Once again, cross-country skiers turned out in droves for a popular season-ending race hosted by the Log Cabin Ski Society.

A record 431 cross-country skiers attended the Buckwheat Ski Classic held Saturday near Skagway, Alaska.

The Star Wars-themed event saw many attempt their races in costume.

This year’s race preparations endured many challenges as the Haywood Ski Nationals pushed the event into April.

Despite warm weather, the race went on with skiers striding along 11.5 kilometres of trail.

Temperatures were five degrees for the morning races.

Fifty-kilometre skiers completed two loops before the 25- and 10-km participants started racing, making for a crowded trail and busy aid station.

Canadian World Cup skier Graeme Killick won the 50-km race while Yukon Olympian Emily Nishikawa took the women’s side.

Hudson Lucier of Whitehorse and Camille Dionne of Canmore, Alta., glided to the 25-km titles.

The 10-km men’s race featured a tie between Yukon rivals Derek Deuling and Sasha Masson while fellow Whitehorse skier Sophia Bond took the 10-km women’s title in less dramatic fashion.

Young skiers also competed in a variety of five-km race events.

The Buckwheat symbolically marks the end of winter for Skagway, as summer residents begin to trickle back into town the week following the race. Next year, the race will return to its usual weekend in late March, organizers stated.

Several special awards were handed out post-event.

Spruce Grove, Alta., skier Curtis Brock took home the coveted Best Costume Award for his Wookiee impression while one-year-old Skagway native Anika Thole – the daughter of volunteers Cory and Mary Thole – was named Miss Buckwheat 2016.

Additionally, longtime volunteer Jeremy “Scotch Man” Simmons won the Des Duncan Award for sportsmanship, while Washington skier Marcel Jolley earned the Father Mouchet Award for most inspirational skier after once again making the trip north for the event.

Full results are available at www.buckwheatskiclassic.com.