Weston ski-o: results!

Despite an extreme snafu with epunch boxes (they had been programmed and then the number tags had been moved around), Ed was able to get splits for everyone.  They're here.  Alexandra Jospe (CSU) won in 40:31, followed by Audun Botterud (CSU) in 44:02, with Ari Ofsevit (a new ski-oer!) just behind in 44:04.  A close race!  There were 18 finishers on the advanced course, and seven on the beginner course.  The beginner course was won by Dancho Hristov (CSU) in 12:43, followed by Bill Pullman (NEOC) in 16:37 and Eric Benson (CSU) in 16:57.  

The day was beautiful for skiing, and all of Weston was open for skiing - 15km of trails!  The maps are below.

Advanced above, beginner below.

 

Balsams Bulletin 1

Bulletin 1 is now loaded!  Check it out for details about the weekend.  Hopefully this piques your interest!

Bulletin 1.

Balsams lodging info

We have some information about the lodging deals at the Balsams - to be brutally honest, its going to be a wicked expensive weekend, but you will be living in such luxury as you've never imagined.  The cost of lodging includes a gourmet breakfast and dinner, the trail pass, and alpine skiing, if you're into that instead of doing the ski-o race!  

For two people sharing a room, our deal is $159 per person, per night.  In other words, it costs $318 for a room for a night if there are two people in the room.  If there is just one person in the room, it costs $209.  

That is lots of money, but if you add it up, you're essentially paying for a $60 hotel room - the dinner is worth $59, breakfast worth $20, trail pass worth $20, so if you had to buy that stuff separately, you'd be left with $60 for the room.  Which isn't all that bad.  

The good news for those of you who don't want to stay at the Balsams is that you can still attend the dinner, which looks AMAZING, but it'll cost something like $60 - I'm still working with the guy to bring the price down.  

So, go ahead and reserve your room at the Balsams!  Just call and ask for the ski orienteering deal, and you should be all set.  You can reserve either one night or two nights, no two-night-minimum.  Hope to see you there!

Balsams Ski-O is a go

The Balsams Grand Resort has agreed to be our title sponsor for the NH ski-orienteering weekend this February.  We are in negotiations about lodging deals and banquet details, but the races will both be held at the Balsams.  If you've never had a chance to ski here, you shouldn't miss this opportunity!  

More details can be found on our schedule page, and we will keep posting information as it comes along.  Snowflakes are coming!

Ski-O to bid for 2018 Olympics!

The IOF announced recently that it is making a bid for Ski Orienteering to be included in the 2018 Winter Olympics.  Press release.

Ski Orienteering Bids for Inclusion in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games

LAUSANNE, Switzerland; HELSINKI, Finland

The International Orienteering Federation, IOF, has applied for Ski Orienteering to be included in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games.

Ski Orienteering, which was part of the cultural program already at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Japan, is a fast-paced exciting sport which, like Biathlon, involves cross-country skiing and another activity.  In the case of ski-orienteering this other activity is navigation.  In ski-orienteering, with the help of a detailed topographic map, racers must find the fastest way to ski from one point to the next around a course.  Ski Orienteering is an exciting winter sport combining the highest level of physical fitness and skillful cross-country skiing with the ability to make difficult route choices and navigate at a high speed.

Ski Orienteering can be organized at cross-country skiing and biathlon arenas and does not require additional investments in infrastructure. The Sprint and Sprint Relay are intensive, spectator-friendly events that fit very well for TV broadcasting”, says Åke Jacobson, president of the International Orienteering Federation.

For more information about Ski Orienteering and its bid for inclusion in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games please contact the IOF Secretary General Barbro Rönnberg: iof@orienteering.org, +358 9 3481 3112.

The 2009 World Ski Orienteering  Championships were held in Japan.	Tatiana Vlasova, Russia, in the 2010   Ski OrienteeringWorld Cup in Romania
Photographers: Paula Lehtomäki and Erik Borg