FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Greg Fangel, President
North Star Ski Touring Club
(651) 770-9381
[email protected]

May 14, 2001

 

Norm Oakvik Ski Trail Dedication

Norm Oakvik, one of the founders of the North Star Ski Touring Club and pioneer for cross-country skiing in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area will be honored on Tuesday, May 15 at 7:30PM at the Theordore Wirth Ski Chalet in Minneapolis. The Flower Garden ski trails will be re-named the "Norm Oakvik" trails in recognition of Norm's dedication and hard work to create these trails in the early 1960's. Norm, along with Minneapolis Park board member Maynard Erickson and John Burton created one of the first cross-country ski trails in the Minneapolis area.

Oakvik along with Burton were on the United States Winter Olympic team in the early 1950's. Norm Oakvik, in addition to creating the trails at Theodore Wirth Park was instrumental in the organization of numerous State High School Cross Country ski champiionships and National Championships in Minneapolis and Bloomington. Norm helped host the 1973 National cross country ski championships in Bloomington, skied by Bill Koch three years before he won the silver medal for the U.S. More information can be found on the North Star Ski Touring Club's website at www.north-stars.org

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