Front-runners ring the bell as the Ski to Sea race is back in Whatcom County
Birch Equipment’s kayaker had the third-best leg time, but was first to ring the finish bell and help his team to an overall win in under six hours at the 2022 Ski to Sea race Sunday, May 29. He was followed by Beavers Tree Service and Boomer’s Drive-In kayakers in crossing the finish line at Marine Park in Fairhaven.
The Beavers Tree Service team came in second overall with a time of 6:00:21. Third overall was Boomer’s Drive-In at 6:02:46.
“It’s a big relief, there were some fast paddlers behind me,” Birch Equipment kayaker Jeff Hilburn, 52, told The Bellingham Herald at the finish line. The team finished with an overall time of 5:59:48.
Jonas Ecker, the kayaker for Beavers Tree Service in the Whatcom County Open category, finished the leg with what appeared to be the fasted time of 37:28 minutes for the five-mile course across Bellingham Bay. The 19-year-old, who has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 2018, was a student in Hilburn’s fifth-grade class at Lowell Elementary in Bellingham.
”Lucky I had a big enough lead,” Hilburn said.
The Birch Equipment team members were 15 to 58 years old, Hilburn said. “It’s a lot of fun, because you see these young kids coming up and they’re so much faster and it’s nice to see.”
The team included, Finn Redman, cross-country skiing; Steven Potratz-Lee, downhill; John Whelan, running; Matt Bailey, road bike; Bob Woodman and Glenn Bond, canoe; Jack Shuckra, cyclocross.
”It’s just such a great community event. We appreciate everybody coming out and volunteering and cheering us on,” Hilburn said. “I would really encourage everybody to just pick something, you don’t have to be necessarily that good at that thing, but just go and have fun. It’s just a great weekend for everybody.”
“There’s a friendly rivalry there,” Ecker said. “Of course, we both just wanted to go have a good race. I started paddling the summer before I was in his class, so he’s kind of been there the whole time.”
“I’m happy with it. It would be have been nice to obviously win, but we were Whatcom County and there’s nothing better than that,” Ecker told The Herald.
It was Ecker’s third year competing in the race. He raced for a high school team in 2018-19, but this is his first time racing for a competitive Whatcom County team. He said his father has raced for Beavers Tree Service for as long as he’s been alive, and Brian Ecker handed off the timing device to his son Sunday after riding the cyclocross leg.
The Whatcom County race was back after a two-year hiatus due to COVID.
Racer Rob Lawrance had a medical emergency and died during the cyclocross leg, according to race Director Anna Rankin. He was racing with the Border Traffic team in the veterans division.
Cross-country skiers again led off with a 7:30 a.m. start time at Mt. Baker Ski Area, skiing about 4 miles then handed off to snowboarders or skiers for the second leg of the race.
About 350 eight-person teams participated in the overall 93-mile race.
Runners in the third leg started to finish near 9 a.m. after running about 8 miles down Mount Baker Highway.
They handed off to road cyclists who rode 41 miles to Riverside Park in Everson. Due to flood damage, spectators weren’t allowed at the park this year.
Cyclists handed off to canoe paddlers who faced an 18-.5-mile route along the Nooksack River. The first paddlers finished about 12:20 p.m. at Hovander Park.
Canoeists handed off to cyclocross riders who rode to Zuanich Park for the handoff to kayakers.
First teams under the bridge heading to the canoe finish were Birch Equipment, Boomer’s Drive-In and Beavers Tree Service.
After a night of heavy rain, the canoe finish line was a soggy mess, said race official John Burley. “It’s gonna be a mud bowl down there,” he told racers.
Are We There Yet? cyclocross rider Alyssa Reetz told The Herald about the course: “I rode it yesterday. It’s a little muddy.”
For the kayak leg, there was a steady breeze Sunday, but no whitecaps on Bellingham Bay at Zuanich Park.
Officials at the leg pre-race meeting confirmed conditions allowed kayakers to paddle the long course. One difference for the kayak leg this year was no big balloons because of a helium shortage. But the course buoys were in the bay, along with spotters.
Birch Equipment was first with the handoff from cyclocross to kayak for the five-mile paddle to the finish line at Marine Park.
Mo Stewart, a kayak-leg race official, said they’re a little rusty coming back after a two-year hiatus, but they’re expecting lots of people to show up at the finish line. Lots of people have been telling her they’re excited the race is back on, she told The Herald.
Ski to Sea overall division winners:
These are the top teams in each division and those that finished in seven hours or less.
In competitive open:
Birch Equipment, 5:59:48. First overall, as well.
Boomer’s Drive-In, 6:02:46. Also, third overall.
COMPASS, 6:22:02.
Evil Bike Co., 6:28:56.
Vandammage, 6:54:01.
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 6:00:21. Also, second overall.
Inn at Lynden, 6:27:51.
In veterans:
Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, 6:34:23.
Peoples Bank, 6:44:01
Mt. Baker Ravens, 6:52:14.
In competitive mixed:
Just Poké, 6:51:11.
Columbia Bank, 6:54:18.
In masters:
Greatest American Heroes, 6:52:40.
In car-free:
Surfrider Mavericks, 6:58:04.
In corporate:
Bellingham Firefighters, 6:59:54.
In recreational open:
Industrial CU, 7:19:55.
In competitive women:
The Real Housewives of Whatcom County, 7:43:05.
In recreational mixed:
Sardine Shower Rods, 7:46:54.
In Whatcom County mixed:
HardCorePhysio, 7:52:40.
In high school:
The Kids Aren’t Alright, 7:56:24.
In family:
Once More For Good Old Times, 8:23:15.
In recreational women:
Beastie Belles, 8:36:05.
In Whatcom County women:
Hypegirls, 9:05:09.
Top 10 for race legs
Here’s how the legs finished, according to the Ski to Sea website at 5 p.m. Sunday:
Top kayak finishers
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 37:28.
Inn at Lynden, 41:43.
In competitive open:
Boomer’s Drive-In, 38:46.
COMPASS, 40:49.
Birch Equipment, 41:35.
NW Lab Rats, 42:19.
Evil Bike Co., 42:49.
In competitive mixed:
Delicate Flowers, 40:37.
In competitive women:
The Real Housewives of Whatcom County: 42:52.
In veterans:
Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, 44:11.
Top canoe finishers
In competitive open:
Birch Equipment, 1:49:40.
Boomer’s Drive-In, 1:51:22.
Vendovi, 1:53:03.
In car-fee:
Surfrider Mavericks, 1:50:42.
In Whatcom County open:
Inn at Lynden, 1:51:06.
Beavers Tree Service, 1:52:22.
In veterans:
Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, 1:53:01.
Two Cubed to Finish, 1:53:14.
Peoples Bank: 1:53:47.
In corporate:
Bellingham Firefighters, 1:53:34.
Top road bike finishers
In competitive open:
Boomer’s Drive-In, 1:24:57.
Birch Equipment, 1:24:59.
Evil Bike Co., 1:35:22.
COMPASS, 1:35:35.
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 1:26:51.
Inn at Lynden, 1:35:28.
In Masters:
Greatest American Heroes, 1:31:48.
The Monkey Wrench Gang, 1:37:45.
In competitive mixed:
We’ll Be Fine, 1:31:52.
Columbia Bank, 1:34:17.
Top running finishers
In competitive open:
COMPASS, 37:14.
Birch Equipment, 37:17.
Evil Bike Co., 37:43.
Whales Outta Water x AP Consultants, 38:50.
Boomer’s Drive-In, 39:46.
In recreational mixed:
Sardine Shower Rods, 37:50.
In veterans:
Team Crystal Creek, 38:19.
Peoples Bank, 38:38.
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 39:01.
Recreational open:
SLO Team, 39:09.
Top downhill ski finishers
In competitive open:
Galloping Gonads, 23:44
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 24:05.
In veterans:
Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, 24:43.
Mt. Baker Ravens, 25:25.
In recreational mixed:
Of Ice and Snowmen, 25:04.
In competitive mixed:
Weedmasters Landscaping LLC, 25:07.
Cotton Kills, 25:27.
Just Poké, 25:46.
In competitive open:
Vandammage, 25:55.
Evil Bike Co., 26:21.
Top cross-country ski finishers
In competitive open:
Boomer’s Drive-In, 18:58.
Birch Equipment, 19:52.
In veterans:
Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, 20:41.
In Whatcom County open:
Beavers Tree Service, 20:53.
Inn at Lynden, 22:02.
In competitive mixed:
Just Poké, 21:29.
Wild Rumpus, 22:10.
In masters:
The Monkey Wrench Gang, 21:36.
In car-free:
Surfrider Mavericks, 21:38.
In recreational open:
Fred Meyers Cheers to 100 Years!, 22:19.
This story was originally published May 29, 2022 at 9:07 AM.
