Rochester Active Sports Club

Each year we see an increasing number of RNST skiers completing the Korteloppet. This year a record 21 RNST skiers completed this event. 

Thanks for your input on the polls this season. We've learned that the Quarry Hill and Essex Park trails get used about 32 - 36% of the time with Quarry Hill consistently being a percent or two higher. The big change this season has been with Chester Woods. After they increased their grooming frequency, use rose from ~ 10% to a high of 18%. Eastwood hung in there with about 10% use.

You also told us how many times on average per week you skied this season. The results are summarized below.

         less than 1 = 9%
1-2 times = 33%
 3 times = 21%
 4 times = 14%
5 times = 16%
6-7 times = 4%
Total Votes: 105

We have a new scarifier to add to the RASC grooming fleet. This one is 5' wide and will let us level the trails, smooth out drifts, and scarify icy conditions in 2 passes. We used it last night at Essex Park and it performed beautifully. With this addition, we can now have one scarifier at Essex, Quarry Hill and Eastwood. We've been moving them around several times a season for the last couple years and this will save those volunteer hours for more useful grooming needs and skiing!

We'd like to thank Sébastien Richer for building the drag. He saw our comment in the annual meeting email about needing another one and volunteered his skills and equipment.  After drawing out exactly what we wanted, the drag was built in one day from start, to having the primer coat of paint on the finished product. Please give Sébastien a hearty 'Thank You!' the next time you see him!

With the recent snow and regular grooming by our RASC groomers, we have excellent ski conditions in both Quarry Hill Park and Essex Park. coupled with the mild temperatures and more daylight hours, it is the perfect opportunity to get out and enjoy the winter. (Photo courtesy of Dave Greymont) 

The RASC Hot box is operational for 09/10 ski season. Skis are heated to 140F for 4 hours to provide good penetration of soft waxes into the ski base - the best way to condition your skis for the upcoming ski season..

For hot boxing, please follow the following steps
1) Iron in a layer of a soft wax such as Swix CH10 or Toko Yellow (hard waxes are not absorbed well at 140F)
2) Drop the skis into Rochester Cycle and Fitness
3) Be sure to put a note or label giving you name and contact info
4) Include a check for $10 (payable to RASC) or $10 bill
5) E-mail me to let me know the skis need to be picked up from RCF. (mkoconnor@mayo.edu)
6) I will contact you when the skis are finished and back at RCF (turn-around time should be 1 week or less).
Note: This facility is ONLY available to club members

The 2009/2010 Swix and Toko wax manuals can be found on the Ski Training and Prep. page.

The club has three extra ski suits from the recent order available for purchase.  One large, one XL and one XL top with L bottom.  They are sized down one size smaller than you would normally use, so an XL would fit a normal L for example.  Cost is $167each.  To purchase or try one on contact Henry Walker  Walker.Henry@mayo.edu.

The new trails in the south section of Essex Park faired very well during the high winds Wednesday and Thursday. The prairie grass is now in it's second year and is 2-3 feet high. That created enough of a wind break that most of the snow stayed where it landed allowing trails to pack down to a firm base. Be sure and head out that way if you ski at Essex this weekend!

Bruce Walk, Dave Greymont and Greg Rowley beside the new notice board that they have just installed at Essex Park. The board will be used to hold information / maps about the ski trail.

More photos of the new sign can be found here

A copy of the 2009 - 2010 Swix wax manual can now be found on the "Ski Training and Prep" page, or by clicking here.

For those of you who would like to see what it is like at the front of the Birkie, you can now view the 2009 American Birkebeiner on-demand webcast. This free video is available at birkievideo.com

Approximately 20 RASC and RNST skiers were out at Essex Park for the a great nordic ski clinic with Garrott Kuzzy. Garrott has been racing internationally for the last few seasons and hopes to make the U.S. Olympic team for the 2010 olympic games in Whistler next year. Given the bad weather over the weekend, we lucked out with dry ground and no rain for the clinic. We hope to have Garrott back again for a repeat clinic later this year. It was great to get training and technique tips from a skier of his caliber.