The Qaniq Challenge returns to Valdez this weekend with a couple of changes but the same hefty purse that has lured some of Alaska's top cross-country skiers in previous years remains.
The third annual race will again offer a $10,000 purse – the second biggest payout in the country for a nordic race, behind the American Birkebeiner – but will see changes to the payout distribution and the race format.
Instead of a mass start on the second day, this year's event will feature a pursuit race. And instead of the top three men and top three women claiming all of the prize money, payouts will go to the top 10 men and top 10 women.
The Challenge begins Saturday with a classic race at Old Trap Range and continues Sunday with a freestyle pursuit on the downtown Mineral Creek trails. The plan is to race 17 kilometers each day, although weather and trail conditions could dictate last-minute changes.
The race is the brainchild Valdez director of Parks and Recreation Darryl Verfaillie, who decided to retool the prize distribution based on feedback from racers. With just over 30 starters last year, the odds of getting a piece of the pie with a top-10 finish seem pretty good, especially with many of Alaska's top racers in Europe for the World Cup tour or in Utah for the U.S. national championships.
"It's hard for some of the top skiers to commit to things like this in advance, but we realized that the most important thing is to get a core of racers excited to race every year," Verfaillie said. "For a lot of Outsiders it's a one-and-done, but we want to get a good group of Valdez skiers and Anchorage skiers and focus on building from the ground up."
As part of this approach, Qaniq organizers are touting the experience of the race over the headline-grabbing prize money.
This year's event will include a free kids competition as well as a free ski clinic hosted by some of the previous years' top finishers from the APU Nordic Ski Center.
The $75 race entry includes a family friendly after-party and awards banquet at the waterfront bar/restaurant The Fat Mermaid.
Verfaillie said he's trying to increase the value of the experience rather than attract a large field of skiers.
"We might have only 40 racers, but if we get 800,000 views on Facebook and the Internet about how fun and exciting the race is, we will hopefully keep growing this thing," he said.
After a rough couple years snow-wise, the ground cover in Valdez – known as the "Snow Capital of Alaska"– is living up to its reputation so far this year. By mid-December, the town was more than four feet of snow.
"Valdez is just magnificent in the winter," Verfaillie said. "I am sitting here watching the sunset on the mountains from my office, and I really can promise you there is nothing like this in the world. You just have to come here to see it."
A wind storm recently hit the area, but according to the Qaniq Challenge website, the race will happen "regardless of ski conditions, cancelled flights or other Valdez winter challenges — hence the name! Be prepared to ski in all conditions as the possibility of white-outs, open water crossings and/or blinding sun may happen."
For more information or to register, go to qaniqchallenge.com.
Lex Treinen is a member of the APU Nordic Ski Center and the winner of the last two Qaniq Challenge men's titles. He's skipping this year's race because of an injury.
Prize distribution
1st — $2,000
2nd — $1,000
3rd — $500
4th — $250
5th — $200
6th — $150
7th — $100
8th — $75
9th — $50
10th — $50
(Prizes will also be given to local and old-timer award-winners)