A password will be e-mailed to you.

6761ADBB-CE31-4863-9900-21B1589DADEB-2

NORTH AMERICA’S MOST CHALLENGING SNOWKITE EVENT, GROWS IN POPULARITY

The 11th Annual Mille Lacs Snow Kite Crossing in Garrison, Minnesota,  the nation’s most challenging snowkite event, will take place from Friday, March 6 through Sunday, March 8, 2015, 10 – 4 pm, daily.

Over the past 11 years, the Kite Crossing on Mille Lacs has attracted the world’s best males and female snowkite athletes to compete in its grueling 28  mile race across the frozen expanse of Lake Mille Lacs and this year should be no different with the state already enjoying prime snowkiting conditions.

As the country’s premier snowkite event, the lake will come alive with kites with riders mainly from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Canada and around the U.S.  Minnesota has the largest and most active snowkite community in the nation, competing in an event that is one of the most visually spectacular events in the state.

DCIM100GOPRO

Besides two 14-mile Kite Crossing legs of Lake Mille Lacs (out and back) that define this event, over 75 participants will also compete in freestyle events and shorter sprint races. Previous champions from around the country are expected to return to regain their titles, including Denis Foo Kune (Minneapolis), a team rider for Slingshot Sports and a multi-year Kite Crossing Snowboard Category Champion; Olympic downhill ski racer Joe Levins (White Bear Lake, MN), 2005 and 2006 Mille Lacs Kite Crossing Champion; Jeff Cole (Minnetonka, MN), multi-year Kite Crossing Champion, Rob Evans (Excelsior, MN), 1997 Ice and Snow Surfing World Champion and 9-time Inland Lake Yachting Association Champion, and last year’s champions Marty Roy (Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada), Kate Perkins (Breezy Point, MN), Adam Burggraff (Rogers, MN) and Vicky Hanson (Cross Lake, MN).

The first Kite Crossing was in 2004 on Lake Mille Lacs, located in central Minnesota and the state’s second largest lake (14 miles wide, 20 miles long). Minneapolis-based event organizer Fleet 8’s  Michael Fox, after 20 years of windsurfing crossings on Lake Mille Lacs, had the idea to apply the crossing idea to snowkiting. Today it is the longest running snowkite event in the country, and the longest snow kite endurance race.

racer1-2-2

For the competitors and families, there will be a welcome reception with live music Friday night, racing, events and large bonfire during the day on the Lake Saturday and dinner awards party that evening, and more competition Sunday. Spectators are welcome!

Sponsors of the 2015 Mille Lacs Kite Crossing include Red Bull, Deerwood Bank Garrison, HQ Kites, Mille Lacs Messenger, Garrison Commercial Club, Excelsior Brewing, Cabrihna, Best Kites, and Sociable Cider Works. For sponsorship information, contact Tim Browne at 952-594-5395.

For registration info check the Mille Lacs Kite Crossing Facebook page, or contact [email protected].