Day 1 stops planned in the Minocqua area

Wausau, WI (December 15, 2021) – As the 2021 Badger State Winter Games draws closer to opening their 32nd season, they are excited to announce a Snowmobile Torch Ride from Wausau, WI to Eagle River, WI.  The Torch Ride will involve 14 snowmobile clubs, 4 counties, and over 200 miles of snowmobile trails.

The Torch Ride will be a two-day event starting DAY 1 Thursday, January 14th at 7:30 am at the Trailmates Snowmobile Club (3225 Cty. Rd WW, Wausau, WI 54401). The Torch Ride will have stops in Merrill, Tomahawk, Hazlehurst, Minocqua/Woodruff, and Arbor Vitae.

DAY 2 Friday, January 15th will start at 7:30 am at Cross Country Cruisers Snowmobile Clubhouse (1501 Helminski Rd. Arbor Vitae) with stops in Sayner, (Snowmobile Invented), St. Germain (Snowmobile Hall of Fame), Sugar Camp, Three Lakes, and Eagle River World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum.  We will then make our way over to World Snowmobile Championship Derby Complex at 6:00 pm for the Opening Ceremony for the World Championship races and Badger State Games.  We will have dignitaries on the infield of the track and then the National Anthem and lighting of the Torch and Badger State Winter Games Caldron.

At each stop, we will have about 30 minutes for a meet and greet with representatives and dignitaries from that community to welcome the Torch Ride and pass the torch from snowmobile club to snowmobile club with photo opportunities and short speech’s.  

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary-Designee Anne Sayers, Director of Outdoor Recreation Mary Brown and Regional Tourism Director Jeff Anderson from the Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism have been invited to participate in the 2021 BSG Snowmobile Torch Ride Ceremonies.  Many other Dignitaries from Central & Northern Wisconsin have also been invited.

We have two Celebrity participants in this year's Torch Ride.  Derek Kraus from Stratford, Wisconsin who competes full-time on the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series driving the No. 19 Toyota Tundra for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing will be making the two-day snowmobile ride with us.  Also, Two Time Back-to-Back World Snowmobile Champion from 1971 & 1972 Mike Trapp will be at the Opening Ceremony in Eagle River.

The Badger State Winter Games Torch Ride could not have been possible without the help and assistance from the following:  Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs (AWSC) and President Dave Newman, Russ Davis and the World Championship Derby Complex, The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River, the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in St. Germain, and the many individual Snowmobile Clubs and communities mentioned below.

The 2021 BSG Torch Ride is Sponsored by DuWayne Kreager Insurance Center, Inc, Wausau/Tomahawk/Rhinelander, Tomahawk Sports Center, Ritchie Oil & Propane Minocqua, Lakeland Powersports Woodruff, BuckShots Bar & Deli Downtown Eagle River, Pitlik’s Resort Eagle River, Dave Mroczynski American Family Insurance Eagle River/Rhinelander and the communities of Wausau, Merrill, Tomahawk, Hazelhurst, Minocqua, Woodruff, Arbor Vitae, Sayner, St. Germain, Sugar Camp, Three Lakes, and Eagle River.

Thank You Snowmobile Clubs:
Marathon County:
Trailmates Snowmobile Club  
Wisconsin Valley Sno-Jets
Lincoln County
L&L Tree Dodgers
Rock Island X-Press
Northwoods Passage
Knight Owls Snowmobile Club

Oneida County:
Minocqua Forest Riders Snowmobile Club
Northern Trail Unlimited
Northern Lights Snowmobile Club
Three Lakes-Brule River Trails

Vilas County:
Cross Country Cruisers
Barnstormers of Sayner
St Germain Bo Bo-Boen Snowmobile Club
Sno-Eagles Inc.

Historically back in 1989 the first year of the Badger State Winter Games then Governor Tommy Thompson from the steps of the Capital in Madison Wisconsin by snowmobile drove the torch to Wausau and Marathon Park for the Opening Ceremonies of the Badger State Winter Games. 

For additional information about this event or any of the 26 Badger State Winter Games events please contact nockwig@visitwausau.com or 715-355-8788.

Wausau is the home to the Badger State Winter and Summer Games with events also taking place in various communities around the State of Wisconsin. For information regarding schedules, locations, athlete sign-ups, becoming a sponsor, or volunteering, please visit us at www.badgerstategames.org or call 715-355-8788.

2021 BSG Winter Games sponsors include CoVantage Credit Union, Habush Habush & Rottier S.C., Peoples State Bank, Marshfield Clin, Kerber Rose CPA’s, UMR, American Family Insurance Jim Nick, UW-Stevens Point, Tundraland, Tig’s, AutoSelect, TDS Fiber, O’Malley of Wausau, ib Insurance, Northstar Restoration and Compass Properties. Badger State Games are brought to you by Wausau/Central Wisconsin Sports Authority – Wisconsin’s Leader in Sports, Events & Tourism.