Spectator Guide

Thank you for attending TCGIS Nordic's races. These athletes have worked so hard and deserve our support and encouragement from start to finish! 

Where to Watch

As a spectator, you will only see a fraction of your skier’s race. Race courses are always a loop that start and end in the same location, so you can choose to stay in one place and watch the start and finish of the race.  Otherwise, you can watch anywhere along the course that you can access via a footpath of packed snow. Stand a foot or more away from the edge of the trail and do not cross any part of the ski trail. 

Cheer and Ring Your Cowbells!

Mittens don't make noise. Cowbells and voices do. Bring your bell and ring it loud! The racers can hear them for quite a distance on the course.  Here's a fun, quick video on cowbell etiquette.

It is common to cheer for ALL skiers, whether it's simply "Great job, skier" or "Let's go, club/school name" (if you know it). 

Use appropriate language at all times. Profanity, negative chants, booing, trash talking, name calling personal attacks or other acts of disrespect are unacceptable.

Dress for the Weather

Wherever you watch, you will be standing on snow, and may need to walk up or down a snowy or icy hill to get there, so wear winter boots and dress for the weather!

Protect the Course

Do not walk on the ski trails, including in the start/finish area. Boots track dirt, salt and debris onto the snow and dirty snow slows down skis and can damage them.  Footsteps create indentations in the skate deck and wreck the classic tracks, (the two parallel grooves running along the edge of the course) and both can be a hazard to skiers. Instead, stand a foot or more away from the edge of the trails.