The 20K racers started the Skiesta races at 1 p.m. Jan. 22. Orion Berryman (left front) won the men's race and Kellie Carim (front right with red boots) won the women's race. Behind Berryman is Seeley Lake's Darren Zellman who finished second for the men and Tim Swanberg of Ovando (in white) who came in fourth.
There was chili and corn muffins, made by Seeley Lake Elementary cooks Debra Blodgett and Beckie Johnson, and other snacks and drinks offered post-race. Volunteers Elaine Caton, Jeannie Lorentz and Jamie Hanson assisted with the food.
Seeley Lake Nordic Race Team's Kieu Snow, 10, battles Libby's Charlie Weber, 15, to the finish line. Snow took first in her age group and fourth overall for the females in the 5K.
Seeley Lake Nordic Team's Jesse Wink finished third in the 9-10 age group for the 3K boys race.
Seeley Lake Nordic Junior Prep Team's Nora Stevenson, 7, took second overall in the 1K girls.
Seeley Lake Nordic Race Team skiers Kimber Hanson, Audrey Stevenson and Eli Nicholas take off in the 5K start.
SEELEY LAKE – The Seeley Lake Nordic Team hosted their largest turnout for their 10th annual SLE Outside Skiesta Jan. 22. Ninety-two skiers from around the area registered for the 20K, 10K, 5K, 3K and 1K races topping their previous record of 83 skiers set in 2018. Seeley Lake Nordic Team Head Coach and Race Director Bridget Laird was excited about the race and said the Nordic Team is working hard and having a lot of fun this year.
Skiesta History
The first Skiesta was held in 2013, the same year the Seeley Lake Nordic Team formed. Seeley Lake Elementary and SLE Outside hosted the race until the Seeley Lake Nordic Team took it over in 2018.
In 2018, the Nordic Team added the 20K race to "bridge the racing community from small aspiring Nordic tikes to seasoned veteran racers," Race Director Bridget Laird said in a 2018 interview.
"This is why we have more than 90 people now," said Laird who has continued as the race director. "It is still very much a youth ski race but adding the adults has made it a much bigger event."
While the date has fluctuated, the Nordic Team has settled on the race landing the weekend before the annual OSCR, held the last Saturday in January. Laird felt that this not only offers consistency, but the trail conditions are historically very good and it is a great training race for the OSCR 50K, 25K and 10K races.
10th Annual Skiesta
Last year's race was canceled due to COVID. With COVID spiking again in Montana, Laird said they didn't want to use the yurt for registration because it is such a confined space. Instead, registration was online ahead of race day. With the exception of a couple people who did not realize it was pre-registration only Laird said it worked well. She allowed them to register and will likely continue online registration next year.
With the sun shining and temperatures in the upper 20s, skiers age five to 57 lined up for the mass start in the various races. The Ice Badgers Nordic Ski Team from Missoula, Glacier Nordic Ski Team from Whitefish, Kootenai Nordic Club from Libby and racers from the Sandpoint Nordic Club in Sandpoint, Idaho raced against the Seeley Lake Nordic Team as well as drawing other skiers from the area.
Laird said the conditions made for fast times. Several racers agreed that the grooming by the Seeley Lake Nordic Club was phenomenal, even on the 20K loop. Parents and Nordic Club members volunteered as race support and Seeley Lake Elementary assisted by making the chili.
"I can't image how the event, overall, could have been any better," said Laird. "I really appreciate the support from everyone who made this happen again this year."
Orion Berryman of Missoula was the first 20K racer to cross the finish line. He finished in 55:37.50. This was six minutes ahead of Seeley Lake's Darren Zellman for second with a time of 1:01:46.74. Ovando resident Tim Swanberg was the only other local in the 20K race. He finished in fourth place with a time of 1:07:59.87.
Kellie Carim of Missoula was the first 20K female finishing in 1:05:08.32. There were no other local females in the 20K and no local participants in the 10K race.
The Seeley Lake Nordic Team had 12 racers, six from the Race Team (fourth grade through high school) and six from the Junior Prep Team (grades two – six). They participated in the 5K, 3K and 1K races.
Topping the leaderboard for the Seeley Lake Nordic Team included Land Neudecker and Kieu Snow who each took first in the 9-10 age groups in the 5K Skate for males and females. Second in the 5K Skate for the boys 9-10-year-olds was Kimber Hanson and for the 9-10-year-old girls Audrey Stevenson.
In the 3K girls, Loryn Neudecker took second in the 9-10 group and finished second overall. Jesse Wink placed third in the 9-10 age group in the boys 3K.
In the 1K girls, Nora Stevenson took second in the 7-8 age group and finished second overall.
Seeley Lake Nordic Team Results: Name, Place in Age Group, Time
5K Males, 11-12 Age Group
• Eli Nicholas, 7th, 20:26.63
5K Males, 9-10 Age Group
• Land Neudecker, 9-10, 1st, 17:47.76
• Kimber Hanson, 9-10, 2nd, 21:51.41
5K Females, 9-10 Age Group
• Kieu Snow, 1st, 18:54.11
• Audrey Stevenson, 2nd, 22:03.39
3K Males, 11-12 Age Group
• Dominick Wink, 6th, 14:56.22
3K Males 9-10 Age Group
• Jesse Wink, 3rd, 16:22.85
• Emerick Bradley, 4th, 18:19.99
• Gunner Braulik (classic), 5th, 28:34.22
3K Females, 9-10 Age Group
• Loryn Neudecker, 2nd, 12:23.80
• Kalli Braulik, 4th, 25:59.61
1K Females, 7-8 Age Group
• Nora Stevenson, 2nd overall, 7:59.19
For full Skiesta results visit https://competitivetiming.com/skiesta-results/#unique-id-2022
Seeley Lake Nordic Team
Laird said there are seven skiers on the Race Team this year, all of which come from Seeley Lake Elementary. There are also up to 15 skiers that have participated in the Junior Prep Team.
Laird is the returning head coach with other coaches including Mike McGrew, who is dedicated to the Race Team and Brie Guilmette, Ryen Neudecker, Heath Hanson and Karen Kovatch that help with both the Race and Junior Prep Teams. Seeley-Swan High Schoolers junior Cora Stone and sophomore Hattie Batchelder are also volunteering as student coaches this year. Laird explains they need a lot of supervision on the ski trails since the skiers have a wide range of abilities and can get really spread out.
"I think the season is going really well and the kids are really into it this year," Laird said. "I think people are really excited that we are having events again this year. They are working really hard but are having a lot of fun. I'm always excited to have new kids and we have a couple new kids and a couple of them have never been on skis before and they are just doing great."
The Nordic Team is also part of the Montana Nordic Cup, Montana's premier Nordic skiing league for competitors of all abilities and ages. Races hosted by a youth ski team are divided into North and South Regions. Participants in the Montana Nordic Cup Race network are automatically entered into the series and accumulate points at every race.
"All these little clubs and teams are committed to each other to go to each other's races," Laird said. "It also encourages, and even adds a little pressure, for clubs who haven't hosted races in the past to start doing that so they are providing an event too."
Laird added that it is a fun way to connect the teams since many are not associated with a school. It allows more structure and a system to keep track of the skiers' standings across the region.
Skiers can quickly look up their standings in the region and statewide for their age group. Regional leaders are determined by the best four results achieved in the region and statewide leaders are determined by the best eight results achieve in any region.
For more information about the Montana Nordic Club and standings visit https://my.raceresult.com/186841/info
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