Clear and cool today for the first cross country ski race in the season of COVID, the New England Nordic Ski Association’s Lost Nation Roll at Craftsbury, VT, Outdoor Center. There was Lysol to disinfect the roller skis, which were shared; interval starts; masks everywhere; no spectators; smooth skiing on the new asphalt track; and no crashes in the race. Roller skis are the training and racing method of choice before snow arrives. Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins, below, won the women’s 5.6-k event. Above, Katharine Ogden of Stratton Mountain’s SMST2, takes the main downhill. For those unfamiliar with roller skis, they have no brakes, go fast and require a lot of skill to use. In this case, all the roller skis were the same brand with the same wheels and bearings to be sure the skiers are evenly matched. Although racers did not wear masks to race, most had them around their necks for quick use, and they were required everywhere else.
