Tag: 2014 junior nationals

Racing with Olympians: Anchorage’s Gus Schumacher, 13, Youngest at SuperTour Finals

Gus Schumacher, 13, of Alaska Winter Stars, climbs the final hill in the SuperTour Finals classic-sprint qualifier at Kincaid Park on Sunday. The youngest in the field, he placed 65th. (Photo: Bill Roth/Anchorage Daily News)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Gus Schumacher is used to the little-guy jokes, like when his Alaska Winter Stars (AWS) coach Jan Buron says he weighs less than his dog — or when his Junior Nationals team makes him carry the Alaska Cup all the way to Stowe, Vt., because he’s the youngest one on the team.

But the 13-year-old from Anchorage doesn’t seem to mind because really, the joke’s on them. He can say, ‘What’s up?’ to Andy Newell and Newell will greet him back.

The son of U.S. Ski Team doctor Greg Schumacher, an orthopedic practitioner in Anchorage, Gus even raced in the same event as Newell in Sunday’s 1.4-kilometer classic sprint at SuperTour Finals. He raced the day before, too, aging up into the U16 category for AWS, but Newell didn’t do the distance event. Other Olympians, like Noah Hoffman, Erik Bjornsen and Simi Hamilton did though. And then there were several U.S. Ski Team women from Anchorage, like Kikkan Randall, Holly Brooks and Sadie Bjornsen.

“It was really fun to race SuperTours, to be racing with these guys that I totally look up to,” Schumacher said after Sunday’s race, in which he placed 65th in the sprint (he said he’s more of a distance skier). “I watch them on the World Cup and I’m just amazed at their abilities.”

And Schumacher’s actually seen them in person — he went with his family to Switzerland while his dad worked with the team.

“The fact that I’m racing them right now is incredible,” he said. “They’re people too … so It’s really cool to know who they are.”

Before SuperTour Finals, Schumacher was one of about 26 males to make Alaska’s Junior National team after qualifying in an older age group at the trials.

“I really just tried hard in the races, I knew I could somewhat match [the older racers], but I didn’t know how well I could do it,” he said. “So I did the races and I did well, well enough to make it and it was just a great experience.”

The youngest guy on the team by almost two years, he had to take the Alaska Cup as a carry-on for the duration of their flights to Junior Nationals earlier this month in Stowe. He placed 30th in the U16 men’s 5 k classic race, 38th in the classic sprint, and fifth with Alaska’s second team in the 3 x 3 k skate relay.

When he’s training (which is year-round), Schumacher tries to stick with teammates like 15-year-old Matthew Hoefler.

“He’s a pretty good match for me especially in distance kind of stuff,” he said. “And then some of the older guys … they’re just too hard to stay with sometimes. It’s not good for training if you’re with them.”

But Schumacher’s been on skis longer than most.

“I’ve been skiing since I was really young, since I could walk,” he said. “I’m one of those kids.”

His mom, Amy, is a volunteer at the Anchorage SuperTour Finals and said the family loves skiing and being outdoors. She said Gus got his racing starts with a junior nordic program in Anchorage.

“[That’s] what got him to really love it,” she said. “When you add friends and coaches, it makes skiing much more fun than being with parents.”

She said he works hard “by his own drive,” and will be making the step up from middle school next year in his first year at Service High School.

Buron said he shows a lot of promise and joked that he weighs 85 pounds — more than his dog. Schumacher said he’s 110 pounds. “I think he’s exaggerating,” Schumacher said of his coach, whom Amy described as “extremely encouraging and positive [and] … sincere.”

On July 25, Schumacher will turn 14, and next year, he’ll be racing up in high school as well. But not many high-school skiers can claim to have skied with Olympians.

“It’s a big deal,” Kikkan Randall said of up-and-comers like Schumacher. “We spent all winter on the World Cup and you almost forget what it was like when you were first getting going in skiing and how these local races were so big. We could have some future Olympians out here — kids that you want, people that you want to get fired up about cross-country skiing.”

March 24, 2014
U.S. Nationals Video: Relay Wrap Up

Intermountain’s U16 women after winning the 3 x 3 k freestyle relay at 2014 Junior Nationals.

STOWE, Vt. — Here is the final video in our four-race recap series from 2014 U.S. Junior Nationals at Trapp Family Lodge, the 3 x 3-kilometer freestyle relays on March 8. Intermountain swept the three-person U16 relays, New England topped the podium in both the U20 men’s and women’s relays, and Alaska got a win in the U18 category.

For more: Top-10 Recognition | Relay results | Complete results

March 21, 2014
Junior Nationals Video: Freestyle Mass Starts

Fabian Stocek, Dartmouth freshman from the Czech Republic, after winning the 15 k freestyle mass start at Junior Nationals on March 7.

STOWE, Vt. — The mass starts are always a highlight at any championships — let alone Junior Nationals. Here’s a look at the action that took place last Friday, March 7, at U.S. Junior Nationals in the 15-, 10- and 5-kilometer freestyle mass starts at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt.

Top-10 Recognition

Trouble viewing video? Click here.

March 13, 2014
Junior Nationals: Relay Top-10 Recognition
The U16 women that anchored their teams to the top three on Saturday in the Junior Nationals 3 x 3 k freestyle relay: Intermountain’s Leah Lange (r) in first, New England’s Leah Brams (c) in second, and Rocky Mountain’s Hailey Swirbul in third.

FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.

STOWE, Vt. — Competitors throughout the season, hundreds of juniors came together on Saturday and teamed up to represent their respective regions in the 3 x 3-kilometer freestyle relays on the final day of 2014 Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

New England topped the Midwest by 368 points for the coveted Alaska Cup — the overall accolade awarded to the team with the most cumulative points throughout the week.

Below are the top teams in the U16, U18 and U20 relays, including six national-championship winners. Intermountain swept the U16 races, Alaska’s U18 men won, and New England capped the day off with two U20 victories and a U18 women’s win.

Complete results

Intermountain’s relay-winning women’s team celebrates at the finish of the U16 3 x 3 k relay on Saturday at Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

U16 Women
1. Intermountain 1: Brooke Dunnagan (Bogus Basin), Anna Gibson (Jackson Hole), Leah Lange (Park City)
2. New England 1: Chloe Levins (Mountain Top), Mackenzie Rizio (Stratton Mountain School), Leah Brams (Cambridge Sports Union)
3. Rocky Mountain 1: Jordan Floyd (Steamboat Springs WSC), Kathleen O’Connell (Steamboat Springs), Hailey Swirbul (Aspen Valley SSC)
4. Far West 1: Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl), Lizzie Larkins (Auburn), Jenna Rohlf (Auburn)
5. Midwest 1: Amanada Kautzer (Loppet Nordic Racing), Erin Moening (Endurance United), Anna Johnson (Mesabi East)
6. Intermountain 2: Sofia Shomento (Bridger Ski Foundation), Madison Morgan (Park City), Katy Bonacci (The Utah Nordic Alliance)
7. New England 2: Tegan Thorley (SMS), Kirsten Miller, Sophia Hodges (Frost Mountain)
8. Rocky Mountain 2: Anna Fake (Durango), Katja Freeburn (Durango), Maddie Donovan (SSC Vail)
9. Alaska 1: Barae Hirsch (Alaska Pacific University), Jenna Difolco (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC), Anna Darnell (APU)
10. Midwest 2: Hannah Rudd (LNR), Dorothy Anderson (LNR), Abigail Jarzin (Ashwaubenon)
Fun Facts: Lange received the tag in third and went on to win by 7.3 seconds with the fastest anchor leg. “I saw that she was in first and I got so excited I just started screaming,” Gibson said. Lange placed second in the 5 k classic and third in the 1.4 k freestyle sprint earlier in the week. “We were just so excited; the relay there’s so much more energy in the other races,” Lange said. “It’s definitely the best race to do so good in.”

Intermountain’s U16-relay winning men’s team congratulate Zach Williams (c) after he anchored them to a Junior National title on Saturday in the 3 x 3 k freestyle race.

U16 Men:
1. Intermountain 1: Max Polito (Jackson Hole), Peter Wolter (Sun Valley), Zach Williams (Sun Valley)
2. Alaska 1: Benjamin Koenig (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC), Jack Consenstein (APU), Hunter Wonders (APU)
3. New England 1: Daniel Steinz (Maine WSC), Russell Boswell (SMS), Forrest Hamilton (Mansfield)
4. New England 2: Anders Hanson (Craftsbury), Adam Glueck (Ford Sayre), Calvin Bates (Dublin School)
5. Alaska 2: Dawson Knopp (Alaska Nordic Racing), Gus Schumacher (Alaska Winter Stars), Tracen Knopp (ANR)
6. Intermountain 2: Eli Jensen (Sun Valley), Carter Ros (Sun Valley), River Vorse (Sun Valley)
7. Rocky Mountain 1: Noel Keeffe (Steamboat Springs), Evan Barbier (Steamboat Springs), Simon Zink (Steamboat Springs)
8. Rocky Mountain 2: Kai Sherman (Crested Butte), Wyatt Gebhardt (Steamboat Springs), Alden Truettner (Crested Butte)
9. Midwest 1: Anders Sonnesyn (Endurance United), Xavier Mansfield (LNR), Henry Gore (Madnorski/CXC)
10. Far West 1: Brandon Herhusky (Sugar Bowl), Ryland Belisle (Sugar Bowl), Skyler Mullings (Sugar Bowl)
Fun Fact: Intermountain went 2-for-2 to start Saturday, with victories in the U16 men’s and women’s races. The winning men’s team wore blue do-rags and painted mustaches. “We got this right before the race from our coach,” Wolter said, pointing to his face. “And I don’t think we really had a plan.” Williams said they didn’t know the course until shortly before their race. “We just kind of went for it,” Williams said. “We relied on outside information, no personal experience,” Wolter added.

New England’s Zoe Snow (r), Katharine Ogden (c) and Julia Kern (l) celebrate their U18 women’s 3 x 3 k freestyle relay victory on Saturday at Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

U18 Women:
1. New England 1: Zoe Snow (Cambridge Sports Union), Katharine Ogden (SMS), Julia Kern (CSU)
2. Midwest 1: Caroline Brisbois (Endurance United), Racquel Wohlk (Nordicwerks), Vivian Hett (LNR)
3. Midwest 2: Alayna Sonnesyn (Endurance United), Anna French (LNR), Mattie Watts (Endurance United)
4. Rocky Mountain 1: Hannah Peterson (Durango), Lauren Jortberg (Boulder), Gretchen Burkholder (Steamboat Springs)
5. Intermountain 1: Brenna Egan (Park City), Aja Starkey (BSF), Sophie McDonald (Park City)
6. Alaska 1: Sadie Fox (ANR), Emma Tarbath (AWS), Sarrissa Lammers (ANR)
7. New England 2: Carmen Bango (Woodstock), Kaelyn Woods (Maine WSC), Autumn Eastman (Sleepy Hollow)
8. Midwest 3: Allison Ternes (LNR), Michael Keller-Miller (Endurance United), Sarah Bezdicek (LRN)
9. Intermountain 2: Bjork Hagensen (BSF), Mariah Bredal (Jackson Hole), Katie Feldman (Sun Valley)
10. Rocky Mountain 2: Taeler McCrerey (Summit Nordic), Ruthie Boyd (Summit Nordic), Anna Martin (SSC Vail)
Fun Fact: The New England women combined for a 14.7-second win in what was Ogden’s third win and Kern’s second of the week. The three also defended their relay title from last year as J2’s (U16) at 2013 Junior Nationals.

“It was a lot of holding back everyone else because we knew that Katharine was going to kill it and Julia was going to keep it up,” Snow said. “We definitely had a plan going into it,” Ogden said.

“New England, we’re such close friends and teammates and it’s even more fun when you win together,” Kern said.

The team also gave a shout-out to their coach, Sverre Caldwell of the Stratton Mountain School, on his birthday on Saturday.

Team Alaska congratulates Thomas O’Harra (r) for anchoring them to a U18 3 x 3 k freestyle relay title at Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

U18 Men
1. Alaska 1: John Farr (APU), Joe Bue (FXC), Thomas O’Harra (APU)
2. Intermountain 1: Logan Diekmann (BSF), Sam Miller (BSF), Karsten Hokanson (Wasatch Nordic)
3. Midwest 1: Ian Torchia (LNR), Nick Gardener (Endurance United), Zak Ketterson (LNR)
4. Alaska 3: Jake Bassett (AWS), Tanner Ramey (AWS), Jonathan Koenig (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC)
5. Rocky Mountain 1: Lars Hannah (Steamboat Springs), Paolo Takagi-Atilano (Boulder), Cully Brown (SSC Vail)
6. Midwest 2: Daniel Delestry (CXC), Tamer Mische-Richter (Endurance United), Leo Hipp (Nordicwerks)
7. Intermountain 2: Peter Neal (Jackson Hole), Danny Graves (Sun Valley), Alex Jackson (Park City)
8. New England 1: Zane Fields (Woodstock), Ben Hegman (Mansfield), Gavin McEwen (CSU)
9. Alaska 2: Seiji Takagi (AWS), Jacob Volz (APU), Tristan Sayre (FAST)
10. Far West 1: Dylan Syben (Unleashed Coaching), Julien Bordes (Unleashed Coaching), Sam Zabell (Sugar Bowl)
Fun Fact: This is the first podium for both Farr and Bue, and O’Harra’s fifth in four years of competing at Junior Nationals. Farr and O’Harra have been teammates since O’Harra was in seventh grade and are the three-time defending champions of the Anchorage high school two-man relay competition. They hail from East Anchorage, the same high school as Kikkan Randall. “It’s the last Junior National race for us, and it could be the last race [Thomas] and I go together,” Farr said. “So it’s a good feeling to end it this way.”

The U20 women’s relay podium at Junior Nationals, with New England in first and second, and the Midwest in third. Bill Koch (second from r) was a guest medal presenter, along with another Olympian, Mt. Bachelor coach Dan Simoneau (r).

U20 Women:
1. New England 1: Hannah Benson (Williams Outing Club), Kelsey Phinney (Middlebury), Heidi Halvorsen
2. New England 2: Sadie James (Bates), Tara Humphries (Bates), Maddy Pfeifer (Andover)
3. Midwest 1: Sonja Hedblom (LNR), Nora Gilbertson (St. Olaf), Kristen Bourne (Northern Michigan)
4. Rocky Mountain 1: Abbey Habermehl (Steamboat Springs), Cara Piske (Steamboat Springs), Nicole Schneider (LNR)
5. Midwest 2: Elizabeth Evans (St. Scholastica), Maria Hauer (Flyer Nordic), Nicole Schneider (LNR)
6. New England 3: Cate Brams (CSU), Erin Perryman (St. Lawrence), Emily Ramsey (Maine WSC)
7. Alaska 1: Hannah Stevesn (ANR), Marion Woods (AWS), Anna Spencer (APU)
8. Far West 1: Laurel Fiddler (Bates), Danielle Nivinski (Sugar Bowl), Amanda Kirkeby (Mammoth Mountain)
9. Intermountain 1: Maggie Williams (Sun Valley), Sarah Williams (Sun Valley), Joelle Romo (BSF)
10. High Plains 1: Laura Stamp (Willams), Leann Bentley (Laramie HS), Louisa Austin (Lander Valley)
Fun Facts: After New England swept first through six (not including Sweden’s Ulrika Axelsson of Michigan Tech) in the 5 k classic earlier in the week, Halvorsen said that along with other results throughout the week (including her sprint title) gave them confidence going into the relay. “I think we were pretty confident going into this race that we could potentially get two teams on the podium,” she said after the team went 1-2.

“I think it’s really nice because last year we didn’t have the greatest year,” Benson said. “We didn’t win the Alaska Cup. It’s awesome to come back here to New England to have such a significant lead over everyone else. I think it represents how New England skiing can come together.”

Phinney, of Boulder, Colo., is the daughter of Olympic cycling medalists, Davis and Connie Phinney. Her dad raced the Tour de France and her mom raced competitively and also rowed collegiately.

The U20 men’s relay podium at Junior Nationals, with New England in first, Far West in second, and Rocky Mountain in third. Olympians and medal presenters Bill Koch and Dan Simoneau (r) stand at right.

U20 Men:
1. New England 1: Jack Schrupp (Gunstock), Jack Hegman (University of Vermont), Cole Morgan (UVM)
2. Far West 1: Peter Holmes (Unleashed Coaching), Shane Christian (Unleashed Coaching), Patrick McElravey (Middlebury)
3. Rocky Mountain 1: Jackson Hill (University of Colorado), Oscar Friedman (Dartmouth), Haakon Sigurslid (Durango)
4. Midwest 1: Mathew Nichols (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay), Jan Katterson (LNR), Thomas Bye (CXC)
5. Intermountain 1: Connor Gray (BSF), Riis Wilbrecht (Wasatch), Henry Gorman (Wasatch)
6. New England 3: Andrew Nadler (Dartmouth), Luke Costley (Williams), Sam Merrens (Ford Sayre)
7. New England 2: Austin Huneck (Maine WSC), Calvin Swomley (St. Lawrence) Ian Moore (Green Mountain Valley School)
8. Rocky Mountain 2: Ian Boucher (SSC Vail), Parker McDonald (SSC Vail), Evan Weinman (Steamboat Springs)
9. Midwest 2: Sam Elfstrom (NMU), Kyle Marshall (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Luke Brown (LNR)
10. Alaska 1: Kyle Hanson (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC), Nicholas Lovett, Daniel Serventi (APU)
Fun Fact: This was Morgan’s third victory in four races at Junior Nationals (after being the top American in the sprint) and Hegman’s fourth consecutive podium. “I think we all just wanted to go out an hammer … and just go for it,” he said.

“It’s pretty sweet, a good feeling to end on a good note like that,” Hegman said.

Holmes, a U18 skier for Far West, raced in the older age group for his team, and McElravey rallied after a major crash in Friday’s 15 k mass start took him out of the race.

***

Stay tuned for videos of the last two days of Junior Nationals racing to be completed in the next week.
March 9, 2014
Junior Nationals: Mass Start Top-10 Recognition
A massive pileup on the first corner shortly after the start of the U20 men’s 15 k freestyle mass start on Friday at 2014 Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt. Far West’s Patrick McElravey, also of Middlebury College, in bib 7 needed medical attention.

STOWE, Vt. — The youngest child of the original von Trapp family, Johannes von Trapp was the man of the hour almost every hour for the start of six freestyle distance races on the last day of individual racing at 2014 Junior Nationals on Friday.

With a rifle in hand, Von Trapp, 75, fired the starting signal for each of the U16, U18 and U20 mass starts. After that, it was up to the racers to determine where they’d end up at the finish — save for a few early pileups in the U20 and U18 men’s races, where one racer did not finish.

Johannes von Trapp of Trapp Family Lodge presenting medals at 2014 Junior Nationals earlier this week in Stowe, Vt.

The worst series of crashes came in the first race, the U20 men’s 15 k freestyle, which left Far West’s Patrick McElravey seeking medical attention. He was OK (and was listed to start on Saturday), but the incident prompted USSA Nordic Manager Joey Caterinichio to come up with the idea for a paced start.

For every race after the U20 women’s race, a Midwest coach led hundreds of competitors out of the start, down the troublesome 180-degree corner and back up out of the stadium, until passing a set of cones that gave skiers the go-ahead to go for it.

The method generally worked (except for the accordion effect that caused another crash in the U18 men’s race in nearly the same spot coming out of the corner), and by early afternoon, six national champions had been named.

Here’s a look at who made the top 10 and All-American status on Friday in the last of three individual races at Junior Nationals. Relays wrap up the championships on Saturday, starting at 9:30 a.m.

Complete mass start results

New England’s Fabian Stocek (1) follows Rocky Mountain’s Jack Hill (6) in the U20 men’s 15 k freestyle mass start at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt. Stocek went on to win the Junior Nationals race by 7.5 seconds.

U20 Men’s 15 k
1. Fabian Stocek (Holderness School/New England)
2. Jack Schrupp (Gunstock Nordic/New England)
3. Thomas Bye (CXC/Midwest)
4. Cole Morgan (University of Vermont/New England)
5. Mathew Nichols (University of Wisconsin Green Bay/Midwest)
6. Shane Christian (Unleashed Coaching/Far West)
7. Jan Ketterson (Loppet Nordic Racing/Midwest)
8. Jack Hegman (UVM/New England)
9. Oscar Friedman (Dartmouth/Rocky Mountain)
10. Jackson Hill (University of Colorado/Rocky Mountain)
Fun Fact: A Czech Republic native, Stocek, 19, is a Dartmouth College freshman and has lived in the U.S. for the last four years. “[I’ve] made a lot of connections with friends all over New England so that’s been making a support for me,” he says. “My parents are still in the Czech Republic so I have a great way of connecting with people around New England. I like that a lot, traveling around, recognizing all the aspects that the aspects has to offer. … And continuing at Dartmouth, not a bad place to be for skiing.”

U20 Women’s 10 k
1. Maggie Williams (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
2. Marion Woods (Alaskas Winter Stars/Alaska)
3. Hannah Benson (Williams Outing Club/New England)
4. Kristen Bourne (Northern Michigan University/Midwest)
5. Hannah Stevens (Alaska Nordic Racing/Alaska)
6. Kelsey Phinney (New England)
7. Nora Gilbertson (St. Olaf College/Midwest)
8. Sonja Hedblom (LNR/Midwest)
9. Maria Hauer (Flyer Nordic/Midwest)
10. Cara Piske (Steamboat Springs WSC/Rocky Mountain)
Fun Fact: Originally from Ketchum, Idaho, Williams is a freshman at the University of Vermont and this is her first Junior Nationals victory. When she’s not racing: “I like to knit and make stained-glass artwork, kind of some grannie hobbies,” she says. “That’s something I’ve kind of been doing my whole life.”

U18 Men’s 10 k
1. Gavin McEwen (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
2. Lars Hannah (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
3. Ian Torchia (LNR/Midwest)
4. Thomas O’Harra (Alaska Pacific University/Alaska)
5. Karsten Hokanson (Wasatch Nordic/Intermountain)
6. Paolo Takagi-Atilano (Boulder Nordic/Rocky Mountain)
7. Zak Ketterson (LNR/Midwest)
8. Peter Holmes (Unleashed Coaching/Far West)
9. John Farr (APU/Alaska)
10. Zane Fields (Woodstock/New England)
Fun Fact: For 16-year-old McEwen, this is his first Junior Nationals win. “I don’t usually like to think about race [until] about 10 minutes beforehand,” he says. “I got up kind of late because it was a later start than we usually have, I finished my bowl of oatmeal, which is kind of unusual for me because usually I feel kind of sick. But I felt really good.”

U18 Women’s 10 k
1. Katharine Ogden (Stratton Mountain School/New England)
2. Aja Starkey (Bridger Ski Foundation/Intermountain)
3. Vivian Hett (LNR/Midwest)
4. Sophie McDonald (Park City/Intermountain)
5. Caroline Brisbois (Endurance United/Midwest)
6. Racquel Wohlk (Nordicwerks/Midwest)
7. Alayna Sonnesyn (Endurance United/Midwest)
8. Hannah Peterson (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
9. Mattie Watts (Endurance United/Midwest)
10. Gretchen Burkholder (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
Fun Facts: This is Ogden’s second win of the week and she did so in impressive fashion, breaking away around 4 k and winning by 20 seconds. “I was inspired by Caitlin Gregg’s performance at U.S. nationals so I decided to go for a similar method,” Ogden says. “Channeling my inner Caitlin Gregg for sure.”

Gregg won the 30 k mass start at U.S. nationals in January by more than a minute and 30 seconds.

Ogden explained she’s been knitting between races to channel the rest of her energy.

“I knit when I’m nervous before races,” she says. “I’ve knit almost an entire buff this week, a neckie, so I’m pretty proud.”

U16 Men’s 5 k
1. Hunter Wonders (APU/Alaska)
2. Leo Lukens (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
3. Russell Boswell (SMS/New England)
4. Max Polito (Jackson Hole/Intermountain)
5. Zach Williams (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
6. Peter Wolter (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
7. Jack Consenstein (APU/Alaska)
8. Forrest Hamilton (Mansfield/New England)
9. Daniel Streinz (Maine WSC/New England)
10. Benjamin Koenig (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC/Alaska)
Fun Facts: In his first Junior Nationals, this is Wonder’s first time to Vermont. “My first time on the East Coast,” he says. “It felt super nice. Today was super relaxed and just pushing the tempo at the very end.”

The 15-year-old Anchorage native won by nearly six seconds. “My goal for the whole season was to make it to the Junior Nationals and once I did that I was going for any kind of medal,” he says. “I guess gold’s fine.”

U16 Women’s 5 k
1. Hailey Swirbul (Aspen Valley SSC/Rocky Mountain)
2. Chloe Levins (Mountain Top/New England)
3. Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl/Far West)
4. Kathleen O’Connell (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
5. Leah Lange (Park City/Intermountain)
6. Mackenzie Rizio (SMS/New England)
7. Leah Brams (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
8. Brooke Dunnagan (Bogus Basin Nordic/Intermountain)
9. Erin Moening (Endurance United/Midwest)
10. Anna Darnell (APU/Alaska)
Fun Fact: After capturing her first Junior National title in the 5 k classic earlier this week, Swirbul, 15, did it again in the skate mass start. “I have been dreaming of this moment to win a mass start since last Junior Nationals where I got third and it has never tasted sweeter to win a race,” she says. Also relatively sweet is her favorite food: sweet potatoes.
March 8, 2014
Junior Nationals Video: Classic Sprints Galore

STOWE, Vt. — It was a jam-packed day of classic sprinting up at Trapp Family Lodge on Wednesday, with 54 heats determining six champions at Junior Nationals between the U16, U18 and U20 men’s and women’s categories.

While some races were snowy, others were windier, and a few were neck-and-neck to the line, the conditions remained relatively consistent throughout in temperatures around 10 degrees throughout the day. The sun began to set soon after the U20 and U18 women’s finals, making for a picture-perfect ending on Day 2 of 4 at Junior Nationals.

For more about the top finishers: Top-10 Recognition

Extensive qualifier photos: U16 men | U16 women | U18/U20 men | U18/20 women

Results

Day 1: Video | Top 10

Trouble viewing video above? Click here.

Peter Holmes (Unleashed Coaching/Far West) racing to the top U18 men’s classic-sprint qualifying time at 2014 Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

March 6, 2014
Junior Nationals: Classic Sprint Top-10 Recognition
Julia Kern (r) racing to a classic-sprint title at Junior Nationals on Wednesday in Stowe, Vt., edging Mattie Watts (c) and Vivian Hett, both from the Midwest.

FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.

STOWE, Vt. — Four-hundred and thirty-four athletes whittled down to 180 in 30 quarterfinals. Fifty-four heats total, all on the top of the mountain at Trapp Family Lodge over the course of nine hours.

It was a full day of racing on Day 2 of U.S. Junior Nationals on Wednesday, with men’s and women’s 1.4-kilometer classic sprints determining six national champions.

Below you’ll find the list of who made the top 10 in the U16, U18 and U20 races. Every athlete that did so raced Trapp’s open-aired sprint course four times — nailing fast-enough times to advance after each round. The top six made the A-finals, and the next six battled for seventh through 12th place (and All-American status in the top 10). Complete results

Stay tuned for a video recapping Wednesday’s action and follow us on Twitter and Instagram, as well as the 2014 Junior Nationals website for updates, photos and videos.

The Junior Nationals U16 men’s classic sprint podium with New England’s Forrest Hamilton (c) of Mansfield Nordic, the Pacific Northwest’s Leo Lukens (l) of Mt. Bachelor in second, and Intermountain’s Zach Williams (r) of Sun Valley in third.

U16 Men
1. Forrest Hamilton (Mansfield Nordic/New England)
2. Leo Lukens (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
3. Zach Williams (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
4. Benjamin Koenig (NSCF-Fairbanks-FXC/Alaska)
5. Everett Sapp (New York SEF/Mid-Atlantic)
6. Tracen Knopp (Alaska Nordic Racing/Alaska)
7. Daniel Streinz (Maine WSC/New England)
8. Matthew Hoefler (Alaska Winter Stars/Alaska)
9. Dawson Knopp (ANR/Alaska)
10. Will Balcao (AWS/Alaska)
Fun Facts: Hamilton didn’t have to travel far to win his first national title; he’s a student at Champlain Valley Union High School 40 miles from Stowe in Hinesburg, Vt. His longtime teammates call him ‘Fo-Money.’ “I guess that’s my ski-trail name,” he says.

Amanda Kautzer (r) of Loppet Nordic Racing/Midwest, crests the final hill in Wednesday’s 1.4 k classic sprint A-final before winning her first title at Junior Nationals, ahead of runner-up Hailey Swirbul (Aspen/Rocky Mountain), in Stowe, Vt.

U16 Women
1. Amanda Kautzer (Loppet Nordic Racing/Midwest)
2. Hailey Swirbul (Aspen Valley SSC/Rocky Mountain)
3. Leah Lange (Park City NSC/Intermountain)
4. Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl/Far West)
5. Leah Brams (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
6. Claire Benton (LNR/Midwest)
7. Jordan Floyd (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
8. Chloe Levins (Mountain Top/New England)
9. Lizzie Larkins (Auburn/Far West)
10. Anna Johnson (Mesabi East/Midwest)
Fun Facts: Mini Kikkan? Kautzer has pink hair just like the three-time World Cup Sprint champion from Alaska, and she just nabbed her first Junior Nationals victory after placing fifth in the 5 k classic on Monday. “I was not expecting anything like this this week,” Kautzer says. She’s originally from Southeast Asia and lived there until she was 3. “I was born in Singapore, which is about as far away from a snowy climate as you can get,” she says. “From super warm to super cold, I like the transition.”

Far West’s Peter Holmes (1) leads his semifinal in Wednesday’s 1.4 k classic sprint at Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt. He went on to win his second national title in as many races.

U18 Men:
1. Peter Holmes (Unleashed Coaching/Far West)
2. Jack Bassett (AWS/Alaska)
3. Thomas O’Harra (Alaska Pacific University/Alaska)
4. Karsten Hokanson (Wasatch/Intermountain)
5. Zak Ketterson (LNR/Midwest)
6. Henry Harmeyer (Mansfield/New England)
7. Forrest Smith (Crested Butte/Rocky Mountain)
8. Logan Diekmann (Bridger Ski Foundation/Intermountain)
9. John Farr (APU/Alaska)
10. Juho Muhonen (Teacup Nordic/Pacific Northwest)
Fun Facts: This was Holmes’ second title in as many races at Junior Nationals. “I always wear the same socks when I race,” he says.“I haven’t washed them since I’ve been here.”

U18 Women:
1. Julia Kern (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
2. Mattie Watts (Endurance United/Midwest)
3. Vivian Hett (LNR/Midwest)
4. Zoe Snow (CSU/New England)
5. Sarah Bezdicek (LNR/Midwest)
6. Katharine Ogden (Stratton/New England)
7. Emily Hyde (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
8. Hannah Peterson (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
9. Olivia Ekblad (Methow Valley Nordic/Pacific Northwest)
10. Racquel Wohlk (Nordicwerks/Midwest)
Fun Fact: With at least five national titles in the last two years, Kern, 16, racked up her first victory of the 2014 championships. In her free time, she says she likes to surf around New England in places like Cape Cod or Hampton “and do photography and film stuff.”

Three New Englanders race for gold in the U20 men’s classic sprint A-final: with Fabian Stocek (2) ultimately taking first, Cole Morgan (l) placing second overall and Jack Hegman (5) finishing third at Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

U20 Men:
1. Fabian Stocek (Holderness School/New England)
2. *Cole Morgan (University of Vermont/New England)
3. Jack Hegman (UVM/New England)
4. Jack Schrupp (Gunstock/New England)
5. Patrick McElravey (Middlebury/Far West)
6. Haakon Sigurslid (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
7. Scott Harrison (LNR/Midwest)
8. Luke Brown (LNR/Midwest)
9. Connor Gray (BSF/Intermountain)
10. Andrew Egger (LNR/Midwest)
*Top American

Fun Facts: Originally from the Czech Republic, Stocek, 19, is a freshman at Dartmouth College and according to a NENSA blog post from a couple years ago, a fierce competitor at the game Twister. Morgan, a UVM sophomore, won his second-straight U.S. title in as many races at this year’s Junior Nationals. He shared the podium with his college teammate, Hegman, who hails from Huntington, Vt.

New England’s Heidi Halvorsen after winning Wednesday’s classic sprint for her first national title at 2014 Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt.

U20 Women:
1. Heidi Halvorsen (New England)
2. Ulrika Axelsson (Michigan Tech/Great Lakes)
3. Kelsey Phinney (New England)
4. Hannah Benson (Williams Outing Club/New England)
5. Kristen Bourne (Northern Michigan University/Midwest)
6. Sadie James (Bates College/New England)
7. Nora Gilbertson (St. Olaf College/Midwest)
8. Marion Woods (Alaska Winter Stars/Alaska)
9. Joelle Rommo (BSF/Intermountain)
10. Maddy Pfeifer (Andover Outing Club/New England)
Fun Fact: According to Halvorsen, 18, she has podiumed five times at Junior Nationals, and this was her first victory. A 2013 graduate of the Green Mountain Valley School Ski Academy, Trapps was her home course. When she’s not skiing: “I have a lot of grannie pastimes,” she says, “like knitting and troll making and quilting.”

Complete results

Day 1 All-Americans
March 6, 2014
Junior Nationals: Top-10 Recognition
Tara Humphries (Bates College/New England) racing to a victory at 2014 Junior Nationals in the women’s 5 k classic individual start on Monday at Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt.

FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.

STOWE, Vt. — Giving a little recognition where it’s due, here’s a look at the top-10 skiers in each of Monday’s classic individual starts on Day 1 of U.S. Junior Nationals. Classic sprints kick off today with qualifiers at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time; heats start at 1 p.m. Follow FasterSkier on Twitter and Instagram, as well as the 2014 Junior Nationals website for updates.

U16 Men’s 5 k
1. Zach Williams, 14 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
2. Hunter Wonders, 15 (Alaska Pacific University/Alaska)
3. Forrest Hamilton, 15 (Mansfield/New England)
4. Peter Wolter, 15 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
5. Leo Lukens, 15 (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
6. Adam Glueck, 14 (Ford Sayre/New England)
7. Daniel Streinz, 15 (Maine WSC/New England)
8. Will Balcao, 15 (Alaska Winter Stars/Alaska)
9. River Vorse, 15 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
10. Russell Boswell, 14 (Stratton/New England)
Fun Fact: Williams won by exactly 7 seconds and led four Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation juniors in the top 12 of his race.

U18 Men’s 10 k
1. Peter Holmes, 17 (Unleashed Coaching/Far West)
2. Zak Ketterson, 16 (Loppet Nordic Racing/Midwest)
3. Ian Torchia, 17 (LNR/Midwest)
4. Lars Hannah, 17 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
5. Paolo Takagi-Atilano, 16 (Boulder/Rocky Mountain)
6. Ben Hegman, 17 (Mansfield/New England)
7. Braden Becker, 17 (Maine WSC/New England)
8. Gavin McEwen, 16 (Cambridge Sports Union/New England)
9. Thomas O’Harra, 17 (APU/Alaska)
10. Nick Gardener, 17 (Endurance United/Midwest)
Fun Fact: According to fifth-place finisher Paolo Takagi-Atilano’s profile on the National Nordic Foundation website, his name is pronounced “Pow’-loh” and he’s fine with people calling him by his first name “because who wants to deal with Takagi-Atilano?”

U20 Men’s 10 k
1. Cole Morgan, 19 (University of Vermont/New England)
2. Fabian Stocek, 19 (Holderness School/GST)
3. Jack Hegman, 19 (UVM/New England)
4. Oscar Friedman, 19 (Dartmouth/Rocky Mountain)
5. Haakon Sigurslid, 18 (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
6. Patrick McElravey, 19 (Middlebury/Far West)
7. Mathew Nichols, 19 (University of Wisconsin-Green Bay/Midwest)
8. Sam Elfstrom, 19 (Northern Michigan University/Midwest)
9. Jack Schrupp, 18 (Gunstock/New England)
10. Blaine Ayotte, 18 (St. Lawrence University/New England)
Fun Fact: Morgan, a college sophomore from Bozeman, Mont., won by more than 35 seconds.

U16 Women’s 5 k
1. Hailey Swirbul, 15 (Aspen/Rocky Mountain)
2. Leah Lange, 15 (Park City/Intermountain)
3. Hannah Halvorsen, 15 (Sugar Bowl/Far West)
4. Leah Brams, 15 (CSU/New England)
5. Amanda Kautzer, 15 (LNR/Midwest)
6. Hannah Rudd, 15 (LNR/Midwest)
7. Kathleen O’Connell, 15 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
8. Lydia Youkey, 14 (Leavenworth/Pacific Northwest)
9. Lizzie Larkins, 15 (Auburn/Far West)
10. Claire Benton, 15 (LNR/Midwest)
Fun Fact: Swirbul won her first national title by nearly 15 seconds. In January at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Midway, Utah, she placed second in the junior 5 k freestyle mass start.

U18 Women’s 5 k
1. Katharine Ogden, 16 (Stratton/New England)
2. Vivian Hett, 17 (LNR/Midwest)
3. Gretchen Burkholder, 17 (Steamboat Springs/Rocky Mountain)
4. Julia Kern, 16 (CSU/New England)
5. Hannah Peterson, 17 (Durango/Rocky Mountain)
6. Racquel Wohlk, 16 (Nordicwerks/Midwest)
7. Mattie Watts, 17 (Endurance United/Midwest)
8. Emily Hyde, 17 (Mt. Bachelor/Pacific Northwest)
9. Zoe Snow, 17 (CSU/New England)
10. Sarrissa Lammers, 17 (Alaska Nordic Racing/Alaska)
Fun Fact: Ogden was the fastest overall in the U18/U20 women’s 5 k, edging Hett by 2.3 seconds. It is her second national title after winning the junior 5 k freestyle mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in January.

U20 Women’s 5 k
1. Tara Humphries, 18 (Bates College/New England)
2. Hannah Benson, 18 (Williams Outing Club/New England)
3. Sadie James, 18 (Bates/New England)
4. Ulrika Axelsson, 19 (Michigan Tech/GST)
5. Maddy Pfeifer, 19 (Andover Outing Club/New England)
6. Kelsey Phinney, 19 (New England)
7. Heidi Halvorsen, 18 (New England)
8. Nora Gilbertson, 19 (St. Olaf College/Midwest)
9. Maggie Williams, 18 (Sun Valley/Intermountain)
10. Kristin Bourne, 18 (NMU/Midwest)
Fun Facts: Two Bates skiers shared the podium, and Axelsson, a college freshman from Sweden, was just 0.6 seconds from third in fourth.
March 4, 2014
Junior Nationals Day 1 Video: Classic Individual Starts in Blustery Vermont

FasterSkier’s coverage is made possible through the generous support of Madshus.

STOWE, Vt. — It was a chilly one up at Trapp Family Lodge on Monday for the first set of races of this week’s U.S. Junior Nationals, but the sun was out and skiers moved even faster in the single-digit temperatures. As U18 men’s 20 k classic champion Peter Holmes said, it’s all about the layers. And lots of ’em.

Complete results (Day 1)

The U16 women’s 5 k classic podium on Monday at 2014 Junior Nationals in Stowe, Vt., with winner Hailey Swirbul (c) of Aspen Valley SSC/Far West, runner-up Leah Lange (l) of Park City NSC/Intermountain, and Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl Academy/Far West) in third. (Photo: Mark Nadell/MacBeth Graphics)

March 4, 2014