Skate ski clinic planned Saturday

WASILLA — Valley residents looking for a new way to start burning off those holiday calories can head for the hills Saturday.

The Mat-Su Ski Club will host a skate ski clinic at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mountain Streams Bed and Breakfast in Palmer. The clinic will be conducted by longtime Valley ski coach Ed Strabel, who owns the lodge with his wife, Glynn.

Ski club president Yvonne Sumner said Thursday that the clinic is open to skiers of all ability levels, although it’s ideal for those just learning the sport.

“Ed’s really good at dealing with all levels at the same time,” Sumner said.

She said she took the course last year and had so much fun it inspired her to head to the sporting goods store.

“I bought skate skis right after,” she said.

Ed Strabel has held three such classes in the past, though this is the first year it’s being held in conjunction with the ski club, which formed this year as a way to unite the area’s cross country community.

Strabel said he’s built a new slide board for beginning skiers to work on before slapping on the skis. The board is used to learn the lateral pushing motion needed to move fast on a pair of skate-style skis.

“In skate skiing, you don’t push back, you push to the side,” Strabel said.

After working with beginners on the motion of skate skiing, Strabel said he’ll take the skiers out on the trails behind his home to start working on technique.

There is no cost of the clinic, although the ski club is hoping to sign up new members. Skiers should bring their own skate skis. Cost for a single membership is $20 or $40 for families.

For more information, or for directions to the Mountain Streams Bed and Breakfast, visit www.matsuski.com.

Palmer skiers compete

in Besh Cup

Members of the Palmer High cross country ski team competed in the opening race of the 2007-08 Besh Cup sprint races Saturday at Kincaid Park in Anchorage. The first race consisted of a one kilometer sprint over Kincaid’s fast, icy course.

Palmer’s Kimberly Del Frate was 23rd in the girls’ junior 2 division with a time of 4:09.34, while sister Amanda placed 28th in 4:19.62.

Dunedin Strickland was Palmer’s top finisher Saturday, completing the 1K sprint in 3:19.89, good enough for 14th among J2 division skiers. Teammate Davis Dunlap was 20th with a time of 3:24.77.

Palmer High head cross country ski coach Darin Markwardt also completed in the race, placing 80th in the men’s open race in a time of 3:34.79.