THUNDER BAY -- Local skiers still have an opportunity to register for this year’s Sleeping Giant Loppet.
Skiers still have the chance to sign-up in person for the event at the Kamview Nordic Centre until 9 p.m. Friday evening.
Coordinator Peter Gallagher said online registrations were through the roof for this year’s event.
“We had about 750 registrations when we closed online registration Tuesday night,” Gallagher said.
“We don’t (accept) registrations on Wednesday, but we take in-person registration Thursday and Friday from 3 until 9 p.m.”
Gallagher said they usually pick up another 100 people from the in-person registration at the Kamview Nordic Centre, so organizers are expecting more than 800 participants.
Gallagher believes this year’s “crazy” online registration was because of a couple of different reasons.
“Think a lot of people are coming from the United States because of last weekend’s cancellation of the Birkebeiner event, which usually draws about 10,000 people. I think people are hungry for a good ski,” he said.
“The couple of centimeters of snow we had throughout the week encouraged the local skiers to register as well.”
Gallagher said the trails are in great condition, and organizers are looking forward to the big turnout.
Organizers are excited about some of the elite competitors who will be participating in this year’s event.
“Andy Shields from Thunder Bay who smoked the fields last weekend at the Gatineau Loppet, he won both the long distance classic event and the long distance skate event and a number of former winners of our own Loppet from Minnesota are registered as well.”
Gallagher added that it’s been an up and down skiing season for cross country, so this may be the best opportunity for skiers to have a great ski.
