FARMINGTON – Titcomb Mountain will host a prestigious Eastern Cup Race an additional day due to a lack of snow in Augusta.

The New England Nordic Ski Association originally designated the Bond Brook course in Augusta as the site for Saturday’s sprint races followed by longer Nordic races at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington on Sunday.

The Augusta races have now been moved to Farmington.

With the assistance of fire departments from Farmington, Industry and New Sharon, who have lent fire hose to Titcomb Mountain ski area for snow-making purposes, a full weekend of Nordic skiing takes place here, organizers said.

The event is the NENSA TD Bank Pine Tree Eastern Cup competition, with some 400 athletes, high school and college age and older racing on Jan. 14 and 15.

Titcomb Mountain personnel and the Farmington Ski Club were committed to making snow in order to have the event held in Farmington as scheduled.

Fire hoses made it possible for snow guns to be towed into the woods and onto the Nordic trails. The result is a half-mile trail, which combined with a section of alpine trail, amounts to a nearly one-mile race trail.

A classic technique sprint race will open the competition on Saturday with qualifying races for all men’s age classes beginning at 10 a.m., and Women’s qualifying races for all ages immediately to follow. Top skiers in each age class will race in elimination heats starting at 1 p.m. Awards will be at 3:15 p.m.

On Sunday, skiers will race the freestyle or skate technique, making multiple loops on a 1.4 kilometer course, beginning at 9:00 a.m. for J2 Men. All women starters, including J2, will race at 10 a.m. Men J1 and older start at 12:30 p.m.

Sunday awards are at 2 p.m.

The TD Bank Pine Tree Eastern Cup is one of four major regional competitions sponsored by the New England Nordic Ski Association, and the Titcomb event will be the only Eastern Cup race held in Maine this season.

Among skiers with local roots expected to compete are Welly Ramsey of New Sharon, Derek Rowe of Farmington, and Mike Lessard of Turner, who ski for the Maine Winter Sports Center. Also competing are Justin Fereshetian of Turner, who skis for the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the Maine Winter Sports Center, and Shelby Aseltine of Wilton, who skis for Bowdoin College.

The event is expected to be the largest Nordic ski competition ever held at Titcomb Mountain. More than 60 volunteers have been at work since the spring of 2011 preparing the site and will assist on race days.

For race participants and fans, ample parking will be available at the West Farmington air strip next to the Titcomb Mountain ski area. There will be additional food concessions available for the estimated 800 racers, coaches and fans.