Please click below for the a list of all the Alpine official clinic/exam dates and locations within the New England Region.
2019-2020 USS&S- Eastern Alpine Officials Clinic Dates & Locations
Be a part of the Oldest ski race in America!
This Saturday, February 23rd, NEMS is back in action at Mittersill for the 82nd Hochgebirge Cup Challenge.
Mittersill is rich in New England ski history, going back to the 1930s, and was recently re-opened and has been designated as a training site for the U.S. Ski Team. Directions can be found by clicking here!
$55 you get a ticket and two race runs! The Hochgebirge Challenge is a full length Giant Slalom that will take place on the Taft trail at Mittersill. Anyone who has raced in the Hochgebirge Challenge in previous years can tell you just how much fun this course is, and it is great for all levels of racers.
Bottom line, this will be an exciting day, so don’t miss out!
Want to make this race even more fun & exciting? create a team to compete for some legendary awards!
Awards For the Day:
IMPORTANT:
Team Rules: Teams can be made up of any mix of age or gender, but the class awards are dedicated by the age of the youngest team member. The trophies are displayed at the New England Ski Museum in Franconia, NH. Be a part of history! Bring the form found at this link to registration with $20 (donation to the Hochebirge Club for hosting us).
PARTY: An epic after party at the Hochgebirge Hilton will start at 3pm. Located just up the road from Cannon, the Hochgebirge Hilton is one of the most well-known ski houses in New England. There will be lots of food, drinks and plenty of swag and prizes – including a new pair of race skis from our sponsor, Artech. You need to be there to win, so come by after the race, have a beer, grab some grub and brag about how awesome your run was…you might just win a new pair of skis.
Register today at www.skiracereg.com/nems
Click Here for the Sign-up Form for Your Team
Need help registering? Details can be found here.
If you have any other questions about the race please contact Matt Mitsis ([email protected]).
Attention Beer Leaguers!
Are you ready for the ultimately Beer League throw down? Bragging rights are on the line this weekend as NEMS heads back to Ragged Mountain this Saturday (2/9) for the 5th Annual Beer League Challenge. Think your beer league is the best around? Prove it! Join NEMS racers from around New England as we team up to represent our home mountains and battle for beer league supremacy. Not on a beer league team? No problem! Teams are always looking to pick up another racer. Just let us know and we’ll hook you up.
The race will be a full-length GS on Flying Yankee which offers everything from pitch to flats to rolling terrain. It’s a truly exciting course! Everyone gets two runs regardless, so make sure to leave something in the tank for run #2.
Following the race we head upstairs in the lodge for the after-party were the winning team will take home some cold beer and the ultimate bragging rights over all other beer leagues. But there’s more! We’ll also be giving away a bunch of swag from our sponsors and new pair of Fischer GS skis. You need to be present to win though, so make sure you stick around for a beer and some pizza.
If you’re still hungry for more racing come back the following day for our Sunday Funday Slalom. Filling the void on Sunday post- Super Bowl can be tough, but thankfully NEMS has you covered! Come on out and do a little Slalom skiing, have some fun free skiing and be home in time for dinner. What’s better than that?! Plus if you race in the Beer League Challenge AND the Sunday Funday Slalom you will be entered to win a $100 Artech gift card. NEMS members receive 20% off at Artech so that can really add up. You need to be present at Sunday’s after party to win, so stick around following the race.
IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFO:
If you would like to join in on the party make sure to register at www.skiracereg.com under the New England Masters Series- Sise Cup. A USSS License is required for the race. If you have any questions on obtaining a temp license please contact our Race Administrator, Lucy Blake, at [email protected]. She will be happy to answer your questions.
2018 BLC Winning Team: Dilly Dilly!
The 3rd Annual Lobstah Cup
Q1. Do I have to be a New England Masters racer to participate?
A1. No, but we encourage all racers after the first year to join NEMS. If you haven’t been a member for a few years you are welcome to give it a try again before joining, but only members are eligible for the grand prizes at the end of year banquet and discounts from our sponsors.
Q2. What skill level do I need to have?
A2. We have racers of all ability levels, from brand new racers to former U.S. Ski team members and everything in between (beer league, past high school race team, NASTAR, USSA, FIS, etc.)
Q3. How old do I need to be to participate?
A3. Racers must be 18 years old to race.
Q5. How much does a race cost and what is included?
A5. The race fee is $55, which includes a lift ticket and two runs (regardless of your finish the prior run). So when you aren’t racing you can enjoy free skiing the area!
Q6. If I have a seasons pass, do I still have to pay the full amount?
A6. At most mountains, yes. Check the website “Race Info Sheet” to see if there is a pass discount or email the NEMS race administrator Lucy Blake [email protected]
Q7. Do I need a USSS license to race?
A7. Yes, but if you are new to New England Masters you can give it a try with a short term license that NEMS will cover the cost for you! All you need to do is fill out a form at registration and have an insurance card in hand.
Q8. How do I register?
A8. Registrations can be completed online ahead of time at www.skiracereg.com. Click here for detailed instructions.
Q9. Can I register on the day of the race?
A9. Yes, however we encourage racers to pre-register since onsite registration takes longer to complete and once a full NEMS member you will be charged an addition late fee of $10. If you sign-up and don’t show-up the Did Not Start fee is only $5, and it’s easy to unregister on skiracereg with a click of a button until noon the day before the race series begins.
If you have ever attended a ski expo, whether in Boston, Denver, New York or elsewhere, you know that it is essentially a sensory overload of all things related to the ski & snowboard industry. In other words, it’s complete chaos, but in a fun and exciting kind of way! You literally have hundreds of vendors, representing anything closely connected to the industry, spread across a massive floor space and they are all trying to get your attention (and your money). Now, when I say anything, I mean anything! For example, I found it ironic that T-Mobile was at the Boston expo this year. Not because they are a cell phone company, but rather because everyone I know that has T-Mobile always complains about how terrible their service is on the mountain when they are trying to check Live-Timing! That’s just one example, but there are usually a few more that can leave you scratching your head in confusion when you walk by. Kidding aside, there are a ton of great companies at the expo each year that give attendees a glimpse into what is happening across the industry. From capital improvements at resorts, to the newest fashion trends, and even the newest technology, it’s all there under one giant roof.
In the middle of it all was the hottest booth at the expo this year…the NEMS booth! This year NEMS had the pleasure of being located in the Maine section next to Sunday River, Sugarloaf and our friends at Shawnee Peak. So if anyone says that NEMS doesn’t spend enough time in Maine, I would just refer them to the four crazy days we spent there in November, plus the one day at Shawnee Peak we have scheduled in February of course! Anyways, the expo, in many respects, is a competition between the Marketing departments of every company in attendance. As an attendee I absolutely love it, but as a vendor it gives me heartburn. Thankfully, over the last three years NEMS has been investing in our booth for the expo and this year our booth looked great! We even sold some NEMS merchandise. Go figure!
Overall it was a really good showing at the expo for NEMS this year. Not only did our booth look great, but we continued to build our brand awareness within the ski community. We even signed up a few new members! More on that in just a moment though. Being able to promote the NEMS brand to such a broad and diverse group of people at the Boston expo is such a huge advantage for us. In addition to some key players in the industry, many of the venues we race at, and the business partners we are connected with, are also in attendance. Layer on the over ten thousand people (yes, that’s 10,000+ people) that visit the expo during the course of four days and you could not ask for a better platform to showcase NEMS. While we have made great progress here we still have a lot of work to do, but I am excited about where we are headed. You must be doing something right when a penguin stops by, right? 
Now, remember those new members I mentioned? In addition to brand promotion, we also use the expo to try and sign up new racers. This year we signed up eight individuals, a few even have some pretty solid racing experience. I am always excited to introduce new people into our NEMS community and I am very much looking forward to seeing them out on the hill this season. So welcome to the family! We hope you are as excited about the upcoming season as we are.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to give special thanks all of the volunteers who helped out at the NEMS booth this year. Our success at the expo does not happen without you being there.
Needless to say we will be back at the expo next year, but for now we’re on to 2019 and the start of what should be a terrific race season! I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and holiday season. Just remember the speed suit you need to fit into when reaching for that second slice of pie! 🙂
All the best,
Matt Mitsis
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Greeting NEMS Racers!
Labor Day has officially come and gone, the temperature has started its initial decent to zero (and beyond) and football season is fully underway. For most this simply means that fall is right around the corner, but for ski racers it means it’s time to start preparing for the upcoming season. In the NEMS Summer Newsletter I said to expect a different but truly epic schedule. Well, the wait it finally over!
This season’s schedule is a mix of new and old with some twists along the way. But before we get into the exciting details, I want to take a moment to thank Bill McCollom for working tirelessly over the summer to put this schedule together. The schedule is never easy and this year’s was especially challenging with Nationals being in the East this year. Great job Bill! Now on to the good stuff.
The battle for The Sise Cup begins at Mt. Sunapee this season with a GS/SL opening weekend. The GS course is well-known as a thigh burner and will put that off-seasoning conditioning to the test right out of the gate. From here we’ll head up to the Middlebury Snow Bowl for the 2nd Annual Kelly Brush Challenge. With a slightly different race format and a number of racers coming from outside of NEMS, this race is sure to keep things interesting.
Speaking of interesting, the very next day NEMS will be taking the show down Rt. 89 to Whaleback! Yes that pitch you always see from the interstate and dreamed of dropping is new to NEMS schedule! NEMS will be holding its first ever race at Whaleback this season. Whaleback is a great place for a Masters slalom race and Masters have been training slalom there for years thanks to George Merrill. The varying terrain of the race trail will certainly make for a very exciting race.
Next up on the schedule will be long-time NEMS favorite, Stratton, for a weekend of white-knuckle speed racing. This will be the first opportunity for NEMS racers to bust out the big sticks and test your nerves on the always exciting Super G course. Of course we encourage everyone to attend the Super G training the day before. It’s a great way to dust off the speed cobwebs as well as an opportunity to get some extra training in before nationals. Oh, and don’t forget about the GS race the following day. Helpful hint: make sure your edges are very sharp!
From speed skis to speedy feet, we’ll be getting a bit more technical the following weekend as NEMS descends on Suicide Six for what is considered to be one of the better slalom hills around. The timing couldn’t be better since it’s the last slalom race before nationals and Suicide Six is considered to be the most challenging slalom course we race on. Dreams have been made and crushed here. Are you up for the challenge?
Did someone say “challenge”?! You must be talking about the Annual Beer League Challenge at Ragged Mountain. That’s right! The only race in New England where beer league teams go head-to-head to settle the always contentious question of whose beer league is better. As one of the few team scoring races of the season, the Beer League Challenge takes both strategy and skill to prevail. Bragging rights (and free beer) are on the line, so make sure to get your team on board and represent! Don’t have a team? Don’t worry! Teams are always in need of an extra racer or two, so you’ll be in high demand.
OK, so here is where things are going to get a little weird. I did warn you that this was coming, so bear with me.
We’re at the halfway point of the season so you know what that means…Nationals!! Alright, so unless you ignored the Summer Newsletter (I forgive you. Maybe.), you know that the USSA Phillips 66 Alpine Masters National Championships are taking place at Okemo this year. However, because we are greedy and want all of the best races possible, we decided to move the Nationals races to Feb. to accommodate the FIS Masters World Championships taking place at Big Sky in March. So the timing will seem a little weird but we’re still going to have the same amazing races and kick-ass parties! The schedule for Nationals is all set but we are still working on many of the other events and details that make this such a great experience. Lots of info is on the way, so stay tuned…
Nationals might be over but don’t put those skis away just yet! We still have lots of racing ahead. Following what is sure to be an insane week at Okemo, NEMS is heading over to the Empire State where we’ll be teaming up with the Mid-Atlantic Masters, our newest Masters division, for some friendly competition at West Mountain. This GS/SL weekend will count towards Sise Cup points.
It’s Hochgebirge Time! The oldest ski race in America is back and we hope you’ll join us. Last year brought this storied race back to Mittersill where we were greeted with amazing weather and a fun and exciting slalom course. Mittersill is quickly gaining a reputation as one of the premiere ski race venues around, serving as host to not only the NCAA National Championships last year but as a training site for the U.S. Ski Team. No big deal. Believe me, you won’t want to miss this race! Oh yeah, there is also that wild after-party at the Hoch House afterwards. Derek and I are still in contract negotiations to MC the event again, and things are looking promising. Stay tuned…
A race that has been 2 years in the making…the Masters are coming to Wachusett Mountain!! This will not only be the first time NEMS will be racing at Wachusett, but the first time NEMS has ever held a race in Massachusetts. Many of NEMS current racers and alumni have ties to Wachusett, which just so happens to have the largest adult ski racing program in the country. The race will be a top-to-bottom GS course on Smith Walton where races can expect to be challenged from start to finish. We will have more details on this race soon, so for now just make sure this one is circled on the calendar.
To close out the season NEMS will be heading back to an old favorite, Sugarbush. Nope this isn’t a dream, we’re back baby! I can’t think of a better way to cap off what should be an incredible season than with races at a mountain in which NEMS has such an amazing history. As with previous years, this will be a Fri/Sat weekend with the Finals Banquet to follow. Details are still being finalized for the banquet but we will make those available as soon as possible.
Needless to say we have a busy and exciting season ahead so we hope you are as eager for the snow to start falling as we are. We are always looking for opportunities to provide the best possible schedule so it is possible that additional races and/or clinics might be added. Keep an eye out for updates as well as training opportunities. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.
All the best,
Matthew Mitsis
NEMS – Board of Directors
Be a part of the Oldest ski race in America!
This Saturday, February 18th, NEMS is back in action at Cannon Mountain for the 80th Annual Hochgebirge Challenge.
After years of waiting and months of speculation the Hochgebrige Challenge will be held at Mittersill! This is rich in New England ski history, going back to the 1930s, and was recently re-opened and has been designated as a training site for the U.S. Ski Team. Directions can be found by clicking here!
$55 you get a ticket and two race runs! The Hochgebirge Challenge is a full length slalom that will take place on the Taft trail at Mittersill. Anyone who has raced in the Hochgebirge Challenge in previous years is very familiar with the old course on Gary’s, so get ready for a new venue…Bode Style!!
Bottom line, this will be an exciting day, so don’t miss out!
Want to make this race even more fun & exciting? Why not dress up or create a team to compete for some legendary awards!
Awards For the Day:
Team Rules: Teams can be made up of any mix of age or gender, but the class awards are dedicated by the age of the youngest team member. The trophies are displayed at the New England Ski Museum in Franconia, NH. Be a part of history! Bring the form found at this link to registration with $20 (donation to the Hochebirge Club for hosting us).
PARTY: An epic after party at the Hochgebirge Hilton will start at 3pm. Located just up the road from Cannon, the Hochgebirge Hilton is one of the most well-known ski houses in New England. There will be lots of food, drinks and plenty of prizes – including a new pair of Fisher race skis from our sponsor, Artech. You need to be there to win, so come by after the race, have a beer, grab some grub and brag about how awesome your run was…you might just win a new pair of skis.
Register today at www.skiracereg.com/nems
Click Here for the Sign-up Form for Your Team
Need help registering? Details can be found here.
Leave a comment
The 2nd Annual Lobstah Cup
Saturday, January 28th, the Slalom kicks off the weekend on Shawnee Peak’s Headwall trail followed by a huge after-party with awards and prizes at the East Lodge.
Sunday, January 29th, the Giant Slalom follows on the East Slope with the perfect set of sweeping turns and speed over the face to ensure you’ll finish with a huge smile on your face! To conclude, after the GS in the Blizzard Pub, there will be a fun awards ceremony where the King & Queen Lobstahs will be crowned and given a special prize!
PRIZES include a brand new pair of 2016 Volkl GS race skis thanks to our amazing sponsor Artech!! And for the fastest male and female, gift cards for a Lobster dinner! Everyone who participates in the GS is eligible to win in a bib draw for the skis!
Also up for grabs with fun prizes:
* Top 3 racers in each age class
* Bode Miller – Living on the Edge Award
* Betty White – Most Improved Time from Leader Award
TWIST: ADDITIONAL SISE CUP POINTS UP FOR GRAB!!
Don’t miss out! Sign-up today at www.skiracereg.com
Get instructions on how to register here!
Questions? Contact our Race Administrator, Lucy Blake [email protected]
Additional Details:
Cost: $55 per day (includes a ticket)
Where: Shawnee Peak’s The Headwall (SL) / East Slope (GS)
Time: Register 8:00-9:15 am
1st Run – 9:30 am start
2nd Run – 1:00 pm (reset after completion of 1st run)
USSA: This is a USSA sanctioned race, so if you do not carry the USSA Masters license please bring an insurance card with you to register for a short term daily license. If you have a USSA license that is not a Masters USSA license, call USSA at 435-649-9090 and ask to add “Masters” to your license. There is no additional cost.
Format: 2 runs (regardless if you finish the 1st run), organized by age class, World Cup points system
Common Questions with Answers:
Q1. Do I have to be a New England Masters racer to participate?
A1. No, but we encourage all racers after the first year to join NEMS. If you haven’t been a member for a few years you are welcome to give it a try again before joining, but only members are eligible for the grand prizes at the end of year banquet and discounts from our sponsors.
Q2. What skill level do I need to have?
A2. We have racers of all ability levels, from former U.S. Ski team members to brand new racers and everything in between (beer league, past high school race team, NASTAR, USSA, FIS, etc)
Q3. How old do I need to be to participate?
A3. Racers must be 18 years old to race.
Q4. Do I need to race both days?
A4. No, we understand that you can’t always sacrifice an entire weekend for ski racing. You are free to register for just one race. We’re excited to have new people race with us, even if just for one day.
Q5. How much does a race cost and what is included?
A5. The race fee is $55, which includes a lift ticket and two runs (regardless of your finish the prior run). So when you aren’t racing you can enjoy free sking the area!
Q6. If I have a seasons pass, do I still have to pay the full amount?
A6. At most mountains, yes. Check the website “Race Info Sheet” to see if there is a pass discount or email the NEMS race administrator Lucy Blake [email protected]
Q7. Do I need a USSA license to race?
A7. Yes, but if you are new to New England Masters you can give it a try with a short term license that NEMS will cover the cost for you! All you need to do is fill out a form at registration and have an insurance card in hand.
Q8. How do I register?
A8. Registrations can be completed online ahead of time at www.skiracereg.com. Click here for detailed instructions.
Q9. Can I register on the day of the race?
A9. Yes, however we encourage racers to pre-register since onsite registration takes longer to complete and once a full NEMS member you will be charged an addition late fee of $10. If you sign-up and don’t show-up the Did Not Start fee is only $5, and it’s easy to unregister on skiracereg with a click of a button until noon the day before the race series begins.
Still have questions?
Contact the Race Administrator Lucy Blake at [email protected]
The photos from the Stratton Alois Lechner Kandahar GS and the Janeway Cup GS are now available, courtesy of Hubert Schriebl. Please click the following links to the Snapfish site.
