UW Nordic Ski Team Seeks Funds Before Nationals to Buy Lost Equipment

A series of mishaps has hampered the nationally recognized University of Wyoming Nordic ski team heading into the 39th annual United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) championships next week.

The team’s equipment was never shipped back to the United States after UW competed at the Universiade World University Games last month in Almaty, Kazakhstan. That’s more than $100,000 in missing equipment, according to UW co-head Coach Christi Boggs.

“As we loaded the bus, we were told that there was not enough room for our skis or wax boxes and that these would be trucked separately to the airport,” Boggs says. “Unfortunately, early the next morning when we got to the airport, no skis or wax boxes had arrived. We were told that they were never delivered from the ski venue.”

Knowing that there was little time to get all of the UW athletes loaded on the plane, the team members took off without the skis and wax boxes, and not knowing when they would see the equipment again.

Nearly a month later, UW student-athletes are still without proper equipment going into the USCSA championship March 7-11 in Bend, Ore.

“Language barriers and the time change could perhaps be blamed, but the organizing committee has unfortunately drug its feet,” Boggs says. “We leave for collegiate nationals this week, and we realize that we will not only have to pay thousands of dollars for shipping for the return of our equipment, but also repurchase all of the wax that we will need for nationals. This will total approximately $8,000.”

A crowdfunding support fund has been set up for the team on the UW website at www.uwyo.edu/foundation/crowdfunding/?cfpage=project&project_id=13757. As of Thursday morning, 53 donors had contributed about $5,600 toward the team’s $8,000 goal.

Boggs says team members have had to borrow equipment to compete at the national championships, and a national ski representative has lent the club equipment as well.

“So far, we think we'll be all right with skis -- not awesome, but OK,” she says. “The men’s team is trying for a three-peat as national champions, without their own skis.”

UW’s teams again will be among the national favorites at the USCSA championships. The Cowboys are the two-time defending national champions, while the Cowgirls have been the national runners-up the past two seasons.

A strong contingent of 12 student-athletes will represent UW at nationals. Action begins Tuesday, March 7, with the 7.5km classic race, followed by the skate sprint Wednesday; a 15km skate Friday; and the closing team sprint classic Saturday.

Heading the Cowboys’ team are last season’s overall national champion, Will Timmons, a senior from Anchorage, Alaska; Mason Vincent, junior from Laramie, last season’s national classic race champion; and senior Sam Wiswell, Jackson. All three are returning All-American skiers.

Others are Morgan Robins, Lander sophomore; Sindre Solvang, Cheyenne senior; and Trevor Willoughby, Casper sophomore.

Returning All-Americans Meghan Kent, Laramie senior, and Jackson senior Yara Thomas head the Cowgirls’ team. Others are junior Leann Bentley and sophomore Ella DeWolf, both from Laramie; and senior Victoria Hollingsworth and freshman Sydney Wiswell, both from Jackson.

For more information, call Boggs at (307) 766-4238 or email cboggs@uwyo.edu.