It was Minnesota s first and only World Cup race. But it almost never happened. 8:00 am, Dec. 12, 2020 ×
Gary Larson, of Duluth, worked as Nordic director for Giants Ridge and chief of course for the 1985 Nordic World Cup races at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. Larson is standing in his home with memorabilia he saved from the race. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)
The International Ski Federation’s Cross-Country World Cup was scheduled to return to Minnesota in March, but it was canceled just days before over COVID-19 concerns.
The Minneapolis event would have been the state’s second cross-country World Cup race, and the first and only, held 35 years ago at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, also almost faced a last-minute cancellation.