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Winner takes 5 at Sunshine Coast Loppet

Dakota Ridge
loppet
Blakely Browne (left) won the 30-kilometre race at the Sunshine Coast Loppet, despite accidentally skiing an extra five kilometres. Winner Sophie Kitson crosses the finish line of the 2.5-kilometre 17-and-under race on Dakota Ridge on Feb. 3.

Misty mountains and impending rain didn’t deter 58 racers from taking part in the third annual Sunshine Coast Loppet at Dakota Ridge on Feb. 3.

For Blakely Browne from Leavenworth, Wash., the day was a little longer.

Despite losing his bearings on the circuit and skiing an extra five kilometres, he still managed to win the 30-kilometre race in a time of 1:39:45.1.

Loppets are Nordic ski races that can be raced competitively or for leisure. The Tetrahedron Outdoor Club organizes this one on Dakota Ridge. While volunteers are situated throughout the circuit to provide support, wayfinding is up to the racers. “Any cross-country ski race you’re responsible to follow the signs. The marshals are here to help, but they are not responsible for it,” said Urs Pfaeffli, race director. He said somebody goes the wrong way every year.

Skiers and snowshoers plowed over a 225 cm base of snow on the foggy Saturday. “The conditions have been good considering we had a little bit of rain in the last 12 hours, but I think fast. We’ve had some years where it’s been very warm, where people have been shirtless on one of the laps,” said Jamie Mani, a race organizer and owner of Alpha Adventures, one of the event sponsors. Heavy rains caused the Dakota Ridge access road to close on Jan. 29.

Sophie Kitson, an eighth grader who won the 2.5-kilometre 17-and-under race with a time of 13:02:08, said it was good snow for skating. “When you’re going downhill and the breeze is blowing and you go really fast, it’s really cool.”

Participants came from across the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver, North Vancouver, Burnaby and Port Moody. “The Sunshine Coast isn’t exactly skiing territory so if we have an event and we can get people to come out, that can just spread the word,” said Pfaeffli.

Kerstin Reznick won the 100-metre sprint in the five-and-under category, Peter Reznick won the one-kilometre race with a time of 10:07.4 in the 6-to-12 category. Kelly Geisheimer won the 12-kilometre open race with a time of 46:47.1. John Kitson won “The Works” in a time of 42:52.3, which combines 12 kilometres of skiing with 4.5 kilometres snowshoeing.

See more photos from the event in ouronline galleries at www.coastreporter.net