The Solstice Snowshoe Shuffle, a new event as part of the Downtown Solstice Celebration, will take place at noon on Saturday.

It is a 1-mile out and back race with the start and finish in Griffin Park near the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center.

The course covers an un-

groomed trail in Griffin Park before dropping down to a packed snowmachine trail on the Chena River.

The Downtown Association of Fairbanks will provide prizes.

The race will be held regardless of temperature. Extra snowshoes are available for those who don’t have a pair.

Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. in the visitors center. There is no entry fee.

For more information and a course map go to www.LathropRunning.com or call Chad Carroll at 458-7173.

Winter softball

The Golden Heart Softball Association is registering teams for its Winter Batting Cage League at Indoor Golf and Batting Cages behind Play It Again Sports.

There are two eight-week sessions — Jan. 4-Feb. 23 and March 1-April 19. Games will be played at 6:30, 7:15 and 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

Teams can have from 1-4 players and the cost is $104 per team.

Each player gets three swings per inning and earns points by hitting the ball into designated areas around the batting cage. The total points by each batter are added up to determine the team’s score per inning. The team with the highest total at the end of the seven-inning game wins.

For more information or to register a team, call Greg at 388-6404, Kat at 388-6993, Bobbi at 490-6686, or send an e-mail to kermitt38@yahoo.com or ghsasoftball@gmail.com.

Nordic ski clinic

Challenge Life has teamed with two of Fairbanks’ top young Nordic skiers — Reese Hanneman and David Norris — for a clinic from Dec. 21-23 at Birch Hill Recreation Area.

The clinic is split into two sessions each day. Skiers in grades 3-6 go from 10 a.m.-

1 p.m. and skiers in grades 7-12 go from 2-5 p.m.

The three-day clinic offers simple technique tips, race scenario coaching, exciting and challenging workouts, race preparation advice, inspirational videos and contests and prizes.

The registration fee is $50. Skiers should call either Mike Hajdukovich at

322-0626 or Hanneman at 978-7676 to get on a registration list. Appropriate paperwork and payment will be taken on the first day of the clinic.

Hanneman and Norris have combined for 10 trips to the Junior Olympic National Championships and have won two junior national championships. They have been members of the U.S. team for the World Junior Championships and have top-10 U.S. National Championship finishes to their credit.

Skijoring

The Alaska Skijoring and Pulk Association has scheduled a makeup fun race for Saturday at the North Star Golf Club.

Race day registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by bib pickup at 11:30 and racing at noon.

Entrants are encouraged to preregister by sending an e-mail to warwick@gci.net with the number of dogs and their names and distance before 5 p.m. Friday.

The entry fee is $5 for ASPA members and $10 for all others.

If the 9 a.m. temperature at 458-3745 (ext. 1113) is 15 below or colder, call the ASPA hotline after 9:15 a.m. for a recorded message about the North Star temperature and race status.

To volunteer for the event, contact Andy Warwick at the above e-mail address.

North Star Golf Course trail maps are available at www.sleddog.org/skijor.

Sprint racing

While more snow is needed before the Alaska Dog Mushers Association can get its season started at Jeff Studdert Racegrounds, the Montana Creek Dog Mushers Association kicked off its season with a pair of points races last weekend.

Sprint mushers from Soldotna to Fairbanks participated in the two days of racing.

Daryl Hollingsworth won the Open class each day, edging Brian Sanford on Saturday and Christian Taveau on Sunday.

Taveau won the eight-dog class each day, while Kris Rasey doubled up in the six-dog class and Greg Jurek swept the skijoring event. Bev Stevens earned the four-dog win on Saturday and Kim Wells took the top spot on Sunday.

In the Junior three-dog race, Ruthan Stitt was Saturday’s winner and Peyton Young took Sunday’s event.

Complete results are in today’s Sports Scoreboard on page C2.

The next points race is scheduled for Saturday at the Moose Creek Dog Mushers Association track at 94.2 Mile Parks Highway.

Race canceled

The Two Rivers Dog Mushers Association has canceled the Solstice Race scheduled for this weekend.

Poor trail conditions in the Two Rivers area made for unsafe racing conditions. The race will not be rescheduled.

The next event on the TRDMA schedule is the Hamburger Run scheduled for Jan. 16.

For more details go to www.trdma.org.