Snowshoes featured in Malone Park races

New Berlin - John Ziino, New Berlin's maestro of fun as chairman of the Christmas parade, is orchestrating the first Prospect Lions Snowshoe Roar races March 2.

Individual, team and kids' snowshoe races will be through a wooded section of Malone Park, 16400 W. Al Stigler Parkway.

"We just want people to have fun," Ziino said.

And people are taking him up on that. While registrations are still coming in, he knows that racers will be coming from Burlington and Union Grove, Ziino said.

That could be in part because the races will be part of a larger Braveheart Race Series of snowshoe competitions held all over the Midwest, he said. "I imagine we'll be getting a bunch from there," he said.

This is the first time a Braveheart race will be held in southern Wisconsin, Ziino said.

Snowshoes will be available for a minimal rental fee. If there's no snow, the snowshoes will come off and it will turn into foot races, Ziino said.

But fun will be the main event.

"I almost had my wife talked into wearing her penguin costume to lead the kids' race," Ziino said. "But I'll talk somebody into it."

The 5K snowshoe race will have winners by age and gender.

The open race starts at 10 a.m., including high school and open teams; the kids fun run at 11:15 a.m.; and a Lions Club team event at 11:30 a.m.

Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

The registration fee before Saturday is $25 including a T-shirt, a chili luncheon and raffle ticket. The fee after Saturday is $30, including race day registration and includes T-shirts as long as they last, and chili luncheon. The fee is $3 for ages 10 to 12 and includes a meal ticket, and free to children younger than 10.

Chili and beverages also will be sold to spectators.

Checks should be payable to the Prospect Lions Club and sent to the club at 1700 Chestnut Lane, Waukesha, WI. 53189, attention: Robert Ulatt, treasurer. Registrations are being accepted online at e-clubhouse.org/sites/prospectwi/index.php.

More information is available from Ziino, (262) 797-8746, or johnziino@aol.com.

- Jane Ford-Stewart