CRAFTSBURY, VT. – Six members from the Alaska Nanooks men's and women's Nordic ski teams will kick-off 2019 by competing in 2019 U.S. Cross Country Skiing National Championships Jan. 3-4, 6, 8 at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center in Craftsbury, Vermont.
 

Championship Site	2019 U.S. Cross Country Skiing National Championships
Dates	Thursday, Jan. 3 | Friday, Jan. 4 | Sunday, Jan. 5 | Tuesday, Jan. 8
Location	Craftsbury Outdoor Center | Craftsbury, Vermont
Distances & Races	Thursday, Jan. 3: 15/10km individual-start, classic race Friday, Jan. 4: Classic sprints Sunday, Jan. 6: 30/20km mass-start, freestyle race Tuesday, Jan. 8: Freestyle sprints
Course Maps	Jan. 3 Course | Jan. 4 Course | Jan. 6 Course | Jan. 8 Course
Live Stream & Results	Live Stream (all 4 days) | Results
Social Media	Twitter | Facebook

Last Time Out
The Alaska Nanooks return to the trails for their first competition since Dec. 1, after falling to in-state rival Alaska Anchorage in the 15th annual Nordic Cup. The Seawolves edged the Nanooks by 1:59, posting a team time of 2:43:23 to the Nanooks' 2:45:22.

Where to Watch & Listen
Starting on Thursday, Jan. 3, the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association will be live streaming all of the events throughout Tuesday, Jan. 8 in the link posted above. Additionally, all results will be posted in the Bullitt Time link also posted above as soon as competition concludes.

Weekend Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 3
6am AKST: Men's 15km individual-start, classic race
9am AKST: Women's 10km individual-start, classic race

Friday, Jan. 4
5:30am AKST: Women's classic sprint qualifier
6:30am AKST: Men's classic sprint qualifier
8am – 8:20am AKST: Women's quarterfinal heats
8:25am – 8:45am AKST: Men's quarterfinal heats
8:55am – 9am AKST: Women's semifinal heats
9:10am – 9:15am AKST: Men's semifinal heats
9:25am AKST: Women's final
9:35am AKST: Men's final

Sunday, Jan. 6
5am AKST: Women's 20km mass-start, freestyle race
6:30am AKST: Men's 30km mass-start, freestyle race

Tuesday, Jan. 8
5:30am AKST: Men's freestyle sprint qualifier
6:30am AKST: Women's freestyle sprint qualifier
8am - 8:20am AKST: Men's quarterfinal heats
8:25am - 8:45am AKST: Women's quarterfinal heats
8:55am - 9am AKST: Men's semifinals 
9:05am - 9:10am AKST: Womens' semifinals
9:20am AKST: Men's final
9:30am AKST: Women's final

Qualifying Races
This weekend's races aren't just for crowning a national champion but will also be used to qualify athletes for various events and teams throughout the upcoming months. The 2018 U.S. Cross Country Skiing National Championships will also be used to award SuperTour points, select competitors for the World Cup and potentially a spot on Team USA at the World Championships in Seefeld, Austria, select skiers for the Junior World Championships, the U23 World Championships and the U18 Scandinavian Cup team.

Weekend Outlook
The Craftsbury Outdoor Center has a proposed 5km race loop for Thursday, Jan. 3's classic race, with a 3.75km backup and a 2.5km secondary course on their website. Additionally, Friday's sprint race has a 1.5km proposed course and a map with turning zones, as well. And lastly, Sunday's Jan. 6's course includes a south 5km course (that cannot be ran without a significant amount of snow), with a north 5km course as a primary backup and a 3.75km course as a secondary backup.

The weather in Craftsbury throughout the weekend is supposed to be overcast with rain and/or snow showers slated on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. From Thursday through Sunday, the high is expected to be 36 degrees, while the low is expected to reach 11 degrees. The Nooks aren't expected to face anything higher than 9mph winds.

For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's and women's Nordic ski teams, follow @AlaskaNanooksXC on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks XC team page on Facebook.