The Race of the Methow is Methow Valley Nordic’s premier race weekend. It serves as both a Junior National Qualifier for the Pacific Northwest Division and as a community race for all-comers, with a special focus on youth.
Results 2024
Feb 1, 8am: Update
Venue Location and Format Changes
Atmospheric river conditions have significantly eroded the snow on race trails at McCabe Trail system at Liberty Bell High School. Consequently, the Organizing Committee has made the decision to change the venue to the Methow Trails Chickadee Trailhead, and change the formats.
—–
Due to very limited parking at the venue, we are strongly encouraging volunteers, athletes, parents, and spectators to use the free shuttles we are providing from Liberty Bell High School to the trailhead and back.
—–
Saturday freestyle sprint races have been moved to the Methow Trails Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain, Patterson Lake Road. See Map Location. The race format has been changed from a freestyle sprint to a freestyle distance race with interval start for U12+ racers and a freestyle mass start for U8/U10.
Sunday classic distance races have been moved to the Methow Trails Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain, Patterson Lake Road. Map Location. The race format has been changed from a classic mass start to a classic interval start for U12+ racers and a classic mass start for U8/U10.
Schedule
The start times for NRL races will be 8 am both days to minimize disruptions at the trailhead during peak usage times and accommodate the needs of our partners at Methow Trails.
Race Formats
Saturday Freestyle Interval Start, Distance
NRL races: 5.6km for U16 and older
Community Races: 2.8km for U14 ,U12, and older, including seniors/masters, 1 km for U10 and U8, Lollipop race
Sunday Classic Interval Start, Distance
NRL races: 5.6km for U16 and older
Community Races: 2.8km for U14 ,U12, and older, including seniors/masters, 1 km for U10 and U8, Lollipop race
Schedule
Fri, Feb 2
10 AM: Course Preview
The distance courses at the Chickadee Trailhead on Sun Mountain will be marked for preview on Friday by 10 am. Dogs are not allowed outside of the parking lot at Chickadee Trailhead. A Methow Trails pass is required for adults over the age of 18 to access the Methow Trails network at Chickadee, including the course, even if spectating on foot. People under 18 are allowed to ski the Methow Trails network without a pass. A pass can be purchased at the Methow Trails offices located at 21 Horizon Flats Road local vendors or online at Passes | Methow Trails
4 PM: Course closed for grooming
5:30 pm: Team Captains Meeting at the Methow Conservancy, 414 Riverside Ave in Winthrop. This meeting is in-person only. If you have an extenuating circumstance, please email pete@mvnsef.org
Race Schedule
Sat, Feb 3 –
Free Technique Interval Start, Distance
7:00 am | Bibs are available for pick-up at Chickadee Trailhead | |
7 – 7:45 am | Course open for inspection | |
8:00 am | Skate Distance, 30-sec interval start. Tentative start order:
|
|
9:00 am | Skate Distance, 15 sec interval start. Tentative start order:
|
|
10 am | Skate Mass Start
|
|
10:30 am | Awards–moved to Sunday | |
5pm | Sunday Start lists will be posted to the website |
Sun, Feb 4 –
Classic Technique, Interval Start, Distance
7:00 am | Bibs are available for pick-up at Chickadee Trailhead | |
7 – 7:45 am | Course open for inspection | |
8:00 am | Classic Distance, 30 sec interval start, with track rule in effect. Tentative start order:
|
|
9:00 am | Classic Distance, 15 sec interval start, with track rule in effect. Tentative start order:
|
|
10:00 am | Classic Mass Start
|
|
10:30 am | Awards (see note below) |
Feb 3, 9:30 pm: announcement about results/ protest period/ awards
The Organizing Committee for Race of the Methow – with the blessing of the jury- will change the procedure for posting preliminary results and the protest period previously agreed upon at the Team Captain’s Meeting for Sunday’s classic distance race. The purpose of the change is to enable holding an awards ceremony at the Chickadee venue shortly after the community races with intent of reinforcing the spirit evident at the end of today’s race and to allow traveling contestants to start their journey home sooner. The proposed change is as follows:
- Immediately at the conclusion of the U12/14 races and during the U8/10 and Lollipop community races, Timing and Information will drive up to Sun Mountain Lodge to upload, check and print copies of preliminary results.
- Preliminary results will be posted at the Chickadee Trailhead warming shelter for review
- A protest period of 30 minutes after posting of the results will be allowed, and Jury members, Timing and Information will be present at the facility while contestants and coaches review the results
- At the conclusion of the protest period, assuming no protests, awards will be held
- In the event of a protest, the Jury will work to expeditiously rule on the matter
Thanks and looking forward to seeing you out there for another great day of racing.
____
Race schedule is subject to change. Additional details regarding groupings and start times forthcoming.
Parking and Transportation
Parking at Venue
We appreciate your cooperation and support to hold this event at our alternate location. The Chickadee Trailhead venue has limited parking capacity, and the rear portion of the lot will be reserved for team vehicles and support vehicles. The remainder of the Chickadee lot will fill early. Dropoffs will be allowed at the venue, but drivers should not count on being able to park at the venue after drop-off.
Parking on the access road or Patterson Lake Road is dangerous and illegal, and could jeopardize MVNT’s ability to hold a race at Chickadee Trailhead in the future.
There is limited parking at a trailhead approximately 0.2 miles up the road with ski-in access to Chickadee; however, we strongly recommend spectators take a bus shuttle to the venue from Liberty Bell High School.
Note: there is no cell phone reception at Chickadee trailhead and on the surrounding trails.
Bus Shuttle Transportation
We will provide bus shuttles from Liberty Bell High School to the venue at Chickadee for athletes, parents, volunteers, and spectators. See next section for a map and details.
Athletes, parents, and spectators are strongly encouraged to take a bus shuttle from Liberty Bell High School to the venue. Shuttles will run every half hour between 6:00 am and 12:00 pm. It is a 25-minute ride to the venue. Athletes will be prioritized for the shuttles by start time if necessary.
Please park on the south (front) and west side of the high school. If parking in the west lot, park in the center of the lot as directed by attendant to keep the lot perimeter clear for bus turnaround.
________________________________________________________________________________
Spectator Access
Saturday Skate Distance & Sunday Classic Distance Race: Chickadee Trailhead at Sun Mountain
Spectators for the U12+ races must either ski a short distance from the Chickadee Trailhead to the 2.8 km race loop or walk on the designated spectator foot access trail.
The U8/10 races will start and finish at the Chickadee Trailhead clearing adjacent to the warming shelter and spectators may view the start and finish of the U8/10 race on foot.
Spectators are NOT permitted to walk on the groomed ski trails. All spectators must purchase a day pass from Methow Trails, even if spectating on foot.
Area Map:
________________________________________________________________________________
Course Maps
Distance Interval Starts (Skate on Saturday, Classic on Sunday)
2.8 km loop: Two laps for U16+, one lap for U12/U14
1 km U8 and U10 Mass Start Skate and Classic:
Venue Area Map
________________________________________________________________
Waxing Restrictions and Recommendations
Per PNSA rules all skiers agree to use a non-fluorinated glide wax which will be announced by the race organizer:
The glide wax for the 2024 Race of the Methow (U16 and older NRL races) is Swix HS8. All other categories are also required to use non-fluorinated products and we expect all racers to stick to basic level products such as the Swix HS or PS (formerly CH) line or equivalent.
No fluorinated products are allowed in grip wax products (hard wax, klister, covers, etc.). For more information on the fluorocarbon ban – including a list of non-fluorinated kick waxes and klisters – visit the US Skiing page on the subject.
If it is discovered that fluorinated products have been applied to an athlete’s skis (whether known or unknown to the athlete), the athlete will be subject to disciplinary action from US Ski and Snowboard.
Registration
REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 11:59 pm PST ON THURSDAY, February 1 FOR ALL RACES, BOTH DAYS. THERE WILL BE NO LATE REGISTRATION.
Please Note! There are separate registration categories depending on which part of the event you wish to register for. There is a US Ski and Snowboard National Ranking List event for USSS members , and a community event open to any racer. (Any level US Ski and Snowboard member can race in the US Ski and Snowboard race, a competitor membership is needed to earn National Ranking List points.)
Registration is entirely online. Registration fees increase by $10 on Monday January 29. Registration Closes at 11:59 PM on Thursday February 1. There will be no late registration.
________________________________________________________________
Start Lists
Saturday
Rom24 Start Sat (Official Start List – Updated after Team Captains Meeting)
Sunday
Rom24 Start Sun (Official Start List, Updated after Team Captains Meeting)
Race Packet
Click here to see the race packet. (same information as on this site)
_______________________________________________________________
Weather
NOAA weather forecast for Chickadee
Awards
Will be held at the venue following the conclusion of each day’s racing.
There will be a giveaway drawing on Saturday after the awards, by bib number.
US Ski and Snowboard (formerly USSA) Membership Required to Register for National Ranking List Race ONLY!
The Race of the Methow is a US Ski and Snowboard sanctioned race. All racers in the U16 and older National Ranking List race must be US Ski and Snowboard members to participate in the Race of the Methow.
Racers in the community races (all skiers under 14 as of December 31, 2022, and any skiers entered in the Open category) do NOT need a US Ski and Snowboard license.
To join US Ski and Snowboard go online to http://my.ussa.org/myussa.
Race Entry Fees
Race Registration closes Thursday February 1, 11:59 pm. No Late Registrations!
Before Monday January 30 | January 30 – February 1 | |||
age group | both days | one day | both days | one day |
U16 and older US Ski and Snowboard NRL Race | $80 | $40 | $100 | $50 |
Community Race (Open to all ages) | $20 | $10 | $30 | $20 |
Trail Passes
A Methow Trails ski pass is required for anybody over 17 years old to race or spectate at this event (including course inspection on Friday).
Race Results
Athletes and spectators: Get the free Webscorer app for your mobile device or go to webscorer.com for live results during the event. We will also post a link to final sprint results here.
FREE results app for iOS & Android
Results 2023
ROM23 Results NRL Sat with NRL Points
Results Saturday Community Race
ROM23 Results NRL Sun with NRL Points
Race of the Methow 2020 Results
Saturday:
ROM20 Results U10-U14 Classic Sprint (All rounds)
U10-14 Sprint Qualifier Results on Webscorer
ROM20 Results U16+ Male Classic Sprint
ROM20 Resuls U16+ Female Classic Sprint
U16 and Older Sprint Qualifier Results on Webscorer
Sunday:
Race of the Methow 2019 Results
Saturday Final Results (most complete info):
U16+ Male
U16+ Female
U10 to U14
Saturday results with overall and category placings only are also available at Webscorer:
U16+ Female
U16+ Male
U10-U14
Sunday Final Results:
U10
U12
U14
U16 Female
U16 Male
U18+ Female
U18+ Male
Sunday Results on Webscorer:
https://www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=168521
Results from the 2018 Race of the Methow are at Webscorer:
Saturday Skate Sprints Qualifying
Results from the 2017 Race of the Methow are at Webscorer:
Saturday Skate Sprints Qualifying
Results from the 2016 Race of the Methow are at Webscorer:
Saturday Skate Sprints Qualifying
Results from the 2015 Race of the Methow are at Webscorer:
Race Committee and Officials
For questions contact info@mvnsef.org
Chief of Competition Walt Burt
Chief of Information Christi DeCuir, Alan Watson
Chief of Timing Ara Swanson
Chief of Course Chris Clark
Chief of Stadium Tony Jenkins
Chief of Medical Scott Shinneman
Chief of Hospitality Brenda Yahraes
Technical Delegate Mike Burns
Assistant TD Noel Johnson
Aeromethow Ambulance Dial 911