McCall-area residents who took part in local citizen cross-country races raved about their taste of international competition during the 2008 Masters World Cup.
Nearly three dozen local residents, many with previous racing experience, entered the international race, which featured 1.223 entrants from 23 nations.
The locals turned out to join what they saw as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To refuse a major event right in their own backyards was unthinkable, they said.
"It was a great thing to have the European skiers come to us. I couldn't pass it up," Becky Bjork said.
Bjork raced in the 30 kilometer race in the women aged 35 to 39 category where she finished fourth among 13 racers.
Taking part in the Masters was a big reason for her moving to McCall last year.
That so many former world champions and Olympians entered the event impressed Dan Kaiser who competed in 30km and 45km freestyle with men ages 40-44.
Sally Elliott said the proximity of an event of such magnitude convinced her to get involved.
"People said I would really be kicking myself if I didn't do it," said Elliott, who competed with the age 55-59 women's group in 10km,15km and 30km freestyle races.
Sally Nutt and Art Troutner entered the worlds close to the registration deadline rather than miss the action. Nutt decided the chance in all likelihood would not come again; Troutner signed up after he learned a friend from Seattle had entered.
Most of those surveyed competed in cross-country skiing or some other sport earlier in their lives in high school, college, at local events or a combination of those.
Donna Veal had competed in track in high school but was new to freestyle skiing, having first learned the technique two years ago. Racing in the Masters World Cup let her watch and learn from the form of more seasoned athletes as they passed her.
Strong Field Pushed Locals
Skiers across age groups reported they were up against a, strong field and many strove for their best effort. Getting passed by faster skiers didn't dampen the thrill of international competition.
Elliott claimed her fastest 30km ever on the final day of the races.
The Russians were considered the most talented competitors and earned local racers' respect.
Curt Mack, who raced 30km freestyle with the men aged 50
54 saw a Russian man head into his second lap of the race while Mack's age group was still on the starting line.
A Russian won in Mack's group; Mack placed 74th out of a field of 80.
Language differences tended to create a barrier to communication between local skiers and the international colleagues, but that didn't stop anyone from lending a hand or chatting.
Kaiser, a nurse at McCall Memorial Hospital, gave an Austrian man with a dislocated shoulder a lift to the hospital, and gave several carloads of Russians rides around town.
Drew Andrew told of a man he believed came from an Eastern European country who kept calling him "cowboy."
"We kind of visited through our pain and misery while on the course," Andrew said.
For others, like Elliott, the Masters was a time to visit with old friends.
"I saw friends I hadn't seen for a long time," she said.
