NEWRY — Most skiers and snowboarders at Sunday River Ski Resort lock their boots into their skies or snowboard, ride the chairlift to the top of the mountain and head to the bottom.

However, on Saturday, Jan. 25, Sunday River will host the uphill Winter Wild Race.

The race is the third stop of Team Athletes Multisport Partnership in the eight-race series. It starts at 7 a.m. Saturday with competitors checking in at 6:40 a.m. at White Cap Lodge.

Resort spokesperson Darcy Morse said in a news release that the Winter Wild Race is “an uphill race with a twist” and is broken into four categories by age group:

* Open, where racers can use microspikes, running shoes or snowshoes.

* Track Skis, where racers can use lightweight skiing gear.

* Telemark, where racers can use Telemark ski gear.

* Heavy Metal, where racers can use alpine skis, skis with randonee bindings or plastic boots.

The 4.15-mile course begins at White Cap basin and climbs up Tempest trail to the Upper Sunday Punch trail before reaching the summit of Locke Mountain. Participants will continue down the Lazy River trail to Tourist Trap, move to Roadrunner trail and end at White Cap basin.

Morse said, “Whichever gear the participant uses to make it up the first half” of the course is “what he or she must use to make it back down,” with the exception being snowboarders.

“Snowboarders are allowed to carry their boards uphill and then ride them back down,” Morse said in the release.

After the race, an awards ceremony will be held at White Cap Lodge and prizes presented to the top three male and female racers in each category.

Registration is $20 prior to the race, $25 the day of the race.

For more information visit newinterwild.com or call Morse at 824-5243.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

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