April 25, 2015 (Anchorage, Alaska) – The first ever Throwback Thursday Cross Country Ski Celebration and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony brought together hundreds of skiers from across Alaska and across generations for a special gathering at Kincaid Park, one of the key hubs for the sport in the USA.

Induction Class of 2015 © Lex Treinen

Inductees and their families traveled from as far away as Colorado to receive their awards and Junior skiers got to see the evolution of Nordic fashion with a runway walk-off featuring vintage items from every decade back to the sixties.

Event organizer Lauri Bassett said she knew from the start that they would have to make the event fun for all ages, not just the long time ski crowd. With a turnout of 225 attendees Bassett seemed satisfied with the evening. “We are always looking for fun ways to give information to clubs, coaches and officials and to get them in the same room together,” she said.

Awards were presented to Jim Mahaffey, Bill Spencer, John Estle, Lin Hinderman, Judy Rabinowitz, and Jim Burkholder, and were posthumously awarded to Jim Whisenhant, Sven Johansson and Tom Besh, whose awards were accepted by family and friends. Kikkan Randall, Lynn Spencer and Audun Endestad were not able to attend, but were nonetheless honored. Randall’s father Ronn accepted her award on her behalf.

Junior skiers model clothing in the fashion show © Lex Treinen

Many of the inductees’ names are familiar to Alaskan skiers, though we might not realize why. Fairbanks pioneer Jim Whisenhant’s namesake trails have hosted Nationals and World Cup events at Birch Hill Recreation center as well as daily Junior Nordic and club practices, but few remain that knew him as a coach.

Introducing his award was “Bad” Bob Baker, known in his own right for founding the popular Sonot Kkaazoot ski marathon in Fairbanks, who recollected Whisenhant’s knack for inspiring young athletes such as himself. “I absolutely believed he saw promise in me – I don’t think he did, but he made me feel that way,” joked Baker about his days as a Lathrop High skier.

Whisenhant created a Nordic ski culture in Fairbanks out of nothing by innovating. He is known to have trimmed the wide army-issued skis with wood saws to make them lighter, and to tie mattresses to trees to reduce risks on the narrow trails off of Ballaine Road, according to Baker and Whisenhant’s son, Greg.

Like Whisenhant in Fairbanks, Jim Mahaffey was integral in creating ski trails around Anchorage, though his biggest contribution may be the creation of what was then the Alaska Methodist University ski team. Today it is known as APUNSC, and has produced world champion Kikkan Randall, among many other stars. In his acceptance speech, Mahaffey emphasized the egalitarian principles that Alaskan cross-country skiing had from the very start in Alaska. According to Mahaffey, Alaska Methodist University was the first university to have a female varsity team, well before it was mandated by Title IX.

Jim Burkholder, another Anchorage fixture, also emphasized the egalitarianism of the sport, and refused to accept the award without his wife, Sally. “The committee nominated me, but me is us,” he said. Like many inductees Burkholder credited others for his success as regional coach and trail-builder. “They say it takes a community to raise a child – it also takes a community to raise a program like skiing has become in Alaska,” he said.

Bill Spencer, visiting to accept the award from Colorado, also accepted the award for his sister, Olympian Lynn Spencer. Bill Spencer credited chasing his older sister with making him an Olympian in 1988 and becoming one of the most successful mountain runners in Alaska. He held the Mt. Marathon record for several decades until it was surpassed two years ago by Eric Strabel. He also credited his 97-year old mother, who was in attendance. “When you give a standing ovation, do it for my mother,” he said.

Dick Mize accepts his award © Lex Treinen

The inductees’ contributions to Nordic skiing were diverse but always forward-looking. Jon Estle, the mastermind of many of the Birch Hill trails, was recognized for his vision of a trail system that allowed the spectators to see racers multiple times. Kent Karnes, who introduced him, said that Estle was inspired to begin undertaking this after watching World Cups held in Fairbanks in the early 1980s. Estle was also recognized for his pioneering use of computers to record and monitor training and racing.

Some inductees were recognized for their personalities as much as their accomplishments. Audun Endestad, Olympian for both Norway and the US, was introduced as a larger than life personality by MC Adam Verrier. “He used to tell us, ‘The true measure of a man is how much he can eat with a full stomach.’” Endestad was also known for picking up a fallen spruce tree from the side of the Dalton Highway as a rollerski brake on a six-mile descent down Cleary Summit, and for skiing 120 miles from Fairbanks to Nenana and back, on a whim.

Along with the Fashion and Induction Ceremony there was a live auction intended to offset the costs of holding the event, with auction items like training sessions with local clubs, artwork, USST gear, and free entries into the Besh Cup ski race series.

Gus Schumacher models a 1980s racing uniform © Lex Treinen

Bassett said that while she thinks Cross Country Alaska more than paid for the event, the purpose is not to make money but to connect the young skiers with the older ones. In the words of Jon Estle, “We have to make sure we don’t wake up on third base and think we hit a triple.”

Bassett, the mother of two ski racers, hoped it would make a difference to them.  “They are starting to realize it is real people who put on events and contribute to the ski community. They are starting to understand that we are the people who are making things happen now.” Events like the Throwback Thursday Celebration and Hall of Fame Inductions might just be one of those things.

Read more about the inductees here.