The World Cup cross country skiing and biathlon seasons don’t begin until around Thanksgiving. When the seasons do kick off, the first World Cups will be held in Finland.  Some fans might wait until late November to stream the events, which are at odd hours because of the time difference, but they can also get an early taste of world-class action at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center’s sixth annual Schutzenski Festival over the next two weekends.  The festival welcomes youth and professional biathletes to the Nordic center Friday through Sunday and similar cross country skiers from Oct. 15 to 17. Soldier Hollow General Manager Luke Bodensteiner said multiple Milano Cortina Olympic medalists, including the greatest American cross country skier of all time, Jessie Diggins, competed in last year’s festival. The festival also serves as the U.S. biathlon team’s trials for deciding their World Cup roster.  “It’s always fun when our well-known athletes do well here,” Bodensteiner said. “Rosie Brennan, who’s from Park City and is retired now but has been a really accomplished World Cup skier, has won the race a couple times. Jesse Diggins, who’s also retired now and was always a big, marquee draw (has competed before). It’s been fun to see how kids react to her and how they want to have their picture taken with her and get things signed. She brought a ton of energy there.” Bodensteiner said helping to inspire the center’s youth competitors is a big reason why it puts on the festival.  “That was one of the founding ideas around this,” Bodensteiner said. “Create something that shows these athletes off to our community and the sports to people who participate in them already and people who are curious about the events that will happen here in the 2034 Games. It’s a great chance for people to come out and see their Olympic and Paralympic heroes.” The general manager believes the festival means a lot to both sporting communities. He said biathlon participation has been on the rise in their youth programs and others around the country. Biathlon and other winter sports are massively popular in Europe, especially compared to how they do in the U.S. “That was kind of the impetus when we started this,” Bodensteiner said. “‘How do we make something that’s attractive for the general public to have an excuse to come up here and experience watching biathlon and cross country ski racing? We obviously do it here in the winter with high-level competition, but it’s a little more challenging when you’re in the snow and it’s cold out. The weather oftentimes is so beautiful at this time of the year here in Utah.” When not watching the action, fans will have the opportunity to interact with brands like Rosignol and Solomon at vendor booths. There are also adult and kid races and an opportunity to try biathlon on the final day of the festival.  “The general public is welcome to come up and either participate in the fun run or check out the industry booths,” Bodensteiner said. “Get some food up here. But first and foremost, be able to watch these sports and get up close and personal with them. You can watch right from the trail side in the summer. It’s super accessible anywhere on the roller ski trail.” Soldier Hollow hopes to open for skiing by Thanksgiving. The resort has stored snow over the summer and will start making more as soon as it can in November.  For further information about the festival or Soldier Hollow, visit: utaholympiclegacy.org/soho-events. The post Soldier Hollow’s Schutzenski Festival returns for sixth year appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less