Birch Equipment nabs Ski to Sea three-peat

Birch Equipment clinched a rainy Ski to Sea three-peat with an overall time of 6:07:05 in the 51st edition of the event on Sunday, May 26.

Last year, Birch Equipment posted the fastest time since 2014 (5:54:43). Despite posting a time about 13 minutes slower than a year ago, the team finished five minutes ahead of the second-place finisher, Boomer’s Drive-In (6:12:25).

Boomers also had won three in a row from 2017–19 before the event was paused for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Last year’s race was rougher. A little less of a headwind [this year],” said Jeff Hilburn, 54, who rang the bells for Birch Equipment after completing the sea kayak leg. “I’m good friends with a couple of guys on Boomer’s … they won three and I was like ‘Ah, I’ve got to get back into it.’”

Hilburn’s team was entirely the same as last year except for cyclocross: Finn Redman (cross-country ski), Adam Loomis (downhill ski/snowboard), John Whelan (run), Matt Bailey (road bike) and Bob Woodman and Glenn Bond (canoe). Bryce Olsen was the team’s cyclocross biker this year, in place of Jack Shuckra.

The race played out in cool, rainy conditions that created challenges on all legs except the final kayak stretch, where winds calmer than in recent years led to fewer safety issues for paddlers crossing Bellingham Bay. An unusually low tide on race day, however, made the kayak descent down the launch ramp at Zuanich Point Park somewhat perilous, and beach landings at Fairhaven’s Marine Park challenging.

Greg Redman, Boomer’s Drive-In’s kayaker, said Birch Equipment, which led throughout the race, was simply too fast to catch.

“You’re always pushing for first,” Redman said. “We were a little outmanned and outgunned … for us, it’s just race and chase and hopefully take the win.”

Inn at Lynden finished third overall (6:20:11) — moving up one spot each race since 2019.

Bellingham’s own U.S. Olympian paddler, Jonas Ecker, posted the fastest sea kayak time at 37:17.6 to help Beavers Tree Service to a fourth-place finish (6:21:32).

Ecker was just under one minute faster than his race partner, Aaron Small, who raced with Evil Bike Company (sixth overall). Bellingham Firefighters Team 1 took fifth with a time of 6:37:21.

Chloe Olson, 31, was the first woman to cross the finish line for her car-free team My Dog, Unleashed, which finished 24th overall (7:29:37) and was second in the division. It was Olson’s first time competing in Ski to Sea, and she was excited to learn she was the first.

“I’m stoked,” Olson said. “It was tough; it was choppy out there. I almost capsized right around this buoy [the last buoy] … it felt so good to be able to stay upright.”

Three minutes later, Car Free Green Mountain PT crossed the finish line in 7:30:56 to take 26th place — the first all-female team to ring the bells. The team’s kayaker, Ana Swetish, posted the sixth-fastest sea kayak leg split at 41:57.1.

Top 20 teams overall, with division

1. Birch Equipment, Competitive Open (6:12:25.3)
2. Boomer’s Drive-In, Competitive Open (6:12:25.3)
3. Inn at Lynden, Whatcom County Open (6:20:11.6)
4. Beavers Tree Service, Whatcom County Open (6:21:32.0)
5. Bellingham Firefighters Team 1, Whatcom County Open (6:37:21.0)
6. Evil Bike Company, Competitive Open (6:40:00.0)
7. Surfrider Mavericks, Car-Free (6:40:22.6)
8. Boomer’s Drive-In Legends, Veterans (6:42:11.1)
9. Mt. Baker Ravens, Veterans (6:48:01.2)
10. American Canoe Association Men, Competitive Open (6:50:20.1)
11. Vendovi, Competitive Open (6:52:44.0)
12. Pavlov’s Dogs, Competitive Open (7:03:46.5)
13. Vandammage, Competitive Open (7:04:40.1)
14. Greatest American Heroes, Masters (7:07:24.7)
15. FasterBakers, Masters (7:07:37.1)
16. Galloping Gonads, Competitive Open (7:09:19.3)
17. Peoples Bank, Veterans (7:11:56.0)
18. Dad Bods, Recreational Open (7:19:14.5)
19. Colony Wharf, Competitive Open (7:23:14.8)
20. Barkley Village People, Veterans (7:23:16.8)

Top finishers by division

• Car-Free: Surfrider Mavericks (6:40:22.6)
• Competitive Mixed: Delicate Flowers (7:24:53.2)
• Competitive Open: Birch Equipment (6:07:05.3)
• Competitive Women: SHEroes (7:38:00.4)
• Corporate: Everett Firefighter Association (8:06:06.7)
• Family: The Aleshops (7:32:35.7)
• High school: Twinkle Bros (7:50:35.9)
• Masters: Greatest American Heroes (7:07:24.7)
• Recreational Mixed: Where do people source their boats? (7:41:27.0)
• Recreational Open: Dad Bods (7:19:14.5)
• Recreational Women: Money on the dash (8:34:13.2)
• Veterans: Boomer’s Drive-In Legends (6:42:11.1)
• Whatcom County Mixed: Hard Core Physio (7:28:51.8)
• Whatcom County Open: Inn at Lynden (6:20:11.6)
• Whatcom County Women: Car free Green Mountain PT (7:30:56.3)

Fastest racers by leg

• Cross-country ski: Mike Hinckley, Inn at Lynden (21:37.8)
• Downhill ski/snowboard: Adam Loomis, Birch Equipment (19:26.9)
• Run: James Jasperson, Bellingham Firefighters Team 1 (35:54.5)
• Road Bike: Matt Bailey, Birch Equipment (1:23:00)
• Canoe: Bob Woodman and Glenn Bond, Birch Equipment (1:59:37)
• Cyclocross bike: Cal Skilsky, Boomer’s Drive-In (37:22.7)
• Kayak: Jonas Ecker, Beavers Tree Service (37:17.6)

Connor J. Benintendi is a former CDN sports reporter, send tips and information to newstips@cascadiadaily.com.