July 2023

Once everyone was warmed up, we headed over to the Olympic Jumping Complex, where athletes were able to carry skis up the HS100 jump for their NYSEF teammates who were training. It's a lot of stairs to the top, and takes nerves of steel to brave the heights! Most of our athletes made 3-4 trips up and down the stairs.

On day two, athletes and coaches traveled together to Experience Outdoors, where we vanquished the High Ropes course with our awesome guide, NYSEF Freeride Alumn Robby Sinclair! It was an awesome adventure in the treetops that really tested our strength, balance, coordination, and fear of heights!

After a quick lunch, the group loaded into the van and headed to Paul Smith's College VIC, where we met once again with Olympian Maddie Phaneuf While our biathletes ran through some shooting and running drills, our alpine and freeride athletes learned all about shooting from the prone position from Coach Maddie. All athletes got to experience shooting an air rifle at biathlon targets, with most getting to take their targets home as souvenirs!

Next, our Nordic athletes took to their rollerskis for drills with Coach Julianne, while the rest of the gang joined Coach Kaileigh for a hike through the beautiful trails at the VIC before all stopping in together to the Butterfly House.

To cap off day two, the gang loaded in the van and headed to the world-famous Donnelly's Ice Cream Stand, where the flavor of the day was peppermint chocolate twist - yum!!!

Our final day of Session 2 found us on Mirror Lake in Lake Placid. Athletes had a blast cruising the lake in kayaks and on stand-up paddle boards from Mirror Lake Boat Rental. There were fierce races around the lake to compete for the fastest paddler, but nobody stood a chance against the combined power of Coaches Julianne and Kaileigh in a tandem kayak. Rumor has it that only blurs of color were visible as they dominated the competition at light speed! Every athlete tried stand-up paddle boarding for the first time - putting on a show for anyone watching from the shore! It was a great day on the water and an even better way to cap off our weekend together!

Skimeister Session number three will take place from August 25-27 in the Lake Placid area and is still open for new registrants Athletes will have a chance to experience elements of freestyle training, ski jumping, rollerskiing, and biathlon, as well as hiking in the Adirondack mountains. To register, visit nysef org/camps We cant wait to see you there!