Brandon Nelson
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Ski to Sea Goes it Alone
For the past 3 Ski to Sea races here in Bellingham, Heather and I have served as Awards Chair-team, having the honor of presenting all the awards to the various division winners and Top Gun athletes from each sport. As someone who’s been to well over 100 different races over the years, I can tell you with no un-certainty that the Ski to Sea is truly a World Class event.
As many as 440 teams of 8 athletes cover approximately 90 miles of terrain on snow, land and water, from Mt. Baker to Bellingham Bay, while some 50,000 fans cheer them on. It is surreal in its awesomeness.
And for nearly 40 years, it’s been “owned” by the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce. The event itself has been orchestrated and executed by a team of 30-or-so passionate volunteer chairpersons, and literally hundreds of week-of and day-of volunteers. The Chamber has managed the financial components of the race. You can decide for yourself whether that arrangement caused some tension between the two groups.
But those days are over. After years of discussion and nearly a year of actual negotiation, the Ski to Sea has cut its ties to the Chamber and is now “owned” by a newly formed, non-profit entity called “Whatcom Events.” Whatcom Events was created by volunteer race director and RE/MAX agent Pete Coy primarily for the Ski to Sea, but also with the idea of bringing in other local events. Any profits generated will be channeled to committee-approved local charities.
Over the years, I’ve watched a number of events out-grow the capacity or spirit of their original founder or organizer and take on a life of their own. The Ski to Sea is perhaps the greatest example of this phenomena, and the “right thing to do” in my honest opinion, is always the same: “Get out of the way!” I am thrilled about this new development for the race. I have no doubt it will allow the Ski to Sea to bust out of its britches and become all it can be to the community in Whatcom County.
Best of luck, Ski to Sea. Congratulations on your new independance, and may you continue to grow and thrive forever!!!
