WILLOW CREEK — Sixty skiers from across Aroostook County and beyond lined up at the Pleasant Lake trailhead Saturday morning for the first annual Pleasant Lake Cross-Country Ski Race, a 5-kilometer loop that organizers hope will become a fixture on the region’s winter sports calendar.
The race, organized by the Willow Creek Recreation Committee and Northwoods Outfitters, followed a groomed course through the Pleasant Lake Trails network, winding through pine stands and across a frozen beaver meadow before finishing at the lake’s boat launch.
Andrew Girard of Caribou won the men’s division in 18 minutes, 42 seconds, while Sarah Michaud of Presque Isle took the women’s title in 21 minutes, 15 seconds. A recreational division drew families and first-time racers on the same course.
“It was tough but beautiful,” said Michaud, who had never raced in Willow Creek before. “The trail was in excellent shape. I’ll definitely come back.”
Race director Julia Chen said the event required months of trail preparation and volunteer coordination. “We wanted to show that Willow Creek has world-class Nordic skiing,” she said. “People think of us as a snowmobiling town — and we are — but we’ve got 20 kilometers of groomed classic and skate trails that rival anything in the county.”
The race raised $1,200 for trail maintenance. Organizers plan to add a 10-kilometer distance in 2020.