Junior Oosik a big hit in its first year

This year’s Oosik Classic Ski race attracted hundreds of people of all ages. A new addition to the race was created this year to attract even the smallest of skiers.  Talkeetna’s Junior Nordic ski club created a 5K tour for younger skiers.

The 5K tour, actually measured a little less than 3 miles, started just before the racers in the Oosik 50K took off along the trail. Participants were cheered on by the hundreds of skiers waiting to line up for the official race.

20 young skiers participated in the event.  Christie Seay,  one of the organizers of the Junior Nordic tour, said that although the event was timed, there were no winners declared because it ended up being freestyle – there were classic racers and skate skiers of various ages.  She said the youngest racer was 5 years of age and the oldest was about 10.  Parents participated as well.

Whitney Wolff was just one of the many parents excited about the new event and said it was great for the young skiers to be just finishing and able to watch the 25 K start from a distance.  The 350 or so skiers in the 25K made an impressively large wall of people for the first several miles of the race.

Seay said she hopes to start planning earlier next year and get the word out to parents skiing the Oosik that an event is available for smaller children.