WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Ski to Sea canoe leg began in Riverside Park in Everson on Sunday, May 26. The race began at 7:30 a.m. with the earliest road bikers arriving at the park just before 10 a.m. The road bike leg began at the WSDOT Shuksan Maintenance Shed, with the majority of racers making their way to Everson at roughly 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. where their partners patiently waited to begin the canoe section of the race.

At 9 a.m., race organizers gave instructions to participants where they then brought their canoes from Everson Park to the rocky shores of the Nooksack River. 

Teammates waited along Park Drive where they bolted to the shores of Riverside Park to their canoes once their teammates showed up. Road bikers came in waves throughout the morning, each biker racing to pass on their timing chip. As people waited for their companions to arrive, they enjoyed the company of their loved ones and celebrated everyone’s successes at the finish line. 

Canoes began showing up on the shores of Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale hours later where the cyclocross leg began. Crowds of hundreds cheered as they waited for their friends and family to arrive by the water and relaxed in the park. The grassy area featured many food and drink vendors for visitors to enjoy which held people over for the long wait they endured to see their partners. Harsh winds in Ferndale made reaching the final stretch of the leg laborious for racers, adding to the list of substandard conditions participants faced on Sunday morning. 

The Sunday morning race saw moderate showers which added a layer of challenge for the race’s participants. Slippery roads caused a biker to fall near the finish line in Everson, and loose mud created dangerous sub-par conditions for racers and attendees. However, many riders came to enjoy the chilliness of this year’s event. 

Riley Allsop, whose team secured first place in the family division said, “This is perfect weather. It’s good Bellingham weather.” Another racer, Steven Hollenhorst, said it was great being out in the rain. Racers made the best of the day’s circumstances and were able to enjoy the Fairhaven Festival at Ski to Sea’s finish line. 

Click HERE to see photos from the Canoe and Road Bike legs of the 2024 Ski to Sea race.