Communication Blog

SECTION V CHAMPIONSHIP DISTANCE Race Information

Date: Saturday, 2/7

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Time: Girls - 10am;  Boys - 11:15am

Distance: 7.5km (See updated course maps here)

Technique: Skate 

Starts: 15 Second Interval starts

Bibs: New Sectionals bibs will be handed out on the morning of the race.

Seed Order: I used ChatGPT (Screenshot attached) to give a randomized Seed order for the race which is the following:  

1. WEB

2. IRO

3. VIC

4. PEN

5. FPT

6. MDN

7. HFL

8. BRI

9. SHS

SECTION V CHAMPIONSHIP RELAY Race Information

Date: Monday, 2/9

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Time: Girls - 12 noon;  Boys - 1pm

Distance: 3 x 3km Relay (See updated course maps here)

Technique: Classic

Starts: Mass Start

Bibs: New Sectionals bibs will be handed out on the morning of the race.  

Lanes/Bibs: 

1. WEB - Girls Bibs 1, 11, 21; Boys Bibs 31, 41, 51

2. IRO  - Girls Bibs 2, 12, 22; Boys Bibs 32, 42, 52

3. VIC  - Girls Bibs 3, 13, 23; Boys Bibs 33, 43, 53

4. PEN - Girls Bibs 4, 14, 24; Boys Bibs 34, 44, 54

5. FPT - Girls Bibs 5, 15, 25; Boys Bibs 35, 45, 55

6. MDN - Girls Bibs 6, 16, 26; Boys Bibs 36, 46, 56

7. HFL  - Girls Bibs 7, 17, 27; Boys Bibs 37, 47, 57

8. BRI  - Girls Bibs 8, 18, 28; Boys Bibs 38, 48, 58

9. SHS - Girls Bibs 9, 19, 29; Boys Bibs 39, 49, 59

PITTSFORD SPRINTS - Race Information

Time: First race at 10AM - Last Race by 1:45, Awards 2PM

Location: Barker Rd. Middle School

Distance: Varsity - 1km Sprint Qualification, Quarter Finals, Semifinals, Finals

JV - 2km mass start

Modified Gold/Silver - 2km Mass Start

Modified Bronze - 0.75km mass Start

Technique: Skate 

Race Schedule, Course Maps, Venue information: See link below

https://sites.google.com/view/sectionvnordic/coaches-informationdata-entry/venue-information/barker-rd-middle-school-mt-pittsford?authuser=0

Race Entries: Please have race entries completed no later than 8pm on Thursday, 1/29.  

Race Format: Since the races are so short, there will only be 4 categories for racing: Modified Gold/Silver, Modified Bronze, JV and Varsity. 

• Modified Gold/Silver will race in a mass start twice around the sprint loop.  Timing/order of finish will be up to Modified coaches because iPads will be used to score Varsity qualification rounds.  

• Modified Bronze will race in a mass start once around the shortened 0.75km loop.  Timing/order of finish will be up to Modified coaches because iPads will be used to score Varsity qualification rounds.  

• JV will race together in a Mass start twice around the sprint loop.  We will only record order of finish for this race, no times.  

• Varsity will start with a qualification round around the 1km loop in which everyone starts at 15-second intervals in an individual start. The top 30 times will advance to the Quarter finals in one of 5. They will be issued new bib numbers according to qualification placing.  Top 2 from quarter-final each heat qualify for semi-finals automatically, along with the best 2 times of 3rd place finishers (only 3rd place will be timed in each heat).  Top 3 from each Semifinal advance to the Gold Final, and the remaining compete in the "B" final.  

• Scoring: For all-county and team points scoring, the top 12 will be ranked according to finish in the Gold and "B" Finals, and the remainder ranked according to qualification time.  

Other Information: 

• Qualification times will be updated on the Webscorer website and bibs handed out accordingly during the JV and Modified Races in the cafeteria.

• Please use the link above to see site layout for parking, important locations, and bus dropoff/parking.  

• The Cafeteria will be open to stay warm, issue bibs, and congregate for awards.  

• Please encourage families to participate in our Pot-luck in the cafeteria

• Wax room available by request for 1 coach per team.  

**UPDATED TO CORRECT DATES**

Good morning everyone, 

Sorry for the long email today, but a lot of information to put out, so please read carefully.

First and foremost, we have a couple of new policies that we need to put in place as a result of some hiccups on Thursday.  

Firstly, host schools for each race need to ensure we have volunteer coverage for the ENTIRE EVENT, whether that means the same volunteers stay for the entirety, or they find their own replacements if they have to leave early.  On Thursday, half of our volunteers left after the VA race, leaving officials scrambling to replace them, and leaving us with only one volunteer lining up the JV race, and in the confusion, JV skiers moved up into the wrong waves, and timing got screwed up.  

Secondly, there will be no more bib swapping on the day of the race.  Skiers who show up without the bib assigned them on the start list will be allowed to race without a bib, so that they are still able to participate, but they will not receive a time.  Part of the reason the JV waves got screwed up is because the timers were trying to swap out bibs in the timing software for racers who had forgotten or traded them.  If there is an issue with a bib that I can sort out before the start lists are published, that is no problem, but once they are published there will be no more edits.  

Next, I realized as I was driving back from Gore last night that I'd opened up the race entry spreadsheet for tomorrow's race, but I haven't given out any info about it yet.  Sorry about that.

My goal is to have a bit of a shorter race for VA because those who have been doing the JNQs have been putting in a lot of race kilometers in and we've got championship season coming up.  I'd also like to take advantage of this snow to get some new trails involved like Gemini.

I looked up the sunlight charts for Canandaigua tomorrow, and Nautical Twilight will last until 6:19 tomorrow.  I think that will give us enough light for VA to race on Gemini if we can start no later than 5:30.  That will mean all busses will have to arrive no later than 5pm.  Are there any coaches that see this could be an issue?  

Either way, we may need to make a call at race time to switch to an Aries-only format if we can't get off in time.  So here's the hopeful race info: 

**Confirming Race for Tuesday 1/27**

Race Information

Time: First race at 5:30pm - Any later will result in a change to the planned VA Course

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Distance: VA - Hale Bop to Aries clockwise to Gemini, back to Aries taking the first exit onto Spacewalk, LEFT on Spacewalk to the finish.  

VB - 3 Laps of Aries, normal Start, finish on Spacewalk

JV - 1 lap of Aries, normal start, finish on Spacewalk 

Technique: Skate 

Race order: VA Boys - 2 Minutes -  VA Girls to completion  

VB Boys - 2 minutes - VA Girls to Completion

JV Boys - 2 minutes - JV Girls 

**Confirming Race for Saturday 1/31**

Race Information - TBD (Pittsford Sprints?)

I am also confirming an invitational for Saturday 1/31.  I am requesting another short race like sprints since it is the week before Sectionals.  Ideally, I am hoping to resurrect Pittsford Sprints because I think that would be an appropriate workout/race the week before sectionals, but I have to get approval from the ADs to do so.  But please plan accordingly with bussing, etc.  I will have finalized plans ASAP.  

**Confirming Race for Wednesday 2/4**

Race Information - Non-Sectionals and Modified Skiers only.  

Time: First race at 5:30pm or 30 minutes after last bus arrives, no later than 6:15

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Distance: Modified - TBD

Varsity - 3 Laps of Aries, normal Start, finish on Spacewalk

JV - 1 lap of Aries, normal start, finish on Spacewalk 

Technique: Skate 

Race order: Modified - TBD

Varsity Boys - 2 Minutes -  Varsity Girls to completion  

JV Boys - 2 minutes - JV Girls 

Next, I am confirming our normal Coaches invitational for Tuesday 2/3.  For some reason it is not coming up on rSchools, but that race is on the schedule I submitted and had approved by the league last year, so please plan accordingly.  As a reminder this race should only be for skiers who are not on your sectionals team.  As a last resort, if a skier needs a third race to qualify for sectionals we will allow that, but please try to avoid this.  

FINALLY I am **Confirming Section V Championship** dates/times/locations.  PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TO THE LOCATION and course!!!

SECTION V CHAMPIONSHIP DISTANCE Race Information

Date: Saturday, 2/7

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Time: Girls - 10am;  Boys - 11:15am

Distance: 7.5km (See updated course maps here)

Technique: Skate 

Starts: 15 Second Interval starts

Bibs: New Sectionals bibs will be handed out on the morning of the race.

Seed Order: I used ChatGPT (Screenshot attached) to give a randomized Seed order for the race which is the following:  

1. WEB

2. IRO

3. VIC

4. PEN

5. FPT

6. MDN

7. HFL

8. BRI

9. SHS

SECTION V CHAMPIONSHIP RELAY Race Information

Date: Monday, 2/9

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Time: Girls - 12 noon;  Boys - 1pm

Distance: 3 x 3km Relay (See updated course maps here)

Technique: Classic

Starts: Mass Start

Bibs: New Sectionals bibs will be handed out on the morning of the race.  

Lanes: 

1. WEB - Girls Bibs 1, 11, 21; Boys Bibs 31, 41, 51

2. IRO  - Girls Bibs 2, 12, 22; Boys Bibs 32, 42, 52

3. VIC  - Girls Bibs 3, 13, 23; Boys Bibs 33, 43, 53

4. PEN - Girls Bibs 4, 14, 24; Boys Bibs 34, 44, 54

5. FPT - Girls Bibs 5, 15, 25; Boys Bibs 35, 45, 55

6. MDN - Girls Bibs 6, 16, 26; Boys Bibs 36, 46, 56

7. HFL  - Girls Bibs 7, 17, 27; Boys Bibs 37, 47, 57

8. BRI  - Girls Bibs 8, 18, 28; Boys Bibs 38, 48, 58

9. SHS - Girls Bibs 9, 19, 29; Boys Bibs 39, 49, 59

I think that's all for now.  I will get out information on this saturday as soon as I get approval from the AD level, fingers crossed for Barker Road.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Feel free to call or text, I do have to work remotely today but am trying to get as much ski stuff done as possible between projects.  Thanks for all of your help and understanding getting through all of this.  

Thanks to all for being so flexible as to last minute course adjustments and a tricky start/finish area.  I wanted to try some new things out before sectionals and this was a good learning experience.  

I have updated the google sheets results list to include yesterdays races.  For a link to that, as well as links to almost any other information you may need as a coach, athlete, parent or spectator, please try out our new website:

 www.SectionVNordic.com

My goal was to have a single, simple source for all of the different documents and links we use throughout the season much like the website used for cross country. Let me know what you all think of it and if you have any suggestions for improvement.  

As a reminder of the things we went over during the coaches meeting:

1. Access to the downhill/alpine areas of Bristol Mountain is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN unless expressly noted as part of the race course, and even then, only during times when expressly opened.  Failure to comply with this may result in athletes being disqualified for the remainder of the season, and at worst, Bristol not allowing us to continue to use their venue.  

2. I looked up the race course access amendment we made to our handbook last year, and here is what we agreed to: 

Race Course Access: 

Race course access will be restricted from 5 minutes before the start of any race until the last racer crosses the finish line.  During this time, only team coaches will be allowed to ski on the race course.  All others must walk to the side of the trail to access the race course. 

Violation of this rule will be a minor infraction unless a racer is impeded, which will result in a major infraction.  

Yesterday due to limited warmup area, we allowed skiers on the course before the last racers crossed the finish line, but they should not be overtaking any racer during their warmup.  Since the athlete who took out a racer yesterday could not be identified, there will be no sanctions, but please take this as a warning.  

Regarding this Thursday's League Meet: 

I'd like to go ahead with a team sprint, classic technique.  This should allow our skiers more opportunity to practice handoffs and race classic technique.  

As a reminder, this will be a relay of 2 skiers each skiing three laps of Aries, but handing off to the other skier after each individual lap.   So if there are skier A and B on a team it will look like A - B - A - B - A - B.  For a video showing how team sprints work, please check out the following link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw-WguurLj0

There WILL be a classic Technique zone on a portion of the uphill.  As a reminder, this means that double-poling the whole race on skate skis will not be possible.  I'll set up v-boards or something to indicate where athletes must either stride or herring-bone, but no double-poling will be allowed.

In order to limit chaos in the exchange zone, I would like to propose each school be limited to 3 teams per school.  This will allow 6 athletes from each school to race.  Varsity B will also be classic technique, but a normal wave start at a similar distance - 3 laps of aries, 

JV will be skate technique 1 lap of Aries.  

Race Information

Time: First race at 5:30pm or 30 minutes after last bus arrives, no later than 6:15

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Distance: VA team sprint of 2x3 legs of Aries, VB ~3km, and JV ~1km. 

Direction: CLOCKWISE

Technique: VA and VB - Classic; JV - Skate 

Starts: VA - team sprint mass start, VB - waves of 6, JV - Waves of 6

Race order: VA Girls to completion - VA Boys to completion - VB Girls to completion - VB Boys to completion - JV Boys followed by JV Girls 2 minutes later (Yes, boys first to limit overtaking since girls will start 2 minutes later)

Bibs (VA Only): We will again be using the stretchy old Sectional bibs like we did for MLK Invitational.  Each team of 2 will be issued a bib with the same number on it, but two different colors.  It doesn't matter what color goes first.  VB and JV will use normal league meet bibs.  

Timing: We are going to do our best to get splits for every leg, but we are using a new system, and mistakes may happen.  Fortunately, according to our league handbook, relay splits are not used in All-County pr AGR points scoring, and team scoring is just order of finish, so if splits don't happen, it shouldn't be a big disrupter, but we'll do our best to get them.  

Entry spreadsheets found at the same link as usual, or on the new website.  

***ADDENDUM***

Dave had mentioned a few things that I forgot to include in my previous email so I will here:

1. Second skiers are not to enter the tag zone until the feed in official calls for them to.

2. COACHES ARE NOT TO BE AT THE SIDE OF THE TAG ZONE TELLING THEIR SKIERS WHEN TO ENTER it is the responsibility of the race officials.  

3.  Second skiers will not be called into the tag zone until their incoming skier is about half way from the yurt to the tag zone.

4. After an incoming skier tags their second skier, they should LOOK LEFT to make sure they do not cut off any other ski pairs who are also in the tag one, and EXIT the course to their LEFT once clear.  No skier should be exiting the tag zone toward the right (middle) as other skiers will be coming against them in those lanes.  It's also usually a good idea to lift their ski poles up out of the way so as not to obstruct another skier or risk breaking a pole.

5. After their last lap skiers should take off and turn in relay bibs before putting on warmups.   They are  individually assigned, so we know who to bill if they are taken as souvenirs!

6. Incoming skier must "tag" the outgoing skier, hand to any part of body (arm to arm is OK as is hand to torso).  A race official (me) will be monitoring the tag zone and will call any skier back to make a tag within the zone if they exit the zone without tagging.    (If they exit the zone and then tag, they will also be called back to tag within the zone, a tag beyond the zone boundary is invalid.)

It is important that we have someone controlling the feed in to the tag zone or it will get chaotic with a strong personality, willing to be somewhat forceful in bossing people around.  I have offered to do that but I do have a conflict of interest as coach for Pittsford and I would also like to be out on the course coaching.  I think anyone we have doing that job will probably have a conflict of interest, but please let me know if you or someone you know would be good for this position and we can sub them in.   

16 JAN 2026 - MLK Race Info

Confirming that we are a GO for the race on Monday.  The Race entry spreadsheet is open.  As a reminder:

Time: First race at 10am

Location: Bristol Mountain Nordic Center

Distance: VA somewhere between 7-8km, VB ~3km, and JV ~1km. 

Technique: Skate for all 

Starts: VA - Individual starts at 30 second intervals, VB - waves of 6, JV - Waves of 6

Race order: (10am) VA Boys to completion - (11ish) VA Girls to completion - (12ish) VB Boys to completion - (12:30ish) VB Girls to completion - (1ish) JV Boys followed by Girls with 2 minute gap.  

For race entries please use the Bib input and race entry master sheet at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q41QtGUSws9e5Y24DaBnUVAOuM_8tTOH1IKacDWaqIk/edit?usp=sharing

Please have race entries submitted no later than Midnight on Saturday, 1/17

I'll be up at Bristol this afternoon to see what terrain might be available to us, I do not expect to be able to use any of the downhill portion from Sectionals last year, but I'll do my best to find some hill options.  I'll try to get a course map out this evening. 

**UPDATE**

All - Bristol is looking much better than expected, at least on Gemeni, so I was able to design a pretty good 2-lap course to get pretty close to 7.5km.

Before I explain it, I just want to ask anyone going to ski at Bristol tomorrow to please go easy on Gemeni.  There is a good amount of snow on the course, but it is thin and light.  Please ask your skiers to go easy on it and avoid hard turns and hockey stops.  There is also a tree down about 3/4 of the way through Gemeni going clockwise, so beware.  

START ORDER: I forgot to mention in the last email that I was planning to just randomize the start order.  I thought that was the most fair and would spread out athletes the best on the course.  We will be using the old sectional bibs for the VA race to help make the start easier.  

THE COURSE (maps linked below) - I wanted to try something new to avoid the hairpin turn on Hale Bop at the start.  Maybe it'll work, maybe you'll hate it and let me know but better to experiment now than for the big races.  We're going to start on the North side of the Yurt going straight on to Aries. Follow Aries clockwise to Gemeni all the way around until you reach the Rocket Triple chairlift.  Here you'll diverge from Gemeni to follow Spacewalk back towards the Yurt, but turning left down Skyway, and Right up Ursa Major to Hale Bopp, up to the Morning Star Quad chairlift, turn around back towards the Yurt, going straight on Spacewalk back towards Gemeni ON THE FIRST LAP ONLY!  There will be two-way traffic here for a short time until you reach the Rocket triple chairlift where you will go left on Gemeni, back towards Aries, Left on Aries back towards the yurt and picking up the loop for a second lap.  ON THE SECOND LAP all is the same until after you return on Hale Bop, where you'll turn left at the Yurt to go into the finish rather than back down Skyway.  

For the course maps, please go to this link to a webpage I'm working on for Section V Nordic: 

14 JAN 2026

Thanks to all for another good race last night.  Results have been updated on both the website and the excel spreadsheet, links below: 

• https://www.webscorer.com/SectionVNordic?pg=series

• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JvGtkHZh99Ll7TWsARcg808WPTEVZR4M7kcwfBOvimk/edit?usp=sharing

Looking to the future: 

17 January -  Although we are expecting a snow storm tonight, I don't think it will be enough to race anywhere, so I don't think it's worthwhile trying to schedule a race last minute, so don't plan on there being a race this Saturday. 

19 January (MLK) - Bristol has generously offered to host a race for us on MLK day, and is also offering to explore ways to get some more challenging terrain into the loop we'll use, however the options are fairly limited for us at this point.  That said, I am committed to getting us a Sectionals-like race even if that means skiing Aries+Hale Bop multiple times in order to get enough distance.  Therefore, I am CONFIRMING a race for VA, VB and JV at Bristol Mountain on Monday.  More details to follow.  

22 January - League meet #3 is on our schedule.  Please plan for a Classic Sprint Relay for VA (2 skiers per team, each skiing one lap before handing off, but skiing a total of 3 laps each).  This is the plan, but obviously this won't work unless we get a second entrance onto Aries opened. More details to follow.  

24 January - The Invitational on the schedule will be the Queensbury invitational at Gore Mt.  There will be no local race planned.  If you have athletes who would like to attend, I will be there to offer coaching support and can put them in with your Athletic Director's approval.  

Looking Way into the future

 23-24 February - A reminder that Section V will be hosting NYSPHSAA championships and we will have significant need for volunteers, just like always.  PLEASE consider talking to your team parents about volunteering.  They will earn a free pass to ski at Bristol Nordic Center for their time.  Also consider volunteering yourself if you don't have any athletes participating, or if you only have a few.  Volunteer slots will be divided into Pre-race, Boys race, and Girls race time frames all volunteers should get the chance to cheer for their athletes during their race. 

12 JAN 2026

CONFIRMING RACE TOMORROW, I believe Aries was able to survive the warmup in temperatures and rain 

Race plan - Bristol Mountain

Time: 5:30pm or 30 minutes after last bus arrives (first start no later than 6:15pm)

Location: Bristol Mountain

Distance: 5 laps (VA), 3 laps (VB), 1 lap (JV)

Direction: COUNTER-clockwise

Technique: Skate

Race Order: VA Girls; VA Boys; VB Girls - Boys, JV Girls - Boys. 

Start Type: 6 skier waves seeded based on first race   

For race entries please use the Bib input and race entry master sheet at the following link:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q41QtGUSws9e5Y24DaBnUVAOuM_8tTOH1IKacDWaqIk/edit?usp=sharing

Go ahead and bookmark this link, as we will be using the same link for every race, with a new tab opened at the bottom for each race.  

Reminder that there are several tabs at the bottom.  Anything you need to edit will be unlocked, so if you're trying to edit a locked spreadsheet you're probably on the wrong tab:  

• The fifth tab is the race entry for this Tuesday's race.  Please have this completed no later than Monday at 7pm so I can get a start list out by the next day. 

Also in order to race, we'll need volunteers. Below is the link for Volunteer signup, Brighton and Pittsford are the host schools, so please make sure those schools are getting volunteers signed up:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C094EADA722A3F5C25-60122440-20252026

Looking forward to future races: 

The Saturday 1/17 is not looking good for local racing. Pittsford will not be able to host at BRMS, please let me know ASAP if you have a venue with sufficient snow for racing.   

The Following Monday 1/19 we have our permit confirmed for the MLK race at Harriet Hollister.  I don't know what conditions look like there at this time, but this is scheduled to be a full Sectionals-type dress rehearsal with individual starts at the full 7.5km distance. 

If HH cannot host on MLK, I will ask Bristol if they would be willing to host us instead, so standby for that.  

Saturday 1/24 I will be bringing a group of Pittsford skiers to compete at the Queensbury Invitational at Gore Mt.  This will be the invitational scheduled for that weekend.  If you have athletes who need coaching support Please have them get in touch with me.  I have gotten approval from my AD to participate as a school team in the invitational, consider asking your AD to do the same for any athletes interested in participating.  Below is a link to the information I've sent out to my team: 

 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRyhUMfZqlr6ZqXJs5QiNBnOJQ7KOnB1gpbEkYG8-Z8zdeZA/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=110222658556648338992

Wednesday 2/4 we have scheduled the Coaches Invitational for both Non-sectionals Varsity/JV and Modified athletes.  It is not showing up in rSchools for some reason but it is an approved race that we will be holding at Bristol.  Please make sure you're planning accordingly.  

I think that's all for now.  Please let me know if there are questions or concerns.  See you all tomorrow!