Greetings All! 

I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing Labor Day Weekend! I am honestly still in a bit of disbelief that we are now in September. For most, it seems like this summer has been about getting back to normal. It’s been about catching up with friends, spending time with family, and simply getting out and enjoying life. Because, let’s face it, last summer sucked and everyone wants to put that as far behind them as humanly possible. 

To almost everyone’s surprise, this summer has been unusually wet in New England, with July being one of the wettest months in history. Ironically, New England also had one of its hottest summers on record based on average temperature. Normally I might be inclined to complain about a rainy summer, however, one quick look across the rest of the country, especially with some of the scenes coming out of the western ski resorts, and I’ll gladly take some rain and green grass over the alternative. On the bright side, the excess rain means the snowmaking ponds should be nice and full when the time comes to fire up the snow guns! 

This summer was again a very busy and productive one for NEMS. We continued to put the work in, and I am excited to announce a couple of new changes our racers will see as a result. However, with Labor Day now behind us, the real push begins as we edge closer to officially stepping into the start gate in a few months.

One final note, I would highly encourage everyone to start thinking about your gear situation immediately. If you plan on purchasing any gear this season do not wait. If this last year has taught us anything, it is that supply chains around the world are still a mess and there can be a shortage of anything at any time. Unfortunately ski equipment is not immune from this. So be proactive on your gear now, and spare yourself a lot of stress later in the season when you should be focused on having a fun time racing.

There will be more updates coming out this fall, so please be sure to keep an eye out for emails and social media posts. As always, you have any questions, or would like to get in touch with me, you can always reach me by email at: NEMSRacing@gmail.com.  

Stay safe everyone!

Thanks,
Matt Mitsis
President
New England Masters Ski Racing

We are excited to announce that beginning this season, NEMS and Mid-Atlantic will be moving our event registration over to AdminSkiRacing (ASR). For the last 10+ years NEMS, and most of the other Masters regions, have used SkiRaceReg as our system for racers to register for races. The time has come, however, for the Masters to begin transitioning off of SkiRaceReg as it is expected to be decommissioned following the upcoming race season.

The change to ASR is an important step for NEMS as it will result in an improved user experience for our racers, while also enhancing our capabilities with greater efficiencies for our administrators going forward.  

We are currently testing the new site and expect it to be completed in the fall. Once complete and ready to use, there will be a formal announcement with all of the information needed to ensure that you are ready to go for the upcoming season.

Another exciting change to expect this fall will be a new NEMS website. Like any professional organization, our website serves as the nucleus of our business. The NEMS website houses everything from rules and race results, to the history of our storied organization. It connects the past to the present and is a critical component in our ability to move forward. The new site should be live in the fall so please keep an eye out for the formal announcement.

The 16th Annual Kelly Brush Ride will take place on Sat., Sept. 11th in Middlebury, VT. This is a huge event which attracts riders from across the country. The event raises money for grants to go towards race hill safety netting, as well as grants for individuals with spinal cord injuries to help purchase specialized equipment so they can enjoy all of the aspects of sports and recreation.

NEMS will have a team participating in this year's ride and we could use your help reaching our $3,500 fundraising goal. We are so close to achieving it! Many have contributed already, but if you haven't and would like to support the NEMS team, please click below to make a contribution.

We'll be posting updates on our social media so make sure you follow NEMS at @NEMSRacing so you can check out our progress during the day. 

We are still a few weeks away from putting out an official schedule, but there are a few things we can share with you. 

Wachusett Mountain - Masters Race Camp & Races 

Masters Camp - Lisa Ballard will again be hosting her annual New England Masters Camp at Wachusett Mountain. The dates for the camp will be Jan. 10-14^th. There will be a formal announcement in the coming weeks. Last year’s camp completely sold out so make sure not to miss out this year.  

Races - We expect to be back at Wachusett for the Annual Crowley Classic on Fri., Feb. 25^th. We are also exploring adding a GS race directly following the camp on Fri. Jan. 15^th.  

West Mountain - Joint Races with Mid-Atlantic

NEMS will be heading over to NY for our annual joint races with Mid-Atlantic on Feb. 18-20^th. 

National Championships

It was announced this week that the Eastern Division will be defending our National Championship title at Sun Valley from Mar. 21-26^th. Make sure to keep an eye out for all the important details on schedules and lodging. 

Barb Brumbaugh

We are sadden to hear about the passing of long-time Masters racer, Barb Brumbaugh, this past weekend. Barb was a fixture on the New England Masters Ski Racing circuit for many years, and often one of the top racers in her class. Over the years Barb competed in Masters events across the country, and was well-known within the Masters racing community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Barb’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Make sure to renew your USSS membership before prices increase in October. In addition to enabling you to participate in many of the NEMS races, the USSS membership also has great benefits, including access to significant discounts at many retailers via ExpertVoice. The discounts alone will typically cover the cost of the membership. 

Starting next season, all Masters racers will be required to have a FIS helmet for any USSS sanctioned speed event (GS/SG/DH). If you are purchasing a new helmet this season please make sure the helmet has the FIS logo on the back.

Congrats to Alex and Patrick Mitchell on the birth of their daughter, Matilda, in August. 

Congratulations to Taylor Knortz and her husband Tom Carroll for officially tying the knot on June 5^th. 

Congratulations to Kristen Bonkowski and her husband Mike Gibs for officially tying the knot on Aug 7^th.

NEMS on Social Media

Follow us @NEMSRacing for photos, videos and event updates.