Alaskans Ski for Women this Weekend

Enlarge Photo

Last week we told you about World Cup alpine ski champions raising money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

This Sunday, proving once again that skiers know how to give back, female skiers in Alaska will come together in Anchorage's Kincaid Park for the 14th annual Alaska Ski for Women. The Nordic skiing event raises money for local non-profit organizations that offer shelter and support for women and children affected by domestic abuse. Over the years, Alaska Ski for Women has raised almost $800,000 ­through sponsorships, silent auctions and participant contributions.

Billed as North America's largest women-only cross-country ski event, the Alaska Ski for Women includes a 4K Classic Ski Race and a 4K Freestyle Ski Race. This year Ski for Women is also adding an 8K Combined Duathlon, in which participants will ski the first wave of the Classic Race and the first wave of the Freestyle Race. The skier with the best combined time will be named the Alaska Ski for Women Race Diva.  

But Ski for Women isn't all about on-slope competition: There's also a 4K "just-for-fun" Party Wave and a costume parade. Skiers can get as creative as they want with costume designs (the photo to the right is from last year's event), or base their choices on this year's theme, "Alaska, the Next 50 Years." Here's hoping it's a future free of domestic abuse and with plenty of fresh powder days!

What: Alaska Ski for Women
When: Sunday, February 7, 2010
Where: Kincaid Park; Anchorage, Alaska
Why: To raise money to support victims of domestic abuse

For more information or to register online, visit www.anchoragenordicski.com

Alaska Ski for Women 2009