Thursday, October 31, 2013

CXC Nordic Super Fit Program this weekend!


CXC NORDIC SUPERFIT PROGRAM 
featuring Salomon and Fischer

November 1 - 3, 2013



"Super Fit" is a weekend sale program filled with seminars, presentations & store specials. Get your equipment fit by CXC Elite Team professional athletes & coaches using a state of the art 3D ski pressure mat. Bring your old skis to test if they have a good fit for you & get an independent opinion. It’s a great chance to mingle with others that love Nordic skiing!


Friday, Nov. 1st:
10 am - 8 pm: 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing &/or Salomon Flex Table Testing

10 am - 8 pm: Measure yourself against other skiers on "SKI ERG"
(simple double pole test will give you an idea where you will finish at the 2013 Birkie)


Saturday, Nov. 2nd:
*All clinics meet at Fontana's west side location*

8 am: Free "Taste of Nordic" Dryland & Rollerski Technique Clinic

10 am - 8 pm: 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing &/or Salomon Flex Table Testing

10 am - 8 pm: Measure yourself against other skiers on "SKI ERG"


Sunday, Nov. 3rd:
11 am - 6 pm: 3D Ski Flex Mat Testing &/or Salomon Flex Table Testing

11 am - 6 pm: Measure yourself against other skiers on "SKI ERG”



Fontana Sports Westside location:
231 Junction Road,
Madison, WI 53717
608.833.9191

Monday, October 28, 2013

Win a Fjallraven Kanken Daypack!

We're celebrating the fact that we are now carrying the Swedish brand, Fjallraven, by giving away some sweet products! Like us on Facebook through October 31st for your chance to win one of 2 Fjallraven Kanken daypacks! Good luck!

 

Click Here To Enter




Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Muskie Hunters



By Craig Amacker

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will deter the obsessive and determined muskie hunter. Those were the conditions Craig, 4 good friends(Dan, Ron, Nathalie, and Craig T), and 3 seasoned hearty guides(Brett, Cory, and Eric) fished in on Saturday October 19. Even though a cold front settled over the north country, the deserted inky rivers beckoned us to chase toothy predators. As we put the boats in, the rain started coming down harder and we joked that Brett’s cousin owned a tavern ½ mile down river and the day would be spent playing cards, eating cheese burgers, and drinking malt beverages. But we’re a tough lot with muskies on the brain and we thought things would turn on after a slow previous day. An hour and a half into the trip, I cast an 11” fly next to a log jam and a nice muskie (see picture) moved 6 feet, vaulted out of the water, and crushed my fly with a vengeance. After an eye-crossing hook set, and horsing the fish to the boat, the fish was in the net with smiles, high fives, and pictures all around. Here’s the thing with muskie fishing-it takes 1 fish to take you from singing the blues to saying it’s a great day, and this fish made my day awesome. The other folks in the group had some blowups (when the fish strikes and misses), and got some nice pike. The neatest fish of the day was the fish the other Craig caught shortly before the takeout and after the sun came out-nice fat fish that struck hard and fought hard - a great finish to the day. Next year’s dates for the Annual Muskie Trip are October 15-18, 2014 in Hayward, WI if anyone wants to be in these pictures.


Monday, October 21, 2013

Snowshoe Scurry Race Series!

We've got some exciting news! We've partnered with 2013's Ironman Winner, local resident, Jackie Arendt to put together Madison's only Snowshoe race series! Read below for more info and we hope to see you there!


Snowshoe Scurry Race Series

This is the first year for you to snowshoe race in the Madison area! This is a 4 event series with races every Sunday in January each including a 1 mile fun run/walk, 5k and 10k options. Come for a great workout, wintertime fun, and enjoy some food and drinks after the race with other adventurous runners!

Don't have snowshoes? That's OK!! As our main sponsor, Fontana Sports is offering a discount on the purchase of running snowshoes with race entry as well as offering some for rent! Get the whole family involved in a fun winter activity.

January 5th and 19th:
Token Creek Park,
DeForest, WI

January 12th and 26th:
Donald Park,
Mount Horeb, WI


Packet Pick-Up 
  • The Saturday beforehand, from 12pm - 8pm at Fontana Sports Westside location 
  • Sunday/Race Day from 7:30am - 8:30am at the Race Start 

Pricing 
  • 5K & 10K early (before 3PM on December 17): $30 single race, $100 for the series (that's pretty much one race for free!!) 
  • 5K & 10K Race Day Registration: $35 single race, $115 for the series (still a good deal!) 
  • 1 mile fun run/walk: $10 - great for the whole family!! 
  • Snow Shoe Rental: $15 (We have a limited # of snowshoes so make sure you sign up early if you need to rent snowshoes!!)

Perks
  • Get a discount on your Snowshoe purchase at Fontana Sports with race registration! 
  • A freebie (probably gloves) for all pre-registered 5k/10k athletes and if in stock for race day registrants. 
  • Pre-race coffee and hot chocolate. 
  • Post race treats, warm drinks and beer! 
  • Professional timing and well marked course

Awards
  • Overall awards and prizes presented to male & female winners of the 5k and 10k distance. 
  • Overall winner is first across the line. 
  • Age group awards to overall male and female winners in 10 year age groups (19 and under, 20-29yrs, 30-39yrs, 40-49yrs, etc.) 

For more info please visit - http://snowshoewi.com/

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Jimmy Chin = Awesome!

Boy, did we have fun with Jimmy Chin last night! The North Face Speaker Series we had was a great success! We sold 17 tickets to the VIP Event, which means that we'll be donating $340.00 to the Ice Age Trail Alliance! And the event sold out with 272 tickets sold. Wahoo! The picture below really does a good job showing how much fun was had and how excited we were to host Jimmy this year.


Be sure to check out our Facebook page for more pics, videos and fun had with Jimmy! We hope you were able to join us and can't wait to hear what North Face Athlete we'll be hosting next year.

Here's a taste of how great Jimmy Chin's Speaker Series talk is:




Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Socktober means FREE Smartwool Socks!

Don't miss the opportunity for FREE Smartwool socks this Friday! Donate a gently used pair (doesn't have to be a Smartwool pair) and you get a pair FREE! Wahoo! All turned in socks will be donated to Porchlight to help the homeless. We hope to see you! Tell your friends! :)
 

Tuesday, October 08, 2013

That time of year - SKI SEASON!

Yesterday we welcomed many of our Downhill Ski Reps into our Westside location to hold clinics to teach our wonderful employees all the info they could absorb about the many different ski brands we carry. They were in clinics for 6 hours! Don't worry they got a great pizza lunch provided by Fontana Sports to keep the learning going all day!




Then last night we had our Ski Pro and Race Night also held at our Westside location. It was great having so many people in this early in the season who can't wait for the snow! There was plenty of food and beer and smiles all around. The reps stayed after clinicing and worked with customers as well as got to catch up with long time friends also in the industry. Thanks to all who attended! We can't wait for some SNOW!!

Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Events & Clinics - October 2013

FALL HIKING BASICS
Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013 at 6:30pm
Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison WI
Cooler temperatures and fall colors make the fall season great for hiking. Join us to learn about the basics of fall hiking. Our experts will share local day hike locations not to be missed this time of year and tips about trip planning, safety precautions and essential gear. This is event is free to attend.

NORDIC WALKABOUT
Tuesday, October 8th, 2013 at 9:00am
Schumacher Farm Park, 5682 Hwy 19, Waunakee, WI 53597 (Park and meet by the barn)
Now that you’ve taken the Nordic Walking Intro Course, let’s meet for a real Nordic walk at whichever time works best for you! Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, for a total-body workout and enjoy a nice Nordic walk outside. Get any questions you may still have about Nordic Walking answered. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking on gravel. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided if needed. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

NORDIC WALKABOUT
Tuesday, October 8th, 2013 at 6:00pm
Schumacher Farm Park, 5682 Hwy 19, Waunakee, WI 53597 (Park and meet by the barn)
Now that you’ve taken the Nordic Walking Intro Course, let’s meet for a real Nordic walk at whichever time works best for you! Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, for a total-body workout and enjoy a nice Nordic walk outside. Get any questions you may still have about Nordic Walking answered. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking on gravel. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided if needed. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

THE NORTH FACE NEVER STOP EXPLORING SPEAKER SERIES
"Both Sides Of The Lens" presented by Climber/Skier/Photographer Jimmy Chin


Tuesday, October 15th, 2013
Promenade Hall in the Overture Center – 201 State Street, Madison WI, 53703

  • 5:30pm – 6:30pm: VIP reception with Athlete at Fontana Sports Downtown location – 216 N. Henry Street. Includes appetizers and drinks, and the opportunity to meet Jimmy.
  • 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Athlete Presentation, followed by Q&A
  • 8:00pm – 9:00pm: Book/Poster signing by Athlete

Jimmy has been a sponsored climber and skier for the North Face Athlete Team for over ten years. He is one of the few people to climb and ski Mount Everest from the summit and has been profiled in National Geographic Magazine, Outside Magazine, People Magazine, Men's Journal and more. Jimmy is also one of the most sought after and recognized adventure sports photographers and filmmakers working today. In the past decade, Jimmy has collaborated with some of the most progressive athletes and explorers in the world, participating in and documenting break through expeditions around the planet, from climbing notable first ascents in the Karakoram, to skiing first descents in the Himalayas. He is a National Geographic photographer and has received numerous awards for his work from PDN, Communication Arts, American Society of Magazine Editors and the Lowell Thomas Journalism Awards. Most recently, he co-founded Camp 4 Collective, a production company focused on adventure sports and lifestyle. Jimmy resides outside of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

  • 7 PM - Free seat (limited availability): FREE
  • 5:30 PM - VIP reception & preferred seat: $20.00 (Proceeds from VIP Reception tickets will benefit the Ice Age Trail Foundation)

Visit http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/get-outdoors/speaker_series/13-jimmy-chin/ to order tickets - Available Now!

COLD WEATHER CAMPING
Wednesday, October 16th, 2013 at 6:00pm
Downtown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI
Brisk temperatures can make camping quite the adventure. Learn from an expert how to make that experience safe and enjoyable. They’ll share favorite local cold weather camping locations and tips about trip planning, essential gear and safety precautions. This event is free to attend.

NORDIC WALKING INTRO CLASS
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 at 9:30am
Westside Location - 231 Junction Rd., Madison WI
Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, as she shows you how to turn your walk into a total-body workout. Enjoy a nice walk outside while learning about the physical and mental benefits of Nordic walking. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

NORDIC WALKING INTRO CLASS
Tuesday, October 22nd, 2013 at 6:00pm
Downtown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI
Join Judith Hutchinson, trained Leki Instructor, as she shows you how to turn your walk into a total-body workout. Enjoy a nice walk outside while learning about the physical and mental benefits of Nordic walking. Please bring appropriate clothing and shoes for walking. Leki Nordic Walking poles will be provided. Space is limited. Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This is a free event.

DOWNTOWN MADISON FAMILY HALLOWEEN
Friday, October 25th, 2013
Downtown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI
Enjoy trick-or-treating with your little ones on State Street. Be sure to stop by Fontana for some family fun too! For more info click here: http://www.VisitDowntownMadison.com/events/

HALLOWEEN AT THE ZOO
Sunday, October 27th, 2013 at 9:30am - 5:00pm
Henry Vilas Zoo, Madison WI
We are partnering with the Henry Vilas Zoo for their Halloween event by buying and doing the face painting. Should be a fun day! If you’d like to volunteer with us, send us an email. The more, the merrier! We hope to see you at the event either way! http://www.vilaszoo.org/events/index.php?category_id=1994

NORDIC WAX BASE PREPARATION
Tuesday, October 29th, 2013 at 6:00pm
Downtown Location - 216 N. Henry St., Madison WI
Learn how to get the most out of your skis with early season base preparation. We’ll discuss the hot box, personalizing your skis, conditions in our region and give lots of great tips for making your skis happy and fast! Contact Elizabeth at 608.662.9706 to reserve your space. This event is free to attend.

Visit Fontana Sports Events page: http://www.fontanasports.com/misc_content/events