CRAFTSBURY – A diverse mix of athletes braved the 0-degree start lines for two days of skiing action with over 500 middle schoolers, ski veterans in their 80s, new racers and Olympic veterans having their day. In the 46 km classic race, Finn Sweet, a Craftsbury Academy and recent UVM graduate, led a group of six through the halfway mark (23 km) in 1:13:45 with two other recent college graduates, Colin Free (Mansfield Nordic Pro Team) and James Kitch (Harvard alum). In the mix were two veterans, Kris and Justin Freeman. Kris is a former standout on the U.S. Ski team from back in the early 2000s. The pack stayed together through much of second lap, before Sweet, Freed and Kris Freeman broke away. Colin Freed toed the line in 2:27:31, five seconds ahead of Sweet, with Freeman another 5 seconds back. Former GRPer Akeo Maifield-Carucci was 7th.
photo by Eric Hanson
On the women’s side, Ida Sargent, a former GRP skier and U.S. Ski team member, was dueling it out at the halfway mark with Isabel Caldwell. Craftsbury Ski Club (CSC) coach, Audrey Mangan, was close behind in third. Sargent (Victory, VT) took control on the 2nd lap for the win (2:57:33) with Caldwell 2, Britta Clark (GRP- run) 3, and Mangan 6.
In the men’s classic 23 km race, Neel Dums (Team Birkie), an Under 20 (U20) skier, had the fastest time in 1:17:04 with Abram Weil-Cooley (Sandwich, NH) in 2nd. CSC coach Tom Strasser was 21, Jim Fredericks 25, Jeff Fellinger 50.
Youngsters ruled the day In the women’s 23 km event, with U20 skier Annelies Hanna (Ford Sayre) first (1:29:15) followed by U18 Olivia Hanna in 2nd. Local skiers included Marika Massy-Bierman 6, JoAnn Hanowski 8, Emily Dreissigacker 11, Molly Sease 12, Eloise Girard 18, Margie Prevot 24, Lindy Sargent 34, Linda Ramsdell 35, and Hallie Grossman 41.
photo by Eric Hanson
On day two of marathon weekend, despite a warmer forecast, the air was just as cold, there was less sun and a slight wind made it feel colder. That did not stop the GRP crew from dominating the race in a warm-up for their next Super Tour series coming up in the Midwest. GRP’s Brian Bushy (Montpelier) skied solo most of the race winning in 1:01:23. Francis Izquierdo-Bernier (St. Jerome, Quebec) placed 2nd followed by GRPers Jack Christner (Ripton) 3, Keelan Durham (Corinth) 4, Finn Sweet (Burlington) 5, and Joe Lynch (Minneapolis) 8. Other local skiers included Alex Howe 20, Tim Cobb 21, Ethan Dreissigacker 39, and Damian Bolduc 116. There were 162 racers in the field.
Michaela Keller-Miller (GRP) led the women’s field in 1:09:16. Hallie Grossman (Albany) was 6th followed by Callie Young (Derby Line) 11. Young is a former CSC member and Dartmouth skier, and is the sister of Olympic bound Jack Young (Jay). Jessica Bolduc placed 36.
photo by Eric Hanson
Nearly 50 BKL youth skiers and parents skied in the approximate 15 km division. Finishers included Hollis Allen, Bea Johnson, Asher Jacobs, Finn Nunnery, Eleanor Hammond, Scarlett Podolin, Ruthie Podolin, Eliza Bakeman, Hazel Morton-Lynch (and some of their parents).
