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It felt like an eclectic family, AGM at La Casbah, June 5, 2009

The 2008-2009 season came to an end on June 5 at the La Casbah restaurant in Kitchener, which treated us to a Moroccan buffet and a traditional Moroccan living room arrangement: it made a for a very family like atmosphere. The Board of Directors would like to thank all those who attended, especially our guest John Cooper, from the City of Kitchener Community Services department. He handed out the traditional, and much anticipated, volunteer pins. His presence makes the family of skiers complete at these functions.
Aside from the revelry, the AGM included business as well. We heard from program directors who presented their annual reports; the AGM also meant a change in the Board of Directors. We extend a warm thank you to Beth Baechler and Judy Paul, for having served as directors in the past year. Both are moving on to other endeavours, but naturally will continue to ski. The Board welcomes on board Ed McCarron and Nancy Hartrup. They will be joined by Leslie Smith, Greg Harling, Stephan Latour, and Farida Latour-Machane. At this point we welcome at least one more director, and members are encouraged to contact the club.

Annual WRNSC Banquet - Sunday, April 5, 2009

Approx. 80 club members celebrated the 2008-2009 season at the Optimist Club/Camp Heidelberg with a wonderful selection of healthy foods and a joyous atmosphere.The afternoon found its crescendo with the numerous awards and gestures of gratitude. MCs Stephan Latour and Nancy Hartrup announced the following winners:

Jackrabbit Leader of the Year: Don McCracken
Youth Leader of the Year: Jens Morgan
Jackrabbit Johannson Award: Ralph Morgan
Adult Learn to Ski: Carla Verwijs as well as Anne and Graham Liebeau
Adult Racer: Bill and Mary Henry
Junior Racer of the Year: Gavin Shields
Kitchener Sports Association: Kevin Shields
Partner of the Year: Saul and Beverley Goldman (Velotique)

JOhn Cooper from the City of Kitchenere made a whirlwind visit and provided words of encouragement as we look to wrap up the year formally with the AGM at the end of May.

Adult Racer 101: The Finale, February 7, 2009

They did it; the Adult Racer 101 program completed their tasks with joy and sunshine, participating at the Suntrail Races in Hepworth. The picture tells a thousand words and program coordinator Ralph Morgan and all participants deserve lots of accolades. If you have not joined, be sure to do so for the next season.

Winter Loppet/Family Fun Day on Sunday, February 15 !

WRNSC members and non-members are invited to the WRNSC Loppet/Family Fun Day on Sunday, February 15 at Bechtel Park.
Come spend some time with people who share the same interest as you
(with respect to winter activities).
Have you ever tried a Loppet? Have you ever tried a Ski Sprint?
Now is your chance to ski with a BIB number on. Choose a distance and
ski, ski, and ski till you finish!
For some more fun, enter yourself in the Bechtel Park Sprints and see
what might happen.
This event is for the whole family, so parents as well as children are
expected to participate!!

Date: Sunday Feb 15th
Time: 1:30-3:30 in the afternoon
Location: Bechtel Park, Waterloo
Cost: $1.00 /Individual or $2.00 /Family
**and please bring your Zehrs or Sobeys tapes**

Events and Volunteers to date:

1:15- 1:45 p.m. -- Registration - Lynne C, Susan K
1:45- 2:30 p.m. -- Bechtel Park Sprints
1:45- 2:30 p.m. -- Bunny/Jack Rabbit Games - Doug C, Don D?, Sheila P?
2:25- 2:30 p.m. -- Parade of the Bunny Rabbits
2:30- 3:15 p.m. -- 1.3 km, 2.8 km, 4.8 km WRNSC Loppet - Susan S, Barbara M
3:15- 3:45 p.m. -- Hot Dogs and Apple Cider Munch Down - Nancy H

**More Volunteers needed for each of these events.**

To Register please contact Barbara Morgan at brsjmorgan@rogers.com

Family Bus Trip to Highlands Nordic on Saturday February 28!

We are offering a special Bus Trip for the family to Highlands Nordic.
It will take place on Saturday February the 28th.
In case you didn't know, Highlands will be the venue for the 2009
National Cross Country Skiing Championships in March.
It's a great place to ski, with a great view of Georgian Bay (once you
climb up the escarpment).
There is a Cafe that serves soup and Chili as well as other snacks, and
we will have the luxury of using the Diesel room (reserved for us!!)
Sign up soon!

Prices are:
Children               $ 5.00
Adults                   $ 10.00
Non Members     $ 25.00

Trail passes are $10.00 (Discounted rate for Bus)

Time to meet at Conestoga Mall   - 7:15 am (Depart at 7:30)
Time to meet at Highlands Nordic - 2:45 pm (Depart at 3:00)
Home at approximately 5:00pm

**** Must sign up and receive money for Bus Fare by Feb 15th 2009****

To sign up please contact :
Susan Shields (519) 650-8909 or susanshields@gto.net

O-Cup #2, North Bay: Juniors conquer cold! January 17/18, 2009

The week of January 12th was very cold. But trusting the weather forecast of a slight warming trend the Junior and Para-Nordic Racing Team traveled to North Bay for two Ontario Cup races January 17 and 18th. This was the second race weekend of the Ontario series this winter.   Temperatures did moderate to about -15 degrees in North Bay and the races went on hard packed fresh snow. Connor Paddock and Svenja Morgan had competed in North Bay at OFSSAA the past two years, but it was the first opportunity to enjoy the fantastic trails and facilities for the other team members.
In the Para-Nordic Women's sit-ski category Christy Campbell added two more first place finishes on the O-Cup curcuit skiing very well and building more technical confidence with each outing.
Two races where held over the weekend with a classic race on Saturday and a skate race on Sunday. The race format for both races saw the skiers depart individually at 30 second intervals with the faster ranked skiers leaving at the back of the category and having the opportunity to chase slower skiers throughout the race. The Juvenile and Junior Boys categories welcomed some top Quebec racers as the St. Jerome Quebec Cup races were cancelled due to forecasted cold temperatures.   In the Juvenile category Gavin Shields raced very well in both interval start races for a 7th place finish in the 5 km classic race and a 14th in the 8 km skate race. Gavin had an exciting spill with 500m to go in the skate race when his ski clipped a fellow competitors ski. Gavin arrived at the finish line dusted in white, but smiling. It took awhile to get the knot from his bib untied. Oliver had made sure it didn't come loose during the race.
The Junior Boys raced a 10 km classic race and an 8 km skate race. A tough series of races up the long climbs at the North Bay Nordic Club. Jens Morgan had a 25th and a 32nd place finish (ahead of follow competitor Dennis in both races). Connor Paddock, enjoying his return trip to North Bay placed 24th and 29th. Oliver Conway-White had two solid races with a 19th and 21st place finish. Andy Shields had two big efforts to record a 7th and a 2nd place result.
Hannah Shields raced in the Saturday classic technique race and paced herself to a great time in the Mini-Midget Girls 3k race. Hannah was 4th overall.
Svenja Morgan, in her first season skiing with the University of Waterloo Ski Team, record a 36th and 37th place finish.

The next Ontario race series weekend will be held in Gatineau, Qc in conjunction with the Eastern Canadian Championships on January 31 and February 1.

Ski & Social 2009!

Come out and do a bit of skiing along with a bit of socializing. This is a great chance to get out of the house, practise your skiing and meet some new people. Skiers will meet for 4 Thursday evenings at Bechtel Park, then explore 2 popular cross-country ski areas on two Saturdays. For more details visit the Adult program page.

WRNSC Clothing Has Arrived, November 23

It has been many years, but the WRNSC is finally stylin'. Louis Garneau jackets and bib pants have arrived just in time with the first snow fall in Waterloo. Our models, Stephan and Alex are strutting the stuff. Some of you will have missed the chance in 2008 to order clothing, but it only takes 13 units or more for an order, so perhaps we'll try again next year.

Woodchipping Day, October 25

They came from the cradle and were near the grave (yard) for this version of the annual wood-chipping day. Young and old joined us as we widened a section below the service yard and covered many bare spots. Unfortunately, we ran out of wood chips and were finished early. We just have to remember to ask for one large pile for every hour. Thanks to all the participating members and the University of Waterloo Nordic Ski team for helping out...even little Faulkner at age 5 months.

SOD Training Camp, August 15-17

55 athletes and 10 coaches from across Ontario participted in the SOD dryland training camp, hosted at the University of Waterloo. Athletes were put through their paces, including games, strength training, roller skiing, intervals, and not to be forgotton, the talent show. The key note speaker Rob Skuda started the formal part of the week with his talk on "the inner voice"- the one that can get in the way, or the one that makes excellence possible. Under the leadership of Kevin Shields and the many volunteers, the right voice spoke to us.

It's a wrap! A gift and the AGM bring 2007-2008 to a close; May 26

The WRNSC wins the 2008 Southern Ontario Division (SOD) Club Award for overall excellence in ski programs!This award is a testament to years of dedicated work and spirit on behalf of program leaders. It includes Nancy (Jackrabbit Program), Susan (Magic Rabbits Program) Kevin (Junior Outer/Racing) and Beth (Adult Program). Needless to say the work of previous program leaders and their assistants is very much part of this award.