A night-time 1.2km classic sprint held at the base of the Cerro Castor alpine ski area outside of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina served as the third and final event in the Tierra del Fuego Nordic Ski Championships on the 9th of August.
A visiting American skier, Sam Evans-Brown, won the final heat in 2 minutes 24 seconds. Close behind were Fueguino strongmen MartÃn Bianchi and Federico Cichero. The women’s event was contested only in junior and master’s categories.
The Club Andino Ushuaia holds annual Nordic ski races during the austral winter at two locations near the southernmost city on the planet. The final race in the three race series resulted from a partnership between Cerro Castor and the CAU. The unique, night-time format publicized the improving cross-country ski services in the Valley of Tierra Mayor located thirty minutes outside of Ushuaia.
This winter in Tierra del Fuego started with a bang back in May and has continued to deliver the most snow experienced in the region for at least six years. On August 17th, the annual Marchablanca 21/7km freestyle race will take place on its traditional, single-loop course in the Valley of Tierra Mayor. This year’s title sponsor, Centro Invernal Tierra Mayor, is providing the grooming with its new Pisten Bully that arrived in June, not a moment too early to begin grooming what has now become over 1.5 meters of snow on the ground. The Centro Invernal Tierra Mayor Marchablanca also takes place during the inaugural Tierra del Fuego Nordic Ski Festival which is attracting increasing support for an enhanced second edition in 2009 including more daily grooming on more kilometers.
More information and help with skiing in Tierra del Fuego is available through Matt Muir at Skifire Inc., visit www.skifire.com or email Matt at matt@skifire.com.
