Attendance: Ernie Brumbaugh, Bob Frye, Dick Fultz, Mike Tarnow, Mike Muha, Tim Feldkamp, Susan Brian, Marv Mendyk

Actions Taken 

1. Rescheduled races to an official Michigan Cup open date will have all classes count for individual or team points. This will include junior races that conflict with Junior Olympics.

Passed Unanimously

Rationale: Last year the Michigan Cup Marathon and Hanson Hills Classic races were rescheduled to early March and it was decided not to count Juniors as all of the top racers were at Junior Olympics. Rationale - Since the races were already decided anyway, it was decided to allow such races to count for juniors. It would be motivational to skiers not going to JO's and would not effect results. Practice will be reviewed after one year.

2. Scheduled classical races that will not reschedule and would be cancelled due to lack of snow making a track unable to be set will have the option of changing to a skate race and still counting for Michigan Cup. Race organizer must be responsible for contacting each team manager (listed on Mi Cup brochure) at least 24 hours before race starts.

Passed Unanimously

Rationale: In low snow years this gives race directors another option to salvage races that would otherwise be cancelled.

3. Races may have a backup site and are encouraged to list it in the Michigan Cup brochure and the Michigan Cup website.

Passed Unanimously

4. Michigan Cup Website

Mike Muha has agreed to host the Michigan Cup website on the http://www.nordicskiracer.com  website. He will develop a Michigan Cup icon and title page which will list sponsors and have links to sponsors websites. Other pertinent Michigan Cup information will be accessed through this title page.

5. Communications Central

Although busy at yet another canoe race, Sara Cockrell agreed to again act and the communication central for Michigan Cup information. She will quickly disperse information on races, race changes, cancellations, etc to Michigan Cup clubs and interested parties. She will also send race results and stories to area newspapers and magazines. Just send her an e-mail at sarac@coslink.com.

6. Brochures

In previous years up to 4000 brochures have been printed. This is too many for the distribution outlets we currently have. Numbers will be cut to 2500 this year and review at next years meeting. Brochure will also be a part of the Michigan Cup website.

7. Sponsors

Cross Country Ski Headquarters, Cross Country Ski Shop, Kinlochen Nordic Shop at Crystal Mountain, Rugged Elegance Adventure Tours and XC Ski Groomers.com have all graciously agreed to sponsor the Michigan Cup again in 2003. 

The Great Lakes Nordic Ski Council has agreed to include the Michigan Cup in it's marketing efforts for a sponsorship on the Michigan Cup website and brochure. This includes mailing to media outlets and ski media tour.

Mike Tarnow will approach Subaru about sponsoring the Michigan Cup also.

8. Great Lakes Marathon Series

Mike Tarnow will approach Subaru about sponsoring the Great Lakes Marathon Series in 2003. Series may expand to other states if that is what Subaru wishes to sponsor series. If no sponsor can be found the series will be dropped due to the difficulty of raising money for pins and apathy on the part of participating marathon races.

9. 20th Year of Michigan Cup

The 2003 race season will be the 20th year of the Michigan Cup. Plans are to have articles on website, advertise in brochure and do promotional announcements through Great Lakes Nordic Ski Council. Others suggestions are welcome.

10. Race Schedule

Updated tentative race schedule is attached to this memo. Changes are as follows:

Boyne Highlands will replaced Boyne Nordican Classic on Jan 5 with a classical race 5K Juniors, 13K Seniors

White Pine Stampede - 10K will count for juniors

Gran Traverse - 16K will count for juniors

North American Vasa and White Pine Stampede - Senior Men and Women 50K will the scored beginning with 200 points. The short race, 20K WPS and 27K Vasa will also count for Senior Men and Women and race points will begin with 150. This does split the field but the longer race gets more. It is thought that this design will allow more team racers to receive Michigan Cup points and boost numbers of Michigan Cup participants. To be reviewed next year.

Crystal Mountain will hold a 25 K classic and freestyle race on the same but a new course on Feb 15. This replaces the Pursuit.

Site for the Michigan High School races is still undecided. Crystal Mountain is preferred. 
Since there is a conflict with the High School races, the 25K Crystal Race on Saturday will not be a Junior Michigan Cup race. For the relays no Junior classes (0-59 total age) will count for Michigan Cup points. Juniors not participating in the High School races can compete on older teams at the relays however.

Boyne Highlands has offered to hold a festival type weekend of ski events either the first or third weekend in March. Michigan Cup committee accepts this offer for non-points events and will plan to give awards to team and age group winners provided results are done in time. Festival can be one or two days. Festival should be held first weekend in March unless the third weekend is open. Then it is up to Boyne Highlands.

There will a meeting in August to determine if the Tahquamenon Falls Nordic Invitational will be reborn. Valley Spur is also considering an event on this date if TFNI remains defunct.

11. Additional recommendations and announcements were made as follows:

Suggest a family award at Garland - Will discuss with Larry Kinney

Crystal Mountain will be hosting a Fischer Factory Team Race Clinic Jan 28-30.

Mike Muha and http://www.nordicskiracer.com will be hosting a Dryland Training Camp September 14&15. In addition on Friday evening there will be a organizers meeting. Camp leader will be J.D. Downing of AXC Skiing and www.xcskiworld.com.