Monthly Archives: December 2014

Hello Jackrabbit Managers,

Short version:  Not much is scheduled.  And even if it was it would likely be cancelled!

Long version:  According to the official club schedule (https://assiniboineparkjackrabbits.wordpress.com/2014-2015-schedule/) our last whole-club session was Sunday, 14 December 2014 (“Sunday Session (6)”).  And we will not meet again — as an entire club of Bunnyrabbits, Jack Rabbits, and Track Attack skiers — until three weeks has passed, on Sunday, 4 January 2015 (“Sunday Session (7)”).

Now, for those interested Track Attack skiers looking for formal racing experiences (yes, please self identify), the proposed schedule is a wee bit different:

• Wednesday, 17 December 2014:  “Wednesday Night Race #4” at Windsor Park Nordic Centre was originally to be coached by Coach Ihor (just like Wednesday Night Race #1, 2, and 3), but due to the continued lack of snow at Windsor Park Nordic Centre these races have been mostly, or will likely be, cancelled.  See http://www.ccsam.ca/trails-closed-now/ for details.
• Saturday, 3 January 2014:  “Provincial Sprint Championships (Manitoba Cup)” at the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club (in Morden).  Again, scheduled to be coached by Coach Ihor.  If the snow conditions greatly improve and it looks like this race will be run, we will post an update to see which Track Attack skiers would like to race for Manitoba Cup points.  Perhaps a practice session or two for those kids prior to the race?

Hello Jackrabbit Managers,

Today’s session, “Sunday Session (6)”, Sunday, 14 December 2014, is indeed running as scheduled.

But there is a (slight) venue change:  We are meeting and skiing on The Hummocks in the Nature Playground.  We are not meeting at the Duck Pond Shelter nor skiing the Lyric Loop .

So, don’t park your car on Assiniboine Park Drive.  Instead park your car in the Nature Playground parking lot just north of Pavilion Crescent (west of the Pavilion).  The rectangular patch in the satellite imagery southwest of the “Nature Playground” icon is where you want to go (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nature+Playground/@49.872217,-97.232062,713m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x52ea74a63956c015:0xc311873f39af8afb).

Sorry for the late post.  We were concerned we wouldn’t have skiable snow, but we found some!

Mother Nature will apparently be nice to us during our session.  Air temperature is expected to be 0 degrees Celsius (yes, that is warm), with winds north at 20 kmh, and 100 percent overcast, with 80 percent chance of drizzle and/or freezing drizzle (http://spotwx.com/products/grib_index.php?model=meteocode&zone=r1.15&tz=-6&title=FPWG11&lat=49.8963&lon=-97.297).

Today’s session will be a free technique (skate) session for Bunnyrabbits, Jackrabbits, and Track Attack skiers.  Otherwise, Coach Ihor indicates that we would have to use not-fun klister as a grip wax.  Or, if you have them, bring waxless skis.  This is temperature range in which they work best.

Perhaps most importantly, bring a reusable mug for hot chocolate and an appetite for Wagon Wheels.   Coach Ihor promises that there will be plenty for everyone today!

Tomorrow (Thursday, 11 December 2014) night’s scheduled session, known as “Fast Rabbits Thursday 2″, has now been cancelled due to a lack of snow.

Yep, the air temperature will be a delightful +1 degrees Celsius with a -5 windchill on Thursday night.  We sure like that.

Unfortunately, as of 20:00 tonight, Windsor Park Nordic Centre (WPNC) staff are reporting that “The Grid” is the only place that is suitable for skiing for people who have new skis and want to keep them from instantly becoming “rock skis”.  Furthermore, skiers would have to carry their skis from the clubhouse to The Grid to avoid the new gravel laid down on paths.

Even tonight’s race at WPNC had been cancelled due to lack of snow (http://windsorparknordic.ca/news/).

The Assiniboine Park Jackrabbits ski at WPNC on Fast Rabbit Thursdays so as to ski “far” and get more vertical relief (both relatively speaking).  Tomorrow’s session would not provide either.  The Grid will likely be congested with dozens of other skiers and there is little vertical on The Grid.

Hello Jackrabbit Managers,

Tomorrow’s session, “Sunday Session (5)”, for Sunday, 7 December 2014, is indeed running as scheduled.

What a difference a week makes!

Mother Nature will apparently be nice to us during our session.  Air temperature is expected to be -1 to 0 degrees Celsius (yes, that is warm), with winds south at 20 kmh, and 100 percent overcast, with a light snow fall near the end of the session (http://spotwx.com/products/grib_index.php?model=meteocode&zone=r1.15&tz=-6&title=FPWG11&lat=49.89975&lon=-97.13749).

Sunday’s session will be for sure a classic technique session for Coach Ihor’s and Coach Rob’s Track Attack groups (because of the existence of days-old skier-made classic tracks in the hilly area).

Plan for classic also for Coach Katherine’s and Coach Jeff’s Bunnyrabbits and Jackrabbits.

No mechanical grooming has been done as yet so free technique (skate skiing) will likely not be as fun as it normally would in these air temperatures, hence the classic skiing planned for tomorrow.

Coach Ihor will supply the classic grip wax-of-the-day-er-hour for those of us who may not know which wax may best work at this tough-to-wax temperature.  Find a coach at the start of the session and let us know that your skier will need grip wax of the day.

If you have them, bring waxless skis.  This is temperature range in which they work best.

Perhaps most importantly, bring a reusable mug for hot chocolate and an appetite for Wagon Wheels.   Coach Ihor promises that there will be plenty for everyone tomorrow!

Sorry for the short notice, but tonight’s scheduled session (https://assiniboineparkjackrabbits.wordpress.com/2014-2015-schedule/) for Track Attack skiers (Coach Ihor’s older kids group and Coach Rob’s not quite as old kids group), known as  “Fast Rabbits Thursday 1”, with a start time of 18:30 at Windsor Park Nordic Centre, has been cancelled due to lack of snow (see http://www.ccsam.ca/good-enough-now/).

Hello Jackrabbit Managers,

Yep.  I bet I know what you have been saying to yourselves for the last month.  Really.  I think it goes like this:

• Gee, I was really keen on becoming a Jackrabbit Coach, but gosh darn, I missed out even after Coach Rob exhorted me to go for it (https://assiniboineparkjackrabbits.wordpress.com/2014/11/02/wanted-more-jackrabbit-coaches/).
• But, shucks, more than anything; even more fun than being a Jackrabbit Coach, is that I have always wanted to become an Official, specifically a Cross Country Canada Level 1 Official.  Kind of like being a hockey referee (but with polite parents), a concert promoter (without bumping into celebrity), and an accountant (minutes and seconds way more often than dollars and cents), all rolled into one.  Oh yeah, and Michelin Man.  You get to dress like Michelin Man.  Often.

So, if you would like to make your dream come true to help run cross country skiing events then sign up for the free “Level 1 Officials Certification Course” being held this upcoming Saturday, 6 December 2014, from 09:00 to 17:00, at the Sport For Life Centre (across from the Manitoba Museum) at 145 Pacific Avenue.

To learn all about it, and even to sign up (its free this week only!) go to our provincial sporting organisation’s webpage of http://www.ccsam.ca/level-1-officials-certification-course-december-6th.