Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%..
Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Potential for severe thunderstorms. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%.
Updated: August 4, 2023 @ 5:30 pm
Participants in the Summit Race Challenge run up the mountain during last year’s event.
Jessie Diggins signs an autograph for a young fan after last year’s Summit Race Challenge.
Participants in last year’s Youth Race begin their race up Stratton Mountain.
Participants in last year’s Summit Race Challenge run up Stratton Mountain.
Participants in last year’s Youth Race begin their race up Stratton Mountain.
Participants in last year’s Summit Race Challenge run up Stratton Mountain.
Participants in the Summit Race Challenge run up the mountain during last year’s event.
STRATTON — On Saturday morning, athletes from throughout the nation will converge at Stratton Mountain to take part in the Summit Race Challenge presented by the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team.
The Summit Race Challenge, beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, is a 5K Open road race. Members of the SMS T2 Team, a professional cross-country ski team, will be participating in the race as will members of the U.S. Ski Team (USST).
Jessie Diggins signs an autograph for a young fan after last year’s Summit Race Challenge.
Among the members of the SMS T2 team that will be competing this weekend is Olympic medalist Jessie Diggins. Diggins won a gold medal in the women’s team sprint at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games held in Pyeongchang, South Korea. She also won a silver medal in the women’s 30-kilometer Mass Start Freestyle and a bronze medal in the women’s sprint freestyle in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games held in Beijing, China.
In addition to the 5K Open race, the Summit Race Challenge will include a 2K Youth race.
The Open race will begin under the gondola until Lower Standard meets Interstate. Runners will race up the trail through the Meadows and then Mike’s Way to the Summit, according to Stratton’s website. The 2K Youth Race starts at the gondola and ends around mid-mountain at the top of Lower Standard. Youth participants can then hike to the summit to cheer on the runners in the Open race.
Following the race, participants and members of the public will be able to meet the members of the T2 Team from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m.
The race was held for the first-time last year and was well received by the public, according to Digital Marketing Manager for Stratton Mountain, Andrew Kimiecik. Last year, there were a lot of youth signups, but Kimiecik said the participants were a good blend of both youth and older members of the crowd that wanted to compete against the Olympic athletes.
Part of the draw of the race, Kimiecik believes, is not only competing against the members of the USST and T2 Teams, but having the opportunity to interact with them after the race.
“I think the base appeal is (the) race and I think for the youth it’s more so, kind of meeting the team, and then having that personal time with people that they’re generally going to see on TV in the Olympics in another two years,” Kimiecik said. “It hits both fields well. You’re having your youth be able to meet (the athletes) and then it is a high level of fitness to be able to race against an Olympic athlete as well and kind of talk up your time.”
As of Tuesday, 53 people had registered to participate in the race coming from states such as Alaska, Colorado, Minnesota and Washington along with states throughout New England. Kimiecik said there were also people registered to compete from Ontario, Canada.
Registration for the event, which is a fundraiser for the T2 Team to help with travel expenses throughout the year, ends on Friday. The cost to register is $10 for children 14 and under and $50 for all others. There is also a donation option on the race registration page for those individuals who may want to help the athletes with their expenses, but do not want to participate in the race.
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