The costume contest theme for Chama Chile Ski Classic this year was ‘Come One, Come All to the Circus In the Mountains!’. Evgenia Simakov with daughters Anna and Sasha ready for the 3k ski race. Courtesy photo

Southwest Nordic Ski Club folks have been busy every weekend with the many fun nordic events in the area.

Over the past two weekends club members, friends and kids team have participated in the 45th annual Chama Chile Ski Classic in Chama and BB Gun Biathlon in Pagosa Springs, Colo.

Chama Chile Ski Classic was held over two days with xc ski, snowshoe and fat tire bike events, as well as a fun costume contest plus kids and rookie races. First day is always freestyle technique. In the 6k race, club member Amber Dagel was first woman. In the 18k freestyle race, Karl Walczak, was the overall winner. Sanna Sevanto was 2nd woman and 1st in her age group. Sonja Unrau was 3rd in her age group. Scott Baily was 2nd in his age group and Lynn Bjorklund was 3rd woman overall and 1st in her age group.

Day 2 included classic style races as well as snowshoe races, costume contest and kids/rookie races. In the 12k classic ski race, Karl Walczak was again the overall winner with Clay Moseley getting 3rd, Logan Ott 4th and Zach Leonard 5th overall. Moseley, Leonard and Baily also swept the podium in their same age group getting 1st, 2nd and 3rd, respectively while Paul Gooris was 7th in his age group.

On the women’s side of the 12k, Sanna Sevanto was 2nd while Kristin Johansen was 3rd and Lynn Bjorklund 4th women overall. Wyatt Watson was the overall winner of the 6k, while Robi Mulford was first female and 3rd overall.

Also, in the 6k, Ian Swift was first in his age group, Sonja Behnke took 4th in her age group and her husband Chris Michel took 1st in his age group. Tarik Saleh accompanied his daughter for 3rd place in his age group.

In the 6k snowshoe race, Logan Ott took 2nd overall while new club member, Juan Saenz was 3rd overall. Logan Ott was also the overall winner of the ‘king of the mountain” competition which involved combined times for 12k ski and 6k snowshoe races.

The 1k and 3k Kids/Rookie races were not timed and all finishers received a medal. SWN Ski Kids had 11 participants in these two events.

Over the same weekend Southwest Nordic taught a kids’ beginner clinic on Camp May Rd. Participants ranged in age from 4 to 12 and everyone enjoyed it!

The next weekend, Southwest Nordic headed to Pagosa Springs, Colo for their fun Red Ryder BB Gun Biathlon event. The club fielded four adult skiers in the 16k race and seven kids in the 4k race. The participants skied four laps shooting at numbered paper targets after 1st, 2nd and 3rd laps, 5 shots each time and finishing with a ski lap. BB Guns were provided for participants and stayed on tables in the shooting zone while skiers were on their ski laps.

Final times were calculated by adding 5 seconds to ski time for every missed shot of the 15 shots taken. The event is very low key and beginner friendly with a short and flat ‘kid k’ course and finisher medals and prizes for all participants. In the 16k Clay Moseley and Sanna Sevanto were the overall winners while Erik Leonard and Mila Moseley took the men’s and women’s wins in the 4k event.

Next up for Southwest Nordic are Alley Loop in Crested Butte, Colo., Junior National Qualifier races in Durango and Leadville Loppet.

You can follow Southwest Nordic Ski Club here or contact them by emailing SWNSKIboard@gmail.com.

Madalyn Baily as a miming clown at the 45th Annual Chama Chile Ski Classic. Madalyn was 3rd overall and 1st in her age group in the 6k skate Saturday and participated in the 3k classic Sunday. Courtesy photo

Day 2 of Chama Races, start of the 12k classic race L-R club members Scott Baily (#313), Clay Moseley (Mr. USA), Sanna Sevanto (just behind and right of Clay), Karl Walczak (#310) and behind Karl parts of Zach Leonard (in a fashionable 80s checkered race suit!), in the back: Lynn Bjorklund (#322) and to the right of her, Paul Gooris (with cap and beard). Courtesy photo

Aida Saleh took 2nd place in the 10-12 age group in the 6k classic at Chama Chile Ski Classic. Courtesy photo

Jean Dewart (left), Howard and Wyatt Watson after finishing the 6k classic race. Wyatt was the overall winner of the 6k classic, while Howard took 3rd and Jean was 2nd in their age groups. Courtesy photo

1k, 3k Kids/Rookie racers start their races! Oliver Saenz (left), Luke Gibson, Samantha Baily, Evgenia Simakov, Diego Leonard, Levi Gibson, Zach Gibson, Sasha Simakov, Quanah Moseley, Madalyn Baily, Anna Simakov. Costumes are not required but it’s fun and you can win prizes in the costume contest. Courtesy photo

Ana and Oliver Saenz participated in their first xc ski race at Chama Chile Ski Classic after joining SWN Ski Kids for their first season and loved it! Courtesy photo

Kids beginner ski clinic held on Camp May Rd in Los Alamos Monday, Jan. 21st. Sienna Rolfe (left), Zoey Fohtung, Dasha Mealy, Gianna Rolfe, Iris Van Scoyok, Aamon Atchley, instructor Dina Pesenson, Milo Van Scoyok. Courtesy photo

Parents Lindsay and Travis Gibson helping their sons Zach and Levi in the shooting zone of the 4k bb gun biathlon race in Pagosa Springs, Colo last Sunday. Parents were allowed to help kids cock the guns and handle taking their ski poles off/on for the shooting portion. Courtesy photo

Coach Clay Moseley cheering while Erik Leonard takes the overall win and Mila Moseley takes the win for the women in the 4k BB Gun Biathlon race last Sunday in Pagosa Springs, Colo. Courtesy photo

Hans Gardner shooting in his first xc ski and bb gun event ever. Hans did the ‘kid k’ race and is now excited to xc ski more! James Dickoff, event organizer from Pagosa Nordic Club, helped Hans and other kids cock the gun between shots. Courtesy photo

Mila Moseley taking shots during 4k BB Gun Biathlon race. Mila was the overall women’s winner for the 4k. Courtesy photo

Happy finishers showing off their finisher medals and targets after completing the BB Gun Biathlon races in Pagosa Springs, Colo. Zach Leonard (left), Hans Gardner, Luke Gibson, Quanah Moseley, Mila Moseley, Levi Gibson, Zach Gibson, Diego Leonard, Clay Moseley, Sanna Sevanto, Erik Leonard, Dina Pesenson. Courtesy photo