Sons of Norway to sponsor 2nd Annual Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski race for youth, families Feb. 7

HANCOCK -- The members of local Sons of Norway Ulseth Lodge 5-620 invite area youth to the 2nd Annual Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski race from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Maasto Hiihto cross country ski trails, Hancock. Registration begins at 12 noon at the ski chalet.

At the 2008 Barneløpet three-year-old Naomi Hohnholt of Hancock and her dad, Chris Hohnholt, skied the 1 Km event together. (File photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

The Barneløpet, a Norwegian word meaning, "the children’s race" is open to all youth ages three through 17. The non-competitive event is sponsored by Sons of Norway Ulseth Lodge, the Keweenaw Community Foundation, Portage Health and the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club. The Keweenaw Community Foundation has provided a grant for the event, and Portage Health will provide refreshments for the skiers after the race.

"This is a special day for youth and their families to spend some time skiing," said Wayne Stordahl, president of Sons of Norway Lodge 5-670. "Cross country skiing is a very popular family activity in Norway and we want to encourage this idea here. We also want to spotlight the great cross country trails in Hancock."

Wayne Stordahl, left, of Hancock, president of Sons of Norway Lodge 5-670, and Jay Green of the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club organized the 2008 Barneløpet Cross-Country Ski race. (File photo © 2008 Michele Bourdieu)

The Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club (KNSC) will groom four courses for the event. Relatively easy one-, two-, and four-kilometer courses will be open, as well as a more difficult six-kilometer course, which descends into the gorge and follows the stream.

Skiers can "stride" any of the four courses, and a large time clock will be running for those who wish to time themselves. Children who finish their course will be awarded a colorful Norwegian Olympic-style enameled medallion. Skiers will also be treated to cookies and hot chocolate.

The Barneløpet entry fee is $5 for one skier and $10 for a family of two or more. Entry fees for the Copper Country Ski Tigers (CCST) will be paid by the CCST. Parents are welcome to ski with their children.

Also during the Barneløpet on Feb. 7, the Keweenaw Nordic Ski Club will award its annual Youth Skier Scholarship to two area Ski Tigers youth who plan to participate in the USAA Junior Olympics March 7 to 15 in Truckee, California.

A registration form for the 2nd Annual Barneløpet can be downloaded at keweenawtrails.com.

For additional information about the Barneløpet, please contact Wayne Stordahl at 906-482-0292.

Sons of Norway is an international organization promoting Norwegian traditions, fraternal fellowship and cultural learning in the United States, Canada and Norway. Local Sons of Norway lodge activities may include language camps, scholarships, handcrafts, cooking and cultural classes, heritage and sports awards programs, travel opportunities and the Viking Magazine. Sons of Norway, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., was founded in 1895.

For more information about Sons of Norway visit their Web site.

Editor's Note: Read about the First Annual Barneløpet held in February 2008 and see more photos in our Feb. 23, 2008, article "Kids ski with parents in first Barnelopet at Maasto Hiihto."