[Matt DeCarufel]

Hello U14s,

We have reached the busiest part of our winter race calendar!  This is a 3 week post covering the overview of the jam packed exciting month coming your way.

LGMS is partnering with Canmore Nordic to have the U14 program glide wax the school’s fleet of skate skis.  In exchange for your work and opportunity to practice your glide waxing skills, we will use the funds raised to purchase pizza for our final session of the year (March 21). Second year athletes, you will recognize this is the same protocol as we were able to do last year. Wax days will be 30 minutes long on Thursday(26), Monday(30), Tuesday(31).  This is not required, but a great opportunity for you to receive additional instruction and practice. Bring shoes, dry top, and a snack to eat after training before we dive into scraping, brushing, and waxing.  Sign up here

Westerns: Trip document was distributed via email to those signed up on the club spreadsheet. Email Matt with questions.

Exchange Part 2: A trip document will be distributed shortly with the known info and reminders for our upcoming trip to Chelsea, Quebec. Keep an eye out for that.

Red Deer AB Cup 7/8: The final AB Cup weekend of the season will be Feb 18/19. Be sure you have signed up on the club spreadsheet if you are attending. That trip doc will be coming your way in the next week or so.

Alberta Youth Champs: Wrapping up the racing with a bang is AYC. As of Jan 27 there are still 66 spots left for on the registration. Don’t delay if you are planning to attend this fun filled event (don’t forget your costume). Remember, it is an all in weekend like the Lake Louise camp- super fun 2 night stay over at Camp Horizon with 150 other racers in the region.  https://zone4.ca/event/2023/B4F2D886/

IBU in Canmore: With the IBU coming to Canmore the range (and our teamroom) will be closed Feb 16-March 10.  Biathlon is working to find some alternatives for training, but not yet confirmed. We will update as we learn more.  On the plus side, come out and watch some amazing high level racing here in our home town!  https://canmorebiathlon.ca/race-schedule/

Team Training.  The program goal is to have team sessions 3x a week (+1 for biathlon). When we have a race weekend that makes for 3 days of training/racing (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) that are coached sessions, so some days are shuffled around to maintain that average number of sessions each week.  As much as we coaches would like to be in 2 places at once, we still don’t have that technology.  So when there is a race, camp, or the exchange that the program is attending, those are the sessions that are offered.  While it does not look like a lot of sessions here in town, there will be about 23 coached sessions over the next 4 weeks. If an athlete is not participating in one of the races or exchange, call a teammate and you can get out with the family for some fun on the skis.

With that, here’s the plan for the next 3 weeks:
Monday(30) Classic Ski @ CNC
5:00-6:30 Meet in the XC Stadium. Tonight we will work on our double poling, track changes, and mass start tactics. If you signed up to wax skis, you can drop off shoes/dry clothes in the teamroom before the session starts.

Tuesday(31) Skate Ski @ CNC
5:00-6:30 Meet in the XC Stadium. We will venture onto the natural snow trails (grooming permitting) to start, then get out downhill skills dialed in. We will wrap up on the lit loop, but a headlamp is always good to start with.  If you signed up to wax skis, you can drop off shoes/dry clothes in the teamroom before the session starts.

Thursday(2) Biathlon @ CNC
4:45-6:15 Special bonus biathlon session tonight for those not attending Kimberley. This is due to the upcoming range closure to try and get in some extra shooting.

Thursday(2)-Sunday(5): Westerns in Kimberley

Saturday(4) Biathlon TT @ CNC
10:00-12:00 Last minute Biathlon TT with Foothills if you are in Canmore

Arrive 10am for rifle pickup. Zero at 10:30. Start at 1115.

Monday(6) No team training due to 4 straight days in Kimberley

Tuesday(7) Skate Ski @ CNC– NON Exchange athletes only
5:00-6:30 Special bonus night for those not attending the exchange. Meet in the XC Stadium.

If you are attending the exchange, no training as you will have 8 JAM PACKED days coming up. Pack your bags and get some sleep for our early departure

Wednesday(8)-Wednesday(14) Exchange Part 2. See email for details.

Friday(17)-Sunday(19) AB Cup 7/8 in Red Deer. See trip doc distributed via email for details.

Monday(20) Rest.

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