The second annual (virtual) Roy-llerski event, held to honor Roy Varney who was a Nordic skier at Leavitt Area High School, will be held during the month of July. Participants can rollerski, run, or bike to commemorate the legacy of Roy and receive prizes.

We are thrilled to announce that the New England Nordic Ski Association ( NENSA Nordic ) and The Maine Outdoor Wellness Center (MOWC) will be co-hosting the second annual “Roy-llerski” fitness competition and fundraiser for the month of July.

Jenny Wilbraham, who skied for Morse High School and was a great friend of Roy created the meet-up event last year to honor Roy Varney. Several members of the Maine Nordic ski community came together to rollerski for Roy and to honor him last July. The goal was simply to bring together the nordic community for solidarity, remembrance, and be there to support one another. Roy who skied for Leavitt Area High School, was a multiple Class A state champion, a KVAC Champion, and one of the top high school Nordic skiers in Maine. He passed away in a farm accident in July of 2019.

This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, things will be a little different. Instead of coming together in person, NENSA and the MOWC are pleased to hold this event virtually.

Using the date of Roy’s passing (7/1/19), the challenge is to ski, run, rollerski or bike ride 71.19km OR for 71:19 (1h:11m:19s), spread over a couple of days if need be. The event is open to the public regardless of experience and age.

In the 2nd annual (virtual) Roy-llerski, there are five different competitions to enter and prizes will be rewarded! The small entry fee will go towards The Maine Outdoor Wellness’s 2020 fundraising initiative, which will be used in the development of trails for running, biking, and skiing. The MOWC is being created in Turner and will have Nordic, bike, and running trails as well as a biathlon training facility. It was Roy’s dream to have such a center in his area.

The goal is to have fun, stay safe, and take the spirit of the journey with you!! Sharing photos or GPS tracks is highly encouraged. Registration is currently open via SkiReg (https://www.skireg.com/roy-llerski) and participants will input their photos and their data via a Google form.

For more information, contact jenwilb.ski@gmail.com or dustin.williamson@msad52.org .