Good Afternoon: Attached are three important items for those of you attending the Section IV Championships tomorrow.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to work the race. We still need to supply a BOYS gate judge for the morning run and a GIRLS gate judge for the afternoon run. Please sign up here: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/12532106800118/false#/invitation Thanks Mark Latest email from Meet Manager Joe Dalman. ALL: I spoke again today with Wild Mtn and they have confirmed that they will ensure that we have the snow depth for us to race at Wild so no change in location. I did speak with Afton and Adam and they where very helpful in using them as a plan B but based on communications with Wild and there ability to still hold the section 4 race I felt it was better to stay with what was planned. I CC the Jury on the email and I know race crew along with the coaches of this section will work to ensure we do the best we can to provide a fair race for all athlete's. I want to go over our plans for the day in regards to slipping and salting and some reminders. I also attached the Spreadsheet with 3 tabs and the Bib numbers with run order for the day. I'll have a copy in each of your packets with bibs and athlete lift tickets at registration in timing Wednesday morning. This will be the process for each race run. 1. Course setters and crew will set course 2. Race Crew will salt race track after set 3. Course will be open for inspection roughly 30 minutes after salting. Remember extremely important that all athlete's know what a vertical slip is and race line should not be slipped but in and out of course to view gates. Let's really ensure that all athlete's are doing a vertical slip during inspection. 4. After inspection is closed whatever coaches can be at the top of the hill to slip after inspection is closed would be a big help. 5. Race crew will salt one more time after inspection closes and try for 30 more minutes to let salt set. This does mean timelines on the schedule might change some based on letting salt set but we will take the time to ensure we allow it to set and try to get the best track we can for racing Run 2 will follow the same process. Some other reminders: Remember once race starts race arena is closed to everybody but race officials and jury members. No one should be in the arena unless part of the race crew. I will allow coaches that want to help slip to be in the arena but they should only be in the arena to help slip and must always being looking up hill at all times and no communication with gate judges are anyone on the hill. Also teams that have course worker I want to make sure that they are meeting with Chief of courses once inspection opens up 1st run. I'll speak to Dan and Jeff to make sure they meet with course workers top of hill at the start of inspection. Thanks again for your continued support and I know with the efforts of this group and the trying conditions we can still do the best we can to give the athlete's the best change they can have to make it to the MN State Meet. Sincerely, Joe Dalman
Good Morning MAST Families:
As we begin Week Thirteen of our season, I want to pause and express my deep appreciation to the coaches, parents and athletes for all of the support, enthusiasm, generosity, and labor you have offered our program this season. As I watched our athletes train Saturday morning and then again Saturday afternoon and evening, I was struck by how much improvement I was seeing in their skiing. And everyone was having fun. A special thank you to the coaches who have been hustling from their day jobs to practice every day for the past twelve weeks and will continue to do so through the end of the season next week. And then they take days off of work so they can coach at our big races. Please take time this week and next to say thank you to your coaches. They make all of this good stuff happen. Much is happening this week. The website and Team Snap are updated for Week 13 and 14. Here is a link to see the full schedule for Weeks 13 and 14. MAST Website. Here are some reminders. I. Minneapolis Alpine Championships on February 9 at Hyland State your race intentions for our final race together on Friday, February 9th at Hyland: The Minneapolis Alpine Championships. I will ask for a 2:30 early release for students at Sanford, Roosevelt, Northeast and South. I will ask for an early release of 2:45PM for students from Anthony, Justice Page, Washburn and SW. We will be joined by Holy Angels and DeLaSalle. Awards will follow the race so plan to stick around. We will honor the top three finishers for boys and girls in the following Classes: 7th/8th; 9th/10th, 11th 12th. Parents: please sign up to work this last race. Here is a link: February 9 Race Volunteer Sign UP February 9 Race Intentions II. Section Championships on Wednesday, February 7. All athletes attending the Section IV Championships should arrive at Washburn no later than 6:10AM to meet the bus. If you are riding with a parent to Wild, please let your head coach know this via Team Snap or a text to his or her phone. Parents: We still need a few gate judges and a starter for this race. Please sign up here: Section Champs Race Volunteer Sign Up Athletes: tune your skis as you normally would. Clean and sharp edges will be needed. If you are comfortable lightly de-tuning the tips and tails, you can do this, but only if you do it lightly. The courses will be salted so you need sharp edges. Clean your bases with a hot wax. Scrape while the bases are still somewhat warm. Wax a second time with wax for temps in 28-35 temp range. Let the skis cool. Then scrape and brush. No PRACTICE on Wednesday. All coaches will be at Wild Mt that day. III. Saturday, February 11, 7:45-10:15AM CRAZY COSTUME DAY (Our last Saturday Morning training of the season.) Looking forward to seeing all kinds of creatures and characters skiing the courses on Saturday. Hoping for a return of the dinosaur. See you later today. Mark Good Morning:
The forecast for Wild Mt is warm during the day. Temps will be dropping quickly through the late afternoon and evening to below freezing by 8pm. I do not think salting will be effective. Winds are from the east-- so will be blowing directly onto the hill which takes the moisture out of the snow that is needed for the salt to work its magic. If we do end up salting, we will use salt bags stationed by Wild Mt for our use and we will only be salting lightly. This means that only 2-4 bags of salt will need to be moved to the top of the hill. Coaches and athletes can handle this. However.... Having said this, we have forty athletes registered for supplemental training and we can always use help setting the courses and then maintaining the courses during training. I am certain that the courses will need to be slipped out A LOT all evening. Having extra folks around to slip during training would be very helpful. If this interests any parents, please join us. You can ride the bus if you like or meet us there. Lift ticket will be provided. Just text me if you would like to join the supplemental training fun. I do think that this activity would make for a great date night. Couples welcome. It is very peaceful on a ski slope after sunset. Especially at Wild Mt. Thanks, Mark 612-275-8392 Canceling Parent Help for today (Friday) and Saturday Morning Salting/Training Venue Set Up -2/2/2024
Hello:
For those of you who signed up to assist the coaches with salting and venue set up today (Friday) and tomorrow morning, STAY HOME. The temperatures have cooled and it looks like we will either not need to salt at all or very lightly. We don't want to waste your time today or in the morning. Many thanks for volunteering to assist. We may still need help at Wild. I will check the forecast for North Branch tonight. My guess is that there is a lot of salt already on the hill at Wild and we may only need to dust the course lightly to get it to harden up. Looks like the temps cool very quickly tomorrow late in the afternoon so salting may not even take. I will let you know one way or another later tonight. I think the forecast gets updated late in the day today. Thank you to Bill, Steve and Mark who helped yesterday. You were tremendously helpful. Mark Dear MAST Athletes, Families, Coaches and Friends:
Once again, our beloved athletes are giving the coaches headaches. The reason for this is positive of course. We have too many really good racers. The number of highly skilled racers on our teams far exceeds the number of racers we are allowed to enter in the Section IV Championships. The coaches truly wish we could race ten athletes per team at Sections, but that is not how it works. We have to pare the teams down to six racers and an alternate. So after carefully analyzing race results over the length of the season, the coaches have selected the athletes whom we think have demonstrated the highest measure of consistency and speed at both home and away races. Ultimately, the head coach for each team made the final selections, but it was with input from all of the coaches. For those who have been competing hard for a spot on a section team but find that your name is not listed, please know that you are very much a part of your school’s Section IV Championship Team. We realize that this is small consolation, but it is very much true. You pushed your teammates to be better with each drill, each timed training run, and each race run. You faithfully attended practice every day, worked with passion and focus, shouted words of encouragement and sometimes, friendly taunts. You made training fun which made everyone want to be there. And once there, you couldn’t help but get better. And either could your teammates. So, if your name is not on the list, your spirit is in every athlete named to each one of our Section Championship Teams. Thank you for that. Parents of athletes competing next Wednesday: please sign up to work the race and/or help with food, tent, serving and everything else we need to do to support our athletes. Here is a link: https://signup.com/go/dOcDTCi More information about sections will be coming soon. Thank you. Mark, Matthew, Joel, Paige, and Eleanor. Hello MAST Adults,
With this Spring like weather and the need to sustain a safe and effective ski hill, the hill needs to be salted. The coaches need 4 parents on skis from 3pm-4pm before practice to salt the hill on Thursday and Friday. This will give the coaches time to get racers organized, set coarse and coach. Meet at the bottom of the practice hill and be ready to ski and salt. Instructions will be given. SignUp to Help Salt The Coaches appreciate all your help! Heather Hunt Good Morning:
I suggest that you bring a sack supper and water bottle to Welch. The food at Welch is expensive and I'm not even sure how much food will be available in the cafeteria. You can stuff a sandwich in your pocket and eat it on the chair if need be. I am leaving for Welch early today to get the gates staged and at least one of the courses set. Please reach out to the other coaches if you have any questions or issues to discuss. Joel (Washburn): 612-716-3186 Eleanor (Washburn): 612-723-9559 Paige: 612-718-1440 Matthew (SW bus): 612-220-1010 Liam: 612-715-5690 Bring your skis and bags to SW or Washburn. Check with your captains via Team Snap if you don't know where you go to store your bags. Here are some other notes about the day. 1. I requested an early release of 12:45 for athletes from SW, Anthony, Washburn, Justice Page. 2. I requested an early release of 12:30 for athletes from Roosevelt, South, Northeast, and Sanford. 3. Buses are scheduled for loading at Washburn and SW at 1PM. Joel will be driving the trailer and meeting you at Washburn. The SW bus will have a trailer. 4. The Washburn bus will be returning to the cities so do NOT leave anything on that bus. 5. The SW bus will be staying and will be the bus taking athletes home after the race. 6. When you arrive at Welch, bring everything into the chalet except your ski bag. Put you ski bag in either the bus trailer or the MAST trailer. 7. Athletes need to pick up a lift ticket at the ticket window. They will ask you for your name and check to see that you and your parents have signed the competition waiver. 8. Find the team and get changed into your race gear. 9. Store your bag in a cubby... there are cubbies in the hallway off the main dining area and steel storage racks in the lower level next to the ticketing windows. Do not store your bags under tables or on the floor anywhere. 10. Take your first warm up run on Long Way Home... take is slow and just get used to the snow on your first run. Focus on your stance and balance and pole plant. 11. Hopefully we will have a coach directing warm ups after that, otherwise, work your normal warm up routine. Skip edge sets today. 12. Inspection will be side slip the fall line with in and out traverse to get a closer look. 13. Focus your efforts today on skiing a nice arc back to the gate, using the rut to your advantage. You do this by using the top of the rut to enter the turn. Exit the rut early if possible to stay on your line and hit the top of the next rut. Stay in balance. Today is not the day to boot cuff the gates. Ski a smooth, consistent line and stay relaxed and balanced at all times. 14. Be at the top of the course at the end of the first run. We will give you instructions on what to do next. You will either be asked to slip out the next course or slip in the old course so we can re-set. 15. After the second run, make a couple of slip runs to get the hill cleaned up. 16. Awards will be held as soon as the results get tabulated. 17. The bus will return to SW. If we are nice to the driver, maybe we can convince him to also make a stop at Washburn as well. And for the Moore's: Bring The MEC Trophy! Thanks all. Looking forward to a beautiful afternoon of ski racing. Mark 612-275-8392 Good Evening: Hopefully you are all tucked into bed after a long day of school and ski racing. Results are attached. A very successful night. Congratulations to the Washburn boys and and the Southwest girls on their victories tonight. The SW girls scored 700 points to the 697 points earned by the Washburn girls. However, after all the points were added up for all three MEC contests, the Washburn girls came out on top to successfully defend their MEC Championship title. Well done. Congratulations to SW for giving them a strong run for their money. Wow. Congratulations to Ilsa Beck who finished second in the girls junior varsity race, and to the next ten girls from MAST, SW and Washburn who took 3rd through 12th place. Also getting medals: Lily Jorgenson in 3rd, Sammy Abelerra-Wright in 4th, and Sarah Rosenthal in 5th. And we had great results on the varsity level as well. In the boys race, Finn Cherveny smoked Parker Hunt by .01 seconds to take first place. Levi Elhers bounced back from a recent battle with a virus to finish in third and Jack Bajek landed on the podium in fifth. Beckett Wedren had some trouble on the first run, but he came back on the second run to post the third fastest time. And Elliot Vap had a wonderful night, putting down the fifth fastest time on the first run to finish ninth overall. Perhaps his best race of the season on a good pitch and in tough conditions. Hard work pays off. In the girls race, Gabby Harritt had the fastest time on the first run and Lucy had the fastest on the second. When both runs were totaled, Lucy finished in second overall and Gabby in third. If you thought the boys race was close, how about the girls: Lucy was .01 seconds out of tying for first and Gabby was only .01 seconds behind Lucy. In other words, after 62 seconds of skiing, first and third places were separated by 2/100s of a second. That is a close finish. Ninth grader Ella O'Connor may have had her best high school race of her young career tonight, finishing in seventh place, just behind Kate Moore in sixth. And we had nine girls finish in 10th through 18th place. Well done girls. Overall, great skiing everyone. I want to say thank you to all of the parents who once again worked the race. We had some very difficult snow conditions to manage and all of the folks who came out to slip out the ruts did very good and important work. You made it possible for our athletes to focus on skiing well rather than on just surviving. No one got hurt tonight which is the best part. Thank you to everyone who gate judged, wrote down times, collected bibs, assisting with starting and anything else that needed doing. A fun and successful night. A special thanks to Bill Bray and Steve Moore who arrived early to help get things set up. You extra efforts were greatly appreciated. The homepage of the website has been updated with practice information for the week. We have supplemental training on Saturday at Wild. I encourage people to attend. Here is a link to register: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/385526 We have one more race on Friday, Feb 9 at Hyland. More to come on this race very soon. Section Teams will be announced sometime tomorrow-- most likely after practice. Finally, a pair of training shorts was left behind at Wild on Friday. Pics are attached. It is possible that you recovered your shorts tonight, but if you did not, let me know via email or text. Thanks Mark
Good Afternoon:
I just spoke with Coach Joel and the two of us made an executive decision to cancel today's practices due to the warm temperatures. Our race tomorrow is still ON. Two factors went into this decision: 1. We have a race tomorrow, school all day today, and you have been working incredibly hard. We want you to rest up for tomorrow's race. Tune your skis (just clean up your edges and wax the bases--you don't need razor sharp edges tomorrow). Get caught up on homework. Eat a lovingly prepared meal with your family for once. Get to bed early and rest. 2. The snow is going to be very soft at Hyland and we are unprepared to use salt on the courses today. The benefit of training in these conditions is very low and the risk of someone getting injured are too high for our liking. Temperatures remain warm for Wednesday. As of now, we will train as long as we are allowed to salt our training lanes. We have time to secure bags of salt between now and Wednesday. Sorry for the late notice. As of a day or two ago, the outlook was looking more positive--the temps were forecasted to be cooler than had been previously predicted. Turns out the long range forecast a week ago was more accurate than the short range forecast of two days ago. Bummer. Rest. Mark 612-275-8392 Sorry to inundate you with emails, but I forgot to tell you two things last night...
1. For those who skied at Wild yesterday, give your skis a full shower. We salted the courses at Wild and the salt needs to be washed off your skis If you are coming to practice this morning, be sure to give them a shower after practice today. Salt can also get into the bindings and put some wear and tear on them over time. If your edges rusted up a bit overnight the rust can be removed easily with some stonework (400-600 grit). 2. Brien Spanier has been loading pictures onto our website all season long and I want you to know that 1) they are there for your enjoyment and study and 2) that you can download them directly from the website. Just put your cursor over the image and push control-space bar. You probably already knew that.... See you soon. Mark |
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