Back-to-back snowstorms and frigid temperatures might have delayed the 18th Annual Wentz Orthodontics Ski Your Age in Kilometers, but Fairbanks skiers rallied nonetheless!
More than 50 skiers participated and cranked out more than 900 kilometers, in this event, which was also sponsored by Edward Jones financial advisor Christopher Knott. Skiers from 11 years old to more than 70 came out and put in some k’s.
Ski Your Age had been set for December 26 but was postponed until January 1 due to unprecedented back-to-back snowstorms that dumped record amounts of snow (and rain). By January 1 the storms had ended (barely), the parking lots plowed (as much as could be expected), and the trails groomed (well, a lot of them). Of course, Mother Nature decided to have some fun by throwing us some cold. Temperatures hovered around 20 below F for the event and the snow was really slow, but some incredibly tough people came out and skied anyway!
It should be noted that a lot of tough 50+-year-olds who normally ski their age, didn’t reach those high marks this time, but some younger skiers put in impressive numbers. Nicholas Buth, 16, logged an incredible 55 kilometers, Eli Merrill, 18, put in 40K, and Owen Wooler, 14, skied 35.5K! The highest number put in by someone in the 50-year-old+ category was Corrine Leistikow, 62, who skied 32 kilometers.
Three FXC skiers, Zarah Laker-Morris, Nelson Hayes, and Tjarn Bross, along with FXC Head Coach Jeff Tucker couldn’t make the delayed even because they were in Utah for the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships, but they dutifully called in their distances (20K each). At least one math nerd skied. Max Kaufman left a note saying his distance was “skied in KM absolute value of temp in degreesF.”
The Birch Hill Cross Country Ski Center (big red building) was closed, so the typical (pre-Covid) relaxing sit-down opportunity had to be adapted. The resourceful FXC organizers made things work in the Warming Building, hanging the sign-up charts where they could and offering hot drinks and wrapped baked goods. Due to Covid concerns, many people made their stops at the building brief, mainly just to record their numbers, make a donation, and grab a snack.
The support of Wentz Orthodontics and Edward Jones financial advisor Christopher Knott was greatly appreciated by FXC, as this is one of the annual fundraisers for the team.
Many thanks to the volunteers and organizers who put on this event, and to participants who generously donated funds. Just over $850 was raised during the event (not including the support from our sponsors)!
Below is a listing of all the category achievements for those who signed up and recorded the kilometers they skied.
2021(22) Ski Your Age in KMs
Total Number of Skiers: 50
Total Number of KMs Skied: 909.14
Total Number of people who skied their age: 13
Title Sponsor: Wentz Orthodontics
Major Sponsor: Edward Jones, Financial Advisor Christopher Knott
Skied their age: Skied greater than or equal to their age (ranked by age)
| Name | Age | Kilometers |
| Lilli Bond | 12 | 12.5 |
| Owen Wooler | 14 | 35.5 |
| Kieran Kaufman | 14 | 14.25 |
| Elias Engman | 16 | 22 |
| Zarah Laker-Morris | 16 | 20 |
| Nelson Hayes | 16 | 20 |
| Sonja Truffer | 16 | 16 |
| Leni Stolz | 16 | 16 |
| Nicholas Buth | 16 | 55 |
| Olav Moeller | 16 | 17.32 |
| Pirada Anderson | 17 | 17.32 |
| Eli Merrill | 18 | 40 |
| Tjarn Bross | 20 | 20 |
Skied Half Their Age: Didn’t ski their age, but skied greater than or equal to half of age (ranked by age)
| Name | Age | Kilometers |
| Phoebe Wooler | 11 | 9.3 |
| Emmett Schnieder | 14 | 10.5 |
| Katelyn Gianni | 16 | 11.5 |
| Kasper Bennderson | 16 | 10 |
| Jordan Laker-Morris | 19 | 10.5 |
| Mallory Presler | 19 | 11.6 |
| Maggie Whitaker | 20 | 11.6 |
| Warren Rosholt | 27 | 17.5 |
| Jeff Tucker | 28 | 20 |
| Dmitry Brazhnikov | 34 | 20 |
| Katerina Vrbecka | 40 | 20 |
| Peter Delamere | 52 | 30 |
| Martin Truffer | 53 | 27.25 |
| Sarah Masterman | 56 | 30.6 |
| Donna DiFolco | 57 | 30.6 |
| Corrine Lestikow | 62 | 32 |
Couple Combos (ranked by distance)
| Team Name | Ages | Ks skied | ||
| Troyer/Leistikow | Eric Troyer | Corrine Leistikow | 61, 62 | 42 |
| Team Chech/Russia | Dmitry Brazhnikov | Katerina Vrbecka | 34, 40 | 40 |
| Baker | Sharon | Bad Bob | 63, 63 | 28 |
| Callis | Alyeska | Evans | 23, 23 | 21.4 |
Family Combos, not including Couples (ranked by distance)
| Team Name | Ages | Ks skied | |||
| Truffer | Sonja Truffer | Dana Truffer-Moudra | Martin Truffer | 16, 48, 53 | 60.85 |
| Wooller | Owen | Pheobe | Mat | 14, 11, 50 | 54.1 |
| Laker-Morris | Zarah | Jordan | 16, 19 | 30.5 | |
| Dissing/ Bennderson | Dorta Dissing | Kasper Bennderson | 52, 16 | 20 | |
| Bond | Lilli Bond | Steffi Ickert-Bond | 12, 55 | 18 | |
| Team Schneider | 9, 11, 45 | 8.2 |
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