BETHEL — This year’s Flying Moose Classic cross country ski race was held on a perfect winter’s day at Inland Woods + Trails in Bethel. The recent dump of snow combined with blue skies and sun made for excellent scenery. One of the participants, Damian Bolduc, said, “it felt like skiing through a Bob Ross painting.” Many others remarked on how good the conditions were, how fun the skiing was, and how long it had been since they have seen such nice classic tracks.

Roughly 80 skiers toed the start line in one of three waves.  The first wave to go was the 20km race, followed by the 10km wave, and then came the 2.5km wave.  The race spanned the age spectrum with the youngest at 5 and the oldest at 88.  The event was very much a family affair, particularly in the 2.5km race where many parents skied with their children.

A large contingent of local children competed in the 2.5km, many of them opting to be untimed. For most of them, it was one of the first opportunities they have had to put on a bib and see what racing feels like. Race director Jim Reuter noted that “the Bethel Outing Club is working hard to promote outdoor activity in the local area and to further encourage participation, they made the event free for young local skiers”.

The Flying Moose Classic is hosted annually by the Bethel Outing Club. This year’s event is part of the New England Nordic Ski Association’s season-long popular race series.