Today’s installment of “Meet the BSCA Team” introduces you to our Ski to Sea racers from Bellingham and Seattle, Washington. Team Captain Gabe Starbuck, Kyle Nelson, and Maxwell Baker are looking forward to be participating in this year’s Ski to Sea on the BSCA Sister Cities Ambassador’s team on Sunday, May 24. This is the final installment of “Meet the BSCA Team.”
Gabe Starbuck has participated in many Ski to Sea races, and we are fortunate to have him as the team captain this year. Gabe graduated from WWU and has a MS and an MBA. He is married and works as a project manager for an educational company. He is well known in our local paddling community and spends a lot of time outdoors on bikes, in canoes, and any other way he can get out there.
Kyle Nelson came to Bellingham 14 years ago to attend WWU and has stayed ever since, like many Hamsters do. Kyle is also married and he works for the City of Bellingham. Kyle is also a huge outdoor person and has raced in Ski to Sea seven times previously, but this year is a new leg for him. He and Gabe will be in the canoe going down the Nooksack in the canoe leg of the race. Kyle has traveled the world, with a stop in Japan, and Kyle believes, “when you meet individuals from another culture and see their goals/families/desires/fears/etc. are not a whole lot different than your won, it makes it hard to have hate for the people of that culture.”
Max Baker is currently a graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle pursuing a Master’s in Urban Planning. He is originally from southeastern Michigan and came to the PNW about three years ago. This is Max’s first Ski to Sea and he is excited to be participating as the kayak leg racer for the Ambassadors. Max enjoys Bellingham’s proximity to the mountains, Puget Sound, Canada, and local farms, and believes this makes it a truly unique city.
The Bellingham Sister Cities Association is very lucky to have such fantastic local support. We would never have found Gabe and Kyle if we didn’t have such a great friend in Brian Boatman, of Beavers Tree Service. Max came to us through friends of board member and Tateyama City Chair Ross Grier. We thank all of you who support our mission of world peace, one friendship and experience at a time.
In the next few days there will be posts about; the meeting at City Hall with Mayor Kelli and our international visitors; the Blossomtime Parade on Saturday; the race itself on Sunday; and our finish line victory party. Stay tuned for more fabulous pictures of the awesome weekend that is Ski to Sea weekend!