For the week of Jan 30 - Feb 5, 2002

Olympians join 1,000 Boulder Tour skiers

Record field, star-studded race

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Saturday’s 27th running of the Wells Fargo Boulder Mountain Ski Tour will be special for three reasons—great snow, a record field of entries and the presence of 2002 Olympians.

Registration for the 32-kilometer cross-country ski race closed 10 days ago when the event filled to its capacity of 1,000 entrants. Last year, there were a record 830 skiers.

U.S. Nordic Olympians expected to compete in the Elite class include Nina Kemppel, Kristina Joder, Barb Jones, Andrew Johnson and Patrick Weaver plus two previous Boulder winners—1998-2000 king Carl Swenson and 2001 winner Justin Wadsworth.

The race starts Saturday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. at Senate Creek near Galena Lodge 23 miles north of Ketchum. The first skiers will begin crossing the finish line near the SNRA headquarters eight miles north of town shortly after 11 a.m.

Wadsworth (1.12:49) and Unni Odegard of Boulder (1.20:16) won the tour in 2001.

Due to the race, the Harriman Trail will be closed from 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1 until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2. Parking will be provided for spectators near the SNRA finish line.

Citizen skiers can retrace the Boulder Tour route from the SNRA to Galena Lodge Sunday starting at 10 a.m. and then enjoy a full day of Galena activities during the Wells Fargo Ski Festival. Equipment demos will be popular.

 

Idaho International Grand Prix

The Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation will stage the Idaho International Grand Prix races today, Wednesday on the Sun Valley Gun Club trails.

Many of the world’s top Nordic skiers, in training for February’s 2002 Winter Olympics in Utah, are due to race.

Women will run 5-kilometer classic at 11 a.m. and men will go out for a 10k freestyle race at 1 p.m. Spectators are invited.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.