Cuddy Park Rollerski Race

Clowns, kayakers, roller-derby girls, musicians, families, rollerbladers and rollerskiers gathered in midtown Anchorage on Saturday, to celebrate the re-opening of Cuddy Park. APUNSC, Winter Stars, and others, made a presence in the roller-ski pursuit race. The morning's classic rollerski race (4.2k for the ladies and J2 boys, 6.2k for the men) was added to the 1k skate sprint times to determine the overall placings.
Erin Phillips and the World's Tallest Lady

The classic course didn't have any steep hills, so I decided to put my double-pole to the test and race with skate boots, skate rollerskis, and classic poles. The twists and turns in the flat course gave ample opportunity for marathon skating as well as drafting. "Kikkanimal" Randall also went with the skate set-up and set a speedy pace (as usual), so I got the chance to hop in behind her and tried to hang on for dear life.

The men's race was even more of a double-pole derby, and it was pretty neat to see the top pack fly around the course in synchronization.
Anders Haugen, James Southam, Bart Dengel

The afternoon race was a 3 lap skate sprint around the pancake-flat speed-skating oval. It was fun to race again and exciting to watch the guys (and Kikkan) battle for the finish line. Working hard is much easier and more enjoyable with a bib on your back!

Erik wanted to make sure there was no doubt left in our minds that today was a hard day. So after the sprint we did some double-pole speeds. Today I feel like I can enjoy a well-deserved day of relaxation.