Skiathon will tour campus trails for 20K
March 8, 2017
The Skiathon classic cross-country ski race and tour will be held on the University of Alaska Fairbanks trails starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 19.
The course winds for 20 kilometers — about 12.4 miles — through the forest, fields and lakes of the north campus.
The event is the UAF Trails Club's main annual fundraiser. Entry fees help upgrade the UAF trails and trail grooming equipment. Students pay $10 and adults pay $15. Late registration is $40.
Registration and liability waiver forms are available at Beaver Sports, Goldstream Sports and Raven Cross Country. The forms can also be downloaded from the club's website. Forms can be mailed to the club or dropped off at the above locations.
The club's website also has a downloadable map of the expected course, as well as a map of the alternate course if the trail gets icy.
Skiers are to use the classic technique only. They'll have multiple set tracks at the start line and single tracks for most of the course. Pin flags and arrows stuck in the snow will mark the route. Aid stations will provide sports drink and water at the mid-point and finish line.
Skiers not participating in the event may be on the course. Walkers, dogs, bicycles and motor vehicles should stay off the trails as usual.
The race will be timed. Results in the men's and women's divisions will be broken into age groups. Placement in a wood ski division will also be recorded. Finishers will receive a Skiathon patch. About 70 skiers have participated in recent years.
The Skiathon began at UAF in 1966. It followed the 12-mile trail, which winds through the subdivisions north of campus. The race went dormant for more than a decade but was revived in 2001. It now is run entirely on UAF trails, with only a few road crossings. The event has raised more than $10,000 over the years.
This year's event is sponsored by the UAF Student Activities Office, the UAF Trails Club and the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks. For more information, go online to http://uaftrailsclub.weebly.com/ or contact race director Stan Justice at 479-5017 or stanjustice@acsalaska.net.