FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Minnesota Finlandia is on schedule as planned for Saturday the 17th
As with nearly every race this year, race organizers are scratching their heads trying to come up with the best scenario to combat mother nature, and, of all things, an unannounced logging venture! We don't need snow! -We just need to keep moving it from one spot to another.
The biggest changes for the race organizers this year include: 1) It is forecast to be about 30 degrees warmer than last year! Long sleeves optional! (Highs in the 20's are forecast at the moment.) 2) The use of the east side of the course will be minimal. 3) There may not be enough snow for a good classic track. (stay tuned) 4) Logging operations have interrupted about 500 yards of the course, and 5) The beaver dam (and the rough spots near it) lost its fight with the John Deere Dozer.
For the past week the Finlandia Crew (along with the generous help of the Beltrami County Sentence to Serve crew) has been "working with what we have". There IS SNOW in Bemidji (one Board member has been on skis the last 72 days in a row) but there just isn't enough in some spots on the trail. To that end, hundreds of sleds of clean snow have been scraped off small ponds and dumped on the trail. Our largest challenge remains several hundred yards of trail that was used for a logging project a couple weeks back. You don't need "rock" skis, we're talking sticks and sawdust, but it isn't up to our standards just yet. We'll have crews working throughout the week.
If the race were held Monday, this is what we'd have:
25k Minnesota Skinnyski Series Points Race: Skate. - Minimal Distance on the starting east side, then through the tunnel and off for TWO LAPS of the hills on the west side, returning through the tunnel to the finish. (PLUS or minus 1k off 25k)
50k Finlandia: Same as 25k, except 4 laps, 49k distance.
25k Continuous Pursuit and 25k Classic: Stay tuned for reports on track setting. We have been so busy moving snow, we haven't tried to set a track except by the starting area, which was a "C+" If we can get that track throughout, we will have the pursuit and classic. If not, these races will not be held and those pre-registered may transfer at no cost to one of the other races.
The Northwood's 10k Tour may be downgraded to a 5k tour and Sunday's Family fun day will continue as planned.
Any amount of snow could change things, pray for snow.