Event History
by Phil Van Valkenberg
by Phil Van Valkenberg
Perhaps you've enjoyed its excitement and pageantry of the Birkie or the spectacle of the Winter Olympics. If you're a fan of cross-country ski racing, winter sports in general or just like a good time, mark February 19-20 on your calendar. That weekend is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and fun events in the region.
The fifth running of the Madison Winter Festival will create a winter celebration that is expected to attract between 40,000 and 60,000 participants and spectators to downtown Madison, Wisconsin.
Ninety truckloads of snow will transform the inside lanes of Capitol Square into a race and recreational venue as in the past. Meanwhile, the adjacent to the Square streets will be closed off for the family oriented activities such as snow and ice sculpting, sledding hill rides, winter theme museum tours, snowshoeing, disabled sit ski programming and many other events that winter lovers can participate in.
It's amazing to think that just a few years ago the Capitol Square a vital warm weather gathering place for the Farmers Market, Taste of Madison, Concerts on the Square and other festivities seemed to go into hibernation in winter. The square was abandoned to the elements until the premier of the Capitol Square Sprints in 2005.
Many people couldn't believe such a huge and unique undertaking as the sprints could get off the ground or, in this case, dry pavement. Those who braved the frigid temperatures in '05 were treated to a stunning showcase of sprint racing cross-country skiing's most exciting and spectator-friendly event format. Not only was the snow in place, the grooming was terrific and there was even a bridge over a pedestrian underpass to add to the skiing challenge. Most of all it was a venue like none other.
How did such a spectacular event come about? Today many people know the accomplishments of the dynamic young Russian Yuriy Gusev who has relocated to Wisconsin. Gusev now oversees CXC, Central Cross Country Ski Association, which is the skier development body for our region. He first came to the state University of Wisconsin in 1999 as an exchange student and returned to Madison in 2001 for an internship.
In his native land, Gusev progressed as a competitive skier until he reached his maximum potential. "The coaching is very good there," Gusev said. "They know just how far you will make it."
In 2002, he started the Russian-Style Ski Coaching service, a private club offering individuals year-round training. "It's funny though," he recalled. "I was in Wisconsin for six months before I even knew there was cross-country skiing here."
Gusev began coaching Ben Cline whose father, Joe, would become instrumental in securing the University of Wisconsin Health Services sponsorships for the Madison Winter Festival. At the 2004 American Birkebeiner, Gusev met Wisconsin native Luke Bodensteiner, who directs the Nordic program for the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, and they talked about the concept of sprint races in Madison as part of the NorAm Super Tour's Midwestern venues in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and Telemark, Wisconsin (and now the City of Lakes races in Minneapolis).
Another key person in the development of the event was Sepp Candinas, who had brought his knowledge and love of cross-country skiing from his native Switzerland. His Sepp Sports shop has been a fixture on the Madison cross-country ski scene for decades. When Yuriy told him about the sprint idea, Candinas said, "Let's do it around the Capitol" where he had once held a roller ski race.
Candinas introduced Gusev to folks at Tyrol Ski Basin and Hammersley Stone Company, who would make and truck the snow, as well as at H&H Electric which would power the event. Both the Madison Nordic and Blackhawk ski clubs, with their 1,700 members, rallied behind the event like an all volunteer army.
"I was really amazed at how smoothly it all went together," Gusev said.
Phil Van Valkenberg recently relocated from Hayward to Cambridge, Wisconsin, where he continues to bike and ski, volunteer at events and write from experience.
The fifth running of the Madison Winter Festival will create a winter celebration that is expected to attract between 40,000 and 60,000 participants and spectators to downtown Madison, Wisconsin.
Ninety truckloads of snow will transform the inside lanes of Capitol Square into a race and recreational venue as in the past. Meanwhile, the adjacent to the Square streets will be closed off for the family oriented activities such as snow and ice sculpting, sledding hill rides, winter theme museum tours, snowshoeing, disabled sit ski programming and many other events that winter lovers can participate in.
It's amazing to think that just a few years ago the Capitol Square a vital warm weather gathering place for the Farmers Market, Taste of Madison, Concerts on the Square and other festivities seemed to go into hibernation in winter. The square was abandoned to the elements until the premier of the Capitol Square Sprints in 2005.
Many people couldn't believe such a huge and unique undertaking as the sprints could get off the ground or, in this case, dry pavement. Those who braved the frigid temperatures in '05 were treated to a stunning showcase of sprint racing cross-country skiing's most exciting and spectator-friendly event format. Not only was the snow in place, the grooming was terrific and there was even a bridge over a pedestrian underpass to add to the skiing challenge. Most of all it was a venue like none other.
How did such a spectacular event come about? Today many people know the accomplishments of the dynamic young Russian Yuriy Gusev who has relocated to Wisconsin. Gusev now oversees CXC, Central Cross Country Ski Association, which is the skier development body for our region. He first came to the state University of Wisconsin in 1999 as an exchange student and returned to Madison in 2001 for an internship.
In his native land, Gusev progressed as a competitive skier until he reached his maximum potential. "The coaching is very good there," Gusev said. "They know just how far you will make it."
In 2002, he started the Russian-Style Ski Coaching service, a private club offering individuals year-round training. "It's funny though," he recalled. "I was in Wisconsin for six months before I even knew there was cross-country skiing here."
Gusev began coaching Ben Cline whose father, Joe, would become instrumental in securing the University of Wisconsin Health Services sponsorships for the Madison Winter Festival. At the 2004 American Birkebeiner, Gusev met Wisconsin native Luke Bodensteiner, who directs the Nordic program for the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, and they talked about the concept of sprint races in Madison as part of the NorAm Super Tour's Midwestern venues in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, and Telemark, Wisconsin (and now the City of Lakes races in Minneapolis).
Another key person in the development of the event was Sepp Candinas, who had brought his knowledge and love of cross-country skiing from his native Switzerland. His Sepp Sports shop has been a fixture on the Madison cross-country ski scene for decades. When Yuriy told him about the sprint idea, Candinas said, "Let's do it around the Capitol" where he had once held a roller ski race.
Candinas introduced Gusev to folks at Tyrol Ski Basin and Hammersley Stone Company, who would make and truck the snow, as well as at H&H Electric which would power the event. Both the Madison Nordic and Blackhawk ski clubs, with their 1,700 members, rallied behind the event like an all volunteer army.
"I was really amazed at how smoothly it all went together," Gusev said.
Phil Van Valkenberg recently relocated from Hayward to Cambridge, Wisconsin, where he continues to bike and ski, volunteer at events and write from experience.
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