Premier snowkite event in Minnesota

The 2018 Grand Casino Mille Lacs Kite Crossing, the 14th annual, will attract top snowkiting athletes from around the world, to compete in the nation’s most challenging snowkite event on March 2-4 in Garrison, Minnesota.

Over the past 13 years, the Kite Crossing on Mille Lacs has attracted the world’s best male, female and youth snow kite athletes to compete in its grueling 28-mile race across the frozen expanse of Lake Mille Lacs. Races are on either a snowboard or regular alpine skis, with a large kite harnessed to the riders for wind power.

As the country’s premier snowkite event, the Lake will come alive with kites and mens, women and youth riders from 14 states including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maryland, Illinois, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Colorado and Washington DC and Canada. Minnesota has the largest and most active snowkite community in the nation (over 600 riders).

The Kite Crossing on Lake Mille Lacs is the longest running snow kite event in the country, and the longest distance snow kite endurance race in U.S. The 3-day event will also feature freestyle, jumping and racing events and various “festival” social activities.

First Place finishers by the five competition categories from 2017 Kite Crossing will be competing again. They are:

Men’s Ski: Michael Kratochwill (White Bear Lake, MN)
Women’s Ski: Christine Zobitz (Duluth, MN)
Men’s Snowboard: Nick Ruchti (St. Cloud, MN)
Women’s Snowboard: Vicky Hanson (Cross Lake, MN)
Junior/Youth: Levi Larson (Rice Lake, MN)

This video provides a feel of Mille Lacs Kite Crossing: