Category Archives: 2024 Sonot Kkaazoot information

Volunteers made the 37th Sonot Kkaazoot a celebration of spring

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Bad Bob with mic and start list providing commentary on race day–photo by Dan Johnson

The 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot “is pretty much complete” in the words of race organizer, Bad Bob Baker. He continues “I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. Wade tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. Hopes are everything will come out well.” The Sonot “was a great event with great weather and ski conditions. See ya on the other side.”

Please thank the volunteers (https://sonotkkaazoot.org/volunteers/) who made this year’s event happen. At least 53 people staffed the feed stations that kept the skiers hydrated and energized on an unseasonably warm day after cold start to spring. I want to personally thank the West Valley Ski Team feed station for patiently peeling three or four banana sections for me. My legs were cramping seriously by that point so getting my mitt and pole off was virtually impossible. They made possible my 30 km finish. Thank you for providing us feeds and encouragement.

The trails were in amazingly good conditions that we expect from our Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks groomers, who were literally up all night before the Sonot Kkaazoot. No serious accidents were reported during the race as skiers were under the watchful eyes of the Nordic Ski Patrol. I’ve been unable to get the names of these individuals, so please let me know (contact@sonotkkaazoot.org) if you recognized any of these key volunteers.

Many long-term volunteers spent part of their Saturday timing the Sonot Kkaazoot, helping to prepare the stadium area, and staffing the awards banquet. We appreciate all their efforts.

Finally, Denali State Bank (https://www.denalistatebank.com/) has been the title sponsor of the Sonot Kkaazoot for all 37 years that the race has been held. Their support together with the Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks and Recreation, Fort Wainwright, U.S. Army Alaska, and the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks has endured for 37 years. This lasting collaboration was responsible for countless smiles I saw Saturday on the trails. Spring and the Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot will return on 22 March 2025, the fourth Saturday in March.

2024 Winners of 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot

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50 km winners (L to R): Mike Ophoff (3rd), Ben Dohlby (2nd) and Christopher Kalev (1st) —photo by Dermot Cole

Three UAF Nanook skiers comprised the podium for the main event of the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot. All three skiers recently competed in the NCAA championships in Steamboat Springs, CO, while pursuing their engineering degrees. Mike and Christopher are skiing while engineering graduate students. Christopher Kalev won the 50 km Sonot Kkaazoot for the second straight year with a time of 2:15:39.4; Ben Dohlby was second in 2:16:13.4 and Mike Ophoff third in 2:17:14.6. Christopher improved upon his time from 2023 when he finished in 2:19.00.6. Earlier this season Christopher competed in World Cup races in Minneapolis and Canmore, Alberta representing his native Estonia.

50 km winners (L to R): Astrid Stav (2nd), Rosie Fordham (1st), Anna Engel (3rd) —photo by Joanna Fox

The women’s 50 km podium was also topped by an Nanook skier, Rosie Fordham, who was an All-American at NCAA finals this year. Rosie’s winning time was 2:34:37.7 and was much faster than her winning time in 2022 when her finish was clocked at 2:43:15.8. Rosie, a mathematics student, also raced in the Minneapolis World Cup races representing Australia. Astrid Stav of UAA was second behind Rosie in 2:36:06.8 and Anna Engel of APU was third in 2:57:27.2.

Congratulations to all of these amazing skiers.

Fairbanks Daily News-Miner story: https://www.newsminer.com/sports/local/two-uaf-athletes-win-37th-annual-sonot-kkaazoot-races/article_3d425b90-e96a-11ee-8b7d-9f1df3afd40a.html

Unclaimed woodels from 2024 Sonot Kkaazoot available for pickup (updated on 3/26/24)

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SCUM with their stash of woodels, including for wayward SCUM–photo by Jimmy Fox

If you missed the awards banquet for the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot, you still have an opportunity to pick up your handmade birch woodel in the small warmup hut at Birch Hill Recreation Center from Tuesday afternoon, 26 March through 3 April 2024.

Mike Schmoker, head woodel maker, will have unclaimed woodels in labeled plastic bags in the log warming hut that is open 24 hours a day. There will be one bag with overall awards for Aiden Summers, Riley Whistler, and Dana Fjare. A second bag will have the age-class woodels for the 10k with 1st, 2nd & 3rd in zip lock bags. There will also be a 30k & a 50k bag with 1st, 2nd & 3rd zip lock bags. There is the list of names in each bag, and we ask that skiers mark off their names when they get their woodels.  

The woodels are highly coveted as were Gina’s pecan, white chocolate cookies, also shown above. However, if you missed the banquet, you missed out on the cookies and Gina’s fabulous soups.

Fantastic Sonot Kkaazoot grooming (and beyond)

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NSCF photo

Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks groomers got little sleep before Saturday’s Sonot Kkaazoot. Tom Helmers, NSCF head groomer spent 9 hours on the larger club Pistenbully between late Friday night and early Saturday morning. Bill Husby spent 5 hours in the smaller Pistenbully grooming the black and blue loops. After just 3 hours of sleep, Bill skied the 30- km Sonot Kkaazoot, winning the second-place award in M09 age category.

If you appreciated the trail conditions during the Sonot Kkaazoot and would like to continue to ski on groomed trails this spring, please consider adding to your donation to the NSCF trails fund. With little snow in the second half of the winter, the snowpack became highly compacted requiring the groomers proceed very slowly, which consumes more diesel fuel.

Here’s the URL to the secure donation site:

https://nordicskicluboffairbanks.wildapricot.org/Donate

Consider the donation to be an investment in your mental and physical health as we move toward the dreaded breakup season.

Should be a perfect Sonot Kkaazoot day

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Race director, Bad Bob Baker and Tom Helmers, head groomer for the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks have been working through the night to make the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot a memorable one for all the skiers.

At 1146 pm, on his first pass of the 5 km marker on White Bear, Tom reported the air temperature was +33 deg F and the snow temperature with infrared thermometer was +15 deg. Their plan was to groom the Sunnyside and Cliffside trails last after freeze-up.

At 6:15 a.m., it is currently +25 deg in the Birch Hill stadium so the trails should be set up and firm.

Have a wonderful Sonot Kkaazoot.

Sonot Kkaazoot Late Registration ends at 1159 p.m. Thursday, 21 March 2024

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Remember that late registration for the Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot ends tomorrow night. Early bib pick-up is tomorrow from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. upstairs at the Birch Hill Recreation Center. As of this evening, we had 76 skiers signed up for the 10 km race, 38 for the 30 km race, and 46 for the 50 km event.

Early bib pickup is also your last opportunity to change from one event to another. If you are moving up from the 10 km to the 30 or 50 km event, you will need to pay the additional entry fee by cash or check before getting your bib. You will be assessed the fees that were relevant when you first registered. If you are moving down from the 30 or 50 km to the 10 km, you will not be refunded the difference in entry fees.

Just 4 days to register for Sonot Kkaazoot at regular rates

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Today’s low temperature at Birch Hill was -2 deg F, so warm enough to hold a ski race according to U.S. Cross Country rules. The NWS 6–10-day forecast shows warmer than normal temperatures and less than normal precipitation. Spring will arrive in time for the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot.

Currently there are only 88 skiers signed up for the Sonot Kkaazoot: 35 are signed up for the 10 km event; 27 for the 30 km, and 26 for the 50 km main event.

Remember late registration ends on at 11:59 p.m. ADT on Thursday, 21 March 2024. No registration or changes in registration after then. You may change the event that you are skiing at early bib pickup at 5 to 7 p.m. on 21 March 2024. If you are moving up to a longer event (and thus, more expensive event), you will need to bring the difference in registration fees (when you originally registered) in cash or check to early bib pickup. If you are changing to a shorter distance, you can email me at: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org

Late registration fees will be charged for registrations made after 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, 20 March 2024. Register now and avoid paying late fees.

If you don’t plan on skiing (or plan to ski the 10 km event), our timing crew still needs volunteers. Contact if you can help: contact@sonotkkaazoot.org

NWS predicts springlike Sonot Kkaazoot

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The National Weather Service is currently predicting warmer than normal temperatures for 8 to 14 days out (including the day of the 37th Denali State Bank Sonot Kkaazoot). They are also predicting higher than normal precipitation outlook so maybe there’ll be some new snow to mix with the ground ice and birch seeds from the past two months.

So, plan to ski or volunteer for the Sonot Kkaazoot. Remember that all registration ends on Thursday, 21 March 2024.