The west shore of Lake Padden buzzed with excited energy May 13 as Junior Ski to Sea racers readied themselves in their final seconds behind the start line.
“Five … four … three … two … one … go!”
With that, the footrace had begun.
Junior Ski to Sea invites children ages 8-18 to participate in a smaller version of Bellingham’s iconic Ski to Sea relay. 2023 marks the event’s return from the pandemic, and its first year hosted by Whatcom Events, which also hosts Ski to Sea.
The relay’s resurgence brings with it exciting new changes, said Ski to Sea Race Director Anna Rankin.
Until 2019, Junior Ski to Sea was hosted by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce and included five legs: a run, a mountain bike race, a soccer dribble, an obstacle course and a two-person sack race or hula hoop race, depending on the year. This year, Whatcom Events chose to make the junior race a “true Ski to Sea,” starting with a ski and snowboard leg at Mount Baker, followed by run, mountain bike and kayak legs at Lake Padden two hours later to allow racers to get down from the mountain.
“What our goal was with changing the format and having this event was to bring skills to kids that they would have moving forward in life,” Rankin said. “So instead of feeling more like a PE class, it actually feels like something preparing them for sports that they might get into for life.”
Henry McPhee of the Salish Sea Cucumbers grabs his mountain bike to begin his 2.6-mile ride around Lake Padden. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News) Participants had the option to compete on male, female and mixed teams in two separate races divided by age, with elementary schoolers kicking the day off and middle/high schoolers following. Rounding the bend and leading the elementary running leg was 10-year-old Martina Rodriguez of The Alpine Kicks.
“I’m excited to see my friends run and hopefully win,” Rodriguez said.
Win they did. The Alpine Kicks placed first in the female subdivision, continuing their lead as mountain biker Londyn Carlson, 9, zoomed through the end of the next leg.
“It felt good, but then when I ended my legs felt like jelly,” Carlson said.
Forrest MacFarlane of the Sweaty Yetis collapses with teammates after finishing the kayak portion with the second-best time of 9 minutes and 36 seconds. MacFarlane and teammates Oskar Belka, Sophia Gage and Jackson Hogan finished second in the mixed elementary division.
(Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
On the race’s final leg, 11-year-old kayaker Forrest MacFarlane of Sweaty Yetis pushed to the front of the pack, with teammates Jackson, Oskar and Sophia cheering from the shore. The team placed second overall in the mixed elementary subdivision.
Just over an hour later, middle and high school runners readied themselves at the starting line for their own countdown. Isaac Lind, 16, crossed the finish line first, with first-place female racer Violet Fox close behind. Fox, 14, recently completed her track season, placing first in the mile and javelin at the Whatcom County middle school championship. Her team, Fearsome Four, placed third — just three seconds behind the second-place team in the mixed middle school race.
Team NK’s Abby Scoggins, Paili Airth, Pebbles Airth and Penny Airth were the only all-female high school team and came in with the best time of 1 hour and 12 minutes. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News) Thanks to community partnerships and sponsorships, Junior Ski to Sea offers scholarships and rented equipment to its racers, said Junior Ski to Sea Race Director Sarah Beck. Those resources help a wide range of youth compete and grow community together.
“Doing a team race kind of brings us all closer together, even though we’re good friends,” said Ever Rogel of the first-place middle school boys’ team TEJA.
Bradley Frierott, the father of two Fearsome Four racers, felt similarly.
“These kinds of events are one of those sweet-spot building blocks that help them have a sense of place, a sense of home, a sense of friendship that hopefully lasts a lifetime,” Frierott said.
A full list of Junior Ski to Sea results can be found online.
