Grand Marais mountain biker Max Wahlers said the competitors in the Lutsen 39-mile race caught a break. “It didn’t rain when we were riding. We were lucky. But the people riding in the 99er weren’t so lucky. It rained pretty hard when they were out on the course.”
Wahlers, a recreational rider/racer, was one of 1,700 racers who took part in the sixth annual Lutsen 99er mountain bike races held Saturday, June 25, with the bicyclists taking off and returning to the Lutsen Mountains.
Riders came from Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Canada and places in between to compete in one of the fastest growing biking events in the country. Of course, most of the racers were from the great state of Minnesota.
In addition to the 19-mile, 39-mile and 99-mile races, a 69-mile race was added this year. And the kids’ races held the next day had more than 200 youngsters participating in mini/macro 99er races.
Riders were feeling good as they came off the big downhill from Lutsen Mountains and entered onto Highway 61 during the Lutsen 99er mountain bike races. Joy turned to pain a short time later as they entered the Caribou Trail and began a long uphill climb. More than 1,700 riders participated in the four different races Saturday, June 25.
There were 458 entries in the 99-mile race, 225 entries in the 69-mile event, 532 racers in the 39-mile competition and 192 riders in the 19-mile race.
Jorden Wakeley of Grayling, Michigan was the overall winner of the 99er, crossing the line in 5 hours, 38 minutes and 24 seconds, 20 seconds ahead of Jeff Hall of Farmington, Minnesota. Despite rain, wind, fog and hail, the 26-year-old Wakeley recorded the second-fastest time in the six-year history of the race.
Eleanor Basco won the women’s race in 7:10:38. Duluth’s Shanie Hahn was fourth in 7:25:06. The top local finisher was Jim Joynes of Grand Marais who placed 38th in 6:41:14. Right behind Joynes was Mark Barrett of Lutsen who finished with a time of 6:41:45.
“Race conditions were cool at the start with overcast skies threatening rain,” said Joynes. “The first 40 miles were fast and dry. At the 40-mile mark I started to feel raindrops, then the sky opened up. I was quickly drenched and the trail filled with water. For a good portion of my second time through the Devil Track loop I was riding through a couple of inches of standing water. I didn’t experience hail, but many said they did.
Pedaling hard, Tom Wahlstrom leads this pack of determined riders. Despite racing 100 miles the week before at the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival races, Wahlstrom still managed to finish 17th overall in the 69er race.
“My race offered another challenge at mile 55, where I struck a rock and popped a tire. Changing a tire is one thing, but adding rain and mosquitoes takes it to another level.”
As he passed through the 60-mile aid station, conditions had cleared. Surprisingly, the rain missed the whole western half of the course.
“The locals who prepare the trails and volunteers are amazing,” Joynes said.
Other local finishers in the 99er included Phil Larson of Lutsen who was 102nd in 7:10:16; Mike Larson, Lutsen, 291st in 8:31:40; Scott Bergstrom, Grand Marais, 330th in a time of 8:56:36.
Mike Larson, one of the originators of the Lutsen 99er, said he was satisfied with his race, noting that at 58, he was glad to finish happy and healthy. As far as the 99er itself and all of the other races, Larson said, “From a community perspective we were so pleased with this event. The whole community turned out in support and embraced the riders. They were lined up cheering the riders on as they went up the Caribou.
“I also want to thank the volunteers. They did a tremendous job. Without them this wouldn’t have been possible.”
Chanhassen man wins 69er
Christin Stuschka, of Chanhassen, Minnesota, was 14 minutes ahead of second place in the inaugural women’s 69-mile race with a time of 5:08:01. Josh Mosher of Osseo, Minnesota, had a six-minute lead in the men’s bracket of the 69-mile race, finishing in 4:08:09. The top local finisher was Jay Arrowsmith DeCoux who was 9th in 4:37:50.
Other local finishers were Tom Wahlstrom, Grand Marais, who was 17th in 4:46:23; Casey Fitchett, Lutsen, 93rd in 5:49:09; Jim Elverhoy, Tofte, 99th in 5:54:39; April Wahlstrom, Grand Marais, 104th in 5:59:44; Woody Gilk, Grand Marais, placed 132nd in 6:16:39; Sam Hedstrom, Grand Marais, 133rd in 6:19:10; Lynne Wiitala, Tofte, placed 145th in 6:23:07; Kelly Twiest, Grand Marais was 151st in 6:28:16; Chris O’Brien, Grand Marais, placed 158th in 6:34:06; Adrian Hess, Lutsen, was 160th in 6:36:43; Michael Garry, Grand Marais, 170th in 6:46:22; Carl Foster, Grand Marais placed 186th in 7:07:39; and Molly O’Neill Wickwire of Lutsen placed 212th in 7:51:03.
39er has biggest field of racers
Duluth’s Samuel Olson placed first in the 39er in 2:12:18 with Rebecca Sauber of Farmington, Minnesota, winning the women’s title in 2:26:35.
Kerrie Berg of Grand Marais finished fourth in 2:38:39. For Berg, this will be her last race in the county for at least a little while. She and her husband Cory Berg will soon be moving to Bemidji for a job for Cory. As for the race, Kerrie said, “I was really pleased with my race. The trails were in excellent condition. They felt fast and the weather was perfect.”
John Alt of Grand Marais finished 29th in 2:37:06; William Surbaugh, Grand Marais placed 41st in 2:40:10; Tom Rider, Lutsen, placed 44th in 2:40:51; Jennifer Barrett, Lutsen, finished
78th in 2:50:09; Max Wahlers, Grand Marais, finished 108th in 2:55:1; Micah Mellang and Beau Larson of Lutsen finished together in 123rd and 124th in 2:58:22; Michael Kobelinski, Grand Marais, 127th in 2:59:01; Kathryn Ramberg, Grand Marais, 199th in 3:11:00; John Mellang, Lutsen, 206th in 3:12:28; Bill Lane, Tofte, was 223rd in 3:14:13; Lee Bergstrom, Grand Marais, placed 298th in 3:29:40; Joyce Klees, Grand Marais, 301st in 3:31:02; Lutsen’s Jayden Corliss placed 305th in 3:32:18; Jerry Wilkes, Grand Marais 365th in 3:44:18; Stephen Surbaugh of Grand Marais placed 369th in 3:45:48; Jeff Denniston, Lutsen, 391 in 3:51:16; Tim Kennedy of Grand Marais 431st with a time of 4:00:55; Abby Tofte of Grand Marais finished 518th in 5:16:21; and Randy Wiitala, Tofte, placed 526th in 5:27:47.
A great day for the 19er
Gavin Abric of Duluth was first across the line in the 19-mile race in 1:05:28. Madeline Raschke of Chanhassen, Minnesota, finished seven seconds ahead of Alexia Abric of Duluth to claim the women’s crown in 1:14:39.
Locally Dellia Barrett of Lutsen placed 32nd in 1:26:11. Hannah Hoaglund, Schroeder, placed 48th in 1:28:52; P.J. Vaughan, Lutsen, was 67th in 1:34:52; Martina Summer, Lutsen, placed 75th in 1:36:33; Anne Wright and Nina Woerheide finished 91st and 92nd in 1:39:15 and 1:39:16; Emily Breaker of Lutsen placed 96th in 1:40:00; Lucy Callender of Grand Marais was the 105th finisher in 1:44:31; Tristan Surbaugh, Grand Marais, placed 130th in 1:51:15; Sine Perempulsirkul of Tofte was 156th in 2:03:46; Lutsen’s Jannelle and Robert Tyson placed 171st and 172 in 2:19:43 and 2:19:46; Patrick Vaughan of Lutsen was 182nd in 2:30:37.
“I thought the race was organized very well,” said Bill Lane, who raced in the 39er, “The community gave us a lot of support, cheering for us, clapping or ringing bells, urging us on. I was hoping for a faster time, but I’m not getting any younger, so maybe that’s not too realistic. Overall, I would have to say that it was just a great day.”
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