After a successful 2023 Ski to Sea race, Cascadia Daily News caught up with racers featured before the 50th-anniversary event.
Sydney Papritz
Cross-country skier for The PeaceHealth Pathfinders
Leg place: 213th
Leg time: 45:12
Team place: 315th
Team time: 8:21:52 (didn’t complete sea kayak leg before it was canceled due to weather conditions)
Papritz was not able to be reached for comment after the race.
Jasmine Neubauer
Downhill skier for Loud Water
Leg place: 395th
Leg time: 56:22
Team place: 418th
Team time: 8:59:45 (didn’t complete sea kayak leg before it was canceled due to weather conditions)
Highlight: The supportive, fun environment of the race.
Hardest part: The slushy snow conditions on the course, but “that’s all part of the fun,” she said.
Quote: “My goal was to have a good time, [and] I had a great time. It was super fun.”
Drew Barnicle
Runner for My Dog
Leg place: 164th
Leg time: 52:46
Team place: 15th
Team time: 6:58:31
Highlight: Completing the race car-free, and spending the night at the mountain lodge the night before on Mount Baker.
Hardest part: Not being sure how to pace a downhill run.
Quote: “There was really nice weather and really good vibes — I realize that’s super generic.”
Thiran Udawatta
Road biker for Orthocillin
Leg place: 188th
Leg time: 2:04:58
Team place: 266th
Team time: 8:04:54 (didn’t complete sea kayak leg before it was canceled due to weather conditions)
Highlight: The fun of participating in a relay race and getting to see handoffs between racers.
Hardest part: Not having many opportunities to draft due to many of the fastest racers having started before him.
Quote: “There’s a lot of camaraderie. I think that was the best part.”
Greg Fosty and Mike Baker
Canoeists for Chuckanut Bay Distillery
Leg place: 19th
Leg time: 2:02:23
Team place: 35th overall, third in the masters division
Team time: 7:33:46
Highlight: Fosty being able to bounce back and compete after having food poisoning the Friday before the race.
Hardest part: The last 3 miles of the leg, when the pair scraped up every last bit of energy they had left.
Quote: “Longevity is one of the reasons I do it. All the work we do to prepare for this race is to try and make the senior years healthier and active and happy,” Baker said.
Nathan Critchfield
Cyclocross racer for Puget Sound Energy
Leg place: 22nd
Leg time: 37:14
Team place: 226th
Team time: 9:41:37
Highlight: Seeing the sheer determination of his teammates in the canoe leg before him.
Hardest part: Having the most difficult part of the course at the beginning.
Quote: “[Our team] hadn’t been able to see each other throughout the day, but it was cool to sit down at the end and drink a beer and see how the day was for everyone — everyone had a great time.”
Heather Nelson
Sea kayaker for BNP Realtors
Leg place: 12th
Leg time: 49:10
Team place: 18th, first women’s team overall
Team time: 7:04:03
Highlight: The exciting energy of Ski to Sea.
Hardest part: The “rowdy” weather conditions — the strong winds made the leg more difficult to paddle.
Quote: “It’s so amazing to meet women from Whatcom County who are athletes and moms, and who are inspiring and strong … to have Ski to Sea bring us all together is super rewarding.”
