If you can see Mt. Baker, you are part of The Experience
Ski to Sea 2025 is set for Sunday, May 25, and race organizer Whatcom Events announced that registration is officially open.
Teams who register before Friday, January 21 will receive a $50 discount off the team entry price, by February 1, the price to register a team will rise to $734. High school teams can register for free.
Those interested in creating a relay team can register at skitosea.com where they can create an account as a Team Captain, select a team and create a team name, choose a division, then pay the registration fee. Once paid, Team Captains can begin adding individual racers to their team using the online registration system. Teams can have three to eight racers competing across seven different sports, though no individual can compete in consecutive legs of the relay.
Team numbers will be assigned in May a few weeks before the race date, and Team Captains are able to make changes to the team name, division and members prior to the May 1 deadline. Registration will stay open up until May 22, but is likely to fill up and close sooner than that date, as has happened in recent years.
The iconic, seven-leg relay race from Mt. Baker Ski Are to Bellingham Bay has become one of Bellingham and Northwest Washington’s most cherished traditions since officially starting in 1973. The race consists of a cross-country ski, downhill ski/snowboard, running, road cycling, canoeing, cyclocross cycling, and sea kayaking before finishing at Marine Park during he Historic Fairhaven Festival.
Whatcom Events announces new race director
Just in time for the Ski to Sea excitement ramping up, Whatcom Events announced Aurielle Buermann as its new race director for the 2025 event.
Buermann has worked with Whatcom Events since early 2022 as assistant race director under longtime director Anna Rankin, and has experience not only in the past three Ski to Seas, but also worked in the service, health care and fitness industries, according to a January 2 Whatcom Events press release.
“I am honored to step into the role of race director,” Buermann said. “As a lifelong resident of the region, I am passionate about outdoor recreation and Ski to Sea perfectly captures and celebrates what makes Bellingham and Whatcom County a world class recreation destination.
Buermann will relieve Whatcom Events executive director Anna Rankin of her race day duties, while Rankin remains in the executive director position, organizing the non-profit side of Whatcom Events.
“Aurielle has shown exemplary work ethic and passion for the organization since day one and now is the perfect time to reward her hard work and dedication by handing the proverbial baton over to her,” Rankin said. “I feel grateful that we found the perfect candidate within our organization, and I am excited to work beside her for years to come.”
Whatcom Events relies on a team of roughly 1,000 volunteers to run recreational events throughout the year. Since 2011, Whatcom Events has raised over $200,000 in charitable contributions for dozens of local non-profits. Whatcom Events also organizes the Mt. Baker Hill Climb, Trails to Taps Relay, and Tour de Whatcom.
Whatcom Events was recently honored for its hard work and years of dedication when it received the 2024 Tourism Business of the Year award from the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce on November 21.
