Nordic ski race moves but still on; fat tire race canceled

Despite a low snowpack, Mount Bachelor Sports and Education Foundation is hosting The Desert Orthopedics Great Nordeen Nordic Race this Saturday. Originally, it had planned on having a Fat Tire Bike Race the same day.

This would have been the first year for MBSEF to host a Fat Tire Bike Race. Low snowpack forced it to delay the race.

“We want to offer an awesome course next year,” MBSEF’s Events Director Molly Cogswell-Kelley said Tuesday. “We’re looking forward to having the inaugural bike race next year.”

Not only did MBSEF have to cancel the Fat Tire Bike Race, but they were forced to delay the Nordic race. The race was scheduled for January 31 but was moved in hopes snow conditions would improve.

The course of the Nordic race also has changed. Now, skiers will stay at higher elevations, rather than descend toward Wanoga Sno-Park. This Saturday, skiers will race around Dutchman Flat to Century Drive, where they will meet the Mount Bachelor Nordic trail system and finish at the Oval.

“We thought by pushing it to March 14 th that we would have enough snow, but we don’t,” Cogswell-Kelley said. “We have an amazing alternate route.”

WebCyclery is hosting packet pick-up for the race. Their customers are Nordic skiers as well as fat tire bike riders.

“It’s easy to add (the fat tire bike race) on,” owner Kevin Gorman said. “Since they can’t ride fat bikes up at Mount Bachelor, then that kind of threw a wrench in the plans.”

Registration is still open for the Nordic ski race on Saturday. Register at: www.mbsef.org