XC Oregon High School XC Ski Invitational
Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026
Location: Mt Bachelor Nordic Center
First Race Start: 11:00am (PST)
Freestyle Technique
Latest Update: Tuesday, January 13, 2026
The 2026 XC Oregon High School XC Ski Invitational looks to again be a huge success thanks to the many volunteers, coaches, parent supporters, and awesome athletes involved. We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Start lists can be found here the days prior to the Invite
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Event Maps
2026 Event note: Due to a patch of exposed lava rock on the usual individual and relay course cutover entry point to the stadium, the current plan is to drop both individual and relay races briefly down into the edge of the Nordic Bowl before a short climb back into the stadium. The maps below show the route modification. This is the same modification that has been used for the skate race at OISRAN State Meet the past few years. It will all be marked very clearly.
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Event Information & Schedule For Coaches
--> Pre-Invite Steps for Skiers/Coaches without Mt Bachelor Season Passes
Important pre-Invite instructions regarding race day passes at Mt Bachelor Nordic Center for racers and a limited number of coaches will be emailed to all teams early in the race week.
Upon completion of the race day instructions, vouchers for race day trail passes will be emailed direct to the Head Coach for all racers. Vouchers for coach passes will also be issued at a ratio of 6 racers to 1 coach pass. Additional coaches on skis beyond that ratio will need to purchase a Nordic Center day pass on race day.
As per tradition, the XC Oregon non-profit will be covering the cost of all racer passes at the XC Oregon High School Invitational. However, Mt Bachelor has a specific process to issue passes that must be followed to avoid problems or delays on Invite morning.
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--> All team leaders please be advised that the Mt Bachelor West Village parking lot will tend to get full the later you arrive. This is especially true if the weather is nice. So even with the relatively comfortable race start time, your team will need to plan your travel around not only overall driving conditions, but also potential crowded roads on the last leg up to Mt Bachelor from the Bend city limits. Worst case scenario in the mid-morning is some parents may need to drop off athletes and then wait for West Village spaces to open or use alternative parking locations such as nearby Sno-Parks.
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--> We will be using sequential bibs for all competitors. All coaches and athletes are reminded that it is critical to return your bibs immediately after race finish. All coaches please make sure all DNS bibs are returned to the stadium timing hut no later than 10:45am (timers can then make a note of DNS skiers).
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--> All coaches will be sent seeding information via email early in the race week with the seeding deadline marked on the email. Please send word via OISRAN channels if any team does not receive seeding information.
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--> Coaches will note that the draft Start List will be in the following order: boys seed 1, girls seed 1, boys seed 2, girls seed 2, then it’s the boys 3-4 seeds, girls 3-4, boys 5-6, girls 5-6, and all 7 seeds. This mixed seeding is intended to offer a smooth race experience for skiers. Northern & Mt Hood League coaches please note we are using 20 second intervals for the Invite.
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--> A Short Course will be offered that will stay entirely on the Nordic Center "upper" trails. Designation for the Short Course is entirely at Coaches discretion. Information on how to designate athletes will be provided on the seeding sheet and email. Short Course athletes will be put into a separate result category and also will be designated on the start list for the information of course monitors. Please note that there will not be separate awards for skiers skiing the Short Course.
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--> Starting at 9:00am coaches will find an Invite check-in table on the route to the Nordic Center along the route from parking lot to pass gate (between Center and brick pump house). Teams will be given bags of your team bibs for the race. Please note that race bibs will not double as a trail pass to enter the Mt Bachelor Nordic system as in some past years. Racers and eligible coaches without a season pass will need to follow the pre-Invite trail pass instructions that will sent out via email. Coaches on skis please note that complimentary passes will only be provided on a ratio of 6 athletes to 1 coach. Additional coaches beyond that ratio will need to purchase day passes. If you know at check-in about certain DNS skiers in your team, please inform the check-in table volunteers. This will greatly help expedite the timing effort!
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--> Volunteers will be emailed the process on check-in for complimentary trail tickets whether you are on skis/snowshoes or on foot. Course Monitor volunteers should check-in latest by 9:45am. Stadium Crew volunteers should check-in latest by 10:00am. See event schedule below for time and location of Stadium Crew and Course Monitor meetings respectively.
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--> All spectators on skis must have a trail pass to enter the Mt Bachelor Nordic system. Spectators should purchase tickets at the Nordic Center pass booth. Spectators walking from pass gate to stadium should arrange for a Common Corridor free pass at the Nordic Center pass booth and then MUST follow only the marked and designated route for on-foot spectators from pass gate to the race stadium.
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--> There will be a brief coaches meeting at 10:30am at the announcing tent located outside the final curve of curve fencing (stadium end nearest Nordic Center).
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--> We will not have live timing for this event on-line. Results will be posted as soon as possible and linked from OISRAN.org.
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--> Immediately after the final racer crosses the finish line, we will have a very, very quick Invitational awards ceremony in the team tent area adjacent to the announcing booth at the Nordic Center end of the stadium. The top 10 overall boys and girls will receive awards. Please make team arrangements for someone to pick up awards for any skiers that need to leave early.
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--> Immediately after the very quick Invite awards ceremony, we will begin the countdown for the girls 3 x 1km relay. Boys 3 x 1km relay will follow immediately after the girls relay.
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--> The Invite relay is optional for all teams. Any team that does not wish to participate in the relay is welcome to depart after the awards. Coaches should pick up bibs for your relay teams at the Timing Hut before the end of the individual race. All schools are allowed a maximum of three relay teams per gender. Due to limited space on the relay course, there will not be independent middle school relay teams.
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--> Any medical needs or emergencies should be reported to either Mt Bachelor Ski Patrol.
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Invite Schedule
11:00am mixed gender interval start with fastest to slower athletes seeded by coaches
Event Program: 5km individual.....freestyle technique.....20 second interval start.....an optional & low-key 3 x 1km freestyle relay (one girls relay, one boys relay) will follow individual race awards.
Note: Relay will not take place if weather is bad or scheduled delayed for any reason.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION: A link to the seeding Google sheet will be sent out via email to all team representatives early in the race week. Deadline for entries/seeds will be listed on the email information. Any questions, contact Race Registrar: Anne Powell, annepowell74 at gmail dot com, 541-647-7370
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Sanctioning/Insurance:
The Invitational is a sanctioned OISRAN event and official Oregon state qualifier for Mt Hood, Northern, and Southern Nordic Leagues. All OISRAN-registered skiers are eligible to participate, including Provisional Skiers, Independent Skiers, and Guest Skiers.
Trail/event fees for all OISRAN-registered skiers will be paid by the XC Oregon sponsorship.
Event Sponsor & Production Support:
The XC Oregon 501.c.3 non-profit.
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Detailed Schedule & Format Logistics:
8:30am-9:45am: Stadium and Course Set-up
10:00am: Course Monitor Volunteer Meeting @ Finish Area (followed by departure to course positions)
10:20am: Start/Finish/Timing Volunteer Meeting (15 mins) @ Timing Hut
10:30am: Coaches Meeting (5 mins) @ Announcing Tent immediately adjacent to Team Tent Area
11:00am -- 5km individual FREESTYLE, interval 20 second starts, mixed seeds of boys and girls.
Immediately after final racer crosses the finish line -- Individual Top 10 Awards Ceremony in stadium area (please all teams attend, ceremony will be very short)
Immediately after Awards Ceremony -- 3 x 1km relays (2 relays run to completion: girls relay first followed immediately by the boys relay). Each race should take roughly 15-20mins with minimal break in between to organize next start. No relay awards.
Individual Race Format Logistics:
-- All skiers will ski the same 5km course.
-- Individual interval start, 1 skier @ 20 second intervals for both girls and boys.
-- The top ten finishers for girls and boys races will receive awards. Short award ceremony will ideally take place BEFORE the relay so teams that need to hit the road can do so.
Relay Format Logistics:
-- The relay is completely optional and low-key. Any school that wishes to begin travel home after the individual awards -- please free to head out!
-- 2 separate relay races will be held -- 1 girls relay and 1 boys relay.
-- Relay consists of 3 skiers each skiing a roughly 1km loop.
-- Schools are allowed up to 3 teams per gender.
-- Schools are allowed 1 team on the first row assuming space is available.
-- No relay awards will be provided
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Other Resources
Archived Past Invite Results on OISRAN.org
Any questions please email jd at xcoregon dot org