Spring Gala coming this Saturday

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

The Spring Gala, put on by NSCF-FXC, will be held this Saturday, April 18 from 8 to 11 p.m. Music will be provided by Steve Brown and the Bailers, an acoustic trio, and the floor will be open for dancing. Refreshments will be provided by HooDoo Brewery. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the door or from an FXC skier.

A silent auction will be held throughout the evening, and a dessert auction will also be held. The silent auction has many items. Some are ski-related, but many are not. All proceeds of the event go to FXC, the junior race-training program of the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks.

See more at: http://www.nscfairbanks.org/index.php/fxc2/906-spring-gala-brings-dancing-silent-auction-to-birch-hill-recreation-area

Last weekend ski at Birch Hill likely today

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Traditionally some of the best skiing of the year happens after the Sonot Kkaazoot. However, with the overall winter being warm and low snowfall with a record loading of birch seed and spruce cones, the ski season at Birch Hill for 2014 to 2015 is drawing to a close. In addition to the Ski for Women participants, we enjoyed the wonderfully groomed ski trails today and some unexpected sunshine.

We close out the ski season at Birch Hill with this rare shirtless photo shoot.

Skiing at West Ridge is still feasible for at least another week so we may post some photos from our annual Smith Lake biathlon (ski, swim) event that will likely be no earlier than late April.

Sonot Kkaazoot organizers relax

Posted on April 5, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Birch Hill trails are wonderful thanks to trail donations and the piston bully work of Tom Helmers. The Sonot Kkaazoot organizers were able to take a relaxing ski on Easter Sunday in preparation for the 2016 event, when our technique and fitness will be much improved.

Here’s Eric Troyer, the head of Sonot Kkaazoot publicity showing the uphill technique he’s learned from Pete Leonard’s FXC Masters class.

And following him are Frank Soos, head of Sonot bib pick-up and late registration followed by Eric Buetow, one of our Fort Wainwright road crossing team leaders.

Bill Husby (aka Poles) was skating today after a season of grooming at Birch Hill and heading up Sonot Kkaazoot trail snow enhancement and brushing parties.Dermot Cole was the SCUM reporter on the course and videotaped the 50 km start as well as the last wave of skiers up the Fort Wainwright alpine hill. Dermot (on right in photo below) was a key snow enhancement worker on the river and on the Sonot Connector in the week leading up to the Sonot Kkaazoot:and all the skiers were enjoying the easy ski out of the black loops today:Enjoy the wonderful trails while they last. Spring really is right around the corner.

Some of the SCUM who played a major role in the Sonot Kkazoot weren’t skiing on Easter Sunday, so here is a partial group photo taken by Kent Karns on race day.From left to right: Steve Clautice (#508) helped set up and serve at the Awards Ceremony; to his right is Robert Hannon who headed up contact with the military and organized the Fort Wainwright road crossing teams; to his right with the ball cap is Mike Schmoker, who with Bernardo Hernandez constructs and distributes Sonot woodels and other awards; #551 is Mom, head Sonot janitor and crisis coach; #96 is Mike Ruckhaus, snow mover and trail enhancer; #550 is Frank Soos, guru in charge of bib distribution, late registration,and swag; Dermot Cole with all the extra clothes was a key snow enhancer on the river and Sonot Connector; and to his right is Chris Puchner, who organized all the feed stations and headed up the set-up and take-down of the finish area on the river.

40 and 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot skiers

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

: 40 and 50 km start

: Colleen Personett and Johnna Underwood

: Owen Hanley

: Eric Troyer

: Frank Soos

: Mike Hays and Bryan Norris

: Colleen Personett

: Cathy Weeg

: Graehl St. bridge at 2:15 p.m.

Photo of Chena River start by Denise Jerome, photos in the Birch Hill stadium by Corrine Leistikow; photos from Fort Wainwright by Chris Broda, and photo of the return trail under the Graehl St. bridge by Dermot Cole.

More volunteers responsible for the “Miracle on Snow”

Posted on April 4, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Reports from Sonot Kkaazoot participants (both local and from Anchorage) were that the trail conditions were fantastic in spite of the record heat during the week prior to the 28th annual Sonot Kkaazoot. Here are some photos of the heroes behind those trails at work and the final results of their efforts:

Although most skiers were too tired when they got to the crest of the bunny hill to look up at the slope that had melted away as a river of water on Friday, Sonot Kkaazoot skiers really owe their great day to Jeff Skeels who bulldozed this alternate route for them.

All photos by Chris Broda, Fort Wainwright alpine hill crossing volunteer and leader of Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks “Ladies of Leisure”

FXC coaches set new record Sonot Kkaazoot times

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Fast snow conditions led to fast times in the 2015 Sonot Kkaazoot.

Rebecca Konieczny set a new record time for the Women’s 50 km freestyle Sonot Kkaazoot. Her time 2:23:40.6 took 7:32 off the previous record finish time held by Melissa Lewis from 2005. In addition, the Sonot Connector was added to the Sonot Kkaazoot course in 2012, so Rebecca skied a couple of km further than the old “50 km” course when skiers accessed Birch Hill Recreation Area via the Fort Wainwright alpine hill.

Likewise, Peter Leonard, also improved upon the previous record time for the Men’s 20 km Sonot Kkaazoot set in 2005 by Marius Korthauer. Pete’s time of 45:56.3 bettered the Men’s record time by about 58 seconds.

Lost and found items from the Sonot Kkaazoot

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

All items found on the Sonot Kkaazoot race course have been collected and taken to the “lost and found” area in the main building at the Birch Hill Recreation Area. Please retrieve your items before 3 April 2015 when the building will close for the season.

Sonot Kkaazoot coverage in local media

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

From the Fairbanks Daily Newsminer with 11 photographs:

http://www.newsminer.com/sports/local/jack-novak-captures-title-in-sonot-kkaazoot/article_0d3087f4-d5e9-11e4-b58b-0f8cf05f9f6e.html

Alaska Dispatch News story on the oldest finisher in the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot:

http://www.adn.com/article/20150331/79-year-old-cross-country-skier-finds-solace-50-kilometer-sonot-kkaazoot

2015 official results are posted

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

Congratulations to Jack Novak of Alaska Pacific University who won the 50 km FS race in 2:12.10 today, followed by Kenny Brewer of UAF in 2:15.09, and Max Donaldson of West Valley High School in 2:15.12.7

The women’s 50 km race was won for the second consecutive time by FXC coach Rebecca Konieczny in 2:23.40, a new record time surpassing the record that six-time Sonot Kkaazoot winner, Melissa Lewis held for 10 years. Melissa followed Becca in 2:38.17, and Sarah Freistone in 2:47.15.

In the 20 km men’s race, FXC coach Peter Leonard won in 45:56.2 over Ti Donaldson (a U16) in 45.56.9 and Ben Koenig (U18) in 45:57.7. Pete also set a new 20 km record for men, bettering the 10 year record held by Marius Korthauer.

In the 20 km women’s race, Jenna DiFolco (U16) won for the second year in a row with a time of 52:43.5, followed by Kaya Ratzlaff in 55:05.6 (U12), and Aasne Hoveid (U20) in 56:57.7.

Updates from the Sonot Kkaazoot course from trail crew

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Sonot Kkaazoot

As of 7 a.m Saturday, the Kilometers signs are out, and we are still planning to have the Sonot on the river.

At 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Fort Wainwright (FWW) alpine hill melted so rapidly that a very large and fast RIVER of water came gushing down the slope taking most of the SONOT course out with it. Bad Bob and Jeff, the Fort Wainwright groomer, watched this phenomenon take place. Jeff said that he would reroute around it and put the SONOT course up and down the bunny hill. There is some water at the base of the hill but skiers should be able to ski around or through it.

Update from Tom Helmers, head groomer for the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks (NSCF) at 4:00 a.m. Saturday. Creek on FWW down hill is still flowing, The cat tail pond as you leave ski area parking lot has some water in it but not a problem yet. There is water at top of Sonot Connector just below road half way across trail, at gate pretty wet all the way to white bear. Was 29 deg at base of hill and 36 here at the stadium, heading out for second lap on WB.