Reitler Hodgert has fond memories of competing in community cross-country ski races at Mt. Bachelor in his youth.

“From Par for the Course, to the Sunnyside Pursuit, and the New Year’s Relays, the races were some of the winter highlights from my childhood,” Hodgert said.

As the Nordic program director for the Bend-based Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation, Hodgert has helped organize the Mt. Bachelor Cup Nordic Race Series, set for this Sunday through April 6 at the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Center. Racers earn points for each race that they complete, with prizes awarded to the top male and female season-point holders.

The five-race series starts this Sunday with the Great Nordeen and also includes Par for the Course 1 on Feb. 3, the OG Classic on Feb. 10, Par for the Course 2 on March 2 and the Cascade Crest on April 6.

New season-long format

“In a large sense, all of these races existed prior to the series,” Hodgert said. “It has been years since some of them have been held and I think that running a series is a good way for us to package the events in a cohesive manner. The goal is to encourage skiers to take part in as many of the races as they can and to see themselves improving across the season.”

The Great Nordeen, which also includes fatbike races, and the Cascade Crest have been long-running events at Mt. Bachelor, and other races have been staged throughout the years. But this marks the first time that an organized series allows for cross-country skiers in Central Oregon to compete in a season-long format.

“Most Nordic communities around the country have a community race series and there was a gap in Bend with nothing like that,” said Dylan Watts, race director of the Mt. Bachelor Cup Nordic Race Series. “It was more individual races that were not connected to each other. This provides low-key fun for some, and good, hard racing for those that are more serious. This idea of a series combined with the desire to bring back some vintage races brought the concept of the Mt. Bachelor Cup Nordic Series. Locals seem to miss the number of races that were previously held.”

All of the races, which are open to all ages and abilities, are skate/freestyle except for the OG Classic.

Nordic skiing boom

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Nordic skiing has experienced a surge in popularity both nationally and locally. The Tour of Meissner classic race at Virginia Meissner Sno-park southwest of Bend this past Sunday included more than 200 racers. Earlier this month, hundreds of skiers flocked to the Skyline Sports Complex in Bend when a 1-kilometer ski trail was groomed in the mostly flat park.

“It does appear that the sport is growing and the trails systems are often at capacity these days,” said Marieka Greene, events director for MBSEF, which offers competitive snow sports programs for youth. “We are seeing big growth in youth programs as well. As the population of Central Oregon has grown so dramatically these last years, the number of people that want to be more active has grown, which leads to larger numbers of people trying Nordic skiing as a winter sport.”

Hodgert said the pandemic contributed to an increase in popularity of cross-country skiing. And many folks who first tried it in 2020 or 2021 are still skiing.

“The pandemic was huge for our sport,” Hodgert said. “As people fled the indoors, and others moved to cities like Bend, sports like Nordic skiing saw a huge bump in numbers. During those winter months, our trails were not only an amazing resource for getting folks outside, but they became many people’s social network. It has been really wonderful to see so many decide to stick around even after the masks have come off.”

Greene said that staging the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Cup Race Series will bring structure to the winter for local Nordic skiers and provide a sense of community among the participants.

“Not every event is big but each one gives people some focus and a goal to achieve,” Greene said. “These races also give racers a chance to meet others in the community that they might not otherwise.”

Top Bend Nordic skiers

Top skiers that could vie to finish atop the final standings in season points include Bend’s Eric Martin, Marshall Greene and James Southam for the men; and Bend’s Carrie Carney, Mary Wellington and Emily Hyde for the women. Martin won the men’s 30K Tour of Meissner on Sunday and Hyde won the women’s race.

“For those who know anything about endurance spots in Central Oregon know that there are two names you can never count out: Mary Wellington and Eric Martin,” Hodgert said. “Both are active members of our local Nordic community and legends on the race course.”

For more information on the Mt. Bachelor Nordic Cup Race Series or to register for races, visit mbsef.org/mt-bachelor-cup-nordic-races. Entry fees range from $30 to $60 per race.