Worldloppet Kick-off

The Worldloppet kicked off the 2022 season with the Dolomitenlauf last weekend. Like many things during Covid, the story of the race is quite a saga with many ups, downs, twists and turns – the same attributes that make a great ski trail. Fortunately, there is a happy ending…

For almost two years, we have been anticipating the first Lumi winter ski trip since we had to cancel the Minneapolis World Cup trip in March of 2020. 2021 reservations were moved to 2022, when it was obvious that travel would not reopen for winter 2021.

In January 2021, optimism grew as vaccines were rolled out and we continued to take bookings for winter 2022 trips. By last August, European borders were open to US travelers and we had a lucky group of skiers join us for the Factory Tour Trip in Austria, Slovenia & Italy over Labor Day week. Trips for the winter were looking especially optimistic.

Rising Covid cases kept everyone on their toes through the fall, but so long as borders and hotels stayed open, we wanted to run the trips. After all, the ski trails are a perfect place to keep your distance and still be able to spend time with your friends.

I almost could not believe it when our Dolomitenlauf & Marcialonga Trip guests boarded their planes last week and landed in Munich, right on schedule. The Dolomitenlauf was scheduled for Saturday & Sunday too! Alayna Sonnesyn, 2x Birkie Champion from Minneapolis and good friend of several Lumi guests was also scheduled to compete and even have her skis waxed by our wax techs.

On Thursday night, two nights before the start of the event and after our group had arrived in Munich, the news in Austria broke that the Dolomitenlauf might not happen. Oh no! Our trip leaders talked with race organizers to stay up-to-date on the situation.

Friday morning, the news was announced that the race would happen, but as a timed open track event with waves of 20 skiers starting every minute. Great! After lunch, however, a report came through that the Austrian authorities had pulled the permit for the event running in any format. Heartbreak. 

Still, Dolomitenlauf Race Director Astrid Pirker and Worldloppet CEO Epp Paal were determined to host an event and offer the opportunity to earn Worldloppet stamps to all the international travelers who made the trip to Austria for the Dolomitenlauf. In the end, they decided that they would still groom and mark the course, as if the race were happening … this reminded me of the Minneapolis World Cup back in March 2020. There would be no aid stations, timing or bibs. However, anyone who was registered for the race and skied the full 42 km long course or 21 km short course and tracked it on Strava could get their Worldloppet passport stamped. 

With this news on Friday night, our trip leaders decided to bring the group to Obertilliach for a short ski on Saturday … and rodeling (aka lift-serve sledding). On Saturday, the Hahnenkamm Downhill was happening just over the mountains in Kitzbühel and the mountain hut where we go sledding had the event playing on TV with a group of junior racers watching attentively. “This is a great alternative to racing!” one of our guests exclaimed, raising a beer before sledding down the mountain.

On Sunday, everyone in the group who wanted to ski the Dolomitenlauf, took off around the course with skis waxed, hooting and hollering on the undulating terrain in Obertilliach. Lumi trip leaders found a beer table and filled it with snacks – both salty and sweet, and had beer for everyone as they crossed the finish line. Prost!

Many guests commented how nice it was to have such a relaxed event and still be able to earn Worldloppet stamps for the Dolomitenlauf. Many thanks to the foresight of the race organizers and Worldloppet for their creative solution this weekend. Currently, most Worldloppet events are still scheduled this winter. In the unlikely chance that they are faced with a similar situation, hopefully the Dolomitenlauf will serve as an example for how to still pull off a successful event.

The Worldloppet continues this weekend with the Marcialonga in Italy. Here we go!

See you on the trail,
Garrott