Sun shines on Yooperbeiner

IRONWOOD TOWNSHIP -Seventy-five snowshoers gathered on a sunny Saturday morning at Wolverine Ski Trail to participate in the annual Yooperbeiner Snowshoe Race/Tour.

The day featured a 5k and 10k race as well as a 1.2k race for children 12 and under.

The races, sponsored by Aspirus Grand View, are a United States Snowshoe Association-sanctioned event and part of the Braveheart Snowshoe Race Series.

Tim Buerger and Siggy Buerger finished with the fastest times in 5k race while Paul Buerger and Emmy Tuzee took top spots in the men's and women's 10k races respectively. Kasey Klemme and Bryce Martin won the children's race - which had eight participants - although their time's weren't recorded.

The event also featured several "wellness teams" that participated in a range of events through the day. Aspirus Grand View's wellness team took first in the category of organizations with over 100 members or employees," Mattson Family Chiropractic won the 26-99 participants or employees category and the Penokee Rangers wellness team took the category of under 25 employees or participants.

Yooperbeiner public relations representative Deb Leonard was pleased with how the race turned out, hearing may compliments regarding the race's layout and design.

"(The Yooperbeiner) was very successful. The comments we received from local residents and out-of-town competitors said the course was top notch," Leonard said.

The conditions for the race were also excellent, Leonard continued, as the course had a layer of light, fluffy snow on top of the packed trails.

Leonard also expressed appreciation for the volunteers, both at the starting line and throughout the course, who helped make the event possible.

This was the third year that the Yooperbeiner was run as a snowshoe race rather than a cross-country ski race.

The top finalists and their times were:

5k - Men's Division

Tim Buerger - 28 minutes, 54 seconds

Jim Decur - 40:08

Brian Wendt - 41:14

5k - Women's Division

Siggy Buerger - 37:24

Pam Ballard - 44:15

Abby Samardich - 45:02

10k - Men's Division

Paul Buerger - 1 hour

Bob Seijbl - 1:08

Jim Graupner - 1:11

10k - Women's Division

Emmy Tuzee - 1:29

Sara Steel - 1:55:36

Linda McReynolds - 1:55:56