BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com)—For 52 years, the annual Ski to Sea race has taken adventurous racers on a long and winding trip from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay.

Earlier this year, Ski to Sea announced that Aurielle Buermann would be serving as the new race director of the heritage event.

The Anacortes native is nothing but excited about her new role as she has worked alongside former race director Anna Rankin since 2022.

Before working with Whatcom Events, the nonprofit that produces other races like Tour de Whatcom, Trails to Taps and the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, Buermann worked in the fitness industry, hospitality and event production. She says that this new role as race director of Ski to Sea and the Mt. Baker Hill Climb brings together her past experiences into one.

“It really has been a wonderful transition careerwise,” Buermann says.

In total, Ski to Sea has seven legs with racer transitions between each one. During the 2024 race, Buermann was able to begin her day at the Mt. Baker Ski Area and end at the finish line in Fairhaven to see all of the moving parts of the multisport race. She noted seeing families on the side of the road cheering racers on and the hundreds of volunteers working to ensure the safety of the race.

Photo by Dave Walker

“It’s incredible to see the community come together for an event that has such a deep history here and is such a defining event of the region,” Buermann said.

The final portion of the race is a grueling 8 km sea kayak leg that takes racers from Zuanich Point Park to Marine Park in Fairhaven. Upon completion, kayakers are met with a roaring crowd and the pride of ringing the notable bell as they cross the finish line. Buermann says that past race officials have clocked 20,000 people in attendance at the finish line in years prior.

Photo by Dave Walker

“This race is so deeply rooted in Whatcom County and Whatcom County’s identity. It highlights how beautiful this region is and brings the community together.”

Aurielle Buermann

According to Buermann, planning for Ski to Sea is year-round. Every year, the team behind the race is given a list of improvements to make the following year’s race better than before. A tradition that former race director Anna Rankin started, Buermann is looking to continue the tradition for years to come.

The 2025 Ski to Sea race sold out five weeks earlier than last year’s race, but Buermann and her team are still looking for volunteers to help out on May 25. She says that it takes around 500 volunteers from the Mt. Baker Ski Area to Marine Park to make the race run smoothly.

“We encourage racers who weren’t able to sign up this year to volunteer and see it from the other side,” Buermann says.

For more information about the Ski to Sea race or how to volunteer, head to the Ski to Sea website at skitosea.com.

We Are Whatcom is a weekly column featuring Whatcom County residents making a positive impact on the community. To submit a Whatcom County resident to be featured, click here.