WATERVILLE — Quarry Road Recreation Area will host The Roy Varney Eastern Cup Opener Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 21 and 22 at 300 Quarry Road.

“We’re excited to host this event,” said Justin Fereshetian, Quarry Road’s program director and head coach, according to a news release from the rec area. Originally scheduled to be held at Sugarloaf, the race had to be moved on account of warm temperatures and rain.
The New England Nordic Ski Association Eastern Cup is the premier Nordic racing circuit in New England, drawing elite skiers from the eastern United States and Canada, and is a qualifying event for the Junior National Championships.

This year’s Eastern Cup Opener will be held in memory of Roy Varney, a State Champion Nordic skier from Turner, who passed away in July 2019.  “On Sunday we will have a special award for the top Maine High School skier in the distance classic race — Roy’s favorite discipline,” said Fereshetian, who coached Varney.

The race is expected to draw 300-400 racers from throughout New England and Eastern Canada, including a large contingent of Maine athletes. All registration fees for Maine racers will be matched with a donation from an anonymous donor to the Roy Varney Memorial Fund.

Central Maine Ski Club skiers will be among this weekend’s racers. “We invite area residents to cheer on our local athletes and enjoy a festive outdoor event,” said Fereshetian.
Registration will remain open until Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 5 p.m.  There will be day-of-race registration available for both days at least one hour before posted start times.

Start times for both days are set for 10 a.m. to allow for any teams that might need extra time to travel from Sugarloaf.

For update details, visit New England Nordic Ski Association’s event website nensa.net. For further information on Quarry Road Recreation Area and its trail system, visit www.quarryroad.org. Fereshetian can be reached at 616-6186.