FREE! COVERING FEBRUARY UPSTATE NY 2017 SINCE 2000 Lake Placid Loppet START OF THE 2013 LAKE PLACID LOPPET IN LAKE PLACID AT THE OLYMPIC SPORTS COMPLEX AT MT. VAN HOEVENBERG. WHITEFACE LAKE PLACID CONTENTS Lake Placid Nordic Festival and 1 Cross Country Skiing XC Junior National Championships Lake Placid Nordic Fest & Olympic Games, as a way to showcase the Olympic cross country XC Junior National Champs By Mim Frantz trail system and to share with the world the treasures and beauty 3 Alpine Skiing & Riding f you haven’t dusted off and waxed up your Nordic ski gear of Nordic skiing in the Adirondack woodlands. Take Your Skiing to the for the year, now is the time to get out there and enjoy. After However, the Loppet is no walk in the park. The course is 50K Next Level Ia disappointing snowfall last year, Mt. Van Hoevenberg – the (31 miles) long – longer than a marathon – covering challenging 5 News Briefs & Olympic Cross Country venue in Lake Placid is making a tri- terrain where skiers are usually either climbing or descending. In From the Publishers umphant comeback, and has been running since November fact, the course has a vertical ascent of 3,300 feet. That is just over and now with optimal conditions, all 50 kilometers of their trail 100 feet shy of the vertical of Whiteface Mountain. The Loppet 6-9 CALENDAR OF EVENTS system is groomed and ready to enjoy. It is a world-class venue race offers a categories in both classic skiing and freestyle (skate) February to April Events with beginner to advanced terrain. This season, the venue will skiing and the field is always large and widely varied. 11 XC Skiing & Snowshoeing be showcased in two upcoming large-scale events. There will be elite ski racers watching the clock, their compet- Saratoga County Open Spaces The first of these events is theLake Placid Nordic Festival itors and their heart-rate monitors. There will also be large con- 13 Athlete Profile on Friday-Sunday, February 24-26. The festival features cross tingency of racers who aren’t there to race at all, but instead are XC Skiing with Bill Parks: country ski racing for the young and old with both shorter and out for the love of the sport, the outdoors, and want to test their Takes Life Sport to Norway longer courses for the recreational skier to the elite racer. The fitness level in this touted winter challenge. Race times to com- Loppet is a 33-year-old tradition that in the last three seasons plete the course typically range from two-and-a-half hours to 15 Running & Walking has evolved into a comprehensive Lake Placid Nordic Festival. over six hours, and temperatures have ranged from the high 30s Get Set for Spring Races! Mt. Van Hoevenberg Nordic Program Manager, Kris Cheney to -20 degrees for this February adventure. There is no doubt that 16 Triathlon & Swimming Seymour remarked, “The festival is focusing on the future growth Nordic athletes are some of the heartiest and healthiest athletes Athletes Heading to Area Pools of the Lake Placid Loppet. With the introduction of our Citizens in the world. As a testament, there are always some well-docu- 17 Non-Medicated Life Ski Challenges, there is an event for all participants. We are mented, Loppet-esque, finisher photos of men with crystallized Benefits of Dietary Fiber focusing on creating a family-friendly event that provides an ice beards and eyebrows, and exuberantly glowing faces. opportunity for nearly every age and ability.” He added, “Not Dr. Francis Trudeau, a Saranac Lake native and founding 20-23 RACE RESULTS only do we want to grow the event, but the sport of cross country president of the Trudeau Institute, was one of the original race Top Finishers in 30 Events skiing as a whole, it really can be for everyone.” organizers. He was an accomplished athlete himself and is 23 Running The marquee event of the weekend and the historical head- famous for saying, “exercise is the best medicine.” Today in his Join the USATF Adk Grand Prix liner is the Lake Placid Loppet on Saturday, February 25 with memory, the Founder’s Trophy is awarded to the oldest finisher. 50K and 25K classic and freestyle races. The word ‘Loppet’ is of Brian Delaney, owner of High Peaks Cyclery, has raced the AdkSports.com Norwegian origin and refers to a long distance ski race. The Lake 50K Loppet almost every year since 1984. “I always look forward Facebook.com/AdirondackSports Placid Loppet originated in 1982, soon after the 1980 Winter See XC SKIING 19 ▶ 2 Adirondack Sports DISCOVER INLET... Visit our site Maple for details! ◾ FREE CROSS-COUNTRY SKI & SNOWSHOE TRAILS And all the Ski Ridge ◾ FREE ICE SKATING RINK Just MINUTES FEBRUARY from Anywhere in the WITH WARMING HUT Beauty That Capital Region! 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GORE MOUNTAIN By Gail Setlock better alignment. And wear only one pair of treeline to treeline. Next time you go skiing ing their pole swing as that is an easy indicator wool ski socks. Wearing two pairs of socks can try something different. Ski turns of a differ- of when they are going to make the next turn. oday’s ski gear has made it easier to ski cause bunching and pressure points in your ent size and shape than you usually do. Or Another fun synchro style is skiing side- a variety of conditions and terrain. The boots, making your fit uncomfortable. shake it up a bit by skiing three long turns, by-side, with both of you turning the same Trockered technology makes a ski more Check the Length of Your Ski Poles three short turns, three long and three short, direction at the same time. You may need versatile in a variety of snow conditions for – The swing and touch of your poles is critical while maintaining a rhythm and flow – don’t to adjust your turn shape, making either all levels of skiers. And to make your skiing to promote good timing and rhythm of your stall or traverse in between the size chang- shallow or more rounded turns in order to more fun, you should be more versatile in turns. Poles that are too short may cause you es. This allows you to be more versatile and maintain the same speed as your partner, your tactical approach, technique and style. to bend too much; poles that are too long playful on the trails. while maintaining the same cadence and Your gear – skis, boots, poles – are your may cause you to stand too tall. A guide to a Another tactical challenge is to add more rhythm – and turning in the same direction connection with the snow. So my first tip good pole size: when standing indoors hold shape to your turn. Often, people don’t fin- at the same time. One of the great outcomes is to have your gear in good repair and the your pole by the grip, keeping the pole ver- ish their turns, thus picking up speed with of synchro skiing is that you turn on demand proper fit for you. tical with the point of the pole on the floor. each turn. Add more shape – ski a more – turn to the other person’s rhythm and tim- Keep Your Skis Tuned – Edges can Your forearm should be parallel to the floor, rounded turn – making sure to finish your ing – and you may turn in places on the hill dull quickly, even if you are skiing on packed or slightly lower than parallel. turn to help control your speed. This can be that you normally might avoid. powder. Keep your skis tuned so they will Now That Your Gear is in Good especially helpful on steeper terrain. Making different tactical choices in your perform consistently each time you ski. Shape, Let’s Hit the Slopes! – Skiing is Another fun tactic is skiing in synchroni- skiing is not only fun, but will take your ski- Your local ski shop can tune them for you, fun and exciting for all levels of skiers.