The Telemark Biathlon and Junior Racing teams wish to extend a sincere thank you to all of the Club members who supported our athletes by selling or purchasing tickets in our Fresh Air Experience raffle. With the help of the wonderful prize package donated by Fresh Air Experience in cooperation with Salomon and Silver Star, we raised over $4500 to help fund our race athletes’ pursuit of excellence.
The Telemark racing program is about technique, talent, teamwork, fun, and competition. This year we have 80 young athletes ages 9 to 18 on the Biathlon and Junior Racing teams. They are gaining a wonderful life experience, learning good work ethics, developing a lifelong love for the sport, and acting as role models to hundreds of youngsters just entering the world of Nordic skiing through our ski league and school programs, and, yes, also winning medals while competing under the club’s banner. Anyone who has interacted with these young athletes will tell you emphatically that they are special. They emerge from this experience as academic and community leaders who are highly valued. It is not unusual that a resume containing “Cross Country Ski Racer” or “Biathlete” automatically get added to the stack to be invited for an interview or considered for a scholarship.
It has been said that it takes a community to spawn a cross country athlete. This is so true. A critical part of the experience is to have great coaching and access to good equipment and infrastructure, and that involves costs and resources beyond the reach of the athletes. We are grateful that you, as part of the Telemark Nordic community, are able to help the race athletes on their journey with your financial support. Thank you.
Congratulations to the lucky raffle winners:
– Salomon S-Lab Equipe 10 skis, boots, and bindings donated by Fresh Air Experience and Salomon: Kerry Kriese
– Couples Nordic Weekend Getaway donated by Fresh Air Experience and Silver Star: Dirk Van Ulden
– Atlas 10-series snowshoes, gaiters, and poles donated by Fresh Air Experience: Robyn Lynch
