Chase Sams (19) of Duluth, 1st place overall long course finisher.

With the unusual lack of snow coming into the new year, the race was rerouted just a few weeks before the event. The Short Pine Race course consisted of two laps (8.4 miles, 1006ft of climbing) while the Long Pine Race Course took five laps (19 miles, 2275ft of climbing).

Race volunteers Kjersti Vick and Patrick Kindler of the Norpine Trail Association remarked that while the fresh powder was welcome, it can be a little more difficult compared to bike trails with more compacted snow and can feel like riding in sand.

Jeremy McBride (53) of Thunder Bay, 6th overall long course (L), and Tom Wahlstrom (42) of Grand Marais, 1st overall short course (R).

Racers pass the timing station and approach the Lutsen Winery refreshment stand. Dozens of spectators hiked into the course to cheer on racers.

Friday leading up to the race, North Shore Winery hosted registration, fat bike demos by Spokengear, and a few short group rides. Following the race on Saturday, a BBQ was held at Cascade Restaurant followed by the awards ceremony.

Casey Wystaske, co-director of the 2024 race, spoke with Boreal Community Media about her experience as co-director and other bike-related topics. She notes that the race has grown in the past few years with 88 bikers in 2024, 66 finishers in 2023, and 52 in 2022, and she hopes the trend will continue towards their 125 racer capacity.

 Casey Wystaske at the finish line near Cascade Lodge.

Cory Quirk: You mentioned this was the first race you had coordinated. What went well? Is there anything you would do differently next time?

 Casey Wystaske: I've been coordinating cycling events for a decade, but this was the first race I had responsibility as the co-director along with two others, Tim Kennedy & Charlie Bronstein. This year, the Norpine Fat Bike Classic was very close to being canceled due to the unseasonably warm weather and poor trail conditions. A week before the race, we met with key stakeholders and determined that even without snow and the course rendered unusable, finding a way to get our cycling community together for this race without risking the integrity of the event was imperative. So we got creative, found an alternate route, altered the race format to work with the new route, and informed the participants. We are very proud of the result and believe the perfectly timed snowfall was a nod from the universe that we made the right decision. That, and all the smiles out there!

CQ: As a bike mechanic, is there anything about working on fat bikes for the snow that differs greatly from mountain bikes or road bikes?

CW: Wrenching on fat bikes isn't much different than any other bike; the mechanical systems are all the same. The main difference is the tire width. Fat bikes have frames with wider clearance to accommodate tires that are 3.8 inches or larger, which allows low tire pressure for riding on soft terrain like snow or sand. As a mechanic, educating the rider on setting tire pressure is important. Riders are often surprised to learn how low the psi should be set to ride on snow (the psi depends on tire width, trail conditions, and rider weight).

Casey with Martha Flynn, Minnesota Regional Coordinator for Little Bellas bike mentorship program for girls.

CQ: Any other info you’d like to offer about the race?

CW: This event was a fundraising event for the Norpine Trail Association and Superior Cycling Association to maintain, groom, and grow the ski & bike trails throughout Cook County. Just over $10,000 was raised! A huge thank you to all the participants and registered riders, to the 17 volunteers that came out and dedicated their time and talents, and to our community partners: Visit Cook County, Lutsen Tofte Tourism Association, Grand Marais Area Tourism Association, Cascade Lodge & Restaurant, North Shore Winery, North Country Maple Products, Sawtooth Outfitters-Tofte, Spokengear Cyclery-Two Harbors, Sweetwater Design-Grand Marais, Voyageur Brewing-Grand Marais, Caribou Highlands-Lutsen and East Bay Suites, Sisu & Loyly Nordic Sauna, US Forest Service and Cascade State Park Land Managers.

Race results

Long Pine Women's Podium

1 Tiffany Kari Cizmas   2:08:22

2 Lindsey Lee               2:11:46

3 Lauren Keil                 2:17:52

Long Pine Men's Podium

1 Chase Sams                   1:49:34

2 Ruben Dayton-Brantmei 1:50:31

3 Park Walter                     2:12:56

Short Pine Women's Podium

1 Nicole Billings    1:02:47

2 April Wahlstrom 1:04:56

3 Martha Flynn     1:08:09

Short Pine Men's Podium  

1 Tom Wahlstrom   58:46

2 Tom McCarthy    59:27

3 Mike Torchia       59:31

Find full race results here. 

Related: Meet your Cook County Neighbor: Cory Quirk