Recreation & Sports

SAVE THE DATE: HARRIS HILL SKI JUMPING COMPETITION SET FOR FEB. 20 AND 21

BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — The nation’s best young ski jumpers are set to fly off New England’s only Olympic-size hill Feb. 20 and 21 at the annual Harris Hill Ski Jump in Brattleboro, Vt.

The nearly century-old competition will feature athletes from the United States, Canada and Europe who will compete on a 90-meter hill that’s one of just six of its size in the country.

Since its start in 1922, the annual event attracts several thousand spectators who watch watch jumpers soar up to 300 feet at speeds up to 60 mph.

Hits the Spot Yoga at Solar Hill in West Brattleboro announces a new course for 2016: Yoga for Golfers.

Yoga Center Director/Founder Scott Willis created this 12-session course as a way for golfers to improve their game during the off season while enjoying the company of other folks who love golf. “Particularly as we age, we benefit greatly from practicing golf-specific yoga techniques for optimal flexibility, strength, and focus,” says Scott.

Congratulations Burlington, and kudos to everyone in the Burlington Skatepark Coaliton, Grindline, and all supporters.

The Two Day Event Will Include the USASJ U.S. Cup Finals

Brattleboro, Vt. – The Harris Hill Ski Jump, the only Olympic-sized, 90-meter ski jumping hill in New England, will host its annual two-day ski jumping event February 20 and 21, 2016. The event will feature the Brattleboro-specific Fred Harris Memorial Tournament and the Pepsi Challenge, and the weekend will also serve as the U.S. Cup Finals of the United States American Ski Jumping (USASJ) series.

Founded in 1922, the annual jumping competition held on Harris Hill attracts several thousand spectators each year not only to watch local jumpers reach great heights but also to view world renowned jumpers soar in the sport of ski jumping. Seven different countries were represented at last year’s event.

Skill and perseverance are needed to snare a fish in moving water, even more so if it’s a native variety. Of indigenous locals, brook trout are most prevalent, and arguably the most beautiful. They’re coy and sly creatures, and having had about ten million years to perfect their camouflage only enhances superb stealth. A trout can be underfoot and you might never know it. So, a catch is a delight which brings much satisfaction.

In short, to succeed you need to be a refined stalker and trickster. The trout is the one attuned to and at home in the water, not we terrestrials. Its super-sensitivities must be matched or there’s no chance, one false move and it’s usually game over. Within this critical pursuit, selection and presentation of an artificial fly must so evoke a real morsel, the fish is willing to risk his life chomping it.

Are you looking for suggestions on bike rides in the Tri-State region this summer? The recently-released map of bikeway routes along the Connecticut River Scenic Byway can help you out. The map covers parts of three states and shows bike routes from Putney, VT and Walpole, NH in the north to Easthampton and South Hadley, MA in the south.

The map was prepared by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments in Greenfield, MA in cooperation with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation. The Windham Regional Commission (WRC) in Brattleboro contributed data for the Vermont portion of the map, which shows easier, intermediate, and advanced bike routes, off-road bike trails, bike shops, picnic areas, ice cream stops, and more.

Our Place Drop-In Center in Bellows Falls is hosting a 5K race and walk to benefit its food programs Saturday, Aug. 15 at Vermont Academy in Saxtons River.

The 5K for Food will get under way at 9 a.m. over the trails at VA and will include a cool route through the woods, perfect for an August day. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the Chivers Center on Shepare Lane.

The registration fee is $15, with a maximum of $30 per family.

The event will raise money to help stock the shelves at Our Place, which serves approximately 175 local families a month. Donations of non-perishable food will be accepted at the 5K.

There is still room for a team to join summer soccer in Brattleboro this year, sponsored by the Putney Soccer Club and held on Wednesday evenings at SIT. Eleven teams are not in place and there is room for one more. The season starts on May 13 and runs to the end of August.

If you are interested in entering a team in the league and serving as captain, please email Edwin de Bruijn at labdeb@sover.net or call 802 254 6965.

Also, if you are an individual player looking to join a team, we may be able to help you find one. You can email us at putneysoccerclub@gmail.com. When you do, please tell us a little about yourself, age, skill level, and so on. Thanks.

Come out rain, mud and/or shine and support Green Street School enrichment programs while you walk or run down neighborhood streets and the scenic Retreat trails behind Brattleboro’s famous ski jump. This family-friendly local 5k is in its third year and gaining great momentum, please join us!

The Saturday, May 2 race starts and finishes at Green Street School, 164 Green Street, Brattleboro. There is also a 1/2 mile Sprout Run for younger children before the 5K.

Registration is now open for the fifth annual Tour de Heifer, which, organizers say, includes Vermont’s most challenging dirt road cycling rides.

The Tour is organized as a fund-raiser for Strolling of the Heifers, and takes place on Sunday of Strolling of the Heifers Weekend, June 7.

The Tour’s 60-mile and 30-mile challenge routes follow dirt roads with mimimal pavement.  Both entail significant elevation change — nearly 7,000 feet for the 60-miler, and over 3,000 feet for the 30-miler.

Brattleboro, VT–Families, friends and teams from work are invited to celebrate the 34th Annual Bowl for Kids’ Sake to benefit Youth Services’ Big Brothers Big Sisters program on Saturday, April 4. The fundraising event will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with teams signing up for a one-hour time slot at Brattleboro Bowl on Putney Road.

Brattleboro, Vt. (January 19, 2015) – The only International Skiing Federation (FIS)-approved ski jump in New England will soon be fully active as the 93rd Harris Hill Ski Jump sets to take off February 14 and 15 in Brattleboro, Vt. The world-class competition will feature more than 40 of the world’s top male and female jumpers from the US, Europe and Canada who will compete on a 90-meter Olympic sized jump.

One of the best kept secrets in Brattleboro is the nifty little ski resort tucked into the side of Living Memorial Park. Just like the big guys, it features a lift, snowmaking and grooming…and it’s open for night skiing too.

It may not be as challenging as some, but it IS fun, and all for the measly sum of FIVE BUCKS!

Historical note: In the early days of skiing, people from New York City used to come by train just to ski here.

The Wilmington Trails Committee is hosting a trail event Saturday, September 27th (Rain date September 28th). The hike will be two of Wilmington’s newer trails: The Shearer Hill Trail and the Raponda Primitive Trail.

Everyone is invited to meet at 10 AM at the entrance to the Shearer Hill Trail, which is at the field on the left hand side of Shearer Hill Road in Wilmington just before you come to the Marlboro Town Line which is at the intersection of Grant Road. You will see vehicles parked along the road. More information about the route will be provided once everyone gathers at the start. The hike will begin at 10:30am.

The Walpole Wild Blue and the Claremont Cardinals kept their hopes alive for for a first place regular season finish in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League with victories in their most recent games. The team they are chasing, the undefeated Putney Fossils, return to CRVBL action this weekend.

The defending champion Claremont Cardinals beat a shorthanded Walpole Maples team, 13-1 at Barnes Park in Claremont. Veteran pitcher Mike Wells, kept the Maples off balance all day with an assortment of scuffed fastballs and doctored curves. Wells threw 6 strong innings, allowing one run on three hits, with 6 strikeouts. He also helped himself by starting a nifty double play to stop a possible rally in the 4th inning. The offense was paced by the four hit and five RBI performance of Mr. Nate Duford. Todd Bersaglieri raked three hits and Andrew Sullivan had two more.

After a break over the Independence Day weekend, six of the seven town teams in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League return to action next Sunday, each of them hoping to gain ground on the undefeated Putney Fossils. The Fossils enjoy another week off after running off nine straight victories to start the season. Regular season play will end in early August with two weeks of playoffs to determine the winner of the 2014 CRVBL Cup.

The Putney Fossils remain undefeated in the Connecticut River Valley Baseball League after a doubleheader sweep of the Sunapee Old Lakers, while in other local adult baseball action, the Claremont Cardinals defeated the Brattleboro River Rats, while the Walpole Wild Blue came out on top of its crosstown rival, the Maples.

Putney took the first game of its twin bill by a 6-3 score with RIchard Bissell picking up a complete game win, and Keith Lyman driving in a pair of runs while going two for three at the plate. In the second game, the Fossils romped to an 18 – 6 win that featured a monster offensive performance from Kyle Whitworth who went four for four, including a home run and five runs batted in. Danny Lichtenfeld earned the victory on the mound.

WALPOLE, NH – The Putney Fossils continued their winning ways Friday night, June 6 with a 7-2 victory over previously undefeated Walpole Wild Blue at Hubbard Park.

Hard throwing Fossils right-hander Danny Lichtenfeld was masterful on the mound, scattering six hits and three walks over eight innings while fanning six and allowing no earned runs. Bob “Bullet” Englehart pitched a perfect ninth to close out the game.

In the only game on last weekend’s Connecticut River Valley Baseball League schedule, the Claremont Cardinals shut out the Sunapee Old Lakers, 9 – 0. All eight teams in the region’s adult baseball league return to action this weekend.

Jon Nicholas picked up the complete game win for the Cardinals, giving up four hits while striking out eight. Nicholas was also the team’s offensive star, going four for four, driving in a run and scoring twice.