It was a victory for the Jackson clan in the 50th edition of Bellingham’s Ski to Ski Race.
The residents of Tsawwassen and Point Roberts teamed up to win the Family Division of this unique multi-discipline event that begins at the Mt. Baker ski resort and concludes in the waters of Bellingham Bay.
Team Jackson was initiated by past participant Joren Jackson who decided to get his family involved this year. The contingent included his aunt Yvette Jackson and her husband Jonathan; Carmen Jackson and her youngest son Iver and Tavin Jackson and his girlfriend Mackenzie.
The exhausting and fun race starts with two legs at Mt. Baker, a 6 km cross-country ski, followed by a 2.4 km downhill run. It’s then a 13 km run along the Mt. Baker Highway, followed by a 66 km bike ride. A 30 km canoe ride on the Nooksack River and a 21 km cycle-cross ride leads to the final leg, an 8 km kayaking trek in Bellingham Bay to the finish line.
The Jacksons completed the journey in just under eight hours (7:57:07.9).
The course runs through the towns of Glacier, Maple Falls, Kendall, Everson, Lynden, and Ferndale, finishing at Marine Park in the historic Fairhaven district of Bellingham. Together with the Historic Fairhaven Festival, Ski to Sea is the largest one-day event in Whatcom County and Bellingham, drawing racers, spectators, and tourists from the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, and around the country.
A whopping 3,700 participants on 455 teams competed in various divisions ranging from Open Competitive to Veterans.
