OSWEGO COUNTY – Fat tire bike and snowshoe enthusiasts gathered to celebrate winter at the 2021 Festival of Flakes, held this past weekend, March 6 to 7 on the snow covered trails of Winona Forest.
The two day event, organized by the Winona Forest Trail Association, consisted of the IditaFAT fat bike race on Saturday, followed by the SnoFatShu fat bike-snowshoe duathlon on Sunday.
This annual event brought together outdoor lovers and endurance sport fans from near and far, many of whom have been unable to enjoy the thrill of competition in recent months due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I haven’t raced at all since this event last year,” said Ray Willard of Oneida as he prepared his bike for the cold, firm snow of the course. “I’m glad to have these events happening for sure.”
Relatively new to the cycling scene, the fat bike is a mountain bike equipped with four to five inch wide knobby tires, typically inflated to a low air pressure (8-12 p.s.i.). This combination of large footprint and soft inflation allows the bike to roll easily on groomed snow trails. Avid cyclists no longer need to give up riding in the winter, maintaining their fitness and training levels year round.
Many of the IditaFAT participants also joined the fun in Sunday’s SnoFatShu event, taking advantage of another opportunity to enjoy friendly competition and camaraderie in the frozen forest.
Saturday’s IditaFat racers lined up for the LeMans style start, running a short distance and then mounting their bikes and rolling off into the forest, shouting and whooping with unbridled enthusiasm that was not at all dampened by the unseasonably cold temperatures of 13 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sunday dawned sunny with a deep azure sky overhead, and a chilly 6 degrees Fahrenheit at the starting line. Competitors adjusted their tire pressure for frozen snow and selected the proper layers of clothing to insulate against the bitter cold.
Katina Sayers of Tully, New York, was not bothered by the low temperature, warmed by the enthusiasm she radiated as she awaited the start.
“I’ve been racing for 32 years, including competing at the Fat Bike National Championship, and I feel that this race is of that level of quality,” she said. “Racing has been really different this year, but at least we get to be here and that is what we should be grateful for.”
Many other racers shared the same sentiment, just happy to be able to take part in an event after nearly a year of cancellations and postponements.
“My friends and I were really excited to be able to take part in this race, so I am just feeling a lot of gratitude,” Tony Zalocha said. “This event is like no other, combining the biking and snowshoeing…what a fantastic day.”
The SnoFatShu veteran from Utica, New York, was beaming as he unloaded his fat bike, squinting in the bright sunshine.
The Festival of Flakes weekend wraps up the winter racing season at Winona Forest.
“It’s been nice to be able to have this weekend’s event, working with the DEC, and we have been flexible, still trying to make it as normal as possible despite the goings on… you can tell that people are really enjoying being outside and still able to do some of this,” said Co-Race Director Pat McFalls.
As the last finishers crossed the line and headed for home, WFRA president Matt Westerlund reflected on a very successful season of racing and camaraderie in the forest, a forest graced with plentiful snow and a network of manicured trails enjoyed by many user groups.
“We have had a lot of challenges, COVID-19 has been tough on all of us,” Westerlund said. “ We feel that this has been one of the most successful winters that we have had, mostly due to people’s attitudes…they just want to get out and do things and see people ,but still do it in a safe manner.” Westerlund paused and looked off into the thick evergreens surrounding him. “We have had many new people come to the forest this year, and they have discovered a gem, a gem that they can keep revisiting…It’s just been a great year.”
Race results:
Saturday – IditaFAT
Sunday – SnoFatShu
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