Make sure to get your Nordic Toonie race fix before the onset of the Olympics — today (Feb. 4) marks the last of the social race events before the Games. The Whistler Nordics are hosting another turn around the Lost Lake trails this week, with sign-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Riverside Junction Café at Riverside Campground and the race starting at 6:15 p.m. at the Mons ticket booth.
Bring a headlamp, as the trails aren’t lit. Race entry costs $2 for Whistler Nordics members, or $5 for skiers seeking to try out a Toonie, and participants must have a valid trail pass. The après will be held at the Riverside Junction Café, a sponsor of this week’s race along with Cross-Country Connection.
Last Thursday’s (Jan. 28) annual classic race drew about 30 hardy skiers despite the drizzly weather. The racers tackled one lap of four kilometres or two laps of eight kilometres, and Thomsen D’Hont tore around the trails to post the fastest lap time of 12 minutes, 10 seconds. He finished two laps in 24:23, followed by Antoine Arcand in 26:20 and Dave Burch in 29:09.
The fastest three women finishing two laps were Jennifer Tabbernor (31:45), Katie Madden (36:37) and Maribeth Callahan (40:59). Nicki Murdoch led the women racing one lap with a time of 15:38, followed by Aurelie Germann (16:29) and Akiko Clarke (17:09). Munro Duncan (17:11) and Mike Murdoch (20:35) led the men racing one lap.
Four Whistler Nordics members also posted strong results at the Overlander Ski Marathon in Kamloops on Jan. 24: Brent Murdoch finished fifth overall, and second in men’s 40 to 49; Robbie Metza, eighth overall and second in men’s 50 to 59; Matteo Abel, 20th overall and seventh in men’s 40 to 49; Birken Metza, 29th overall and third in men’s 18 to 29.
