This Saturday, Feb. 28, downtown Caribou will look a little different than normal. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of “The Most Northeastern City in the United States”, the Caribou Rotary Club, Maine Winter Sports Center and the Caribou 150th Committee are sponsoring a race. But not just any race. Saturday’s sprint race will bring together some of the State’s fastest skiers and culminate in an afternoon crowning of the fastest skier in Maine.
Friday night, Soderburg Construction and the town of Caribou will get to work transforming Herschel St. Paper felt, donated by Fraser Paper, will be laid in the parking lot at the bottom of the hill and piled with an adequate amount of snow for Saturday’s races.
The races, open to middle schoolers, high schoolers and adults, are split by age and gender. At 10 a.m. sharp, middle school ski teams from all over the state will be split into groups and race 4-6 skiers at a time, completing one lap around the parking lot in this single-elimination bracketed competition.
High school boys and girls race after that, followed by adults. Adult participants are divided into 39 years old and below, and 40 and above and adults may register as late as the morning of the race.
For spectators, the event promises to be as exciting to watch as it will be to race.
The day-long competition is free to the public, but concessions to benefit the 150th fundraiser will be provided for a cost.
The Lions Club is helping to barbeque and provide hamburgers, hotdogs, chili and chicken stew and hot chocolate and coffee will be available as well.
The day will be full of back-to-back races and will end around 4 p.m. with the crowning of the winner and a cash prize to boot.
For more information on the Maine Invitational Ski Sprint, please visit www.celebratecaribou.com, or contact Mark Shea at 492-1444, or via email at mark@mainewsc.org.