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Photo courtesy of Bruce Adelsman, skinnyski.com

MiSSeries invites skiers on a tour of Minnesota’s hottest races

Nothing equals the atmosphere of a cross-country ski race. Skiers clad in brightly colored spandex zip along the trail with incredible speed. Frost coats their hats and eyebrows; men’s beards are frozen into blocks of ice. Bundled spectators whoop shouts of encouragement and ring cowbells.

This is the action of the Minnesota Skinnyski Series–one of the best excuses to get out and tour the state this winter. After all, there’s a trip to Iceland at stake–not to mention the chance to be part of the exclusive 182-kilometer club if you finish all six races.

The Skinnyski Series (or “MiSSeries,†for short) is a set of well-established cross-country ski races around Minnesota. Each race is open to all skiers. The MiSSeries standings are determined through an age-indexed system that ensures a 70-year-old can be competitive with someone in their 20s.

The 2008 line-up includes a venue change to the Boulder Lake Ski Race in Duluth for the first race of the season. All courses are in the range of 25-35 km, except for the 42-km Mora Vasaloppet. Two of the races, the Pepsi Challenge and the Vasaloppet, feature classic-style track skiing. The others are freestyle skate-ski courses. The grand prize for the overall men’s and women’s champions is a trip to Iceland to compete in the international Fossavatn Ski Marathon.

The MiSSeries is a terrific excuse to load the skis in the car and head to some of Minnesota’s best wintertime destinations. No matter how you place, there’s a guaranteed reward for those who participate: With six races in six weekends, the winter is sure to pass quickly.

Make a date with the MiSSeries

Boulder Lake Ski Race

    Duluth              Jan. 13, 2008/Jan. 10, 2009
Pepsi Challenge                Biwabik            Jan. 19, 2008/Jan. 16, 2009
Governor’s Cup                  Little Falls        Jan. 26, 2008/Jan. 23, 2009
City of Lakes Loppet        Minneapolis       Feb. 3, 2008/Feb. 1, 2009
Mora Vasaloppet               Mora                Feb. 10, 2008/Feb. 8, 2009
Minnesota Finlandia         Bemidji            Feb. 16, 2008/Feb. 14, 2009

For schedule updates and race standings, visit www.minnesotaskinnyskiseries.com.