To the Editor:

The Bethel Outing Club proudly hosted over 130 skiers at the 29th annual Flying Moose Classic Ski Race at Bethel Village Trails at The Bethel Inn Resort on Saturday, February 8, 2020. This race consisted of 10 kilometer and 20 kilometer options, and drew skiers from Nordic ski clubs throughout New England. This year we were pleased to also welcome a large number of high school skiers from Portland and Falmouth. Many local young skiers participated, both in a special Bill Koch League youth 2.5 kilometer race and the more experienced skiers in the longer races. In keeping with the Outing Club’s mission to promote Nordic skiing in the Bethel area, we again this year offered participation in the race to all MSAD #44 and Gould Academy students free of charge.

This race would not have been possible without the efforts of volunteers, the quality of which was remarked on by many visitors to the race. On behalf of the BOC, I sincerely want to thank Sarah Weafer of BVT, Eric Boyle-Wight, Kurt Fisher, and Andy Bartleet also of BVT who worked a long night grooming the course, and Tim Akers, Dustin Angevine, Nancy Babcock, Carlie Casey, Linda Gamble, Kate and Jonathan Goldberg, Norm Greenberg, Gary Inman, Jim and Sharon Lepich, Karen McElroy, Suzanne Newsom Pierce, Julia Reuter, Lesley Rowse, Don Seib, and Sarah Southam.

Besides individuals, local organizations and businesses contributed to the success of the event, including The Bethel Inn Resort, Paul Haberstroh of the IDEAS Center at Gould Academy, David Hanscom and crew of Bethel Rescue (BEARS), and Kristin and Don Seib of Barker Mountain Bikes.

I look forward to future renditions of the Flying Moose, knowing that we have so many people willing to maintain a tradition with an appeal reaching throughout the Northeast.

Jim Reuter

Flying Moose Race Director
Bethel