I know NENSA (New England) is focusing on a local model for races. I'm really hoping the Craftsbury Marathon happens, but I doubt I would be allowed to enter coming from the Boston area. COC is doing a roller ski race on 10/25, but entry restricted by Vermont travel restrictions.

I think any event like the Long Hall Loppet that used a choose your own start time format last spring could work pretty well, and I think we could see more races using that format.

I'm just really, really hoping our Tuesday night series is allowed to happen!

They plan to do the American Birkebeiner in Wisconsin

https://www.birkie.com/ski/events/birkie/

I usually do the Winona Tourathon in upstate NY. I don't think it will happen, as they apply NYC rules to the whole state. I'm betting on it, I scheduled surgery on my tennis elbow, so even if it goes, I won't be able to do it.

There will be some cross country ski races this winter, but they will all be different than a normal.

The bib pickup and pre-race expos will be cut back. Maybe bibs will be mailed out, or distributed via drive thru?

The Sisu Ski Fest in Ironwood MI, has announced an all virtual event where ski your race distance on their trails, or any trails anytime during a one week period. Send in your time and they will assemble "results"

The Mora Vasaloppet in MN has four different races that are usually mass start on Saturday morning. This year they will having two races on Saturday and two on Sunday, spreading out the start times, only having a mass start for the top 25 (rolling interval start for everyone else).

The Birkie has not announced any plans yet. It would be the most difficult race to pull off because of the huge number of participants, and point to point course that requires a major bussing effort. But Wisconsin has so far had relatively few corona restrictions. I think there will be an option to ski your 50k anywhere and submit a time. They might set up a loop course on the north half of their system and let you start anytime during race week. (no busses) Large wave starts probably won't happen except for the skiers with a shot at prize money.

Feed stations will probably be different or eliminated.

The post race food and parties are also probably all cancelled.

I'm hoping for an individual start with randomly assigned start times for at least one race. It would be fun to see how a race plays out without drafting.

Like many things with COVID-19, everything is a bit of a moving target.

We can certainly brain-storm and even with some factual data in place envision with some Pandemic Protocol, some form of XC Ski Races going off this winter.*

We know that the transmission of the virus outdoors is extraordinarily low. In Ontario, a poll has been put out to figure out how many cyclists, contracted the virus while riding with others this past summer. There were many bubble group rides, rigid pandemic protocol rides, as well as F-it we are riding with as many people as we like rides, however we like, this summer.

So far via the first part of this poll/survey with some questions answered in a large Facebook Group page - with several hundred cyclists, doing all kinds of different rides (noted above), not one positive case of COVID-19 has turned up.

Shifting to winter - not that I know anything about this, but I wonder what the difference in the "life" of the virus is outdoors in +20C temperatures vs say -20C? More/less? A bit of obvious science, would lead me to believe, less!

*We can do this all we want, Sports Governing Bodies and institute all the Protocol they like, it's going to be local Gov'ts and municipalities that have the final say!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

Yes it will be local gov't control. It will be the registration areas pre and post race stuff I would think that would spread the covid. Busing to start areas that sort of stuff.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

Apparently the Canadian World Loppet in Gatineau is supposed to happen. Not sure how as it is point to point. If they do out and back and you pick your start time and never go indoors and just pick up chip outdoors and head out then maybe it is doable.

The question is what is the max outdoor gathering limit in Quebec in Feb. Esprit for cut into several 250 person sprint tris over two days due to the limits and I can see that being the case.

One cool option I would suggest is a permanent course with timing wires be set up for the season and you just go do the course on any given day and get a time. maybe show results sortable by any half day so you can roughly compare conditions.

Maybe I will suggest this to my club. We minimally have a 5km course and you could do as many loops as you want.