Wolf Creek Ski Area hosted the thrilling 85th Winter Bonus Fun Race on December 21, 2024.
The event drew an impressive field of 59 racers, with participants traveling from near and far, including Rockwell, Fairfax, San Diego and beyond. The course was expertly groomed, and the crisp morning sunshine created perfect, soft conditions for racing.
It was a fantastic day on the mountain, combining fierce competition with plenty of festive spirit. Racers from various regions brought impressive performances to the race. The overall winner of the day, Ethan Bergdolt, from Pagosa Springs, came in with a race time of 26.84 seconds. Second place went to Tate McAnelly, from Flower Mound, Texas, in the Boys’ 18-20 division with a time of 27.09 seconds. Jeff Forney, competing in the Men’s 41-50 group, secured third overall with a time of 27.56 seconds.
Among the girls aged 3-12, Kiley Braun, from Pagosa Springs, led the pack with a fantastic time of 33.11 seconds. For the women aged 13 and up, Maxine Long, of Pagosa Springs, claimed the top spot with a time of 29.15 seconds in the Girls’ 15-17 group.
Among the boys aged 3-12, Alden Soden, of Pagosa Springs, delivered an outstanding performance with a time of 30.21 seconds. Among the men aged 13 and up, Bergdolt excelled in the Boys’ 18-20 category with a time of 26.84 seconds.
The men’s races saw some of the closest finishes of the day. In the Men’s 41-50 category, Jeff Forney narrowly edged out Scott Burkett by just 0.22 seconds, with their times coming in at 27.56 and 27.78 seconds, respectively. Another thrilling contest was in the Men’s 61-70 division, where Todd Lowen claimed gold with a time of 27.75 seconds, just 0.45 seconds ahead of Davey Pitcher, who clocked in at 28.20 seconds.
Among the women, the Ladies’ 51-60 group featured a close battle for gold. Fulvia Lowe, of South Fork, secured first place with a time of 30.47 seconds, while Rachel McGaffin, of Rockwell, Texas, came in second at 30.92 seconds, a difference of only 0.45 seconds.
Looking ahead, the excitement continues at Wolf Creek Ski Area with a packed schedule of upcoming events. Join us on January 5 and 12 for more Fun Race Series action, and don’t miss the special Groundhog Day Race on February 2.
On February 9, we celebrate the 85th Anniversary Fun Race, followed by the Presidents Day Race on February 16.
Races are open to all ages and abilities, with 14 age brackets ranging from 3 to 70 and older. Registration is free with the purchase of a lift ticket and takes place at Raven’s Nest from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. on race days. Racers can also sign up at the top of the course until 12:30 p.m. Awards for each race will be held at 3 p.m. on the Sundeck, with medals for gold, silver and bronze finishers.
Race results can be found at wolfcreekski.com