FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Minnesota Finlandia Update

We have good news from Bemidji !   We’ve had cold clear nights and the forecast is not as warm Friday night as we had feared.  Still the clear skies and sunshine during the day have taken out the fields that connect our system to the east side trail, requiring us to adjust by shortening our course.  Therefore,  Minnesota Finlandia is on for the weekend,  making a plan to shorten the course to the West side trails for all races, and starting the race early at 9:00AM  Folks we have got the ski trails you’ve been missing this year and the forecast has improved enough that we are confident the skiing with be a fine day out.   This format will work just as it did last year -- the trails are sheltered by trees and so we have little to fear for meltout sections.   A choice between two laps or three is a manageable challenge on a fun course that won’t blow up your engine.  Make plans to join us.   We’ll have generous start lanes and use the standard start/finish line as in years past.  Final grooming will take place overnight Friday to preserve the best conditions for our skiers on Saturday.

COURSE CHANGES:
TWO LAPS  22K. Classic and Pursuit
THREE LAPS 33K Freestyle 33k Finlandia
8K Northwoods Tour

SCHEDULE CHANGES:
7:30AM Bib pickup, Northwoods tour registration at Buena Vista Chalet
9:00AM 22k pursuit and all 22k and 33k classic
9:10AM Freestyle Finlandia 33k and Bemidjiton 22k
9:12AM Northwoods Tour

Mild temps, all natural snow, great course, enthusiastic volunteers -- see you at the start line !!

Mark Morrissey.    Course chief. MN Finlandia