Ski Report, Skiing, Sports

Marathon Weekend Hosts 450 Skiers

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CRAFTSBURY – The Craftsbury Outdoor Center hosted its annual ski marathon weekend with classic races on Saturday and skate races on Sunday.

Craftsbury Ski Club skier, Luke Murphy, placed 13th overall and was the first Under 18 skier in the 45 km men’s classic race.

Saturday began with sun and cold temps at -15 F in the valleys. Luckily, the temperature climbed quickly to single digits for the start at 9:30 a.m., and was in the teens by mid-day, keeping frostbite at bay.

The most exciting race of the day was the men’s 45 km, laid out as three laps around a 15 km course. Edward Southward (Ottawa, Canada) edged out James Kitch (Harvard alumni) by three seconds in 2:16:27. Kitch had a broken ski and binding early in the race, setting him nearly a minute behind the lead pack after the first 15 km. After receiving a replacement ski, Kitch went on to ski the fastest second and third laps, catching the lead group but not quite enough to overtake Southward. Justin Freeman (N.H.) was third. Craftsbury Ski Club (CSC) finishers included Luke Murphy 13, Sam Brondyke 14, Zeb Whitlock 28, and Damian Bolduc 45.

There were 86 starters. In the women’s 45 km, Jessie Donovan (Green Mountain Valley School) blazed to victory in 2:42:03 winning by three minutes ahead of Megan McTavish (XC Ottawa). CSC skier and coaches, Audrey Mangan and Susan Dunklee finished sixth and seventh. Other local skiers were Lindley van der Linde 14, Margie Prevot 25, Annie Rowell 28, Emily Dreissigacker 29, Kate Linton 33 and Tressa Urie 37.

Isabel Caldwell (16, Putney), Amy Bianco Regan (12, Portland, Me.) and Craftsbury skiers Audrey Mangan (57) and Emily Linton (53) lead the start of the women’s 30/45 km classic race this past Sunday. Mangan, a Craftsbury youth coach, finished 6th in the 45 km race and Linton, a 17-year old from Coventry, won the 30 km race.
photo by Eric Hanson

In the 30 km classic race (two laps), Dennis Page (Nansen Ski Club, N.H.) won in 1:46:40. Local skiers included Jim Fredericks 19 and Jeff Fellinger 50. Skiing is not just for the young as Donovan Freeman placed 39th overall, skiing in the 80-84 age group. Not to be outdone, Matti Touniainen (85-89 age class) placed 45th.

Former Craftsbury Outdoor Center ski director, John Brodhead, skied one lap to stay in the game.

The youngsters took the 30 km women’s race with CSC skiers and sisters, Emily and Isabel Linton, placing first and second in 1:52:00 and 1:52:03. Greensboro’s JoAnn Hanowski was third, Linda Ramsdell 18, Molly Sease 20, Gina Campoli 23, and Lindy Sargent 24.

On Sunday, the youngsters came out in force with nearly 50 Bill Koch League skiers going around the 15 km course for one lap. Some of CSC skiers included winner Isaac Nadzam, Oakley Crawford 3, and Salvador Doyle 5. Other local participants included Ryan Brooks, Miles Brooks, Elliott Stewart, Andrew Sheehan, Teddy Fournier, Aemelia Terrone, Dean Roy, Bea Johnson, Sam Koshak, Asher Jacobs, Joe Krebs, Madison Day and Rue Jacobs.

For the women’s 30 km skate race, Britta Clark, a Craftsbury Green Racing Project (GRP) sponsored runner, switched to skis for the win in 1:42:25 with Sarah Lange only seven seconds back in second. Craftsbury’s Hallie Grossman was fourth, Alana Tucker 17 (COC running coach), Jessica Bolduc 31, Sierra Putman 33, Adele Pritchard 38, Clare Pritchard 43, Christine Bengtson 44 and Lila Mackenzie 53.

The Canadian men took the top three spots in the men’s 30 km race with Francis Izquierdo-Bernier, first (Fondeurs Laruentides) in 1:28:20, Edward Southward (XC Ottawa) second and Ricardo Izquierdo-Bernier third (Fondeurs Laruentides). Local skiers included Ollie Burress, 7 (COC ski director), Cooper Tuckerman 10 (GRP rower), Luke Murphy 17, Ben Lustgaren 20 (GRP Alum), Ethan Dreissigacker 23, Asa Lloyd 28, Sam Brondyke 40, Travis Roy 49, Roger Prevot 62, Soren Wilkens 78, Eric Hanson 88, Adrian Owens 91, Damian Bolduc 93, Dan Brooks 110, Davis Barnett 121, Craig Taylor 133, Evan Hawkins-Hull 136 (GRP rower), Jacob Philal 144 (GRP rower) and Buddy Majernik 153.

For the GRP rowers, Evan and Jacob have only recently learned how to stand up on skis. Jacob placed 13th in the men’s individual sculling event in the Paris Olympics this past summer and had the second fastest time on the final day of the event in the C final. Had he been in the A final, he would have been the silver medalist.

Young 25th in Engadin, Switzerland World Cup Skate Sprint

Jack Young, North Country Union graduate and Craftsbury Ski Club skier, made the top 30 again in the World Cup ski skate sprints. In the qualification rounds where skiers go out every 30 seconds, Young placed 28th. The top 30 move on to the five quarterfinal rounds. In Young’s heat, he pulled a daring move charging to the front in the middle of the three-minute race. Norway’s Johannes Klaebo and France’s Lucas Chanavat would reel him in by the end with Young ending up fifth of six skiers in his heat. Klaebo and Chanavat would go on to place first and third in the final.

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