To add to Chris's notes. I love this race, and I'm sorry that I'll
miss it since this year. But it seems also to be cursed somehow - the
temps always seem to be right at freezing. I've heard more than one
good strider cursing at the end of the race "I'll never try this race
again with waxable skis!". One guy was seen to throw his skis into
the woods at the finish.

Last year there were 2 pair of those Madshus in the race. Those
skiers finished 1st and 2nd.

Have fun, and be careful on the sharp left coming down the big hill
(Ozbaldy).

Erik Brooks,
Seattle

----- Original Message -----
From: "chris esposito"
To: "Multiple recipients of list NORDIC-SKI"

Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 12:41 PM
Subject: sknyski's "old school" world tour 2004


sknyski wrote:

Coming to a race near you:

* Gunnar Haugen 30km, Jan 18, outside Seattle. A low-altitude
warmup
(did I say low altitude?). Hoping that I will be able to use my
secret-weapon Madshus waxless, with a fresh R2.3 grind from NAT
BROWN'S NORDIC ULTRA TUNE IN EDMONDS WASHINGTON. I'll be the guy
in
the polka-dotted uni, wearing headphones during the race because
the
NFL was inconsiderate enough to schedule the AFC championship
game,
starring my New England Patriots, during the race. Goal will be
to
see how close I can get to that hot-shot Kent Somebody guy that my
friend Brian is always blathering on about.

The Gunnar Hagen is put on the the Kongsbergers, the local Nordic
Racing
club. For more info on the race, see http://www.kongsbergers.org .

The race location is about 9 miles east of and below Snoqualmie
pass, on
I-90. Since the pass itself is only at 3000 feet, the race takes
place
at 2500 feet or so at the Cabin Creek Sno Park.

`Kent Somebody' would be Kent Murdoch. Good luck. He either wins or
has
a top 3 in most everything he enters around here.

Chris