January 14, 2006 (Pinkham Notch, NH) – Last Tuesday, fifty-two year old Lynette Norton of Jackson, NH skied in her first cross country race at Great Glen Trails in Pinkham Notch, NH. Much to her surprise, when the results came out later that day her name topped the list of short course finishers in the classic technique division. Such are the stories that come out of Great Glen’s Nordic Meister Series, held each Tuesday throughout the winter. The Series is again underway, now in its eleventh consecutive year.

Each week, first-time racers through Olympic skiers challenge themselves over the long (5 kilometer) or short (2.5 kilometer) course marked out on Great Glen’s cross country ski trail system. They can ski the distance with classic technique or with skate technique; many do a run of each. The course is open with the timing staff on hand from 9 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. This is a considerably different structure than most Nordic races, where individuals start either at set intervals, or en masse at one particular time. Meister participants choose when they start and if they want to race with others, or go solo.

To date, ninety skiers aged nine to seventy-six have joined the eight-week series. Results for each week are compiled and times adjusted with an age handicap system. (The thirty-year-old hotshot had better be considerably faster than his/her seventy-year-old competition, as older skiers benefit from the age handicapping system.) Over the course of the eight weeks, friendly rivalries develop, as do friendships, as skiers compare their experiences and share war stories.

So just what compelled Mrs. Norton to race for the first time? “Regina talked me into it,” referring to Great Glen’s Office Manager, who also skis the weekly series. As a matter of fact, if you’re skiing the trails at Great Glen on a Tuesday, you’re likely to see most of the staff out racing on the course; the General Manager, the Food Service Manager, the Events Director, the Retail and Rental staff, all participate. Great Glen Trails’ Nordic Meister Series is truly a cross country series for everyone.

Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center is located on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. For more information about the Center or the Nordic Meister Series, visit www.GreatGlenTrails.com.