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre as a contender for Best Cross-Country Ski Resort in North America, which has just launched. Their contest, which is being promoted by USA TODAY, gives voters four weeks to vote for the candidate of their choice at http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-cross-country-ski-resort/. A person can vote once a day for the run of the contest.Image result for 10best.com

Voting ends Monday, November 20th, 2017 at 11:59am EST and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, November 24th, 2017 at 12:00pm EST, then later on USA TODAY.

Prior competitions have been hotly contested, and we look forward to seeing how we can rock the vote in our own community!

Please tell all of your friends, family and other members to Vote Sovereign today…tomorrow…and the next day, right through November 20th.

October 18th: SLNC AGM

| Wendy Shannon

Join us at the 2017 Sovereign Lake Nordic Club AGM

Location: Schubert Centre

  • 6:00-7:00pm  Mingle and Membership Registration and Pass Pick Up
  • 7:00-7:30pm Stussi Sport Winter Fashion Show
  • 7:30-8:30pm SLNC Formal AGM Meeting

——————————————————————————————————-

Dear SLNC Members:

We (the 2017 Elections Committee) are pleased to announce that eight SNLC members put their names forward for the Board this year!  The strong response is testament to the vitality, enthusiasm and volunteerism of the members of our club.  Huge thanks to everyone who stepped up!

Since we had eight Director positions available, no election is required this year.  The eight nominees will become members of the Board by acclamation, effective as of the AGM on October 18th, 2017:

Sharon Clarke (returning)

Sandra Ecclestone (returning)

Sylvia Herchen (new)

Mark Nichiporuk (new)

Guy Morazain (new)

Pat Pearce (returning)

Greg Sadesky (new)

Bruce Sandilands (new, past SLNC Board member)

You can meet many of them at the AGM on October 18th

The eight nominees will join Brent Ree and Brian Wills, who are starting the second year of their two-year terms.  We will have a full Board of 10 Directors, including a mix of new and experienced Board members.

Congratulations and thank you to all Board members,

 

The SLNC 2017 Elections Committee

Hugh Hamilton, Randy Savoie, Kim Taylor

RESULTS of the Call for nominations – SLNC Board of Directors

| Wendy Shannon

Dear SLNC Members:

We (the 2017 Elections Committee) are pleased to announce that eight SNLC members put their names forward for the Board this year!  The strong response is testament to the vitality, enthusiasm and volunteerism of the members of our club.  Huge thanks to everyone who stepped up!

Since we had eight Director positions available, no election is required this year.  The eight nominees will become members of the Board by acclamation, effective as of the AGM on October 18th, 2017:

  • Sharon Clarke (returning)
  • Sandra Ecclestone (returning)
  • Sylvia Herchen (new)
  • Mark Nichiporuk (new)
  • Guy Morazain (new)
  • Pat Pearce (returning)
  • Greg Sadesky (new)
  • Bruce Sandilands (new, past SLNC Board member)

Profiles of this year’s nominees can be seen here under Candidate Slate 2017, and you can meet many of them at the AGM on October 18th.

The eight nominees will join Brent Ree and Brian Wills, who are starting the second year of their two-year terms.  We will have a full Board of 10 Directors, including a mix of new and experienced Board members.

Congratulations and thank you to all Board members.

The SLNC 2017 Elections Committee

Hugh Hamilton, Randy Savoie, Kim Taylor

 

Membership Has Its Privileges

| Wendy Shannon
With winter just around the corner and the ski swap behind us we are focussing on membership registrations and our best ever Early Bird Prize Package yet!
 
Register prior October 31st for a chance to win a Twin Fish Trek ATB Inflatable paddle board, paddle and carry bag worth over $1700 from Kalavida Surf Shop, our newest club sponsor! 
 
Want to improve you upper body strength and balance in the off-season? Stand up paddling is hard to beat for an off season activity. In order to be entered into the draw you must be a CLUB MEMBER. If you are purchasing an SLNC or Dual Area pass from us at Sovereign you are automatically entered to win. If you are an upgrade pass holder from SilverStar you must go to our online registration page and purchase your $30 membership.
 
Inline images 1If this isn’t enough, Cross Country BC has introduced a CLUB MEMBERSHIP CONTEST as an incentive for BC clubs to garner the most membership registrations prior December 1st.
 
Whichever club is able to secure the most memberships by this date is entered into a draw for one of 6 prize packages valued at up to $4000 which can be used for a membership raffle or year end grand prize. One of the prizes is a set of 10 skis, boots and poles for our Youth Programs.
 
We have already surpassed last years early season registrations so lets keep that momentum going.
 
Membership does have its privileges so stay tuned for more great prize contests, member discount announcements and events, exclusive to our membership as the winter unfolds.
 
Did you know that Sovereign officially became the LARGEST CLUB IN THE COUNTRY this past winter! This is a huge step forward for our club and it would not be possible without all of you, our great community of skiers.
  
Largest Club in the Country: 1652 members (Lets break 1700 this year!)
 
Largest Daily Groomed Network of Ski Trails: 105km
 
We have a lot to be proud of so join today!
 
Registration Link: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=15140
 

SLNC receives a $6000 grant from ViasportBC

| Wendy Shannon

SLNC is very excited to announce that ViaSport BC has provided the club with a $6000 event hosting grant for our NorAm taking place December 9-10, 2017. Thank you so much for supporting racing in British Columbia!

This grant helps to offset our timing and other race specific expenses.