A growing event

With more snow on the ground than they know what to do with, organizers of the Sleeping Giant Loppet have turned their attentions elsewhere in 2011.

First and foremost on their minds is expansion, with the addition of head-to-head cash sprints on Thursday, March 3 at Kamview Nordic Centre, reduced rates for students and a post-race dinner featuring 2002 Olympic gold medalist Becky Scott.

Loppet co-ordinator Peter Gallagher said they’re reaching out to the world this year.

“We’re trying so hard to attract people from out of the community and excite people in the community by adding new parts to the loppet every year, making it a festival rather than just a one-day event.”

The dash-for-cash, limited to 32 entrants on each of the men’s and women’s side, is particularly exciting, a growing trend that has caught on in long-distance skiing circles the last few years.

“It’s just a 200-metre course. It takes about 30 seconds for skiers to compete, but it’s head-to-head, one-on-one, two skiers at a time. If you win your heat you get some cash, and if you don’t win, you’re out of the event,” Gallagher said.

The sprints have attracted some world-class competition to the event, including Caitlin Compton, a U.S. Olympian who raced for her country at last year’s Vancouver Games, and Brian Gregg, the American’s eighth ranked Nordic skier.

There will also be a mixed race for skiers not quite at the national level, like the members of the National Development Centre – Thunder Bay and Lakehead University teams, both of which will be sending full teams to the loppet.

Adding to the festivities of the actual race day is Wolfie, the Lakehead Thunderwolves mascot. He’ll be skiing a special eight-kilometre race for children under 16, who pay just $5 to participate.

Organizer Marianne Stewart said they gave Wolfie the honourary No. 1 bib this year because his enthusiasm embodies the spirit of the loppet.

“We hope Wolfie will have a howling good time out there on the trails, this year,” she said.
Students of all ages will also be able to enter any of the races that day at a reduced rate of $20, a savings of up to $40 over regular fees.

It is part of their attempt to reach the magical 1,000-skier mark, always the goal but never reached. As added incentive, should they reach the goal a lucky entrant will take home a $1,000 cash prize.

One thing racers won’t have to worry about is snow conditions.
 
They’ve never been better said world-class groomer Peter Crooks, who will spend the next few days refining the trails that criss-cross the Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

“Yes, we have snow,” Crooks joked during Wednesday’s pre-race launch. “Over the past many years I’ve been involved, it’s been a problem, but not this year.

“There are some skinny conditions which I’ll be working on for the next week … The course will be fantastic,” he said.

Better than that even, he added.

“It will be the best course we’ve ever had. We’re wider out there because of our summer work … I have no stress level.”

That means there’s no excuse to wait to see what race-day conditions will be, added Stewart.

In addition to the eight-kilometre event, more serious racers will be tackling the 20-kilometre and 50-kilometre tracks.

Racers confirmed last year’s female winner Paulette Niemi of Ironwood, Mich., Jeffrey Campbell, the highest-placing local racer in the men’s event, and the Zappe family of Ottawa and New Jersey, who stage a family reunion each year at the loppet.