Beaverlost Loppet

This blog is for my cottage cross country ski race – didn’t know it was my default.

 My professional blog is at www.petesview.net

The field this year was quite a bit smaller than usual – possibly due to the freezing rain that hit Ottawa last night and fell as fresh snow at the race site. That said the competition was as usual tough with many personal bests and what is surely a new track record.

Attached are the times for leading competitors

Adults:

Men                 Time                 Women                     Time

Blair S.             23.25               Janet N.                       27.10

Ian N.              27.45               Emma C.                      28.20

Peter W.          30.55               Shelia S.                       29.59

Paul B.             32.30               Sandy S.                      30.05

Bruce L.           38.45               Maureen M.                   33.25

                                              Natalie C.                      34.12

                                              Heather N.                    44.05

                                              Janet B.                        58.15

            `                                 Mary N.                        76.15

Youth

Boys                                        Girls

David P.           34.18                Nicola                          44.28

Marc N.            69.03

Emmett R.        72.12
 

After the race a the race commissioner presented Beaverlost Loppet pins to the first time competitors and trophies to the winners. Pictures, stories and delightful snacks followed.

Till next year.                 
 

Awoke to find between 2 and 3 cm of fresh fine grained snow blanketing the course.

Snow tempature at 7 am was -2.3C.

See you track side.

For waxing tomorrow I’d suggest checking out the recomendations for Gatineau Park at http://www.ncc-ccn.ca/bins/ncc_web_content_page.asp?cid=16297-16299-10170-16405-28595&lang=1

We tend to be a degree or so cooler so if you’re borderline on a wax you may want to get a snow tempature reading just before start time.

Due to unavailability of some of out track set machinery we’ll be running only the Lakeside route – thought for you competative types 2 laps helps make outstanding fitness stand out.

As for the Beaverlost Loppet’s it’s timed race with individual starts seperated by 30 seconds.

Directions are below. if you get lost on the way please call – 4 two 2 – 3 eight 3 seven.

See you track side – and after for a soup, snacks and a chance to gloat or moan or just catch up with friends!

    Awoke to a beautiful sight. Snow covered every   

branch of every tree. A good omen? I think so.

It was raining as I left Ottawa.

By Farmpoint the drizzle was mixed with flurries – and by Walkefield the snow was falling.

A sliver more than an inch had fallen as I unpacked the ski’s – and it looks like there’s more to come. Oh yes! the joys of little altitude to turn rainy sky’s into snowy ones.

It takes about an hour to get there from downtown Ottawa.

- From Ottawa, cross any of the bridges and head North on Highway 5 (following signs to Maniwaki) until it feeds into highway 105. The distances below are from the junction of Highways 5 and 105.
- Continue on 105 North, passing:
      - Farm Point (where the IGA is)
      - Wakefield turn off
      - at approx 12.7 Km, after bypassing Wakefield, you turn left to stay on 105
      - at approx 24 km you pass the Farrelton bridge
      - at 30.3 km you pass Brennan’s Hill
      - at 33.8 km you’re outside Low
      - at 42 km you enter Venosta (where you’ll leave highway 105)
- At approx 43.1 km when you’ve gone through most of Venosta (past the church & past
Picard’s pizza/beer/dépanneur), turn left just across from the café onto Burroughs Road.
- Continue on Burroughs Road (to approx 44.4 Km) to the fork and turn left onto Lac Pike Rd.
- Continue on Lac Pike Rd as it forks left at the junction of Brown’s road (at approx 46.8 km)
- Follow Lac Pike road until you see the Beaverlost sign (at approx 49.7 km) and follow
the Beaverlost sign. Our Cottage is the next house on your left (280 Pike Lake Rd). There will be signs to the loppet start there.

Lost? call at four two, two – 3837 

That’s Loppet day!

Hope the turkey is digested and the ski’s waxed because that’s race day. Now the big question – what course?

The beautiful, and much shorter Lakeside course, is ideal for occasional skiers. The equally beautiful but challenging Mountainside course is better for those whose technique is in top form. At 3.8km for the Lakeside and 10km for the Mountianside either are excellent choices if keeping fit is on your New Year’s resolution list.

As usual we’ll start outside Scott’s at about 10 am.

I hope you all have been training hard because it looks like we’ll have an exceptional field this year.

Over the summer and fall a lot of work was done to bring the course up to tip top shape – and with the heavy snow fall we’ve had so far it’s shaping up to be a perfect year – possibly the best in some time.

If you haven’t already done so take a look at those skis and boots because no-one want to hear stories of how you would have won except for equiptment failure – and of course you don’t want to let the opportunity to claim the coveted Beavertail trophy to slip through your hands.

We’re still working on the date so watch the site so you can tune your training to be at your peak on race day.