Think windsurfing in winter. That will be the spectacle March 5 for the snowkite race on Lake Mille Lacs.
Snowkite race prepares to set sail on Lake Mille Lacs
Borne of windsurfing tradition on the lake, winter event is in its 12th year.
February 29, 2016 at 6:54AM
The 12th annual event, which starts in Garrison, Minn., is billed as the longest snow kite endurance race in the United States.
"We had very skilled kiters when we started the race," organizer Michael Fox said. "There is a large percentage that kite in the summer, but there are a fair amount that only kite in winter."
The main event March 5 is a 28-mile race (14 miles out and back). Riders will use everything from skis and snowboards to wake boards, with large kites as sails. Depending on wind speeds, the race takes from one to two hours. There were 104 participants in 2015. Borne from a windsurfing event that took place on Lake Mille Lacs for more than 20 years, the weekend on the lake also includes freestyle events and shorter sprint races .
The kite crossing is centered in Garrison, Minn.
More information is online at bit.ly/snwkite and fleet8.com.
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None of the boat’s occupants, two adults and two juveniles, were wearing life jackets, officials said.
