On skis and snowboards, powered by wind, racers cross frozen Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake is a colorful sight this weekend, as racers taking part in the 16th annual Mille Lacs Kite Crossing sail across its surface on skis and snowboards, powered by the wind.
Tighe Belden is a kiteboarding promoter and longtime organizer and competitor at the Kite Crossing. Ahead of the event, he said conditions on the lake looked great, with good snow cover.
He described the nearly 28-mile over-and-back lake crossing as an endurance event, a "real thigh-burner" that feels — referencing downhill skiing and snowboarding — like going into a turn and then holding it. Winners compete for glory and recognition in an awards ceremony, as well as a modest $100 purse in the top level.
The events leaving from Garrison Bay are free to watch. Belden said spectators for the lake crossing will largely see competitors disappear into the horizon at speeds of up to 30 mph, and return 45 minutes to an hour and a half later. He said the best views are of shorter races and demonstrations.
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"(Those events are) a lot more visual for people to see. It'll be right in a small area. Riders will be ... jumping anywhere from 10 to 30 feet in the air, probably, and performing some pretty dynamic tricks," he said.
Unsurprisingly for an event powered by kites, wind is the key variable for the event, determining exactly when the races take place. For Belden, changing winds are part of the allure of the sport.
"When you're out there riding the wind, the wind always has this wonderful personality to it," he said. "Sometimes it's a little bit gusty, and it's kind of like you're dancing with a partner. ... Those steady winds are always wonderful, but it's always nice when there's a little bit of change in the wind and you're up making adjustments to ensure that you're dancing well together.
"When it's all harmonious, it's very freeing. I love being out in the middle of Mille Lacs. When you have a blue sky overhead, it's just blue sky and white as far as the eye can see. It's just absolutely phenomenal."
Find more information about the event here.