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The Francis Piche Trophy Qualifier is a race that offers an opportunity for our strongest racers to
compete against skiers from Tri-state and other youth racing teams from eight area states on a
higher level of competition.
The three age groups that are
included in this race are J5, J4, and J3.. Typically each team in the EMBWL is invited to send twelve
racers to the Qualifier. The Qualifier is held early in February, at Bradford Ski Area, with the
top six finishers in each age group (both boys and girls) advancing to the Francis Piche
Invitational Race at Gunstock Mountain in Guilford, New Hampshire. This is a two-day event,
Friday and Saturday, during the first or second weekend in March. The racers and their families are responsible for all
expenses incurred in conjunction with these two races.
The Nashoba Valley Ski Club President
along with assistance from other board members and coaches will select the final candidates for
the Piche Qualifier Race from qualifying racers. The following guidelines are used to assist in
the decision:
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Placement in races prior to entry deadline.
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Comparison of race times to top racers from other EMBWL teams in the same age groups
in the same race.
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Coaches evaluation of the racer’s performance and attitude.
You will be notified in advance if you are invited, but racers who think they may be invited
should join the United States Ski Association. The Piche Invitational is a USSA event and only
members may be invited to participate. Piche racers must be
members of the United States Ski Association (USSA) at a cost of
$70 - $140 per racer, depending upon age. To get a USSA
number. membership, and application forms use the USSA website at
www.ussa.org. Please join as soon as possible as it can take at least two weeks to process the
application.
While this race is open to EMBWL racers, it is not an EMBWL race. As such, participation in the Piche Qualifier does not count towards
the minimum number of races required in order to be eligible for the League Championship Race.
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