Come join our premiere annual citizen’s race. Classic and skate days, 25/50 and 15/30k, pending nature’s cooperation of course.
Check out the 2024 Marathon Ski Festival Race Guide.
We are excited to bring back the Marathon Ski Festival in-person in 2024.We have our fingers crossed for a great snow year and we hope y'all do too!
The 2024 Marathon Ski Festival is also a US Ski and Snowboard SuperTour race weekend, meaning that on Friday, January 26th we welcome the nation's fastest skiers for a freestyle sprint on our 1.5km homologated sprint course and on Sunday the SuperTour field will get its own start at the head of the field for the 25km freestyle.
Friday, Dec. 1 - Marathon price increases to $75 for the open class.
Saturday, Dec. 30 - Marathon price inceases $10 for college and high school categories.
Thursday, Jan. 11 – Marathon price increases to $85 for the open class.
Thursday, Jan. 25 - Online Registration closes for the Marathon Ski Festival.
Friday, Jan. 26 - SuperTour Freestyle Sprint
Saturday, Jan. 27 - 41st Craftsbury Classic Marathon
Sunday, Jan. 28 - Craftsbury Freestyle Marathon and SuperTour
Friday, December 15, join us at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center (COC) for an evening of the Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM). Mark Isselhardt of Elmore, Vermont has participated in the CSM nine times since 2014. Mark will share some basic information about the event as well as his own experiences traversing the special 160k trail that is only open once a year.
The Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM) is a ski tour, not a race: participants challenge not each other, but themselves by choosing a level of difficulty and trying to accomplish that goal. Since its inception in 1967 the event has taken place annually just north of the Ottawa River between the regions of Montreal and Ottawa, capital of Canada. The tour happens on the second weekend of February and usually covers a distance of 160 km (99 mi). There are many levels of participation in the CSM from “tasters” who ski one or two sections a day to "Coureur des bois" who attempt to ski all ten sections over the two days. Far more people take part in some but not all of the ten sections during the weekend and the event attracts participants of all ages and ski abilities.
This free event runs from 7:00-8:00pm in the COC Activity Center. Hope you'll join us!
The Craftsbury Marathon Ski Festival returns! The classic races take place on Saturday, January 28, 2023 and the freestyle competitions are on Sunday, January 29, 2023. We are planning on running the 25k-ish loop from 2022 before it was rained out.
The Craftsbury Marathon Ski Festival returns in person for 2022 with newly rescheduled dates! The classic races take place on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 and the freestyle competitions are on Sunday, Feb 27, 2022. We are still working on a new course for 2022 with a goal of finding a 25k-ish loop.
Register:
Classic Marathon- Saturday, Feb 1, 2020
Freestyle Marathon- Sunday, Feb 2, 2020
Brodhead Challenge (racing both 50k classic & 33k freestyle)
Discounted Fee Deadline: Tuesday, Dec 31, 2019 at 12:01 AM ET
Online Registration Deadline: Thursday, Jan 30, 2020 at 9:00 PM ET
Event Notes:
The AXCS National Masters Championships are returning to the Craftsbury Outdoor Center with help from our friends at Boulder Nordic Sport! We are welcoming masters racers from across the country to contest two fun, fast days of racing.
Day one sees the 39th running of the Craftsbury Marathon 50k and 33k classic races. Masters in age groups M1-M6 will race for both National Masters Championships and Zak Cup points in the 50k, while M7 and up competitors will compete in the 33k.
Day two brings another round of National Masters Championships, with M1-M6 competitors vying for titles in the 33k skate, while M7 and up race 16k. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers of each gender in each category, as well as the male and female winners of each age class.
2020 will also see the return of the Brodhead Challenge, named in honor of Marathon founder and longtime Director of Skiing at the Outdoor Center, John Brodhead. Brodhead Challenge competitors are those who race both the 50k classic and 33k skate, with the fastest man and woman getting their names emblazoned on the Brodhead Challenge trophy hanging in our touring center.
Whether you choose to compete or to volunteer, we believe you'll find that the marathon is an event with something for everyone! Hope you'll join us!
Important Dates for the Marathon
Tuesday, Oct. 1 - Online registration opens.
Monday, Jan. 1 - Marathon price increases to $85.
Thursday, Jan. 30 - Online Registration closes for the Marathon Ski Festival.
Saturday, Feb. 1 - 39th Annual Craftsbury Marathon, 33k & 50k classic races (16k available for VPA high school and BKL skiers/chaperones). Day one of the AXCS National Masters Championships presented by Boulder Nordic Sport. Post-race meal and awards following the race.
Sunday, Feb. 2 - 16k & 33k Craftsbury Freestyle Marathon. Day two of the AXCS National Masters Championships, presented by Boulder Nordic Sport. Post-race meal and awards following the race.
Race Information
This event is a paraffin wax only event. No fluorinated waxes are permitted - read our fluoro-policy. Please help us regulate the amount of PFAS we put into the environment by sticking to paraffin waxes only. This means liquid, powder, or block PARAFFIN only. The Outdoor Center crew trusts the racing community to honor this effort to improve our public health and environmental stewardship. However, those found to be in violation of this rule will be disqualified.
The 50k and 33k classic and 33k and 16k freestyle races races offer competitors a mass start, timed challenge over a beautiful, PistenBully groomed courses. Feed stations dot the route every 4 to 7 kilometers. After the finish, all participants are treated to a hearty post race meal and awards.
For Zak Cup racers, the NENSA masters committee has decided that this year's 50k classic will be the Zak Cup points race for racers in the M1-M6 age classes. M7 and up will be scored off results in the 33k classic.
BKL skiers must be accompanied by a chaperone. That chaperone can register in the BKL race category and must ski the race with or behind their child. Chaperones can accompany up to four BKL racers.
Another exciting development for 2020 is that the Marathon Ski Festival is moving to near-zero waste. This means that we will not be using single-serve feeds or disposable cups at our feed stations. Organizer-provided feeds will consist of bananas, energy bars, and a homemade electrolyte drink or water. Our feed in the stadium (passed twice per lap) will have reusable cups, while the Ruthie's feed at 8k will only have coolers from which to refill bottles. We hope that competitors will help us in our commitment to reducing race-related waste by carrying a refillable bottle for their hydration needs.
Day of race registration will be available in the Activity Center starting at 7:00am. Price will be $100 for ages 15 & up, $25 for ages 14 and below.
Note: raffle prizes will only be awarded to pre-registered racers. Day of race registrants will not be eligible for raffle prizes (so register ahead of time!).
Check out the 2018 Marathon race course map. We hope to have similar courses in 2020.
