The high school season kicks off Saturday at Hillside, the five-race Anchorage Cup series begins Sunday at Kincaid Park, and on both days racers from UAA and UAF will compete for the Alaska Nordic Cup.
Despite warm temperatures that melted some of the snow, conditions at both places are good, UAA coach Trond Flagstad said. Classical tracks have been set on some of the Hilltop trails, while Kincaid is groomed for skating, he said.
"It's surprisingly good," Flagstad said. "They've done a good job the last two days grooming and getting the ice off."
High school racers will compete today in the 5.3-kilometer Service Snowball Skate Race beginning at 11 a.m. at Service High. The race will serve as a tuneup for next weekend's LynxLoppet, which expects to draw 700 high school skiers to Kincaid.
On Sunday at Kincaid, racers of all ages and skills can compete in the first Anchorage Cup race of the season, a two-person sprint relay. Racing begins at noon with registration from 10 to 11 a.m.
If you're into watching instead of racing, this weekend is the only time all winter when you can catch the UAA ski team in action. The Seawolves will take on UAF in the two-day Alaska Nordic Cup, which begins today at noon at Kincaid. Sunday's event will be a three-leg relay race on the Spencer Loop, with the women going at 10 a.m. and the men at 11:45 a.m.
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