Ski to Sea cyclocross leg finally living up to its name
THE COURSE
Year leg added to the race: 1991.
Where: From Hovander Homestead Park outside Ferndale to Squalicum Harbor.
Course length: About 13 miles.
Approximate time to complete: About 45 minutes for top competitors, more than an hour for everybody else.
Course description: Riders take the hand off from the canoeists at Hovander Homestead Park, ride through some cyclocross obstacles in Hovander Park and follow the river upstream into Ferndale. Riders will then take to the back roads and trails to cross Smith and Slater roads, cut through some Bellingham International Airport property before taking riders down to Squalicum Harbor. Along the way, there will be multiple off-road features, including barricades to climb over, bridges to cross and other obstacles for riders.
Cyclocross chair: John Burley.
Pre-race meeting: 10:30 a.m. at Hovander Homestead Park at the sandbar on the river.
Recommended departure time from Bellingham: 9:45 a.m.
Timing chip: The cyclocross biker receives the timing chip from the canoeist, swipes the chip to record the finish time for the canoe leg, rides to Squalicum Harbor and passes the chip to the kayaker. The kayaker will swipe the chip to record the finish time for the leg.
TRAVEL AND VIEWING ADVICE
With some of the course on roads, there are sure to be some roads that cross the race course. Watch for competitors and follow instructions from police and volunteers to maximize safety for everyone.
Best place to watch the leg: There are plenty of places to watch along the mountain biking course. Perhaps the best place is along the Marine Drive trail system as riders near the end of their leg or take in the spectator-friendly cyclocross obstacle course in Hovander Park.
TIPS FOR THE RACE
▪ Be ready as your teammate approaches. Cyclocross bikers are responsible for swiping the timing chip to record the finish time for the canoeing leg.
▪ Cyclocross bikers should help canoeists carry the canoe from the river to the finish line.
▪ Riders are responsible for knowing the course, which will be marked and well-staffed with volunteers on race day. Much of the course is on private property. Pre-runs will be allowed only from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28.
▪ Helmets are mandatory.
▪ Ride low on the bike, much like a road biker, to help increase speed.
▪ Bikes should be cleaned, lubed and otherwise readied for the race. Tires should be inflated to the correct pressure. Bike inspections will be available on race day.
2016 Top Finishers
Men: Alec Pasqualina (Aeromech) 37:24
Women: Courtenay McFadden (Boundary Bay Brewery Women) 43:59
This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Ski to Sea cyclocross leg finally living up to its name."