Far West Masters programs are open to all individuals over the age of 20 and offer tremendous value as they are led by top-notch XC coaches and leaders in sports performance. This year we're expanding our range of on-snow clinics and bringing you a variety of new programs.
Our masters programs and clinics serve as a key source of funding for other segments of the Far West community that really need financial support, particularly juniors, seniors, and our coaches who sacrifice so much to lead a career in coaching. ALL of the proceeds from masters programs (after direct expenses) go to fund Far West causes that need your financial support. We hope you enjoy our clinics and programs this season!
Far West Nordic's on-snow clinics cover a wide range of issues of interest to athletes that wish to compete in XC events. Intermediate and advanced-level recreational skiers can also benefit from Far West clinics. As masters age, "skiing smarter" becomes more important than ever, so our masters clinics place a significant degree of focus on developing skills to ski as efficiently as possible with a minimum level of effort.
- On-snow clinics will be led by one of Far West's will feature a lead coach and may use one or more assistant coaches depending on class size. We will limit class size for on-snow clinics so as to ensure a high quality experience for all participants. It's best to sign up early as traditionally our clinics sell out.
- On-snow clinics will be 2 hours in duration. Clinics that include video analysis will be 3 hours in duration: 2 hours on-snow and 1 hour classroom video analysis.
- Clinics will be open to non-members for a higher fee which reflects a true market price.
Please note that any individual attending a Far West Nordic program/clinic at a ski area that involves on-snow skiing will need to have a valid trail pass for the day of the clinic. Individuals are responsible for purchasing their own trail passes; the price of trail passes is NOT included in the cost of the clinic.
Far West reserves the right to cancel any clinic or program in the event of insufficient sign ups, snow conditions, or various other factors. In the event of cancellation, individuals will have the option of a full refund by check or a credit towards another Far West program.
All people participating in a Masters Clinic must sign an Adult Waiver and Release Form.
MASTERS CLINIC REFUND POLICY: Individuals who sign up for a Far West Nordic masters clinic will receive a full refund for cancellations made at least 72 hours in advance (please e-mail cancellation notice to info@farwestnordic.org as soon as you know you will not be able to attend).
MASTERS CLINIC CANCELLATION POLICY: Far West reserves the right to cancel any clinic or program in the event of insufficient sign ups, weather, or other factors beyond our control. In the event of cancellation, individuals will be notified at the earliest possible date and will receive a full refund by check.
Here are some of the clinics we're working on for the 2010-2011 season. Please check back for details.
This schedule is TENTATIVE and SUBJECT TO CHANGE: Check for Updates!
CLASSIC CLINIC with WAXING
- Coach: Ben Grasseschi
- Dates: Saturday, December 18, 2010
9:00am-12:00pm (kick waxing 9am-10am, on snow clinic 10am-12noon)
- Location: Auburn Ski Club
- Cost: $75 Far West members; $95 non members
"Kick off" the season with our classic ski clinic led by Far West head coach Ben Grasseschi. We're scheduling this clinic the weekend before the Snowshoe Thompson Race to give Far West members time to dial-in their classic technique and get on-course instruction from one of the best classic technicians in the west. This clinic is geared to intermediate and advanced classic skiers looking to improve their skills and race performance. The clinic will focus on a variety of topics including skiing with maximum efficiency/minimum effort. Non-ASC members will need to purchase a trail pass for the day from Auburn Ski Club and sign an Auburn Ski Club waiver to participate in this clinic.
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
- Coaches: Glenn Jobe and Nancy Fiddler
- Dates: Saturday January 15, 2011
- Location: Tahoe XC, Tahoe City, CA
- Cost: $75 Far West members or Tahoe XC passholders; $95 non members
Back by popular demand is our classic ski clinic. This year it will be led by 2 renowned Far West coaches and Olympians Glenn Jobe and Nancy Fiddler. We're scheduling this clinic the weekend before the Tahoe Rim Tour to give Far West members time to improve their classic techniques and get "on-course" instruction from some of Tahoe's best classic skiers. This clinic is geared to intermediate and advanced classic skiers looking to improve their skills and race performance. This clinic will include 2 hours of "on snow" time where coaches will review various aspects of how you classic ski, help you correct bad habits, and identify opportunities for improving your skiing. After two hours of on-snow instruction, we will spend an hour reviewing video -where you will learn from analysis of your technique and in comparison to the technique of others.
Note: You'll need a Tahoe XC trail pass for the day. Far West members can present their membership card to receive a full day pass at the half day rate.
SKATING TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
- Coach:
- Dates: Saturday, January 29, 2011
- Location: Tahoe XC
- Cost: $75 Far West members or Tahoe XC passholders; $95 non members
This clinic will focus on analyzing and improving your skating technique and improving performance in skate races. This clinic will include 2 hours of "on snow" time where coaches will review various aspects of how you skate ski, help you correct bad habits, and identify opportunities for improving your skiing. After two hours of on-snow instruction, we will spend an hour reviewing video -where you will learn from analysis of your technique and in comparison to the technique of others. This clinic is geared towards intermediate and advanced skate skiers.
Note: You'll need a Tahoe XC trail pass for the day. Far West members can present their membership card to receive a full day pass at the half day rate.
CLASSIC TECHNIQUE CLINIC
- Coaches: Nancy Fiddler and Glenn Jobe
- Dates: Saturday, February 5, 2011
1:00pm to 3:30 pm clinic (kick waxing from 1:00 to 1:30, on snow clinic 1:30 to 3:30)
- Location: Tamarack Lodge XC, Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Cost: $60 Far West members and Tamarack XC passholders; $80 non members
Tamarack Cross Country and Far West will be offering a classic skiing clinic on Feb 5, the day before the Allan Bard Memorial Race. Come on out and learn to ski the "Tamarack Way" with Olympians Nancy Fiddler and Glenn Jobe. The emphasis of this clinic will be technique, specifically body position and how it effectively makes skiing easier. Learn how loose limbs make for a big kick! There will be lots of easy skiing and drills, great for a tune-up before the race. The clinic will begin at 1 pm with half an hour allotted to wax up and will end at 3:30. Participants must have a valid Tamarack XC trail pass for the day. Participants should bring waxable classic ski gear, their own kick wax, and waxless skis in case we have really tricky waxing conditions.
WOMEN'S ONLY CLINIC
- Coaches: Sally Jones and Nancy Fiddler
- Dates: February 12, 2011
- Location: Auburn Ski Club
- Cost: $75 Far West members; $95 non members
SKATING TECHNIQUE VIDEO CLINIC
- Coaches: Ben Grasseschi and Laura McCabe
- Dates: Saturday, February 26, 2011
- Location: Tahoe XC
- Cost: $75 Far West members
This clinic will focus on analyzing and improving your skating technique and improving performance in skate races such as the upcoming Great Ski Race. This clinic will include 2 hours of "on snow" time where coaches will review various aspects of how you skate ski, help you correct bad habits, and identify opportunities for improving your skiing. After two hours of on-snow instruction, we will spend an hour reviewing video -where you will learn from analysis of your technique and in comparison to the technique of others. This clinic is geared towards intermediate and advanced skate skiers.
Note: You'll need a Tahoe XC trail pass for the day. Far West members can present their membership card to receive a full day pass at the half day rate.
DOWNHILL TECHNIQUE CLINIC
- Lead Coach: Chauncey Parker
- Dates: TBD
- Location: Royal Gorge XC
- Cost: $50 Royal Gorge XC passholders ; $70 Far West members; $90 non members
Cost INCLUDES a Royal Gorge trail pass
for the day ($29 value)
We will explore ways to find speed on downhills and through transitions, choosing the best line around corners, and how to carry speed on technical sections of the race course. Improve your confidence, control, speed, and fun on the downhills through this specialized clinic that provides an in-depth focus on improving your skills on downhill terrain. In this clinic we'll cover the following areas:
- body position for downhills: the correct body position is key for control
- step turns: "setting-up" for a step turn; key components of the step turn
- parallel turns: technique and weight transfer
- choosing your line in a turn; turning in slush/crud/skied out areas
- tips, tricks, and practice drills
This clinic is for intermediate to advanced skiers interested in improving their skills at the races. Prior racing experience required.
Participants should bring skating gear for this clinic.
COMPLETED CLINICS
INTERVAL TRAINING PRINCIPLES
- Coach: Jeff Schloss and Andy Pasternak
- Date: October 30, 2010
- Location: Truckee Rec Center
- Cost:
2-3 hour dry land "clinic" classroom presentation on interval training principles and progression during the ski season, which will be accompanied by a reasonably detailed handout. This would be conducted before the season begins in late October/early November and provide a training/workout foundation for the entire season. This clinic would also be linked to the lactate testing "clinic" that Andy so successfully conducted last season
LACTATE TESTING
- Coach/Presenter: Andy Pasternak, M.D.
- Coach:
- Dates: January 8, 2011
- Location: Tahoe XC, Tahoe City
- Cost: $130 Far West racing and supporting members; $150 Far West basic members and Tahoe XC passholders; $180 non-members (regular price is $225)
Silver Sage has generously offered to conduct this clinic at their cost for testing supplies. Proceeds will go to Far West Junior and Senior programs.
- Sign-up deadline:
Back by popular demand, Silver Sage Sports Performance is sponsoring lactate testing for Far West Masters.
Dr. Pasternak is head of Silver Sage and an avid Far West Nordic racer. This year's clinic will also offer coaching support to help participants determine what to do with their lactate test results.
Lactate threshold testing is widely considered to be the gold standard used to determine optimal training plans and is regarded by some as preferable to VO2 max testing in terms of setting target heart rate zones for training plans. The key in training and racing is to exercise at the proper balance between lactate production and lactate absorption. While much of VO2 Max is genetically determined, your lactate threshold and your lactate threshold as a percentage of your VO2 Max is very responsive to the proper training. One big advantage to on-snow lactate testing is that the results are specific to your XC skiing and can be used to map out XC ski-specific heart zone training plans.
The process for conducting the test is as follows: skiers will ski a pre-set course at varying levels of intensity; after each lap skiers will have a small sample of blood drawn (a few drops will be drawn from the earlobe, an area that's usually not very sensitive for most people); skiers pulses will also be taken at the time blood draws are conducted. Lactate results will be analyzed immediately and we will meet as a group to review your results and how to use results to determine heart rate zones for your training plans. This clinic can be conducted with either skate or classic ski gear. Skiers participating in this clinic should wear their own heart rate monitors.
Note: participants will NOT be required to purchase a Tahoe XC trail pass for lactate testing. Participants that wish to ski at Tahoe XC either before or after lactate testing will need to have a valid trail pass for the day -- Far West members are eligible to buy a full day pass at the half day rate with their Far West Nordic membership card.
WAXING |
LOCAL RACE WAX RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THE PROS
(click logos) |
FAR WEST WAXING CLINIC
- Presenters: Glenn Jobe, Ralph Johnson
- Date: December 11, 2010
- Location: Tahoe Donner XC
- Cost:
Non-manufacturer wax clinic of about 3 hours in duration, covering primarily kick waxing, but also some glide waxing; wax selection and application
Waxing can have a big impact on the enjoyment of your skiing, but to many it’s an intimidating and complicated topic. As a result, Far West has undertaken some initiatives to make it easier for you.
Although waxing may not be the most important thing in terms of how a cross-country ski performs, if you have the “right” ski, waxing can significantly improve its performance. Experts believe that the fit of a ski, in particular how well the flex of the ski distributes the pressure of your weight along the ski, is the most important factor influencing ski performance. After fit/flex, “structure” of the base of the ski and wax come next in terms of impact on ski performance. The combination of structure and waxing basically addresses properties of the snow that might slow the ski down.
“Structure” is a term that describes very fine patterns cut into the base of the ski that help reduce friction between the ski and the snow. Because the ski glides on a thin film of water, suction between the water and the ski can be created and the ski slows. Structure helps minimize this suction. Structure patterns are ground into the ski when it’s manufactured but these patterns can be modified using special hand tools (rillers) to better match the day’s snow conditions.
In skate skiing, the goal of waxing is to reduce the friction between the ski and the film of water it glides on. In classic skiing with waxable skis, the kick wax you apply to the wax pocket creates friction when you weight the ski and allows the traction you need to move yourself up a hill. The sections in front of and behind the wax pocket (or the pattern area on a no-wax ski) are the areas the ski glides on and need to have glide wax, just like a skate ski does.
For most everyone, waxing is more art than science. Numerous factors, such as temperature, humidity, snow granulation, dirt/debris in the snow, etc, affect the development of the film of water the ski glides on. Different base materials, the way the skier’s weight is distributed along the ski also impact the effectiveness of the selected wax. As a result, wax selection and application can be an intimidating process, but it can also be part of the fun of the sport. Additionally, most of these factors vary from day to day. Skiers with their own waxing capabilities at home can more easily adjust to these variations than those without their own waxing equipment. For weekend skiers and racers without their own equipment, adjusting is more problematic.
Fortunately, there are several readily available services that can greatly simplify wax selection, the process of applying the wax to the ski, and making sure the structure of the base is appropriate for the conditions. Many of the ski areas offer waxing services – give them your skis a short time before you’re ready to go out on the trails and they’ll select the most appropriate wax for those conditions and apply it to the ski for you. For those more interested in how the whole process works and in approaches for selecting and applying both glide waxes and kick waxes, the ski areas and the wax manufacturers, such as Toko and Swix, offer waxing clinics during the season. Most if not all of these clinics are free, although some may require a trail pass at the ski area.
Just because waxing may seem intimidating, don’t let it detract from your skiing enjoyment and race performance – experts are available to help and their services are readily accessible. Far West does not usually sponsor any waxing clinics itself because others are covering the field so well, although Far West classic masters clinics often include a "kick wax" portion of the clinic up-front to help participants wax appropriately for the clinic's snow conditions. Instead, we’ve made it easy for you to find a clinic that you might like to attend by listing the times and dates of the various clinics below. In addition, the Articles section of the Far West website has references to several waxing articles and manuals that you may find helpful.
Tahoe Area Waxing Clinics
Links:
Toko Clinic Schedule
Links to various wax manufacturer’s websites are listed below. Some have helpful articles on waxing in addition to descriptions of their wax products:
Toko
Swix
Star
Rode
Holmenkol
Solda
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