Welcome To Duluth, Minnesota
Event Information:
Welcome to Duluth and Spirit Mountain Nordic Center, the host site for the Junior and Youth Cup on December 10th and 11th. The Spirit Mountain Nordic Center is located at the base of Spirit Mountain in Duluth, MN. The club host of the Duluth CXC Cup is the Duluth Nordic Ski Club (DXC). We are excited to welcome clubs and athletes from the Midwest region.
Race Headquarters and Race Location:
Race headquarters will be located in the Grand Avenue Chalet; 8551 Grand Avenue, Duluth, MN
Hours of the race headquarters: Friday - Sunday 8AM - 4PM daily
All races are held at Spirit Mountain Nordic Center: 8551 Grand Avenue, Duluth, MN
Course Inspection: Friday, December 9th:
All courses, both skate sprint and classic distance courses will be marked for preview.
12PM to 5PM (Only part of the courses at the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center are lit. If you are planning to ski after 5PM a headlamp is recommended.). Both the Sprint Course and Classic Distance course will be open for preview. The classic track will be double tracked, best line. All turning zones will be marked.
Race Distances: Saturday, December 10th:
Male U18/U20/U23/Seniors and College - Free technique - Sprint 1300m
Male U16 - Free technique - Sprint 1300m
Female U18/U20/U23/ Seniors and College - Free technique - Sprint 1300m
Female U16 - Free technique - Sprint 1300m
All U14/U12/U10 - Free technique - Sprint 650m
Race Distance: Sunday, December 11th:
Male U16/U18/U20/U23/Seniors and College - Classic Individual Start - 7.5km
Female U16/U18/U20/U23/Seniors and College - Classic Individual Start - 7.5km
All U14/U12/U10 - Classic Individual Start - 3km
Team Captains/ Coaches Meeting:
5:30pm Friday, December 10th
5:30pm Saturday, December 11th
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 812 3148 8533
Passcode: 571279
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Bib Pickup:
Saturday and Sunday 8:00AM to 3:00PM outside Grand Avenue Chalet.
More information on bib pick up, warm-up and racer access to trails will be posted soon.
Wax Facility:
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A designated wax area with power will be provided. The wax area will be located adjacent to the ski trails.
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No waxing will be allowed inside the Grand Avenue Chalet. Teams should be prepared to supply their own pop up tent or service vehicle/trailer, irons, tables, forms and extension cords to accommodate their waxing needs. Three, ten by ten tents are available for use and can be reserved for entire weekend.
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Power will be available starting on Thursday, afternoon.
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Tents, trailers and service vehicles can be left in the wax area over night. A security guard will be onsite.
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Collegiate and Junior teams and self supported individuals please reserve a spot by Monday, December 5th. This will help us understand how much space we will need for the wax area. Remaining space will be first come first serve basis. Email: siirimorse@northxc.com
Spectators and Parking:
The Spirit Mountain Nordic Center and Grand Avenue Chalet offers great viewing of the race course and stadium. The current parking available at the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center is about 100 cars. Parking is available across the street from the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center. No parking is allowed on Grand Avenue. Parking is also available on the streets off Grand Avenue; 83rd, 84th and 85th Avenue West. Be cool and ride the bus, Route 2. Please plan on parking being tight and share a ride if possible.
The Grand Avenue Chalet is handicapped accessible and will be open all day. Restaurant will open at 11AM. Restrooms available inside the chalet and multiple porto potties outside.
Area Lodging Information:
If you are planning to stay in Duluth broaden your search to Hermantown, Proctor, Cloquet and Superior, WI. There are a number of new hotels in Hermantown or as we call it “up on the hill”. Drive time from most hotels to race start is under 10 minutes.
Volunteer:
Come join the fun and have the best seat in the house. Volunteers make this race series happen.
As an over expression of support for the health of our visiting athletes and families, the Race Organization and medical staff request that race volunteers strongly consider getting their flu shots, and updated covid booster.
Race Organization/Competition Committee & Technical Delegate:
OC Chair - Siiri Morse - siirimorse@northxc.com
Chief of Competition - Gary Larson - glhome64@gmail.com
TD - John Filander and Matt Laue
Chief of Timing - Dave Johnson
Chief of Course - Jason Kask
Chief of Control - Jeane Fleck
Chief of Stadium - MaryBeth Nevers
Race Secretary - Kara Salmela
Head Groomer - Larry Mishkar
Communications/Media - Frosty the Snowman
Medical Coordinator: Dr. David Hutchinson
Medical Considerations:
This year marks a return to more standard medical care considerations at the Duluth CXC Junior Cup
1. The Spirit Mountain Ski Patrol will be available on course to help care for active injuries.
2. Medical personnel will be available at the race venue to assess and stabilize urgent health issues, and to serve as infection prevention resources.
3. Infection Prevention Considerations are less directive than in the past two years of Covid-19 concerns, but REMAIN IMPORTANT.
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Covid infection rates with our current prevalent variants remain high in central and northeast Minnesota.
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We have an unusually early and vigorous Influenza A outbreak in the same regions.
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RSV infections seem particularly virulent and still prevalent locally, for both kids and adults.
Collectively, these respiratory illnesses represent a triple threat to public health. **For performance athletes, these acute respiratory illnesses threaten to impede training progress and impact race results during the racing season now upon us. The Duluth JNQ race board is strongly committed to the health of our participating athletes and families. We offer the following local public health and infectious disease expert-supported health measures, recommendations, and requests;
1. OUTDOOR (Ventilated) INTERACTION -- All official race functions and activities will occur outdoors. Routine masking is not required outdoors.
2. IMMUNIZATIONS -- All race volunteers and officials are actively advised to update their covid booster and influenza vaccine status. We request that all athletes and families also strongly consider doing the same. Get your flu shots now, and update your covid booster status.
3. HYGIENE -- Hand sanitizer stations will again be available at registration and portable bathroom locations on-site. Porto-lets will be available in the coaches waxing area and in the approach zone to the registration area so as to help decongest the limited indoor bathroom space.
4. ILLNESS -- athletes, coaches, and observers who have any illness symptoms (especially fever, cough, body aches, sore throat, nasal congestion and dripping) are expected to either avoid the race venue altogether, or to mask around others - indoors or out. Let's take care of our neighbors, coaches, supporters, and kids! Be strong, generous, and healthy, making decisions that help all of us.