Record Opening Weekend

| Gerry Furseth
Day 8 of the new season. November 12, 2018
Day 8 of the new season. November 12, 2018

Sovereign Lake had a record opening weekend, with 1,001 day tickets sold, and all three days of the long weekend setting records.

As usual in the early season, there are visiting teams. The BC Talent Squad was here for the weekend, along with Telemark and Larch Hills.  The Alberta World Cup Academy arrived on Monday for a week of skiing.

The ski trail conditions are great. Snowshoers are still waiting for a bit more snow. Do your snow dance!

WE ARE OPEN!!

| Troy Hudson
The masters are out early. November 5, 2018
The masters are out early. November 5, 2018

Get ready to be inundated with ski pictures in your social media feeds because SLNC is open for business for the 2018-19 ski season.  With 15km of great skiing for classic and skate skiers, there is something for everyone. Check out our Webcams for current images as well as our Trail Report Page for the latest trail offerings. More trail will be opened as snow conditions permit.

Please be aware that our snowshoe trails are not yet open due to a shallow snowpack in the trees.

Season Passes are still on sale HERE. If you have kids in Programs there is a high chance that they will be getting onto snow very soon. Check your child’s Program Notification page on the website for the latest news.

 

Opening day corduroy on Passmore. November 5, 2018

Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club to host 2020 Canadian Cross Country Ski Championships

| Troy Hudson

PRESS RELEASE: September 27, 2018

Cross Country Ski de fond Canada’s Events Committee is pleased to announce the Sovereign Lake Nordic Ski Club in Vernon, B.C. will play host to the 2020 Canadian Ski Championships in March 2020.
“Sovereign Lake Nordic has played a critical role in providing Canadian cross-country skiers access to snow early in the season as the anchor to our NorAm program,” said Dave Dyer, CCC’s events director. “It was time we finished the season off in the same style as we have become accustomed to every December by going back to the Vernon region for our national championships.”
Dyer added the Selection Committee was especially impressed with the evolution of the leadership group and dedicated staff at Sovereign Lake Nordic.
The premier event on the 2020 domestic race calendar will fall immediately after the World Cup Finals in Canmore, Alta., March 20, 2020.
Homologated in 2005 to meet FIS standards in preparation for the return of the FIS World Cup to Canada, the trails at Sovereign Lake will provide a variety of options for both senior and junior skiers at the 94th running of the Canadian Ski Championships event.
“SLNC last hosted the Canadian Ski Championships in 1995 making the 2020 Nationals Campaign the 25th Anniversary of that event. An annual stop on the Haywood NorAm circuit each December, hosting other world-class events such as the 2005 World Cup and 2011 World Masters Championships, SLNC is poised to once again welcome our country’s top athletes during these eight days of racing,” said Pat Pearce, Chair of the Bid Committee. “The Organizing Committee is excited to get to work on its tasks to host the 2020 Canadian Ski National Championships.”
Located just 22 km from downtown Vernon, and 50 minutes from Kelowna International Airport, at an elevation of 1667m, Sovereign Lake Nordic Club and Silver Star Mountain Resort together provide over 105km of daily groomed Nordic ski trails. Its high elevation, moderate winter temperatures, world-class grooming, and outstanding early and late season ski conditions provide some of the best cross-country skiing in the world.
SLNC is the largest not-for-profit ski club in North America, founded in 1974, with backcountry skiing roots dating back to the early 1930’s. With over 1850 members and a thriving Youth and Master’s program of over 340, Sovereign operates a full-service facility with night skiing, large rental/retail shop and tuning services. We host over 29,000 visitors annually and offer a busy S’Cool Ski Program for more than 1700 local children across three school districts.
The 2019 Canadian Ski Championships will be held at the Nakkertok Nordic Centre, March 13 – 20, 2019. A two-day pursuit will lead off an action-packed week of domestic racing prior to the World Cup Finals slated for Quebec City.

2018/19 Season Passes Available NOW!

| Troy Hudson

Let Sovereign Lake be your next winter escape. Get a jump start on the season by purchasing your Individual or Family Season Passes now and be entered to win an $850 Thule Ski Box, donated by club sponsor Cap-It Vernon. There are a few exciting new Season Pass options this year including an all-new FAMILY SNOWSHOE PASS for just $120 (for up to 4 Family Members). We can’t wait to see you out enjoying our ski, snowshoe and backcountry trails.

Skiing Season Pass Pricing: https://www.sovereignlake.com/season-passes-2/skiing-season-passes/

Snowshoeing Season Pass Pricing: https://www.sovereignlake.com/season-passes-2/skiing-season-passes/snowshoe-season-passes/

Register Here: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=18415

 

Contact Troy Hudson (SLNC General Manager) for more information on any of our programs, season pass options or registration issues at [email protected] or (250) 558-8916.

2018/19 Programs Registration OPEN!

| jladmin

While we are in the heat of summer we never really stop dreaming about snowy days at Sovereign Lake. 2018/19 Program Registrations are now open. There are many new and exciting program options for this season so have a read through the program details and let us know if you have any questions prior to registering.

  • Youth Programs:
    • Bunnies
    • JackRabbits
    • Track Attack
    • Junior Development Team
    • Junior Biathlon Team
    • WinterFit
    • Academy
  • Adult Programs:
    • U35’s
    • Masters
    • Masters High Performance
    • Masters Biathlon

Join us today!

Website Programs Link: https://www.sovereignlake.com/programs/

Zone4 Registration Page: https://zone4.ca/reg.asp?id=18415

Contact our Programs Director Eric de Nys for more information at [email protected]

SLNC Success at Canadian Champs in Thunder Bay

| Troy Hudson

Sovereign Lake Nordic Club and Vernon can be very proud of the 8 athletes who recently traveled to Thunder Bay, Ontario to compete in the Cross Country Ski Nationals that took place March 10-17. These athletes train year round with this being the culminating event of the season. Despite being one of the smaller groups of athletes, this mighty and determined group of skiers displayed some excellent skiing and results over the week. The high school aged athletes train as part of the Snow Sports Academy, coached by Eric De Nys here in Vernon, while Hannah Mehain trains with the Okanagan Racers, a regional post-secondary team.

 Torin Andrews on a warm day at Nationals in ThunderBay, Ontario. 

To kick off the week Clara Hardy and Hannah Stocker, a German exchange student who skis with the Academy, competed in the Team Sprint event making it to the semi-finals but not advancing. The next race, a classic technique interval start was part one of a two part, Pursuit style race which would take place over two separate days. Hannah Mehain took the gold in her category the first day, while others having strong finishes were Paige Latta, 11th, Lucas Sadesky 17th, Torin Andrews 25th, and Hannah Stocker 30th. Start positions for the second race were determined by the results from race one, with each racer starting behind the leader according to the amount of time behind they finished the previous race, yet now on a different course and distance, using a different technique. The ensuing excitement and scramble for position at the start of day two races in the close categories, where racers had literally finished tenths of seconds apart on day one, was nail biting to watch. In the second leg of the race Paige Latta finished an excellent 7th, Clara Hardy 17, and Lucas Sadesky a strong 12th, with teammate Torin Andrews 21st in their category. Other strong finishes were seen from Mehain, in 17th and Ian Oliphant 22nd. In the two day event Latta held onto 7th, Mehain finished 12th, and Sadesky 13th.

Highlights from the very exciting Skate Sprint event, the second last event of the week, were Ian Oliphant taking 1st in the B final (7th overall), and Mehain with a bronze medal. The final event of the week was a longer distance classic technique race; Sovereign’s top skiers for that race were Mehain with another bronze, Latta 10th, and Sadesky 13th. Andrews showed great determination while having to ski a portion of that race with a broken pole.

The excellent overall performance of these skiers was evidenced in how they stacked up in the coveted aggregates awarded by birth year at the conclusion of the week. After recently being awarded with the first place aggregate in BC, Lucas Sadesky was 2nd overall at the National level for 2003 boys, Torin Andrews followed closely in 4th, as well as 3rd in BC. Hannah Mehain added another 3rd place award in this category, as well as 1st in the College and University aggregate category, while Latta finished 6th nationally after receiving 1st in BC, Oliphant 13, while 1st in BC, Hardy 15, while 3rd in BC, and Madison Land 28. One more athlete, Danica Ariano, a local biathlete who also trains with the Ski Academy is attending her national event in Charlo, New Brunswick March 20-25-good luck to her!

2018 Call for Annual Club Awards Nominations

| Frances Weeks

Call for Nominations: Annual Club Awards  (please attach the Criteria document and the list of past recipients to this message)
The Annual Club Awards will be presented at the end of the season event April 7th.

Nominations are now open for the following Awards:
   Skier of the Year
   Volunteer of the Year
   Volunteer Coach of the Year
   Above and Beyond
   Lifetime Membership

Please see the attached Awards Criteria document.
Deadline for Nominations: March 25, 2018
Information required:  Name of Nominee.  Reasons for nomination.  Name of Nominator.
Send to: [email protected]

SLNC Wins BIG at BC Championships!

| Troy Hudson

Congratulations to the full SLNC race team of over 60 participants that took part in this past weekend’s BC Championships at Telemark Ski Club in West Kelowna. With a  record 628 athletes registered for the three days of racing, Sovereign was able to secure some key podium positions in addition to numerous overall aggregate championship awards.

A HUGE CONGRATS to each and every participant this weekend!!!! A special shout-out to all of the helpers, coaches, and parents for keeping the team prepared. Below are all the Top 5 placements from this past weekend with links to the full results.

Day#1 Mass Start: (Full Results)  https://zone4.ca/race/2018-02-16/f9bf5738/2018-teck-bc-championships-ft/results/

  • 4th Place Atom Boys Chase Pighin
  • 3rd Place Atom Girls Linnaea Heidt
  • 2nd Place Junior Boys Ian Oliphant
  • 1st Place Junior Women Hannah Mehain
  • 3rd Place Masters Men 30-39 Kevin O’Connor
  • 2nd Place Masters 50-59 Paul Hardy
  • 1st Place Masters Women 60-69 Maureen Clement
  • 1st Place Masters Men 60-69 Gerry Brenemen

Day#2 Individual Start Classic (Full Results) https://zone4.ca/race/2018-02-17/965d74ca/2018-teck-bc-championships-cl/results/

  • 1st Place Atom Girls Emily Lane
  • 3rd Place Atom Girls Shayla Flanagan
  • 4th Place Atom Girls Linnaea Heidt
  • 1st Place PeeWee Boys Simon Heidt
  • 5th Place PeeWee Girls Eula Palmer Bird
  • 4th Place Juvenile Boys Lucas Sadesky
  • 5th Place Junior Boys Ian Oliphant
  • 1st Place Junior Women Hannah Mehain
  • 4th Place Open Women Marta Green
  • 5th Place Open Men Andrew Casey
  • 2nd Place Masters Men 30-39 Kevin O’Connor
  • 1st Place Masters Women 50-59 Josee LeClerc
  • 4th Place Masters Men 50-59 Paul Hardy
  • 5th Place Masters Men 50-59 Bob Boorman
  • 1st Place Masters Men 60-69 Gerry Brenemen

Day#3 Team Relays (Full Results) https://zone4.ca/race/2018-02-18/03ca747e/2018-teck-bc-championships/results/

  • 5th Place PeeWee Girls Sovereign Sweeties (Emily Lane/Linnaea Heidt/Shayla Flanagan)
  • 4th Place Midget Boys Megabots (Pedar Ree/Parker Munroe/Evan Sadesky)
  • 5th Place Junior Women Rainbow Unicorns (Paige Latta/Madison Land/Clara Hardy)

Aggregate Awards are presented to the best overall athletes throughout the season at CCBC sanctioned events per category. Consistency in these results are key to success is aggregate awards. Great job team! Special shout out to Paul Hardy, JD Coach and Dad for slaying it in the Master’s category. 

2018 CCBC Aggregate Award Recipients: http://www.crosscountrybc.ca/teck-bc-cup-series-2018-aggregate-awards

  • 1st Place Junior Girl  Paige Latta
  • 1st Place Juvenile Boys Lucas Sadesky
  • 3rd Place Juvenile Boys Torin Andrews
  • 1st Place Junior Boys Ian Oliphant
  • 3rd Place Masters 50-59 Paul Hardy

2018 Club Championships Award http://www.crosscountrybc.ca/bc-championship-club-trophy

The Club Championship Awards are presented by calculating club participation at CCBC Sanctioned events throughout the winter including Regional (Okanagan Cup) and Provincial Cup (BC Cup) Series events. For the first time in 7 years, Sovereign Lake has moved into the TOP 3, taking a whopping 2nd Place!! Do you think we can beat Larch Hills next year??? We will need to recruit a few more kids into Programs. Great work by our Programs Director Eric de Nys and all of our coaches for getting your kids involved in racing this winter.

  1. Larch Hills Nordic Society (114 points)
  2. Sovereign Lake Nordic Club (63 points)
  3. Telemark Nordic Club (55 points)
  4. Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club (45 points)
  5. Hollyburn Cross Country Ski Club (42 points)

Call out for Loppet Volunteers

| Troy Hudson

The Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is hosting the 37th annual loppet on March 11, 2018.

We’re reaching out to our members to volunteer and if you are not in a position to do so, perhaps you could encourage family members or friends to take your place.  It takes a lot of volunteer hours to make this event a success and we are appreciative of your continued support.

What do you get out of volunteering for this event?

  • Free day pass / free lunch / some swag
  • Satisfaction to contribute to a successful race
  • Spent a fun day in our snowy  play park
  • Cheer on your skier

We would appreciate if you can join our team of volunteers by clicking on the web link here to go to the signup sheet. It’s very easy! All we need is your name, email, and phone number. Just follow the instructions on the page. It only takes a few seconds to be part of this event.

OR send an email to [email protected] and indicate which position is of interest to you.

PS If the link to the sign-up sheet doesn’t work, you can copy this link into your web browser:  https://www.volunteersignup.org/8YLJY

 

Thank you so much for volunteering!

Jennifer Hyde – Chief of Race

Johanna Tul – Volunteer committee