Five years ago, Adam Verrier set out to create a ski race and spring party in the tradition of European and Canadian races he'd experienced in his days as an Olympic skier.
Thus was born the Oosik Classic, a laid-back race where as much thought went into the après-ski party as the race itself. The race has always been held in the upper Matanuska Valley on trails maintained by nearby lodges.
But Verrier felt something was missing from those races -- a community to share in the celebration.
"A big part of this event is to have a big party," said Verrier, of Anchorage. "It's an important part of this ski race. It's as important as the skiing."
Talkeetna, the quintessential Alaska town in many people's eyes, fit the bill perfectly.
"I think people in Talkeetna are always looking for an excuse to have a party," Verrier mused.
The fifth annual Oosik Classic moved to Talkeetna for the first time Saturday, and the response was overwhelming. A record 240 skiers signed up to compete in the 20-kilometer and 40-kilometer classic ski races. Last year's race drew 140 skiers, the previous high.
And Talkeetna-area restaurants provided all the food for the after-ski party at the newly built Don Sheldon Community Center.
"Every single vendor in Talkeetna all worked together to do the banquet," said Arthur Mannix, a race organizer and member of the local Denali Ski Club.
Verrier cited other reasons why he was looking to move the race: not enough nearby lodging for people to stay overnight, and a hairy, sometimes dangerous course that included a two-way hill.
"You'd have people herring-boning up and others blistering down in a tuck," said Verrier, who added that one year, a man broke his leg, nose and ski in a crash.
There were no such obstacles in Saturday's race. Skiers glided across rolling terrain among black spruce trees, climbed a hill along a narrow trail, then enjoyed fast double-poling as they circled several lakes.
Kjetil Dammen, a 21-year-old freshman skier at UAA, won the men's 40-K race in 2 hours, 1 minute, 56 seconds. Kate Pearson won the women's 40-K in 2:28.43.
Bill Brooks won the 20-K men's race in 1:26.34, while Christina Gillis took the women's 20-K title in 1:43.17.
Dammen, originally from Oslo, Norway, hung out with fellow UAA teammates Brian Gregg, a transfer from Western State College in Colorado, and Paul Schauer, a sophomore from Fairbanks, after the race. They downed Cokes, ate carrots and sucked on a honey bottle while enjoying the sunshine.
All had recently returned from Outside competitions -- Dammen and Gregg competed at the NCAA championships in Vermont last week and Schauer at the Junior Olympic Championships in California -- and all reveled in the laid-back atmosphere after their recent competitions.
"You just go out and ski and have fun," said Gregg, who placed third in the 40-K race. "You don't worry if it's not your best race of the season."
"It's a good way to end the season for a lot of people," Schauer said.
Rob Whitney didn't want to miss the fun, even though he'd recently undergone surgery on his right foot. Whitney, who is attending school at Montana State and is a member of the Subaru Factory Team, wrapped his healing foot in a plastic bag and duct tape and borrowed a sit-down ski sled from Challenge Alaska.
"I knew it'd be tough, but I didn't realize how tough," said Whitney, who competed in the 20-K race and finished in 3:15. "I've always had an appreciation for them, but now I have an enormous appreciation for sit skiers."
This year's race almost didn't happen. Three straight days of rain last week left trails punchy and icy, Mannix said. But fortunately, a night of temperatures in the teens firmed up the trail, allowing groomers to work on it. On Monday, the race was looking doubtful but by Wednesday, the call was made for the race to proceed.
Mannix echoed Verrier, saying the Oosik was as much about getting together with friends as it was about skiing. He said everyone in town, not just the skiers, planned to stop by the party.
"It's more than a ski race," Mannix said. "It's a cultural expression as well. It's community involvement. This is just what we needed to pull us out of our winter slumber."
Said Verrier: "I think this race has found a new home."
Daily News sports reporter Ron Wilmot can be reached at rwilmot@adn.com.
5 th annual Oosik Classic
At Talkeetna
Saturday's results
Men's 42-K classic
1) Kjetil Dammen, 2:01:05.5; 2) Brian Gregg, 2:04:00.4; 3) Trond Jensen, 2:05:07.7; 4) Adam Verrier, 2:05:11.1; 5) Cory Smith, 2:07:18.3; 6) Max Treinen, 2:09:59.0; 7) Nate Berry, 2:11:36.9; 8) Patrick Johnson, 2:13:07.9; 9) Daichi Ito, 2:13:36.2; 10) Paul Schauer, 2:14:46.9; 11) Jan Buron, 2:20:25.9; 12), David Norris, 2:22:17.2; 13) Eric Olsen, 2:22:30.8; 14) Chester Fehrmann, 2:22:36.8; 15) Zak Melms, 2:23:32.2; 16) Benji Uffenbeck, 2:24:41.5; 17), Mark Brady, 2:26:39.3; 18) JP Heimerl, 2:26:48.9; 19) Drew Cason, 2:27:50.2; 20) Ken Rice, 2:28:27.8;
21) Mike Wood, 2:28:57.6; 22) David Hansen, 2:31:24.4; 23) Jim Bouchard, 2:32:44.7; 24) John Murphy, 2:32:47.5; 25) Paul Carson, 2:33:18.9; 26) Tuomo Latva-Kiskola, 2:33:29.9; 27) David Ford, 2:33:31.0; 28), Jim Lokken, 2:33:39.6; 29) Bill Pearson, 2:33:57.3; 30) Lex Treinen, 2:34:38.2; 31) Allan Spangler, 2:36:56.8; 32) Matthew Pauli, 2:39:34.0; 33) David Meyers, 2:41:50.6; 34) Jeffery Bannish, 2:44:19.9; 35) Doug Vaught, 2:45:08.0; 36) Rob Chapman, 2:48:50.0; 37), Dave Tessier, 2:49:10.5; 38) Andy Sterns, 2:52:15.2; 39) Dan Thorsness, 2:55:08.0; 40), Iain Morris, 2:56:10.5;
41) Michael Powell, 3:04:24.5; 42) James Goodwin, 3:06:05.8; 43) Dan Bosch, 3:07:16.7; 44) Karl Swanson, 3:07:49.7; 45) Bailey Arend, 3:11:09.0; 46) Bill Rice, 3:12:08.0; 47) Bill Rodwell, 3:19:00.7; 48) Tom Bronga, 3:22:52.1; 49) James Singleton, 3:43:25.6; 50) Tim Middleton, 4:04:47.9.
Women's 42-K classic
1) Kate Pearson, 2:28:43.3; 2) Holly Brooks, 2:50:08.2; 3) Liz Butera, 2:51:44.4; 4) Heidi Rader, 2:54:17.7; 5) Rosalyn Singleton, 2:55:06.1; 6), Haley Ohms, 2:59:06.6; 7) Karen Bronga, 3:01:29.6; 8) Diana Evans, 3:13:10.7; 9) Amy Brodersen, 3:16:25.6; 10) Kathy Estes, 4:07:33.7; 11) Cynthia Decker, 4:18:15.7; 12) Naomi Brodersen, 4:38:46.0.
Men's 24-K classic
1) Bill Brooks, 1:26:33.6; 2) Daniel Clark, 1:26:39.2; 3) Galen Johnston, 1:26:48.9; 4) Scott Hauser, 1:30:33.2; 5) Will Ross, 1:30:59.8; 6) Forrest Horton, 1:32:19.8; 7) Cole Talbot, 1:33:32.8; 8) Tyler Kornfield, 1:34:17.4; 9) Nico Ambrose, 1:35:14.0; 10) Steve Rossberg, 1:40:03.0; 11) Andrew Dougherty, 1:40:10.1; 12) Jim Burkholder, 1:44:15.1; 13) Erik Tomsen, 1:47:01.2; 14) Bill Barstow, 1:47:28.0; 15) Macgill Adams, 1:47:40.6; 16) Jeff Sauve, 1:48:51.7; 17) Nicholai Smith, 1:49:33.8; 18) Nick Treinen, 1:50:53.6; 19) Christian Goetz, 1:51:14.2; 20) David Hayden, 1:52:17.9;
21) Rick Rogers, 1:52:20.4; 22) William Estes, 1:53:03.6; 23) Kelsey Boyer, 1:53:16.8; 24) Brian Hartley, 1:54:20.6; 25) Jon Lyon, 1:54:27.1; 26) Eric VanDongen, 1:54:35.8; 27) Anson Moxness, 1:55:28.9; 28) Bert Boyer, 1:57:36.4; 29) Barry Benko, 1:57:42.2; 30) Bruce Talbot, 1:59:09.7; 31) Ed O'Connor, 1:59:46.7; 32) David Evans, 1:59:58.4; 33) Peter Johnson, 2:00:00.3; 34) Reno Deprey, 2:00:01.6; 35) Nathaniel Wilson, 2:00:04.7; 36) Tiger Demers, 2:05:59.8; 37) Jay Butler, 2:06:37.7; 38) Chris Mannix, 2:08:10.1; 39) Arthur Mannix, 2:08:11.4; 40) Mark Miner, 2:09:58.1;
41) Jim Brader, 2:11:02.5; 42) Mike Frank, 2:12:49.1; 43) Mike Schmoker, 2:13:55.0; 44) Chris Tomsen, 2:15:29.0; 45) Stephen Hanson, 2:17:08.5; 46) Rob Whitney, 2:21:21.7; 47) Jon Stolpman, 2:22:43.5; 48) Danny Constenstein, 2:30:07.7; 49) Elias Holt, 2:31:36.1; 50) Larry Ostrovsky, 2:33:34.6; 51) Keith Fiedorowicz, 2:34:03.8; 52) Gene Backus, 2:39:05.6; 53) Brandon Bonnett, 2:39:39.2; 54) Ben Siwiec, 2:43:20.2; 55) David Harrell, 2:45:18.6; 56) Joe Kluberton, 2:46:20.5; 57) Riley Bronga, 2:46:42.6; 58) Blaine Bronga, 2:46:52.9; 59) Sam Schmoker, 2:47:17.4; 60) Ian Mannix, 2:47:21.4;
61) John Olnes, 2:48:49.1; 62) Sam Cason, 2:51:37.9; 63) Ivan Chikigak-Steaman, 2:55:54.8; 64) David Stutzer, 2:58:43.9; 65) Evan Thoms, 2:59:22.8; 66) Todd Burlesson, 3:03:10.5; 67) Dan Maclean, 3:04:02.1; 68) Troy Smiley, 3:10:49.0; 69) Kyle Barnhart, 3:18:06.0; 70) Bret Christensen, 3:20:57.7; 71) Kelly Rossberg, 3:21:23.4; 72) Tim Barnhart, 3:24:41.5; 73) Dan Clausen, 3:30:32.0; 74) Jon Mowery, 3:48:07.1.
Women's 24-K classic
1) Christina Gillis, 1:43:16.6; 2) Amy Lambe, 1:44:50.6; 3) Adele Mery, 1:49:04.7; 4) Elizabeth Quinley, 1:49:15.3; 5) Lauren Fritz, 1:49:41.0; 6) Ky Eiben, 1:50:19.8; 7) Jane Sauer, 1:53:19.2; 8) Erin Johnson, 1:53:56.9; 9) Lea McDermid, 1:55:29.5; 10) Rachel Kanady, 1:55:30.9; 11) Jaime Bronga, 1:55:32.3; 12) Annie Brownlee, 1:58:55.1; 13) Kate Fitzgerald, 2:01:13.2; 14) Lisa Clausen, 2:01:28.5; 15) Alice Bradley, 2:02:43.4; 16) Kelsey Coolidge, 2:03:43.2; 17) Lana Mathis, 2:04:34.2; 18) Laura Tuttle, 2:05:30.7; 19) Ellie Lokken, 2:05:56.3; 20) Crystal Pitney, 2:06:02.0;
21) Marne Gunderson, 2:06:28.0; 22) Heidi Rogers, 2:06:59.3; 23) Alison Butler, 2:07:00.3; 24) Karen Mannix, 2:07:16.8; 25) Meg Cronin, 2:09:54.0; 26) Stephanie Lambe, 2:10:16.7; 27) Hanna Johnson, 2:11:32.4; 28) Tamara Kornfield, 2:11:32.6; 29) Doreen Rossberg, 2:15:35.4; 30) Sherry Timmerman, 2:18:58.0; 31) Brandy Berkbigler, 2:20:03.7; 32) Kathy Faryniarz, 2:24:37.4; 33) Natalie Semmens, 2:25:11.7; 34) Elizabeth Arnold, 2:30:05.3; 35) Michelle Coombs, 2:32:29.3; 36) Sandra Schubert, 2:33:33.2; 37) Keely Falcon, 2:34:33.6; 38) Amy Gross, 2:34:34.7; 39) Sally Burkholder, 2:34:46.9; 40) Laura Wright, 2:36:44.1;
41) Heather Kelahan, 2:37:29.9; 42) Sarah Bosch, 2:38:11.8; 43) Emily Rogers, 2:40:54.5; 44) Lyndsey Klepper, 2:43:48.7; 45) Laura Pillifant, 2:44:51.1; 46) Karol Fink, 2:51:12.3; 47) Becky Butler, 2:51:30.5; 48) Phyllis Rogers, 2:51:39.7; 49) Joyce Johnson, 3:01:10.7; 50) Bronwen Wang, 3:03:08.7; 51) Linda Smith, 3:05:00.0; 52) Wendy Gould, 3:17:44.7; 53) Jennifer Edwards, 3:24:22.9; 54) Erica Barnhart, 3:24:38.3; 55) Cathe Grosshandler, 3:24:40.5; 56) Karen Northrop, 3:29:17.6; 57) Joyce Barnett, 3:29:47.0; 58) Karen Brewer-Fair, 3:31:26.5; 59) Liz Pawelko, 3:32:02.7; 60) Alice Bickford, 3:32:36.0;
61) Jacquie Luke, 3:36:08.1; 62) Schawna Thoma, 3:36:37.6; 63) Carly Chan, 3:38:27.4; 64) Meg Kurtogh, 3:39:32.3; 65) Cynthia Olnes, 3:39:53.9; 66) Diane Ziegner, 3:40:29.8; 67) Angela Sipe, 3:40:30.6; 68) Nancy Bloczynski, 3:43:00.9; 69) Sarah Lindsey, 3:46:29.9; 70) Stephanie Prejean, 3:48:13.9; 71) Lori Zitzmann, 4:05:08.9; 72) Robin Kornfield, 4:18:10.7; 73) Sarah Fraher, 4:36:29.9.
