October 3, 2005 (Jackson, NH) – This year’s Jackson Classic Weekend will offer two days of racing for cross country skiers and will be held on January 21 and 22, 2006 at the Jackson Ski Touring Center in Jackson, New Hampshire.

The 2nd Annual White Mountain Classic 30K kicks off the weekend on Saturday as a major fundraiser for the junior Nordic ski program in the area. Racers, tourers and families are all encouraged to participate in either the race or the tour. The entry fee of $40 includes food stations, a post race luncheon, awards ceremony and random prizes to both racers and tourers. Kids 13 and under can tour with an adult for $20. The White Mountain Classic 30K traverses a one loop course that wanders throughout the many trails of the Jackson Ski Touring trail network.

This marathon race will be a great warm-up opportunity for those thinking about or planning to do one of the citizen marathons scheduled for later in the season. Online registration is at <http://www.skireg.com/>www.skireg.com or checks can be mailed to: MWNordic, 30K Secretary, P.O. Box 596, Jackson, NH 03846. Registration is limited to the first 300 racers.

The 30th Annual Jackson Jaunt returns on Sunday, when racers of all ages and abilities can compete on Jackson’s historic World Championship course, with distances ranging from 400 meters up to 10 km. The entry fee is $20 online at <http://www.skireg.com/>www.skireg.com before 1/20/06, or $25 if paid to Jackson Ski Touring and received by 1/19/06. The Bill Koch junior skiers will race on a separate course at no charge. Awards and random prizes will be given out immediately following the races.

Thom Perkins, Executive Director of Jackson Ski Touring said “This race is designed for anybody who wants to try a cross country ski race. It has always been a fun day, and I would encourage skiers to come out and experience this classic cross country ski racing event. Also, there will be good skiers in both races throughout the weekend, and either day would be great for spectators to watch the action”.

Major sponsors and supporters of the 2006 Jackson Classic Weekend include Salomon, Swix, Powerade, Nordic Skier Sports, Chuck Roast, REI, Dasani, Craft, Northway Bank, Ragged Mountain Equipment, Karhu, Atomic and the New England Nordic Ski Association.

The Mount Washington Nordic Club works closely with Jackson Ski Touring in coordinating the White Mountain Classic 30K. The MWNC consists of approximately 200 members whose mission statement includes the promotion of organized cross country skiing activities for all ages. The club has coordinated the Wellinghurst Nordic Series for the past 8 years, providing local racing for kids through master skiers. It has also sponsored winter training camps for the local high school teams and provided summer workout programs on roller skis. The support and encouragement of cross country skiing for juniors has been a major interest and mission of the Mount Washington Nordic Club. With this in mind, the idea for the Annual White Mountain Classic 30K fundraiser was born.

The Jackson Ski Touring Foundation is a community based nonprofit organization, chartered to maintain trails in and around the village of Jackson, New Hampshire and to provide winter recreational and education opportunities for all. The “Foundation” maintains 154 km of cross country ski trails, with state-of-the-art grooming. Detailed information about trails, rates, programs, events, clinics and more can be found at the Foundation web site at www. jacksonxc.org. Further information can also be obtained by calling 603-383-9355 or 1-800-XC-SNOWS (1-800-927-6697).