Mother Nature must really want to see the Sleeping Giant Loppet stay home.
Around Feb. 9, organizers worried the 36th annual race would have to be moved from Sleeping Giant Provincial Park to the Kamview Nordic Centre because there wasn’t enough snow.
“We’re always worried and you’re not sleeping and you’re constantly watching the registrations and you’re watching the weather and you’re hoping for the best,” communications coordinator Marianne Stewart said.
But in the past two weeks, there’s been plenty of help from above. All 50 kilometres of the track should be ready to go when racers head out March 2.
“We’ve had big snowfalls the night before, we’ve had it be 16 degrees at the finish but one thing we’re very proud of as Loppet organizers we’ve never cancelled the event,” Stewart said.
With 400 skiers registered, the race is half full. Stewart said the theme this year is to get rookies out. Or, if it’s been a few years, re-rookies. From eight km to the full 50 km, the race has something for everyone.
“It’s a gorgeous setting. It’s a party atmosphere,” she said.
Sewart is hoping a new “ski incognito” feature this year will also get people out who might otherwise be on the fence. That option allows for racers to ski without having names and results published.
Enough people have already signed up for the option that it’s been worthwhile Stewart said.
