Welcome!
Please explore our site to see how we promote Nordic Sports in the Brainerd Lakes Area!
CURRENT EVENTS, NEWS, and NOTICES:
The BNSC's 41st Annual Lumberjack Jaunt is being rescheduled for March 8th at Brainerd's Northland Arboretum. Registration is open! This is one of the longest running Nordic ski races in Minnesota. New for this year is timing and results by Karma Race Management. Skate and classic techniques races at 16 km and 6 km will be offered as well as an 8+8 km skiathlon. Register before January 5 for discounted entry fee. Lunch provided after the race, included in entry. Free kids race with age appropriate distances up to 2 km (ages 4 to 12). The Lumberjack Jaunt is a family oriented ski race. We encourage skiers of all abilities to come out and ski and enjoy the trails at the Northland Arboretum.
Schedule:
9:00 AM Registration & Bib Pick Up.
11:00 AM Racing starts with the classic races followed by the freestyle races at 11:10.
12:30 PM Free fun race for kids 4 to 12.
Meal & Awards to follow the completion of the races.
To register go to the "Events" tab on our site and select "Lumberjack Jaunt".
Additional information can be found at: http://lumberjackjaunt.wix.com/jaunt
Schedule:
9:00 AM Registration & Bib Pick Up.
11:00 AM Racing starts with the classic races followed by the freestyle races at 11:10.
12:30 PM Free fun race for kids 4 to 12.
Meal & Awards to follow the completion of the races.
To register go to the "Events" tab on our site and select "Lumberjack Jaunt".
Additional information can be found at: http://lumberjackjaunt.wix.com/jaunt
MYSL ski lessons continue despite lack of snow! For the past two Sundays the Minnesota Youth Ski League has met at Whipple Lake where students, parents, and coaches found a few precious inches of snow along the east shore. The skiing has been decent and the flat "terrain" has actually helped with beginner instruction and practice. Our club arranged to have a 1/4 mile of tracks and a skate lane created in preparation of the classes. We would like to thank our volunteer coaches and Camp Vanasek Director, Vicki Foss, for accommodating us and making these events happen despite bare ground conditions across much of the surrounding area. There were lots of smiles seen out on the course today!
The BNSC would like to recognize and congratulate one of our young club members on an incredible achievement this past week in the world of Nordic Skiing/Biathlon. Cam Christiansen, from Pequot Lakes, training with Nisswa NW / MN Biathlon and coach Bill Meyer, was the top ranked athlete in the Youth Men (under 19) category at this weeks US Biathlon Youth / Junior World Team Trails. There were 45 athletes that participated in the Youth/Junior World Team trials this year in both the Youth & Junior levels, men & women. The Youth and Junior (under 21) World Championships will attract the best age group athletes from over 30 nations beginning February 17th through the 24th. This years 2015 IBU (International Biathlon Union) Youth / Junior World Championships will be held in Minsk-Raubichi, Belarus. You will be able to keep track of the results (and possibly some veiwing) by opening the IBU website and click on 'results' and/or the 'Euro-vision' link on the home page.
Early Grooming...Board member and volunteer ski coach, Kent Montgomery, is shown below grooming the Arboretum trails over Thanksgiving break. Kent is using the club's new 2014 Artic Cat Bear Cat Utility Snowmobile that is designed specifically for grooming ski trails. This kind of workhorse is a club first and comes equipped with an engine and transmission built for heavy pulling at slow speeds, front-end winch, a rear light bar with flood lamp for night grooming, and several other accessories. A 4-stroke engine sports better gas mileage, is quieter, and has less emissions.
Biathlete Training Continues: Video below from Youth and Junior Trials at Mount Itasca:
BNSC's Annual Trail Clean Up Day was another success! Dozens of volunteers showed up to prepare the French Rapids Trail System and partake in a chili feed in what some said may be the most beautiful setting in Brainerd.
The trails (French, the Arboretum, and Forestview) have been mowed. It took 23 hours of operating time to mow all three. A BIG thanks to new club member (and his wife Sue) Jim Natwick who helped club president, Mark Stadem, with the mowing. If you hike the trails please feel free to remove the small branches and debris that may have been scattered on the trails while mowing. If you should feel so inclined, bring a long handled pruner with you on the hike and cut back any overhanging branches, brush, etc. Think "snow load" when looking at branches. Watch for those "hat catchers"!!! Some of the mowing action:
The club is dealing with plenty of trail and lights damage from summer storms. Some photos from our repair crews:
More trail-clearing action below:
Photos of the big storm damage to Forestview taken by Committee Member James O'Hearn:
Last winter's Youth Ski League was another huge success! Check out the action below. More information on this great family activity under "Youth Skiing" heading.
- 2014 was also another great biathlon season! See photos below but please also check out our Biathlon page under "Youth Skiing".
