AUBURN, Maine — When you hop off a chairlift at the top of a ski mountain, there are many ways to get back down. Some go slow, others push their limits, but have you ever seen people skate down an icy trail?
Mainers will once again have the opportunity to watch extreme athletes from around the world do just that at Lost Valley in Auburn.
The ATSX Ice Cross World Championship Final will be held at the ski area this weekend. Due to weather, time trials were pushed ahead to Thursday night to keep the track in good shape before Saturday's final races.
Time trials will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday. The junior division finals will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, with the men's and women's races following. Lost Valley held its first Ice Cross event last year.
The races are free to attend and you can watch the action from the finish line near the snow tube park, watch at designated areas along the course, or take the chairlift to catch the start.
Ice Cross is a unique winter sport, where racers wear hockey skates and hockey pads. Some even wear motocross helmets as they weave down a track filled with big jumps, 90-degree turns, and other features.
ATSX is the governing body for Ice Cross Downhill and this season the circuit made stops in Austria, France, Finland, and Canada, before this weekend's final race in Auburn, Maine.
Scott Shanaman, who owns Lost Valley, said last year his team had to deal with unseasonably warm weather but said the athletes were appreciative of their effort to keep the track in great shape.
“All the athletes thanked us for doing what we could to put it all together, they all said it was one of their favorite tracks in the world so that’s pretty cool," Shanaman said.
To make the track, Shanaman said crews built the turns, jumps, and barriers using a Snowcat. Then for the last six nights they used water from their snow-making system to flood the track, let it freeze, and repeated the process. For regulars, the track runs alongside the Squirrel Run trail.
After success last winter, Assistant General Manager Travis Dow said he's just excited to give Mainers another fun opportunity to get outdoors.
"We’ll have a bar over there [by the finish line] and a grill, we’ll be playing some music, it will be a good time," he said.
The races also come at the tail end of school vacation week, which is always a big week for Maine ski mountains. Dow said Lost Valley has had great conditions over the last few days to make good snow.
"Nobody’s upset when they’re getting on the chair lift, everybody’s having a good time, it makes you feel good," he added.
“Events are really important to us, especially as we get further and further into the spring season," Shanaman added.