NCCSEF announces Podium Challenge

Wed, Dec  29, 2010 - By Andrew Gerlach

NCCSEF Podium Challenge

In its ongoing effort to help Team Tomorrow become Team Today, the National Cross Country Ski Education Foundation challenges every U.S. athlete competing at the 2011 U23/Jr. World Nordic Championship to achieve an individual top three “Podium” race result. Each athlete that achieves this fantastic performance will see NCCSEF reimburse their entire unfunded trip expenses.

Three U.S. athletes; Kris Freeman 2003 1st, Laura Valaas 2007 2nd, and Liz Stephens 2008 3rd, have reached the Podium. This NCCSEF funding pledge is in addition to the $10,000 in NCCSEF funds which are already committed to funding the trip’s coaches and operating expenses.

NCCSEF Matching Challenge

The NCCSEF challenges the ski community at large to help fund the entire trip. Make your tax deductible contribution to www.NCCSEF.org designating JR/U23 Worlds and we will ensure that your contribution goes to offsetting trip expenses for all athletes.

U.S. Ski Team Top Athletes Challenge

The U.S. Ski Team in its ongoing effort to develop, guide and assist U.S. athletes to reach top international results will reimburse unfunded trip expenses for the U.S’s top two male and female U23/Jr. Championships competitors. Top two ranking will be tallied based on each athlete's best individual Championship result. To be ranked for this award a Jr. competitor must achieve a top-ten result while a U-23 competitor must have a top-eight result. Tie breaker will use second-best results.

2011 Junior and Under-23 World Championships

This U.S. Team directed trip is one of the premier steps in the elite athlete and coach development pipeline. Trip qualification criteria can be viewed at www.ussa.org sports/cross country/advancement. The Trip cost is $1700 plus airfare. The trip starts Jan. 16 from the U.S. arriving in Helsinki Finland Jan, 17 for a training camp in Vierumaki, Finland. On January 23 the team will travel to Otepaa, Estonia where the Championship will be held form eth 26th to the 31st.

For more information on NCCSEF, and these and future funding initiatives, and to make your charitable contribution visit www.NCCSEF.org