2026 Lutsen 99er Race Highlights

Jun 27, 2026 05:43PM ● By Editor

The front row of the 99er race with the long corral of starters in the background. All photos by Tryg Solberg

By Tryg Solberg - Boreal Community Media - June 27, 2026

The 2026 Lutsen 99er saw perfect weather, dry conditions and excellent fun. Nearly 1800 riders lined up for the various distances that Life Time Events hosts for riders.

Live music and vendors fill the area near the clubhouse of Superior National in Lutsen.

On Friday night, Life Time hosted kids races in the “Little Niner.” Kids under 13 could compete in various distances depending on their age category. The event hosted about 1800 participants across the distances and kicked off the longer races that happened on Saturday.

The event’s namesake “99er race” is about 97 miles with about 5,300 feet of climbing and descending. After some years utilizing the “rain course,” competitors were excited to get a chance to ride the famed High Climber trail that Superior Cycling Association (SCA) has built and maintained. Shane Steele, the SCA’s Executive Director, was excited to have the addition in the race as a competitor himself.

The full start corral at the 2026 99er.

The Lutsen 99er started in 2011 with just 70 riders, quickly growing to 800 participants within a few years. Life Time Events has hosted the event from its inception and the event is sponsored by Cook County among other local organizations and businesses.

All the courses on Saturday utilize a start out of Superior National Golf Course onto Highway 61 where they're escorted on the temporarily closed road to the Caribou Trail. The racers turn west onto Clara Lake Road where the remainder of the course is on two-track, gravel road or singletrack.

The Highway 61 corridor from Lutsen to Tofte bustled with spectators, volunteers and racers as they cheered or supported their athletes. Superior National Golf Course was filled with vendors, live music and created a great congregating space for finishers to hang out with their friends and family. The 99er produces one of the busiest weekends along the North Shore.

The leaders of the 99er race being escorted up the Caribou Trail at the start of the race.

The biggest race was the full distance “99er” with 409 starters. The men’s 99er winner was Chase Wark of Winona, Minnesota and Lunch Box Racing. He finished in 5:01:24. Wark is a father in addition to being a full-time rider, coach and the director of several gravel bike races. The winner of the women’s 99er was Jenna Rinehart out of Mankato, Minnesota with a time of 5:34:20. Rinehart is sponsored by Rene Horse and Specialized Bikes and is the co-owner of Nicollet Bike and Ski shop in Mankato.

There were about 350 racers that started the 29er distance. Marin Patnode, a 16 year old out of Hayward, Wisconsin, won the women’s division with Kate Vernon of Grand Marais in a close second. Ryan Loop is a 15 year old out of Wayzata that won the 29er for the men’s division.