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Raising funds for racing

Mark Nadell
Special to the Sun

The winner of a ski race crosses the line triumphantly, arms outstretched, reveling in the culmination of a half hour to two hours of an extreme workload to finish ahead of his or her competitors.

But what onlookers don’t always see are the hundreds of hours of training in the months before the race, where the foundation has been built to allow the competitor to put the body through that much exertion and still be able to finish strong at the end of the race.

Similar to that competitor, Far West Nordic’s efforts at creating champions and top-level skiers at national events lasts the entire year, with training programs that span the months from summer through spring. Coaches are hired and trained, camps are organized and subsidized and all the other little things that go into a successful program are put into place.



Nov. 5 marks one of the most important days in the cycle of the organization: The 20th Annual Far West Nordic Auction/Raffle Fundraiser event. Once again, this event will be held at the Olympic Plaza Food and Beverage Company’s Bar One in Squaw Valley at 6 p.m. It can be considered the most important “racing” event of the year, as it raises the money that allows Far West Nordic to continue its programs. Last year the event raised more than $16,000, allowing Far West to include more juniors in its program than ever before, culminating in the incredibly successful Junior Olympics here in the Truckee area.



Not only is the fundraiser important for monetary reasons, it also signifies the “kick-off” to the season with an incredibly fun and social event for cross country skiers of all ages. As always, there will be exceptional food, wine and beer in a great setting, and you never know what the auctioneer will be wearing this year. And with hundreds of prizes to either bid on during the silent auction, compete for during the live auction or win at the Raffle, just about everyone is sure to go home happy.

As usual, there will be great prizes from Fischer, Salomon and other ski companies, trail passes from Royal Gorge and many other ski areas, lots of outdoor equipment and clothing, dining certificates from great local restaurants, fine art and photography and much, much more.

Tickets are available from local junior racers (each junior receives a percentage of their sales to subsidize their travel while racing and training) or by calling the Far West office at 587-0304. Admission is $15 (which includes one raffle ticket), and you can buy as many additional raffle tickets as your heart desires, for $5 each.

Junior admission is $5. You can also go to http://www.farwestnordic.org for an up-to-date list of prizes that will be available. There will also be a limited amount of tickets at the door on the evening of the event, but buy early and don’t get shut out!


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