A Forty Year Fridtjof Nansen Timeline By Dave Weiss

DATES OF FRIDTJOF NANSEN SKI RACES

The Fridtjof Nansen cross country ski race was created and instituted by Karl Andresen, founder and first president of the Eau Claire Ski Striders.  Since the inception of the race from 1974 through 2014 there have been 27 races plus a local “fun” race held; 13 were cancelled because of lack of snow or poor weather.  All races were held at the Eau Claire Golf and County Club through 1996.  In 1997 the site was moved to the Tower Ridge Ski Area.

Dates of Fridtjof Nansen race each year from 1974 through 2014:

Year                                                         Day, Temperature, Conditions                                   

1974...........................................     Feb. 17, Sunday,  34 degrees, sunny; glazed old snow

1975...........................................     Jan. 5, Sunday, 26 degrees; newer snow

1976...........................................     Jan. 31, Saturday, mid to upper 20's; newer snow

1977...........................................     Feb. 12, Saturday, 37 degrees; marginal conditions, old snow

1978...........................................     Feb. 11, Saturday, mid 20's; newer snow, soft track

1979...........................................     Feb. 10, Saturday, minus 5 to zero degrees; new, light, dry snow

1980...........................................     Feb. 9, Saturday, mid 20's, high 27 degrees

1981...RACE CANCELLED....    Feb. 14, Saturday, warm (high 40's) and lack of snow

1982...........................................     Feb. 13, Saturday, 21 degrees; slower snow

1983...........................................     Feb. 12, Saturday, 33 degrees; new snow

1984...........................................     Feb. 11, Saturday , 36 degrees; granular wet snow

1985...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 26, Saturday, lack of snow

1986...........................................     Jan. 25, Saturday, 15 degrees, windy

1987...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 24, Saturday, lack of snow

1988...........................................     Jan. 23, Saturday,  8 to 10 degrees; 1" new snow

1989...........................................     Jan. 21, Saturday, 34 degrees; race shortened (sparse snow), sunny

1990...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 20, Saturday, lack of snow

1991...........................................     Jan. 19, Saturday, 35 degrees; slower soft snow

1992...........................................     Jan. 18, Saturday, minus 2 degrees; race shortened-cold weather

1993...........................................     Jan. 16, Saturday, 24 degrees, new snow

1994...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 15, Saturday, extreme cold weather

1995...RACE CANCELLED.....   Jan. 14, Saturday, lack of snow

1996...........................................     Jan. 13, Saturday, 38 degrees; sunny

1997...........................................     Jan. 11 & 12, Saturday & Sunday, minus 7 to zero degrees

1998...........................................     Jan. 24 & 25, Saturday & Sunday, 25 to 29 degrees; new snow

1999...........................................     Jan. 23 & 24, Saturday & Sunday, 28 to 33 degrees; new snow

2000...........................................    Jan. 22 & 23, Sat. & Sun.; 15 to 19 degrees Sat., 5 to 9 Sunday, new snow

2001...........................................    Jan. 20,21, Sat., Sun.; 6 to 20 degrees, trace of recent snow over old snow  

2002...........................................    Jan. 20, Sunday, mid twenties, recent snow

2003...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 19, Sunday, lack of snow

2004...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 18, Sunday, lack of snow

2005...........................................    Jan. 22, Saturday, 17 to 21 degrees, 11" new snow the night before.

2006...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan. 21, Saturday, lack of snow                  

2007...RACE CANCELLED....    Jan.20, Saturday. Only 1 inch of base resulted from recent 5" low moisture snow.

2008...NO RACE .........................Ski Strider decision

2009...NO RACE.........................Ski Strider decision

2010..............................................Jan. 24, Sunday.  Wet snow falling, slushy, 32 degrees.

2011..............................................Jan. 16, Sunday, new snow, 10 degrees, very little wind.

2012...RACE CANCELLED…...Jan. 15, Sunday.  Warm temps (52 on Jan. 10) forced cancel, but 4 inches new snow,Thursday, Jan. 12, provided good skiing on the day race would have been held.

2013…Main race cancelled……..Jan. 20, Sunday, 5 degrees, just enough new snow to hold North American Junior Championship Nordic combined races and local “fun” race.                                                            

2014……………………………..Jan. 12, Sunday, 31 degrees race time, partly sunny.  High of 41 degrees later.                                                             

Data from Eau Claire newspapers and from entries in personal logs at time of each race.

Submitted by Dave Weiss.