UAF Hosts First Race on New Ski Trails

By Lizzy Hahn

Photos by Simeon Ramirez

START - Skiers take off the startline for the final heat of the women's 1.25-kilometer classic sprint. UAF’s Kendall Kramer took the win, followed closely by UAA’s Constance LaPointe and UAF’s Tabitha Williams.

*COMPETITION - UAF’s Tabitha Williams skis up a hill in a 1.25-kilometer classic sprint heat, with competitors from UAA closely behind.*

The UAF Nanooks ski team competed against the UAA Seawolves ski team in the Nordic Cup this past weekend on the new UAF Competition Ski Trails. On Friday, December 6, 2024, UAF and UAA skiers competed against one another in the 10-kilometer freestyle event. The next day, skiers participated in 1.25-kilometer classic sprints.

*DOUBLE POLE - Kendall Kramer double poles at the start line of the final heat in the 1.25-kilometer classic sprint on Saturday, December 7, 2024.*

After the two days of racing, the Nanooks lost to the Seawolves by 55.5 seconds as a whole team. UAF’s Kendall Kramer and Tabitha Williams took the first and second-place spots in the 10-kilometer freestyle race on Friday. Former UAF skier Christopher Kalev took first place in the 10-kilometer freestyle race, with UAF’s Ben Dolby placing third as the first Nanook to come across the finish line.

Saturday, December 7, was packed with sprints from the skiers. Starting the day at 11 a.m., skiers took off the start line in the 1.25-kilometer sprint classic qualifier. From here, skiers were put into heats for the quarter-finals, then progressed onto the semi-finals, and then the B final. The six fastest skiers from each heat would progress to the next heat. The final lap for the women’s sprint consisted of three UAF skiers. Kendall Kramer took first place, while Tabitha Williams and Elise Weiss took third and sixth place. In the men’s classic sprint, UAF freshman Cole Flowers placed third, with his teammates Gabriele Rigaudo and Ben Dolby coming into the finish line right behind him in fourth and fifth place.

“This sprint course is one of the hardest sprint courses I’ve ever done. It’s all straight up, and the distance course is also hard, but they’re super fun, and I think they play well to my strengths,” said UAF skier Ben Dolby. Dolby placed third in the 10-kilometer freestyle and fifth in the 1.25-kilometer classic sprint final.

*CLASSIC - Philipp Moosmayer classic skis over the peak of a hill and prepares for a downhill during the 1.25-kilometer classic sprint.*

UAF ski coaches Eliska Albrigtsen and Ben Buck proposed constructing these new FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) approved trails in spring 2022. It has always been the hope that Fairbanks could host races on a FIS-approved trail. In the spring of 2024, the money for this course was secured at the Nanooks Gold Rush Fundraiser. The Usibelli Coal Mine announced they would donate $300,000 to develop the world-class ski trails outside the UAF Patty Center. Construction for the trails began on June 10, 2024. The trails were constructed to have a 1.25-kilometer sprint loop with another 1.25-kilometer loop in addition to a 2.5-kilometer course option.

Albrigtsen explained the process it took to construct this new course. FIS courses have prescribed elevation gains, and each must be an FIS-approved course. The new trail has 39 meters of vertical climb on the course.

Albrigtsen brought up this trail's potential in the wake of how climate change has altered snow conditions.

“We kind of hope, sadly, the climate change might actually help us to see bigger races here,” said Albrigtsen. “We would definitely be the early venue and then late venue because of the conditions, weather, and light.”

These trails are open to the public. Albrigtsen ended by inviting everyone to ski the course while no races were in progress.

“It’s a trail for anyone… not all of it is super hard. It's super hard when you’re racing it, but when you’re going easy, it's actually really enjoyable,” said Albrigtsen.

The UAF Nanooks ski team will compete in Anchorage at U.S. Nationals from January 2 to 7, 2025.

Nanooks vs. Western Washington