The Unofficial Franklin County Championships
This year’s race is scheduled for Saturday December 28th, 2024
Location: Dickinson Farm
Start Time: 12:00 PM
Technique: Skate (freestyle)
If you’ve never been to this race, you’re missing out. The diversity of the attendees is part of what makes it special. The BFA St. Albans Nordic team mixes it up with Alumni and local citizens, and somehow this seems to bring out the battle in everyone. Well conditioned Alumni show up for bragging rights and to see if they can keep the coveted revolving ski trophy away from the latest high school hot shots. The form of the Alumni is always unpredictable, and the high schoolers’ season has just started, so nobody knows exactly what’s going to happen, and that makes for some intense and exciting racing.
But the battles don’t just take place at the front of the race. There’s always a crowd around members of the BFA coaching staff, as they are targeted by their current and former pupils. Of course, the form of the coaching staff is just as unpredictable as everyone else, so sometimes the pupils get quite humbled when they see the coach skiing away from them. Coach Magnan has taken a couple overall victories in the past, so he’s not to be underestimated. Added into the mix, we have high school skiers who just learned to ski within the past couple weeks, Alumni who haven’t touched their skis since they graduated, some parents who’ve been inspired to take up the sport, and a few local citizens who have no idea what they’re walking into. And of course, there’s always the impeccably dressed Wally Good, whose family has been a part of the skiing community for 30 years.
If you show up as a spectator, you might watch the pre-race activity of the skiers and think this is just a fun, casual race. Racers will be casually chatting, throwing around some good-natured trash talk, or playing down their own chances by telling everyone they’re not in good shape. A lot of this may be true, but then the race starts, and nobody holds back. Everyone is giving 100%, and you think “Geez, I thought this was just like a 5k fun run or something.” Well, I can tell you, it is fun, and it’s a lot more fun than a “fun run.” It’s the most fun ski race race of the year. Maybe it’s because we all know each other’s talents and histories, and as we race, our own history in the sport flashes through our mind, and the young racers strive to mark their own history against the older generations.
If you want to be part of this great event, come join us. Anyone is welcome, you don’t need to be a BFA alumni to race.
Race Details:
Date: December 28th, 2024
Start Time: Noon
Entry Fee: Suggested $10 donation
Distance: 3k or 6k options (Courses and distances tend to vary based on snow conditions, but typically around 4k to 6k)
Technique: Freestyle (i.e. Skate, but classic is allowed)
Location: Dickinson Farm