MECCA announces successful Winterfest

April 21, 2021

Mercer, WI – MECCA Trails is proud to announce that the 2021 Winterfest was a success despite significant changes to the event due to COVID precautions. Loyal sponsors, returning skiers, new participants and good winter snow conditions made for a great virtual event.

MECCA Trails has hosted a winter celebration for the past three seasons and each year has shown growth in participation; this year registrations were up more than 10%. Two popular new events, the 15K Flowage Freestyle Race and the Mercer Springs Snowshoe Tour, brought new visitors out to MECCA Trails. The flexibility that allowed participants to choose when they would ski or shoe between December 18 and March 28 also helped grow the celebration. Racers also enjoyed skiing the Turtle River Pursuit and the 5K Claire d’Loon Classic Fun Race.

The success of this year’s Winterfest would not have been possible without the support of the community, local businesses, sponsors and MECCA Trail’s collaborative partner, the Gogebic Range Health Foundation. The Foundation has collaborated with MECCA since the first event in 2019. Andrea Newby, Executive Director of the Gogebic Range Health Foundation stated, “MECCA Trails Winterfest is a collaboration the foundation supports as it gets residents and visitors out on the trails getting exercise and enjoying the beauty of our area’s trails.” Through sponsor support and registration fees Winterfest helps MECCA Trails fund trail and equipment maintenance; trail development and community outreach.

2021 Turtle River Pursuit results

Turtle River Pursuit – Individual Division:

  • Sandra Pera, Wakefield – 1st Place Women’s
  • Lauren Korpi, Ironwood – 2nd Place Women’s
  • Patrick Paulik, Mercer – 1st Place Men’s
  • Robert Nadler, Chicago – 2nd Place Men’s
  • S Gowtham, Houghton – 3rd Place Men’s

Turtle River Pursuit – Team Division:

  • Rodney and Robert Silvas, Mercer – 1st Place
  • Colleen Matula, Mellon and Thomas Piikkila, Mason – 2nd Place
  • Jean and Brian Ciske, Lac du Flambeau – 3rd Place.

Flowage 15K – Freestyle classic division:

  • Merry Wiesner-Hanks, Mequon – 1st Place Women’s
  • Kelly Martinko, Mercer – 2nd Place Women’s
  • Jenna Malinowski, Mercer – 3rd Place Women’s
  • Will Andresen, Ironwood – 1st Place Men’s
  • Neil Wiesner-Hanks, Mequon – 2nd Place Men’s

Flowage 15K -Skate – division:

  • Christine Paulik, Mercer – 1st Place Women’s
  • Sandra Pera, Wakefield – 2nd Place Women’s
  • Heather Berklund, Woodruff – 3rd Place Women’s
  • Robert Polic, Manitowish Waters – 1st Place Men’s
  • Todd Robinson, De Pere – 2nd Place Men’s
  • Brock Metzger, Ironwood – 3rd Place Men’s

Claire d’Loon 5K:

  • Kelly Martinko, Mercer – 1st Place Women’s
  • Neil Martinko, Mercer – 1st Place Men’s

For information about MECCA Trails and upcoming events visit MECCATrails.com

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Photo: Bryce & Heather Berkland from Woodruff skied the Flowage 15K Freestyle Race