From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
Michigan Tech is seeking a Nordic Graduate Assistant Coach. Michigan Tech is looking for someone with NCAA Skiing experience that is interested in coaching cross country skiing at the NCAA level.
Candidates should be qualified, experienced and highly motivated to assist with NCAA Ski coaching, including among other duties: supervising student-athletes, implementing training programs, analysis of technique, preparing student-athletes for competition, race day ski service, working on NCAA compliance matters, recruiting, other office duties, etc.
Compensation: tuition waivers and a stipend.
Michigan Tech has an MBA program and a Masters program in Kinesiology/Exercise Science, along with many other highly respected graduate programs in STEM subjects. (We would also be willing to work with an undergrad who has exhausted eligibility and needs more time to finish their undergraduate degree.) Most of our graduate programs are looking for at least a 3.0 undergrad GPA.
If you are interested in this position, please send a cover letter, resume and references to Joe Haggenmiller, jjhaggen@mtu.edu, expressing your interest. Michigan Technological University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — The last day of racing at U.S. Cross Country Championships on the Michigan Tech Trails wrapped up last Saturday, Jan. 9, with the 1.5-kilometer classic sprint. At the end of the day, Alaska Pacific University’s Eric Packer and Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Kaitlynn Miller both walked away with their first U.S. national title. From the qualifier, to the rounds, to the podium ceremony, FasterSkier provides the day’s top moments in photos. Special thanks to Christopher Schmidt.
Photo: Alaska Pacific University skier Eric Packer celebrates after crossing the line in first ahead of teammate Reese Hanneman during the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech University chose to double pole on skate skis from qualifier, shown here, all the way to the final during the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Elset went on to place third overall.
Photo: Cole Morgan racing for the University of Vermont during the qualifier for the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Morgan ultimately finished in eighth overall.
Photo: (left to right) Alaska Pacific University’s Reese Hanneman, Canadian Julien Locke of Team Black Jack, Håkon Hjelstuen of Lyn Ski, Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech University, Tyler Korfield of Alaska Pacific University, and Logan Hanneman, also of Alaska Pacific University, crest the top of a climb during their semi-final of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday in Houghton, Mich. Hanneman and Elset advanced automatically to the final, while Hjelstuen and Kornfield moved on as the two lucky losers. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Kris Freeman of Team Freebird and Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University follow Alaska Pacific University skier Eric Packer and Canadian Julien Locke of Team Black Jack during their quarterfinal of he men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Packer raced to an overall first place, while Locke went on to place tenth.
Photo: Gaspard Cuenot tucking during his semi-final of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Cuenot raced to an overall ninth. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (right to left) Reese Hanneman of Alaska Pacific University leads Michigan Tech University Didrik Elset, Canadian Julien Locke of Team Black Jack, and younger brother Logan Hanneman, also of Alaska Pacific University during the first semi-final of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint race on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (right to left) Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess of the Bend Endurance Academy Eric Packer of Alaska Pacific University, and Cole Morgan of the University of Vermont round a corner during the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint race on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Blackhorse-von Jess advanced to the final as did Packer. Packer ultimately won first place overall, while Blackhorse-von Jess skied to a fifth place finish in the final and Morgan finished in eighth. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
The start of the men’s classic sprint final (from left to right), with Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess of Bend Endurance Academy ), Tyler Kornfield (APU), and Reese Hanneman (APU) at the start of the final for the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
APU head coach Erik Flora (98) runs alongside his athletes Eric Packer (5) and Reese Hanneman during (4) the final of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., in January 2016. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Alaska Pacific University skier Eric Packer double poles to his first ever U.S. nationals championship title, ahead of teammate Tyler Kornfield, Bend Endurance Academy racer Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess, Lyn Ski racer Håkon Hjelstuen, Alaska Pacific University skier Reese Hanneman during the final of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint race on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Alaska Pacific University’s Eric Packer (center) is all smiles as he stands at the top of the podium next to second place finisher and teammate Reese Hanneman (r) and third place finisher Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech University after the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Photo: Katharine Ogden skiing for Stratton Mountain School during the qualifier for the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint race on Saturday at 2016 U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Photo: (left to right) Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation skier Deedra Irwin, Stratton Mountain School racers Katharine Ogden and Erika Flowers, along with Dartmouth College racer Corey Stock, Bridger Ski Foundation’s Jennie Bender and Northern Michigan skier Nicole Schneider striding up the first climb in their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Aer advancing to the semi-final and final, Bender raced to a third place finish overall, while Ogden took eighth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Northern Michigan University’s Sarah Bezdicek and Felicia Gesior, stride up a climb behind Heather Mooney of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project and Alaska Pacific University’s Jessica Yeaton during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Mooney raced to a tenth place finish overall; Gesior took ninth. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Liz Guiney (center) makes her way around a corner ahead of Northern Michigan University’s Lea Buenter (r), University of Alaska Fairbanks skier Nicole Bathe and Stratton Mountain School racer Julia Kern during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Guiney advanced to the semifinal and finished the day in seventh overall. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Stratton Mountain School skier Anne Hart strides up a climb ahead of CXC racer Natalia Naryskina, and Alaska Pacific University’s Becca Rorabaugh during their semi-final of the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. All three women advanced to the final, where Hart placed second overall, Naryskina sixth, and Rorabaugh fifth. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (right to left) Kaitlynn Miller of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project corners the final turn into the finishing stretch ahead of Bridger Ski Foundation athlete Jennie Bender and CGRP skier Caitlin Patterson during their semi-final of the women’s 1.5 k class sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier, Kaitlynn Miller out sprints Alaska Pacific University’s Becca Rorabaugh, Bridger Ski Foundation’s Jennie Bender, and Stratton Mountain School skier Anne Hart during the final 100-meters of the final for the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Miller took first, while Hart placed second, Bender third, and Rorabaugh fifth. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Anne Hart of Stratton Mountain School along with Craftsburu Green Racing Project Kaitlynn Miller and Bridger Ski Foundation athlete on top the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint podium on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Kaitlynn Miller of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project stands with teammates Heather Mooney and Liz Guiney after winning her first championship title in the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Michigan. Mooney raced to a tenth place finish overall and Guiney finished seventh. (Photo credit: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University teammates Eric Packer (5) and Reese Hanneman (4) go head to head in the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint final on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., while coach Erik Flora (l) runs alongside them. Packer won the final by 0.67 seconds, denying Hanneman a sweep of this week’s sprints.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — The step into the reality of a goal is at times, long awaited. It is a step that Eric Packer of Alaska Pacific University (APU), the race winner of the men’s 1.5-kilometer classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Saturday, feels he has finally made.
“I’ve dreamed of winning at nationals for a long time and to finally make it happen is really special,” said the 24-year-old during an in-person interview after winning his first U.S. nationals title on the Michigan Tech Trails. He had reached the national podium twice before: placing third in two races at 2012 nationals (classic sprint and 30 k classic mass start) in Rumford, Maine.
After racing to fourth overall in the 15 k classic individual start a week ago, then 11th in the freestyle sprint on the same course last Monday, and 25th in the 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday, Packer remained receptive to any opportunity afforded him during Saturday’s sprint.
“The most challenging part for me was I was very tired after the qualifier,” said Packer. He qualified fourth, 4.74 seconds behind qualifying winner Didrik Fjeld Elset, a Michigan Tech freshman from Norway.
“It’s the accumulation of the week of racing and it’s hard to stay with it and remember that even though it’s the end of the week, it’s still a national championship,” Packer explained.
In the end, it was a challenge that left the Anchorage native unmatched in the final. To get there, Packer had won his quarterfinal and placed second his semifinal (behind Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess, of the Bend Endurance Academy) to automatically advance to the final.
“[APU] had a great day and that’s really cool for Eric to win,” Blackhorse-von Jess said after racing to fifth in the final, 5.37 second off Packer’s winning time of 3:38.17.
Along with Packer, APU’s Reese Hanneman and Tyler Kornfield also advanced to the final and placed second and fourth, respectively.
APU teammates and brothers Logan Hanneman (7) and Reese Hanneman (4) lead teammate Tyler Kornfield (17), Welly Ramsey of Mountain Endurance Sports (27) and Fredrik Schwencke of Northern Michigan University (far left) during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
“My fiancé is trying on wedding dresses today, so I knew I had to win some money,” said Hanneman, the runner-up by 0.67 seconds. He got engaged last month.
Beyond bridal bouquets, Hanneman also now has World Cup starts ahead of him.
“I’m going to Europe [on Sunday] and I’ll race the sprints in Slovenia next weekend, all of Period 3,” said Hanneman, 26, also originally from Alaska. After that, he’s headed to Canada for the season-ending World Cup tour.
Overall third place finisher, Elset, 22, crossed 1.05 seconds after Packer, and explained he was seeking redemption after the skate sprint.
“I really wanted to do well today because I crashed in the semifinals on Monday,” Elset said.
Out of six hungry finalists in the men’s field, the contention for the title would prove challenging — especially with some racers on skate skis.
“I went with classic skis for the qualifier and then double poled all three heats,” Kornfield said. He finished fourth after Elset edged him in a photo finish for third. Both were given the same time.
Elset also double poled the final, after double poling the qualifier and his quarterfinal and semifinal as well.
“It was OK for the first three heats, but in the final when the guys were fast, my arms were really, really tired,” Elset said.
Hanneman and Blackhorse-von Jess took the opposite route, opting to race classic skis throughout the day.
Though another Norwegian, 23-year-old Håkon Hjelstuen, a former Michigan Tech skier, dabbled with double poling, he ultimately went with classic skis in the final.
“I tried it in the semis. It’s kind of a game,” Hjelstuen said after placing sixth overall, 24 seconds behind Packer.
Figuring that most racers would use skate skis during the quarterfinals and then switch to classic skis in the semi, Hjelstuen hoped to catch other competitors off guard.
“I thought, ‘OK, the other guys are probably doing it in their quarters and then maybe switching,’ so I was trying to switch the other way,” the Norwegian explained.
Also hoping to gain more control over his heats, Kornfield reasoned he made the right choice to double pole through the rounds.
“All my heats had mixtures of skate skis and classic skis so the downhills; it was obvious who could take the turns better,” Kornfield said. “Because I could take better lines than the classic skiers, I was able to choose where I wanted to go.”
The start of the men’s classic sprint final (from left to right), with Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy), Tyler Kornfield (APU), and Reese Hanneman (APU). Eventual winner Eric Packer is not shown. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
The light snowfall, track traffic during rounds, along with the course’s lengthy climb to the finish, made decisions on ski choice largely up to the individual.
“I tested classic versus skate in the morning and the tracks were really weird,” Packer observed.
“It was glaze-y in places and new snow, so my skate skis were a little bit faster for the double pole and I double poled in the qualifier in the morning, but then I switched to classic for all the other heats,” he explained.
The Final: From Start to Finish
With four racers in the final on classic skis and the rest on skate, the final men’s race of the day took off at the sound of the gun, those on skate skis pushing the pace early on.
“I took the start and I wanted to go kind of hard down the hills in the beginning to take advantage of my good glide,” Elset said. “From there on in, it was just answering the attacks that came from the guys with good kick.”
While Elset and Kornfield remained in the lead for the first part of the course, the rest of the field was forced to hunt for the front.
“The guys [on skate skis] got in front and were gliding a little bit faster on the first downhill,” Hanneman recalled. “I couldn’t get my own track on the first hill, so I was kind of forced to just hang back. … I tried to make a pass on the inside, but I realized that was just going to cause a big mess, so I kind of backed off a little bit.”
Still a tight pack after cresting the first uphill, the group made their way into the corner before the next big climb.
Coming out of the corner to the second large climb, it was Hanneman who made the first move to take the lead.
“On that second big climb I was able to get my own track so then I was able to put the hammer down and kind of put some space between me and the skate ski guys,” Hanneman said.
Following Hanneman, Packer also saw his chance to better position himself for thesecond half of the course.
“Tyler and Didrik were driving the pace and then Reese pulled out on the side and was able to pass them striding,” Packer said. “I jumped in behind Reese and together we broke away a little bit on the second climb.”
As Packer and Hanneman maneuvered their way to the front, the battle behind them ensued.
“I was leading up until the second big uphill, and I just didn’t have enough power to get over the top fast enough to be within range of Packer and Reese,” Kornfield said.
APU coaches and wax techs, including head coach Erik Flora (l) celebrate after three APU athletes finished in the top four, including overall race winner Eric Packer (not shown) at the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
“Didrik led down the hill, but Reese pulled up alongside him on the second climb,” Blackhorse-von Jess explained. “I was back there trying to pick my way through traffic, trying to get back in contact with the main group. [Hjelstuen] was in fifth and he kind of got detached and I got stuck behind him a little bit. Eventually, I got around him, but I just couldn’t close it to the big group.”
After moving around the sixth-place Norwegian, who advanced to the final as a lucky loser, Blackhorse-von Jess explained, “I went for it, but I chose the wrong lane I guess, so I lost some speed in that downhill before the last uphill. Still, I would rather go for it than go for nothing.”
With that, the finalists rounded the last corner on course, a sea of blue in the lead.
Packer cornered first, Hanneman centimeters to his left and Kornfield in the center lane just behind.
In the lane to the left of Hanneman and Kornfield was the gold suit of Michigan Tech’s Elset closing in on the three APU skiers.
“On that final turn, Packer and I were having a double-pole battle,” Hanneman said. “He came out of that turn a little faster than I did, so he pulled faster than I did and we were side by side.”
Packer then made his move around Hanneman in the final 100 meters.
“In the finish, I jumped out from behind Reese to make a pass and I jumped out into a super-slow lane that was filled with new snow,” Hanneman said. “So I just double poled as hard as I could and got by and then once I got past him I tried to get back into a faster track.”
As the teammates battled for first, Packer outlunged Hanneman at the line by about six-tenths of a second.
Not far behind Hanneman and Packer, Elset challenged Kornfield for third. In an extremely close photo finish, Elset came away with the overall podium finish, though Kornfield stood as the third American at the end of the day. Blackhorse-von Jess finished about four seconds later in fifth and Hjelstuen rounded out the final in sixth.
With his first U.S. nationals win packed away, a euphoric Packer stood on the top of Saturday’s men’s sprint podium.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Three days of racing at U.S. Cross Country Championships on the Michigan Tech Trails down and just one more to go with the 1.5-kilometer classic sprint taking place on Saturday. Check out the following photo gallery featuring some of the top moment’s from Thursday’s 20 and 30 k freestyle mass starts.
Photo: Tad Elliott of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail crosses the line in first for the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Early on in the of the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (right to left) Matt Liebsch of Gear West/Salomon leads Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy and Brian Gregg of Team Gregg/Madshus early in the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gregg went on to finish second overall, while Sandau took seventh, Liebsch eighth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (right to left) Canada’s NDC Thunder Bay athlete Michael Somppi crests the top of a hill in first, ahead of Brian Gregg of Team Gregg/Madshus, Northern Michigan University’s Adam Martin, and Alaska Pacific University’s Scott Patterson, during the first lap of the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start in Houghton, Mich. Somppi went on to finish third overall, Gregg second, Martin fourth, and Patterson fifth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Racers (left to right) Kyle Bratrud of CXC, followed by Northern Michigan University’s Adam Martin and teammate Jake Brown, along with Team Freebird’s Kris Freeman chasing a break away group of Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) (not shown), Tad Elliot (Ski and Snowboard Club Vail) (not shown), and Kevin Sandau (AWCA) (not shown) half-way throught the second lap of the men’s 20 k freestyle mass start race on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Bratrud went on to place tenth overall, Martin fourth, Brown sixth, and Freeman ninth.
Photo: The front pack (right to left) led by Team Freebird’s Kris Freeman, Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Tad Elliot, Alaska Pacific University’s Scott Patterson, Northern Michigan University skier Adam Martin, and Gear West/Salomon skier Matt Liebsch during the third lap of the men’s 30 k mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Elliot eventually surpassed Freeman and took the overall win. Patterson claimed fifth, Martin fourth, Liebsch eighth, and Freeman ninth.
Photo: (left to right) Kris Freeman of Team Freebird leads Tad Elliot of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Alaska Pacific Universit skier Scott Patterson, CXC skier Kyle Bratrud, Canadian NDC Thunder Bay athlete Michael Somppi, and Gear West/Salomon skier Matt Liebsch during the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Tad eventually took first, Freeman ninth, Patterson fifth, an Somppi third, Bratrud tenth, and Liebsch eighth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Tad Elliott of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail takes charge and and the overall win of the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Michigan. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Racers (left to right) Adam Martin of Norther Michigan University, teammate Jake Brown, Alaska Pacific University skier Scott Patterson, and Canadian NDC Thunder Bay skier Michael Somppi battle it our for third during the final 150-meters of the men’s 30 k freestyle mass start race on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Somppi eventually overtook Martin for the third place spot overall. Martin placed fourth, Patterson fifth, and Brown sixth.
Photo: Racers take off out of the stadium during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: A lead pack develops early on with (right to left) Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Caitlin Patterson, Stratton Mountain School skiers Anne Hart and Katharine Ogden, Alaska Pacific University’s Chelsea Holmes, and Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team coach, Eliska Hajkova during the women’s 20 k mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: (left to right) Alaska Pacific University skier Chelsea Holmes heads the front group of racers, including Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Caitlin Patterson, Stratton Mountain School skiers Anne Hart and Katharine Ogden, Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team coach Eliska Hajkova, and SMST2 skier Erika Flowers during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson later surpassed Holmes for the overall win. Holmes took second, Ogden third, Hart fourth, Flowers fifth, and Hajkova sixth.
Photo: Alaska Pacific University skier Becca Rorabaugh (l) and Middlebury College racer Kelsey Phinney racing to an eighth and seventh place respectively during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Photo: Kaitlynn Miller of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project follows Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation skier Mary Rose during the second lap of the woomen’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Miller went on to place tenth overall.
Photo: (left to right) Alaska Pacific skier Chelsea Holmes skiing in front of Stratton Mountain skier Katharine Ogden and SMST2 teammate Anne Hart, as well as Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Caitlin Patterson during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing project races to another championship title during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Photo: Stratton Mountain Skier Katherine Ogden raced to a third overall finish in the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Photo: Erika Flowers skiing for Stratton Mountain School crossed the finish line in fifth after the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Flowers was the third SMST2 female skier to cross the line in the top five, behind teammate Anne Hart who took fourth and Katharine Ogden who placed third (not shown).
Photo: Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team coach, Eliska Hajkova racing the final 100-meters to finish sixth overall in the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Canadian Olivia Bouffard-Nesbit of the Alberta World Cup Academy races to a ninth place finish during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start at 2016 U.S. National Championships in Houghton, Michigan. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project trailing Chelsea Holmes of Alaska Pacific University with 200-meters to go in the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson took the overall win in 1:01.03.5. Holmes placed second overall, 4 seconds behind Patterson.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — While most of the top skiers lined up for the start of the women’s 20-kilometer freestyle mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships, including eventual winner Caitlin Patterson, logged numerous hours of training during the past year, at least one who finished in the top 10 claimed she has not.
“I have three jobs, so I basically don’t train,” said Eliska Hajkova, assistant coach of the Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team, after placing sixth in the freestyle distance race on Thursday at the Michigan Tech Trails. “I just coach and do everything the juniors do.”
Hajkova, originally from the Czech Republic, added, “And you know, they’re great. They have the spirit, they have the will to go, they have everything in front of them, and it powers me.”
Still, the lineup Hajkova and many other competitors faced in the 20 k, like Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project (CGRP) and Chelsea Holmes of Alaska Pacific University (APU) to name a few, presented a challenge.
With these powerhouses in front and hungry racers like Hajkova close behind, the women’s field charged the course, Holmes heading the herd out of the mass start.
“At the low point in the course, around 5 k the first time around, pretty much everyone was together,” Holmes recalled in a post-race phone interview. “When we came out of the low point, Caitlin [Patterson] and Anne Hart took the front for a little bit. But mostly, I was in front.”
Chelsea Holmes (201) leads a train with Caitlin Patterson (202), Anne Hart (213), Katharine Ogden (203), and Eliska Hajkova and Erika Flowers (not shown) heading towards the lap lane during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson went on to win in 1:01.03.5.
As Holmes settled back into the front for the next climb, the pace quickened and a lead group began to develop.
“I could every once in a while see the pack behind us dwindling, and people dropping off little by little,” Patterson said.
As racers began to string out on 10 k course, the lead pack quickly became five women: Patterson, Holmes, Katharine Ogden of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) and Anne Hart of Stratton’s elite T2 Team, and Hajkova.
By the time the five arrived at the 8 k mark, Erika Flowers, Hart’s SMST2 teammate, had caught up.
“My goal was to start really hard and try and not get pushed to the back, then conserve throughout the first lap,” Flowers explained. “It actually broke up quite a bit more quickly than I would have expected and I got dropped a little bit.”
With a pull from the front, Flowers hunted down the chase pack and latched onto Hajkova.
“Eliska and I were skiing together in the second lap, and we kept going back and forth,” Flowers said.
As the women rounded into their second 10 k lap, the race became a push through pain for some. Four women broke away: Patterson, Hart, Ogden, and Holmes.
“In the second lap the [top four] dropped me so hard because I was going all out from the beginning,” Hajkova said. She stuck with Flowers for the rest of the second lap.
“During the first lap I was feeling fairly smooth and relaxed and I thought people around me were working a little harder,” Patterson recalled. “But then there was one point early in the second lap when I almost got gapped. I came over the top of the hill at 3 k [on the course] probably, five or six seconds behind the other three.”
Knowing the potential for the group to get away from her, Patterson quickly maneuvered into a tuck after cresting the hill.
“My skis were absolutely amazing,” Patterson said. “I caught all the way back up and was even almost ahead of them by the downhill.”
Patterson led the group descent toward the hairpin turn. However, by the time the group reached the climb, Holmes was taking charge up front.
Chelsea Holmes (APU) drives the front pack of women during the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
“Chelsea was leading a lot of the race so I definitely commend her on that,” Patterson said. “I tried to lead some, but I was getting tired and just found it more efficient to ski behind. Katharine and Anne were skiing behind almost the whole time, too.”
In her second 20 k race ever, 18-year-old Ogden, who raced to third overall, found following to be her ideal positioning.
“It was awesome skiing with Caitlin , Chelsea, and Anne Hart,” Ogden said. “Just being able to ski behind them is so nice for me, I can really learn a lot from them and catch a ride on the downhills.”
The four raced together until the final 1 k, where a battle between Holmes, Hart and Patterson began to take shape.
“As we were coming up that last one k of the course, Anne got into the front,” Patterson explained. “Chelsea and I both tried to go around her a few times and then Chelsea succeeded and put a little gap on me, but I never gave up and there was just enough time for me to power through.”
With 200 meters to the finish, Holmes remained in front of Patterson. Ogden, who had passed Hart, raced not far behind in third.
Patterson then moved to the right of Holmes as the two — both originally from near Anchorage, Alaska (Holmes grew up in Girdwood) — approached the last 100-meter stretch to the finish.
In a final punch, Patterson took the win, 4 seconds ahead of Holmes, in 1:01.03.5.
“It’s such a hard finish,” Patterson said. “I felt like I was definitely hurting, yet I’d had the opportunity to race it similarly in the skate sprint the other day, and my legs were burning and dying so much worse in the sprint so … I knew I could do it.”
After Holmes, three Stratton women crossed the with Ogden in third (7.8 seconds behind Patterson), Hart in fourth (+16.5), and Flowers finishing 59 seconds later in fifth.
“It’s a good confidence builder. They skied with maturity,” said SMST2 coach Patrick O’Brien. “They started out well and knew that gaps were going to happen on that course and that they were positioning themselves in the right place. I really can’t ask for more.”
Ogden said she plans to finish out nationals with the classic sprint on Saturday, then head back to the East Coast for a few SuperTour races before flying to Romania for Junior World Championships.
Both Hart and Flowers will also stick around for the sprints, though Flowers’s immediate plans after U.S. nationals diverge from staying at home.
“I’m actually going over to Europe — I’m going to go see Andy, which will be awesome,” she said. Flowers is dating U.S. Ski Team member Andy Newell.
Stratton’s Katharine Ogden (l) and Anne Hart (r) head towards the finish of the women’s 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Ogden placed third overall (+7.8) and Hart was fourth (+16.5).
“So I’ll be on the ‘U.S.A cheer squad’ next weekend [at the World Cup] in Slovenia,” she said.
Patterson may also travel to Europe, anticipating a World Cup start.
“I think I can say it’s fairly certain I will get a World Cup spot for Period 3 now,” she said, regarding her point accumulation after three races at U.S. nationals. She won Sunday’s 10 k classic individual start for her first-career national title, then placed third in the freestyle sprint on Monday.
In all, Patterson has five career podiums at nationals, three of which came this week.
While Patterson will also stay for Saturday’s sprint, a few athletes and coaches have other obligations, school being one of them.
“We have to go home because the kids have to go to school. They’ve already missed a week,” Hajkova said, referring to her junior athletes.
Kelsey Phinney, a senior at Middlebury College who raced to a solid seventh, 21 seconds behind Hajkova, will return to the East Coast for the start of the college race season.
“Seeing as it’s my last college season, most of my big races are yet to come, so coming here was just to do a little racing and have fun,” Phinney said. “I really wanted to be top ten in a distance race this week. Without putting too much pressure on myself, I felt that with the right day and good legs I could definitely do that.”
One more off day remains before the 1.5 k classic sprints on Saturday.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — After two days off, the U.S. Cross Country Championships picks up again on Thursday with the women’s 20 kilometer and men’s 30 k freestyle mass start races.
Many athletes out on the Michigan Tech Trails enjoyed two non-race days amidst sunny skies and warmer temps, at least compared to last year’s U.S. nationals event, also in Houghton.
While the initial three-day trek for some racers, coaches and techs to arrive in Houghton is perhaps worthwhile with the promise of sun, it is also the present state of the trails that drew these individuals to the event.
“My favorite part about Houghton, Michigan is the [area’s] ski trails,” said University of Denver skier Taeler McCrerey.
This week, much of McCrerey’s and other competitors’ time on snow and the ski trails is largely thanks to the area’s community volunteers.
“It’s all part of building community,” Shane Sullivan, a local and volunteer race starter for the U.S. nationals races this week in Houghton, said on Monday during the freestyle sprint. “It’s as much the community camaraderie as it is putting on the event.”
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Day 2 of the U.S. Cross Country Championships took place Monday with the 1.5-kilometer freestyle sprint on the Michigan Tech Trails. Past national sprint champs Jennie Bender and Reese Hanneman racked up another title each after dominating all day, from the qualifier to the finals.
Racing resumes Thursday with the 20/30 k freestyle mass starts and ends Saturday with the classic sprint.
Left to right: Chelsea Holmes of Alaska Pacific University goes head-to-head with Jennie Bender of the Bridger Ski Foundation, Mary Rose of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation and Liz Guiney of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project in the final uphill push of their quarterfinal during the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich.
Andrea Dupont of Rocky Mountain Racers leads Deedra Irwin of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Sarah Bezdicek of Northern Michigan University, Becca Rorabaug of Alaska Pacific University, Heather Mooney of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, and Taryn Hunt-Smith of Dartmouth College during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Rorabaugh went on to place eighth overall. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: Sarah Bezdicek of Northern Michigan University heading into the last stretch with Heather Mooney of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Deedra Irwin of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Andrea Dupont of Rocky Mountain Racers, Becca Rorabaug of Alaska Pacific University, and Taryn Hunt-Smith of Dartmouth College during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Rorabaugh went on to place eighth overall.
Front, left to right: Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Caitlin Patterson and Stratton Mountain School racer Anne Hart lead (second row, left to right) Rosie Frankowski of Alaska Pacific University, CanadianTeam Hardwood athlete Jennifer Jackson, PCNSC/Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation racer Leah Lange, and University of Northern Michigan’s Felicia Gesior during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Hart went on to place second overall, Patterson third. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Craftsbury Green Racing Project Kaitlynn Miller takes charge, ahead of Northern Michigan University’s Vivian Hett, and Dartmouth College skier Emily Hannah during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: Canadian Jennifer Jackson of Team Hardwood, Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Liz Guiney, Alaska Pacific University racer Becca Rorabaugh, Northern Michigan University’s Sarah Bezdicek, Stratton Mountain School’s Anne Hart, and Bridger Ski Foundation’s Jennie Bender coming into the first downhill of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Bender ultimately took first overall, Hart second, Guiney seventh overall, Rorabaugh ninth, Jackson tenth, and Bezdicek in eleventh overall.
Front, left to right: Erika Flowers of Stratton Mountain School and Jessica Yeaton of Alaska Pacific University pacing the downhill ahead of Sugar Bowl Academy skier Hannah Halvorsen and Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Teams Eliska Hajkova during their quarterfinal of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Flowers went on to finish sixth overall and Halvorsen took fifth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Right to left: Craftsbury Green Racing Project racer Caitlin Patterson corners ahead of teammate Kaitlynn Miller, Sugar Bowl Academy ski racer Hannah Halvorsen, and Stratton Mountain School skier Erika Flowers during their semi-final of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Craftsbury Green Racing Project skier Caitlin Patterson (Bib No. 6) pushes into the final climb while teammate Kaitlynn Miller (Bib No. 13) and Sugar Bowl Academy skier Hannah Halvorsen (Bid No. 12), as well as Rocky Mountain Racer’s Andrea Dupont during the semi-final of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Patterson went on to place third overall, Halvorsen fifth, Miller fourth, and Dupont in twelfth.
Left to right: Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Jennie Bender of the Bridger Ski Foundation, Anne Hart of the Stratton Mountain School, Erika Flowers, also of the Stratton Mountain School, Hannah Halvorsen of Sugar Bowl Academy, and Kaitlynn Miller of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project off the starting line of the final for the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich.
Front, left to right: Anne Hart of Stratton Mountain School and Bridger Ski Foundation’s Jennie Bender duke it out towards the finish line while (back, left to right Kaitlynn Miller of Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Caitlin Patterson also of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, Stratton Mountain School ski racer Erika Flowers, and Sugar Bowl Academy skier Hannah Halvorsen race to the finish during the final of the women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Isaac Lammers skis in front of Alaska Pacific University’s Reese Hanneman, Michigan Tech University’s Didrik Elset, Loppet Nordic Racer Zak Ketterson, Bridger Ski Foundation’s Akeo Maifeld-Carrucci, and Skinouk Quebec Ski Team’s Alexis Turgeon during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: Alaska Pacific University’s Reese Hanneman races in front of Skinouk Quebec Ski Team’s Alexis Turgeon, Bridger Ski Foundation’s Akeo Maifeld-Carrucci, Loppet Nordic Racer Zak Ketterson, and Michigan Tech University’s Didrik Elset during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Right to left: David Norris of Alaska Pacific University leads Brian Gregg of Team Gregg/Madshus, Canadian Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess of the Bend Endurance Academy, and teammate Thomas O’Harra of Alaska Pacific University during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Blackhorse von-Jess advanced through the rounds to place second overall, and Gregg also advanced to the semi, ultimately finishing the day in eighth overall.
Left to right: Overall third place finisher Julien Locke of Team Black Jack, leads Stratton Mountain School skier Paddy Caldwell and two Canadian NDC Thunder Bay athletes Evan Palmer-Charrette and Michael Somppi around the final corner of their quarterfinal heat during the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Somppi went on to place eighth overall and Palmer-Charrette placed sixth overall.
Right to left: Alaska Pacific University’s Logan Hanneman in front of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Tad Elliot, Bridger Ski Foundation’s Nick Michaud, Alaska Winter Stars’ Silas Talbot, and Michigan Tech’s Gaspard Cuenot during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich. Logan Hanneman went on to finish ninth overall and Talbot finished in an overall tenth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Fredrick Schwencke of Northern Michigan University (l) leads Miles havlick of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, Haakon Hjjelstuen of Lyn Ski, Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University, and Canadian Patrick Stewart-Jones during their quarterfinal of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Schwencke finished in a career best fourth overall, while Havlick took the overall fifth place spot.
Left to right: NDC Thunder Bay athlete Michael Somppi in front of Alaska Pacific University’s Reese Hanneman, Bend Endurance Academy’s Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess, Team Gregg/Madshus Brian Gregg, Alaska Winter Stars’ Silas Talbot, and Michigan Tech skier Didrik Elset during their semi-final of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: Northern Michigan University’s Fredrick Schwencke, Alaska Pacific University racer Eric Packer, NDC Thunder Bay’s Evan Palmer-Charrette, Team Black Jack’s Julien Locke head into the final stretch of their semi-final during the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich.
Eric Packer of Alaska Pacific University (center) leads two Canadian skiers, Evan Palmer Charrette of NDC Thunder Bay (l) and Julien Locke of Team Black Jack during the their semi-final of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Packer placed eleventh overall, while Palmer-Charrette took sixth and Locke claimed his first U.S. national’s podium in third.
APU’s Reese Hanneman (Bib No. 101) leads Bend Endurance Academy’s Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bib No. 104) as well as (back: left to right) Miles Havlick (SVSEF), Evan Palmer-Charrette (NDC Thunder Bay), Fredrick Schwencke (NMU), and Julien Locke (Team Black Jack) during the final of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Left to right: Alaska Pacific University Reese Hanneman bests Team Black Jack’s Julien Locke and Bend Endurance Academy’s Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess during the final of the men’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint on Monday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University’s Scott Patterson (l) leads Northern Michigan’s Adam Martin during the second lap of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson won the individual start in 40:26.4 for his first national title and podium, and Martin placed third (+20.6). (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Patterson name echoed through the Michigan Tech stadium all day as both Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University (APU) and Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project (CGRP) each took home their first national titles in classic individual starts on the first day of the 2016 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
Scott Patterson won men’s 15-kilometer morning race in a time of 40:26.4, 19 seconds ahead of Canadian runner-up Kevin Sandau of the Alberta World Cup Academy in Canmore, Alberta.
“I was personally really excited to see that my brother won this morning,” said 25-year-old Caitlin, who is almost exactly two years older than Scott, after the women’s afternoon race. “That was encouraging, but also a little bit of competition. He was going to give me a pretty hard time if I didn’t match him in that one.”
Caitlin pulled it off, winning the women’s 10 k by a margin even larger than her brother’s. Her time of 28:58.4 held as 36 seconds faster than her Craftsbury teammate and runner-up Kaitlynn Miller.
Temperatures hovered in the low 20s throughout the afternoon, but a chilly northwestern wind prevented it from feeling too temperate for Houghton. However, the conditions were a welcome change from the frigid temps and continuous snow of last year’s nationals. The tracks were firm and became a bit glazed through the day.
Racers continually commended the race organizers and groomers for the impressive course conditions given the limited snow. A total of 199 men and 151 women competed on Sunday.
Scott P. Tops Surprise Podium
The men’s 15 k classic podium on the first day of 2016 U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., with winner Scott Patterson (c) of APU, Canadian cowboy-hat wielding Kevin Sandau (l) of the AWCA in second, and Adam Martin (r) of NMU in third.
Even the most avid U.S. nordic fans probably couldn’t have accurately predicted the men’s podium for the first distance race of the championships.
The deep field with 20 A-seeded starters meant that several combinations of skiers could potentially land on the podium.
Despite the field, Scott Patterson’s victory was hardly a surprise. The 23 year old, who turns 24 on Jan. 28, was among the favorites to win as the current men’s SuperTour leader.
In his first full-time season on the domestic circuit, Scott quickly rose to the top of the Period 1 SuperTour overall standings, thus earning World Cup starts with the U.S. team beginning Jan. 23 in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.
“I’m know I’m pretty fit and I’m heading over to the World Cup after nationals,” he explained. “I knew I could win so it was just a matter of executing and I did it today.”
Still, this was his first U.S. nationals podium and best nationals result since placing eighth in the 30 k classic mass start last year.
He got off to what he considered a slow start, but around 3 k, Scott said he “found the fight” and picked up the pace from the low part of the course back up to the stadium.
“By the first lap, I was in first and just hung on and skied strong,” he said.
Scott credited the race organizers for great course conditions, but described it as “a bit too flat” for his personal optimal course. Although the Michigan Tech Trails are rarely described as flat, runner-up Sandau echoed this sentiment.
Canadian Kevin Sandau (Alberta World Cup Academy) racing to second place in the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
“The course is really flat for me, which is not my strong suit, but I got into a good rhythm after the first lap,” Sandau said. “I’m happy, second place is pretty sweet for U.S. nationals.”
After winning every distance race in the Canadian NorAm series this season, Sandau said the U.S. championships became his next focus.
“Since it is low elevation, my game plan was to just go as hard as I can from the start and trust the fitness.”
Sandau brought a flair of the wild west to Houghton as his cowboy hat was a unique site amid the ski caps and headbands at the awards ceremony.
“We are right outside of Calgary, and when the [Alberta World Cup Academy] team formed in 2008 it had a big cowboy theme,” Sandau explained.
Northern Michigan University’s Adam Martin rounded out the podium, finishing just 1.6 seconds back from Sandau. Martin was also the top U23 skier.
“This was the first real classic race I’ve done because of low-snow conditions so I just went out there to see what I could do,” the 21 year old said.
Although Martin has had limited time on snow compared to many of his competitors, he didn’t feel like it held him back.
“We’ve done a ton of rollerski time trials this fall which I think are pretty representative of skiing and the last couple weeks I’ve found snow,” he explained.
His finish today marks his first top 10 at nationals. His best result was previously 12th place a year ago in the 30 k classic mass start in Houghton.
“That was the best race I’ve had in a long time, without a doubt,” Martin said. “It was a pretty unbelievable race, I’m honored to be on the podium with these guys.”
Alaska Pacific University’s Eric Packer was the third American and fourth overall in the men’s 15 k classic on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
APU put two in the men’s top four (and three on the American podium, not counting Sandau) with Eric Packer in fourth (+31.7).
“I love the trails here,” Packer said. “Back in 2006, this was where I won my first Junior National championship so I have fond memories here. It was nice to be able to ski on some faster snow here compared to last year.”
Brian Gregg (Team Gregg) and Kris Freeman (Freebird) finished fifth (+8.1) and sixth (+9.1), respectively. Freeman recently returned from starting the season on the World Cup in Europe. Gregg also earned a World Cup start in Davos, Switzerland, after a win in the first SuperTour distance race of the season in West Yellowstone, Mont.
Also landing in the top 10, Ian Torchia (NMU) placed seventh, Lex Treinen (APU) was eighth, Matt Liebsch (Gear West) ninth, and Canadian Michael Somppi (NDC Thunder Bay) 10th. Last year’s NorAm winner, Somppi spent November and December with the Canadian World Cup Team in Europe.
When Craftsbury head coachPepa Miloucheva describes a day as “incredible,” you know something special happened.
That something special was Caitlin Patterson and Miller placing first and second in Sunday’s women’s race.
The Craftsbury Green Racing Project women’s team: (from l to r) Caitlin Patterson, Kaitlynn Miller, coach Pepa Miloucheva, Liz Guiney, and Heather Mooney after the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson and Miller placed first and second, respectively, on Sunday in the women’s 10 k classic on Day 1 of U.S. nationals.
“Nothing in ski races can ever be planned, but you can hope for something like this,” Caitlin said after notching her first national title and third-career podium at U.S. nationals.
Interestingly, she’ll turn 26 on Jan. 30, two days after her brother’s birthday. Both skiers grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, and skied for the University of Vermont. After graduating, Caitlin headed to Craftsbury and Scott returned to Alaska to join APU.
“My skis were very good,” Caitlin said after Sunday’s race. “I knew there were quite a few fast starters in front of me, but also a lot behind. It was racing the clock. Going for it, working every transition and every downhill for everything I could get out of it.”
Although Caitlin has established herself as a regular on SuperTour podiums, Miller, 24, has made significant strides over the past year at Craftsbury to become a contender as well. This will be Miller’s second season with the team and her result on Sunday marks an improvement from placing 13th in the 20k mass start classic at nationals last year.
“Classic tends to be my stronger discipline, but I’m still going to go for it in the skate races,” Miller said after achieving her first national podium. “I feel like I’ve been improving in skating so I’m really excited for those events as well.
“I just felt like I went out there and skied as hard as could and we had really great skis,” she added. “Pepa was a great cheering squad as usual.”
Caitlin added, “Anything was possible certainly. Both of our classic skiing has been pretty good this year and our wax techs are great at nailing the skis.”
“It was incredible,” Miloucheva reflected. “Probably one of the best days we’ve had so far and I’m so proud of all of them.”
From left to right: runner-up Kaitlyn Miller (CGRP), winner Caitlin Patterson (CGRP), and Chelsea Holmes (APU) in third on the podium in the U.S. nationals women’s 10 k classic individual start on Sunday in Houghton, Michigan.
Current SuperTour leader Chelsea Holmes (APU) finished third, 1:02.6 back from Caitlin.
“It was a super-fun course and it was tough day, but I’m happy,” Holmes, 28, said.
The top U20, Katharine Ogden (Stratton Mountain School) continued her string of strong results, placing fourth overall (+1:05.1). APU had two in the women’s top five with Becca Rorabaugh in fifth (+1:09.0).
Eliska Hajkova, a coach with the Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team, placed sixth, Craftsbury had another in the top seven with Liz Guiney in seventh, Anne Hart (SMST2) was eighth, Rosie Frankowski (APU) ninth, and Erika Flowers (SMST2) 10th.
Racing continues tomorrow with the freestyle sprint. The women’s sprint qualifier begins at 10 a.m. Eastern time and the men’s start at 11 a.m.. Heats will start at 12:30 p.m.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Day 1 of the 2016 U.S. Cross Country Championships began with the women’s 10-kilometer and men’s 15 k classic individual starts on Sunday at the Michigan Tech Trails.
Caitlin Patterson (Bib no. 333) of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project is the races to first place overall finish in the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Her brother, Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University also took first in the men’s event. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University’s Scott Patterson (r) leading Northern Michigan’s Adam Martin during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson took first in 40:26.4 and Martin third (+20.6). (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University’s Scott Patterson (l) leads Northern Michigan’s Adam Martin during the second lap of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson won the individual start in 40:26.4 and Martin placed third (+20.6). (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
The Alberta World Cup Academy’s Kevin Sandau striding it out during the first lap of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Sandau went on to place second overall (+19.0).
Alaska Pacific University’s Chelsea Holmes racing to a third place finish overall in the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Left to right: Alaska Pacific University’s Eric Packer powers around a corner ahead of Stratton Mountain School/U.S. Ski Team’s Paddy Caldwell and Team Gregg/Madshus’ Brian Gregg during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Kaitlynn Miller of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project racing to a second place finish overall in the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University’s Becca Rorabaugh (r) gets splits early on from APU head coach Erik Flora during the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Rorabaugh went on to finish fifth overall (+1:09.0).
Katharine Ogden of the Stratton Mountain School and U.S. Ski Team races to a fourth place finish overall (+1:05.1) in the women’s 15 k classic individual start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Brian Gregg of Team Gregg/Madshus striding during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gregg placed fifth overall. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team’s Eliska Hajkova races to a sixth place finish overall in the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Kris Freeman of Team Freebird strides to a sixth place finish overall (+40.8) during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Canadian Kevin Sandau (Alberta World Cup Academy) racing to second place in the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Alaska Pacific University’s Lex Treinen during his second lap of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Treinen went on to place eight overall (+52.5).
Matt Liebsch of Gear West/Salomon and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s Miles Havlick head towards the finishing stretch of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Liebsch finished ninth overall (+57.3).
Stratton Mountain School’s Anne Hart leads teammate Erika Flowers to the finish of the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Hart placed eighth overall (+2:44.4) while Flowers took tenth (+3:03.4).
Central Cross Country’s Kyle Bratrud coming into the finishing stretch during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Alaska Pacific University’s Rosie Frankowski (r) receives splits from APU head coach Erik Flora during the women’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Frankowski finished ninth overall (+1:52.8).
Northern Michigan University’s Ian Torchia skiing to a seventh place finish (+ 47.8) on Sunday during the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. His teammate, Adam Martin (NMU) (not shown) took second overall.
Alaska Pacific University’s Eric Packer was the third American and fourth overall in the men’s 15 k classic on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Thunder Bay Nordic Development Center’s Michael Somppi (l) in front of Northern Michigan University’s Fredrik Schwencke (NMU) during the first lap of the men’s 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Somppi skied to a 10th place finish overall (+57.9).
The Craftsbury Green Racing Project women’s team: (from l to r) Caitlin Patterson, Kaitlynn Miller, coach Pepa Miloucheva, Liz Guiney, and Heather Mooney after the women’s 15 k classic individual start on at 2016 U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson and Miller placed first and second, respectively, on Sunday in the women’s 10 k classic on Day 1 of U.S. nationals.
HOUGHTON, Mich. — It is the eve of the first day of racing at U.S. Cross Country Championships and racers have arrived from around the country and brought an air of excitement and energy to the town of Houghton.
Houghton is situated in the Keewanaw peninsula, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, near the northernmost tip of the state. Since it is not “on the way” anywhere, and many hours from any major city, you are not likely to find yourself in Houghton unless it is your destination.
However, Houghton is a cross-country ski mecca of the Midwest that draws skiers from around the country to enjoy 25 kilometers of world-class groomed trails on the campus of Michigan Tech University. The Michigan Tech trails are homologated, according to International Ski Federation (FIS) and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association (USSA) standards, and thus able to host high-profile races.
Nationals are held at the same venue for two consecutive years and this is Houghton’s second year hosting the event following a frigid and snowy 2015 nationals. Houghton also hosted U.S. nationals in 2007-2008, the last time the event was held in the Midwest.
“We have a really good trail system that provides a good challenge to racers. I think we can have fair races because generally we have consistent conditions across the day,” said Joe Haggenmiller, head nordic coach at Michigan Tech University (MTU) and co-chair of the race organization committee.
Although coordinating a team trip to Houghton can be a logistical challenge, Houghton provides a great race venue with no shortage of community support.
“Our community is really excited to host it. We have a core of 20 people who are really dedicated and put a lot of time into this event and we have a group of about 100 volunteers who are ready to help,” Haggenmiller said.
The community support of the event was illustrated last weekend when nearly 100 people attended a work bee at the trails. Despite snow shortage concerns in mid-December, Houghton was reporting great ski conditions as of two weeks ago. However, Mother Nature was not finished throwing curve balls. On Dec. 23, Houghton weathered heavy rains and 50-70 mile per hour winds which created an icy, debris strewn trail. The race organizers sent out a call for help and the volunteers came out in force.
Volunteers took to the trail in groups assigned to a section of trail they would rake clear of debris. Together the teams raked all 25 k of trails just before another four inches of snow fell. This made the distance courses viable instead of the “low-snow” 2.5 k course that was beginning to look like reality. To ensure the courses would withstand a week of racing, work crews hauled 30 cubic meters of snow onto the course, mostly on the downhill corners.
“The conditions are really nice. They tilled last night and we set full depth tracks today,” said Jim Tervo, chief of competition. “It is really mid-season form, we are really pleased with the way it turned out.”
“Tomorrow should be a really fun day for the athletes because I think the kickwaxing should be pretty straightforward and it should be pretty fast,” Haggenmiller said. “I think the athletes will enjoy getting around the course well in mild conditions.”
U.S. Nationals 2016 Race Schedule:
Sunday, Jan. 3
Men’s 15 k classic individual start
Women’s 10 k classic individual start
Monday, Jan. 4
Men’s and Women’s 1.5 k freestyle sprint
Thursday, Jan. 7
20/30 k freestyle mass start
Saturday, Jan. 9
Men’s and women’s 1.5 k classic sprint
The Course
The entire schedule of races for nationals week will utilize the sprint course, 5 k course, 7.5 k course, and 10 k course. Each course is a variation of the same core loop. Sunday’s races: the women’s 10 k classic, will be 2 laps of 5 k,and the men’s 15 k classic will be 2 laps of 7.5 k.
The course features significant elevation change both in the form of steep, short climbs and long, gradual grinds. Several downhill sections require technical finesse, especially in fast conditions.
Several sections of the course will likely prove to be decisive:
Hairpin loop: This section is part of every distance race and includes a long gradual descent to a hairpin turn and then back up a grinding 7 percent grade for 0.3 miles. Racers will be carrying significant speed into the hairpin turn and will have to be prepared for the possibility of washed-out sections.
Peepsock climb: This is a 4 percent grade over 0.4 miles leading into the finishing stadium which will likely prove decisive in the mass start races. The 5 k course cuts off a portion of this section but still features a significant climb into the finishing straightway.
Elevation profile of the 7.5 k course being used for U.S. nationals at the Michigan Tech trails in Houghton, Mich.
Racing kicks off with individual start classic races on Sunday. The men’s 15 k begins at 10 a.m. Eastern time and the women’s 10 k at 1 p.m.
Live results can be found at Superior Timing and the event will also be live streamed courtesy of a partnership between Central Cross Country Ski Association (CXC) and USSA.
Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Liz Guiney (l) and head coach Pepa Miloucheva during a ski on Saturday, Jan. 2 in Houghton, Mich., the day before the kickoff of 2016 U.S. nationals.
A Dartmouth skier heads out onto the Michigan Tech trail’s 5 k course on Saturday, Jan. 2, the day before 2016 U.S. nationals.
Kevin Sandau (l) of the Alberta World Cup Academy during a classic ski on the Michigan Tech trails in Houghton, Mich., on Saturday, Jan. 2, the day before the start of 2016 U.S. nationals.
Julia Kern (SMS/USST) testing skis early Saturday morning, prior to the start of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl Ski Academy) amidst a group of APU skiers in the starting area on Saturday, Jan. 2, the day before the start of 2016 U.S. nationals.
Bridger Ski Foundation athletes Akeo Maifeld-Carrucci (l) and Jennie Bender soak up some precious Houghton sun on Saturday, Jan. 2 in Houghton, Mich., the day before the start of 2016 U.S. nationals.
Two Canadian athletes round their way back into the stadium Saturday, Jan. 2, the day before the kick-ff of 2016 U.S. nationals.
Kris Freeman (Freebird) clinches his 17th national title in the men’s 30 k classic mass start on Thursday, ahead of APU’s Lex Treinen (left, behind), NMU’s Kyle Bratrud (behind Treinen) and APU’s Eric Packer (directly behind Freeman at right), at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
HOUGHTON, Mich. — With 11 men together at the start of the last 10-kilometer lap in Thursday’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships, Kris Freeman knew he had to make something happen.
If he continued to ski in the pack and wait to see how the places shook out in the 100-meter finishing straight, the second-ranked U.S. distance skier (after U.S. Ski Team member Noah Hoffman) didn’t like his chances in a last-ditch sprint.
“I knew that somewhere in the last five k I had to go, and I had to go hard,” said Freeman, 34, who skis independently as Freebird, after the third of four national races at the Michigan Tech Trails.
The men directly around him with eight kilometers to go — including two Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Gold Team members (Matt Gelso and Miles Havlick), three Alaska Pacific University (APU) skiers (Lex Treinen, Scott Patterson and Eric Packer) and three Northern Michigan University (NMU) athletes (Fredrik Schwencke, Kyle Bratrud and Adam Martin), as well as Dartmouth’s Paddy Caldwell (also of the Stratton Mountain School T2 Team and U.S. Ski Team D-team) — generally anticipated Freeman’s move as well.
But all of them realized that leading was significantly harder in the cold-and-slow conditions with temperatures around 3 degrees throughout the day. Freeman tried it out, pushing the pace a couple times early in the first lap “just to experiment and see if I could hurt the field,” he said. “I just couldn’t.”
Kris Freeman (near), Dartmouth’s Paddy Caldwell (l), and NMU’s Fredrik Schwencke (behind Freeman) near the front of the pack around 2 k into the men’s 30 k classic mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
The four-time Olympian decided to hang back and attack somewhere on the second half of the last lap.
“I think I went with two-and-a-half k to go,” Freeman said. “And I knew I had a really good attack for two k, then my last 500 meters was pathetic.”
But it was enough for the win. On the second-to-last climb, Freeman successfully gapped Gelso, Patterson and the four others in the chase pack (Norris, Treinen, Packer and APU’s fifth man Reese Hanneman, respectively), and he frequently checked over his shoulder to make sure they weren’t reining him in.
“I had to double pole one long downhill that’s usually recovery so that they wouldn’t get back on me,” Freeman said of the final descent before the last climb toward the finish.
Treinen took advantage of an unfortunate misstep and crash from his teammate, Patterson, who had been skiing with Gelso in second with a kilometer to go.
“I was kind of moving tracks and stumbled a little bit,” Patterson said of the final downhill. “I was wobbly out on one ski, trying to correct, but it just wasn’t enough — spun around, totally my fault, didn’t hit anyone else, they all moved around me, and it was a quick little fall, but still not something you want right at the end.”
Four of his teammates — Treinen, Norris, Packer and Hanneman — navigated around him, as did Bratrud. Gelso stayed out of trouble but lost steam up the final ascent.
Kris Freeman pushing hard for first with 200 meters to go in the men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
While Freeman forged ahead up the gradual hill, again looking back to see who was closest to him, his pain emitted through his facial expressions as he strode toward the finish.
Behind him, Treinen, on his 25th birthday, worked his way from fourth to third behind Bratrud and ahead of Gelso and Norris.
“Kyle Bratrud came up from behind and he looked like he was charging pretty hard so I tried to stay behind him for as long as I could, and on the last uphill, just gave it everything,” Treinen said. “I tried to break him — it just barely worked.”
Treinen edged the 21-year-old NMU senior, who won Sunday’s 15 k freestyle to start nationals, by 0.4 seconds to claim second for his first national podium. He finished 3.7 seconds behind Freeman, who won his 17th national title in 1:31:14.8.
“They were yo-yoing [behind me] and I was totally loaded coming up into the finish,” Freeman recalled. “If someone had sprinted by me, there would’ve been no response. There was nothing I could do.”
APU’s Lex Treinen (111) celebrates his second-place finish and first national podium after the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. NMU’s Kyle Bratrud (109) placed third, and APU’s Eric Packer (r) secured fourth. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
“Lex and I were gaining on [Freeman] at the end so who knows how it would’ve played out if there was another k to go,” Bratrud recalled.“I found myself leading a decent amount and then when Kris took off and kind of split the field up, I was able to at least pick up most of the pieces.”
On Sunday, Freeman placed second to Bratrud in the individual skate race.
“Even though the skate race didn’t go quite like I wanted, the sensations I had were great,” he reflected. “Today except for the last 500 meters, I felt like I was in total control and I just feel totally different then I did last year. This should absolutely cement my place on the World Championship team and that’s been my goal all year.
“SuperTour points are nice, but I want to go prove I’m one of the best in the world at World Champs,” Freeman added.
The U.S. World Championships team will be tentatively announced on Jan. 26, according to the team-selection criteria. The first criteria is based on World Cup results in the selection period (from Nov. 29, 2014 to Jan. 18, 2015); the second is coaches’ discretion, and the third, should it come down to it, is based on the best-ranked athletes in the 4th edition of the USSA Sprint and Distance Points List, which will be released Jan. 23.
Heading into nationals, Freeman ranked second in the 3rd USSA distance points list (including races before Jan. 2), nearly six points ahead of Gelso in third.
That made him one of Freeman’s biggest perceived threats on Thursday.
“Gelso looked really comfortable on his skis; he was having good kick everywhere and he’s right behind me on the points list and he’s having a great season,” Freeman said. “Kyle also obviously just had a great race so those two I kept looking at.”
Kyle Bratrud (NMU) and Scott Patterson (APU) leading the U.S. nationals men’s 30 k mass start around 2 k on Thursday in Houghton, Mich.
Bratrud explained he came into the race more relaxed than he had anticipated after winning his first national title (and with it, his first national top 20) earlier in the week.
“All summer I had been targeting this 30 k and into the fall, I started realizing that maybe the 15 k would be a better shot for me,” he said. “Winning that I felt like I had a pretty successful week even if I was dead last in this race. I was just out there having fin. It’s fun to do well.”
Freeman felt similarly. After digging himself into a self-described hole last season, Freeman was enjoying racing again.
“I backed off my training a little bit; I’m more relaxed. I’m accepting that I’m 34, I can’t train a thousand hours anymore and expect to recover the same why I did,” he said. “And ski racing’s fun.”
While Freeman was gunning for 2015 World Championships next month in Falun, Sweden, Bratrud put himself in prime position to be nominated to the U23 World Championships team his previous win at nationals. Another podium on Thursday prequalified him for NCAA Championships as well, as nationals double as a Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) and NCAA Central Region qualifier for NCAA’s.
“It was a weight off my shoulder to win the skate race and pretty much guarantee U23’s so now I can go home and train for a bit and head over to Kazakhstan,” Bratrud said. “I’m prequalified for NCAA’s so I can come back and get another little block in and then hopefully race some of those fast [University of Colorado] Boulder Norwegian guys.”
NMU Claims College Cup
Four NMU skiers landed in the top 13 with Bratrud in third, Schwencke in 11th (who skied near the front of the pack and led the long climb up after the race’s halfway point, then raced in the top 11 with eight kilometers to go), Martin in 12th and Erik Soderman in 13th.
“The Northern Michigan guys put in some strong attacks on the second lap, and I think they widdled the field down [by the last lap],” Freeman said. “I tried working with Freddy [Schwencke] right before the end of the second lap, but we got caught and I just said, just tuck it in here until it’s time.”
With the highest-collective performance over three days at nationals, NMU won the 2015 College Cup.
“All my success comes from training with those guys every day and Freddy’s a very good classic skier so I was confident skiing next to him,” said Bratrud, who led through the 10 and 20 k lap checkpoints. “When he put the hammer down pretty hard when we came through the second time, just to be able to ski confidently with your teammate and be at the front of the race is a pretty good feeling and that gave me a good feeling going forward.”
APU Takes 5 of Top 8
This past summer, APU’s seven-person men’s team (with U.S. Ski Team member Erik Bjornsen, Reese Hanneman, Tyler Kornfield, Norris, Packer, Patterson, and Treinen) initiated a “#five2falun” slogan.
Sun Valley’s Matt Gelso (102) and Miles Havlick (106) lead the 11-man pack (with a fleet of APU and NMU skiers) around 22 k in the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
“It started as a joke; it’s all in good humor,” Hanneman explained at the time. “There was another elite team in the U.S. who, they last couple years, they had a campaign: six to Sochi. We thought, we can do our own little thing. Five because it starts with and ‘F’ because seven doesn’t really sound as good.
“Now we’re kind of using it as motivation for ourselves,” he added. “If [we] did actually send five to Falun from one team that would be absolutely insane. The men have traditionally been so spread out in the U.S. that we’re kind of excited about having a group of us that changes the landscape.”
On Thursday, after months of waiting for a breakout-team performance, the APU men got it.
Treinen led them in second, Packer rose from seventh to fourth (+4.9) over the last kilometer, and Norris finished 11.2 seconds after Freeman in fifth, 1.9 seconds ahead of Hanneman in sixth. Hanneman came back from 13th and 18 seconds behind the leaders at 20 k, to eighth with 1 k to go.
Gelso finished seventh (+14), and Patterson, who’s back after a pulmonary embolism kept him from racing from late October until mid-December, recovered from his fall on Thursday to edge Havlick and Caldwell by less than a second for eighth (+24.3). Havlick placed ninth (+25), and Caldwell was 10th (+25.1).
“I had a pretty good sprint so if I hadn’t had that fall who knows what would’ve happened,” Patterson said. “I would’ve been right there challenging for it, maybe not Freeman but the next guys.”
Treinen called his second-place finish “pretty special, especially because it’s my birthday. It was kind of in the back of my mind, not gonna lie — I was thinking about that.”
His previous national best was fifth in the 50 k classic mass start at U.S. Distance Nationals last spring.
“I feel like we were just waiting for him to have a good day and that was today,” APU Head Coach Erik Flora said. “He looked great, he looked energetic, he looked under good control and you could see so many times just like a smile on his face so it was really cool.”
Flora added that he was proud of the entire team, with five men in the top eight.
“To have all those boys in there fighting and challenging each other is just awesome,” he said. “I think that the training for those guys is working and their commitment to being skiers all that good stuff.”
“I’m just happy to have my teammates do so well as well,” Treinen said. “It’s the best team I’ve ever been on and I think we’re just starting to show what we’re made of.”
Packer rose from seventh to fourth with 200 meters to go, proving to himself that he was back on form after the flu took him out of commission the week before the 15 k.
“I couldn’t be happier with feeling good today,” the first-year APU member and Anchorage native said. “… I grew up skiing with all of the guys. We all started training together actually in middle school. It’s kind of cool to have five of those same guys that you started with at 12 or 13, five in the top eight today.”
Norris led at times during the race, including around 22 k with Gelso, and said he was disappointed to slip from fourth at the bottom of the last climb to fifth (when Packer passed him in the final stretch).
“It’s hard when you get passed in the last hundred meters … but it was my teammate and he’s a good finisher,” Norris said. “And I’m feeling better every race we do throughout the season.”
Moreover, he was excited for his team.
“We had the feeling that we were going to have some great results as a team and we hadn’t really shown that yet this year,” he said. “We all had great skis. Everyone’s skiing stronger so it’s cool to see Lex have a good sprint finish when he’s notoriously a distance guy and Packer have a good 30 k when he’s been good at sprints. Everybody’s improving their weaknesses.”
Notes:
Jørgen Grav (University of Vermont) was an early frontrunner in the men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Jørgen Grav (University of Vermont), who placed 24th, skied in the top five for much of the first lap, just ahead of Freeman, amid a large pack of about 30 separated by 15 seconds at 10 k.
Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) finished 21st after skiing in the top 7 through 10 k, then slipping into the mid-20s on the second lap.
Tad Elliott (Ski & Snowboard Club Vail Elite Team) finished 36th in his first race at nationals after spending the earlier part of the week recovering from a flu/cold at home in Durango, Colo.
Ben Lustgarten (SVSEF) sat out the mass start as he’s been suffering from vertigo this week, which led him to miss Tuesday’s classic sprint as well.
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
SSCV’s Tad Elliott (119) and Craftsbury’s Andrew Dougherty (131) Men’s 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess strides to a near seven-second win in Tuesday’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
HOUGHTON, Mich. — As the heavy, wet snow fell on the trails of the Michigan Tech Nordic Skiing Center Tuesday morning, the first starter in the men’s 1.5-kilometer classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships emerged from the dense cloud of white.
Plowing through the roughly seven inches of snow that had fallen in three hours, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy) notched the second-fastest time of the day. But much like the wind and snow, he wasn’t going to stop there.
Similar to his female counterpart, Rosie Brennan of Alaska Pacific University (APU), Blackhorse-von Jess breezed through the quarterfinal and semifinal – earing the top spot in both. Once in the final, it was more of the same for the 28 year old, who surged over the course’s second-to-last hill to enter the stadium far ahead of his competitors and across the line with a smile and a winning time of 4:06.16.
The next competitor, Ben Saxton (SMST2/USST), crossed the line 6.29 seconds after Blackhorse-von Jess in second, while Michigan Tech skier Håken Hjelstuen of Norway rounded out the podium in third, 7.12 seconds back.
While Blackhorse-von Jess had the task of tackling the slow, new snow in qualification, he said it was a common factor between he and the other first starters. Once in the heats, he explained, the unusually slow nature of the race made tactics less important.
“In a four-and-a-half minute long race you just go ski and you wait and see what happens. Obviously there are certain spots on the course where certain people do different things better than other people. [For me] it wasn’t a goal to lead and it wasn’t a goal to be in last,” he said of his strategy in a post-race interview.
Although he wasn’t aiming to lead, it was a position that Blackhorse-von Jess found himself in during the quarterfinal. Entering the stadium with a sizable lead over David Sinclair (GMVS) and Forrest Mahlen (MSU), he skied across the line with the speed of a 30 k instead of a sprint.
In the semifinal it looked as if the same would happen as the heat of six skiers sped up the ultimate hill. However, there was one competitor who held onto Blackhorse-von Jess – Cole Morgan of the University of Vermont.
“In the semifinal Cole Morgan was on my tail and wouldn’t let go and it made it sound like there were a lot more people around. So I had to push it into the finish,” Blackhorse-von Jess said.
The Bend Endurance Academy skier held off the challenge and the two automatically advanced to the final, where a similar situation took place. On the second-to-last hill, again, Blackhorse-von Jess felt Morgan on his tails. At that point he made the push to lose the 20-year-old college skier.
“I said, ‘well, I’m done with this,’ and I took off. Suddenly the woods got quite and I was by myself, so I went for it,” he said.
Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess (Bend Endurance Academy) leads Cole Morgan (UVM) in the semifinal finish in the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Tuesday’s win is Blackhorse-von Jess’ second national championship. Although he has landed on the podium multiple times, his only other win was in a 2013 freestyle sprint at Soldier Hollow. He explained his win in that race was more meaningful because it was unexpected and “something I really had to fight for.”
The 2015 title is different for Blackhorse-von Jess because it’s been a part of his season plan for a long time, and the highlight of that plan is not a national championship.
”This year everything has been geared toward Word Championships so this is a stepping-stone. The goal was to put myself in a position to win and see if I can do it. So everything worked out really well and I’m excited. Obviously I can’t control if I go to World Championships but I know that the way we set up the training, we are on the upswing and things will continue to rise in February,” he said.
Blackhorse-von Jess will not be selected for World Championships based on the objective criteria outlined by USSA, which includes a top 60 ranking in the overall World Cup. However, he does have a chance in the additional objective criteria, which is based on USSA sprint and distance points. Blackhorse-von Jess currently sits in third position behind World Cup skiers Andy Newell and Simi Hamilton in the most recent sprint ranking list released Jan. 2.
While he has no control over whether he will be selected for World Championships, Blackhorse-von Jess does have a say in earning the 2015 SuperTour sprint title, which could result in World Cup starting spots later this season.
“I think that being the best of the rest is best I can do. The only thing in my control is winning the sprint SuperTour so I can secure those two world cup starts at the end. Obviously it would be great to go to World Championships, but two years ago I had a first and a third and I still didn’t go,” he said.
In the meantime, however, Blackhorse-von Jess is skipping the 30 k classic mass start on Thursday to focus on Saturday’s freestyle sprint. He explained that, historically, the second sprint of nationals has always been a challenge for him but this year he’s hoping that will change.
“The goal for us is to figure out how to get through the next four days to be able to have a good race, because I haven’t had an awesome race the second time,” he said.
The Fight for Second
Saxton’s silver medal finish is his second in two years. In 2014, he was the runner-up to the national title behind Torin Koos in the freestyle sprint at Soldier Hollow.
En route to this year’s podium finish, Saxton had to maneuver a challenging quarterfinal to advance to the next round. In what he called the “quarterfinal of death,” Saxton faced a collection of strong sprinters including Reese Hanneman (APU), Tyler Kornfield (APU), Eric Packer (APU), Matt Gelso (SVSEF) and Welley Ramsey (MWSC). The heat was the fastest quarterfinal of the day, but Saxton crossed the line in first followed by Packer and Hanneman, both of whom advanced.
Ben Saxton holds his position over APU’s Eric Packer and Reese Hanneman during one of Tuesday’s quarterfinals in the men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
“You could have taken those six names and said this will be the A-final for today, and I wouldn’t have doubted you for a second. They are all really strong skiers, so I felt really lucky to advance out of that,” he said in a post-race interview.
By the time he reached the final Saxton was ready to fight for the top spot. At the start, however, he had trouble finding his top speed and suffered the consequences.
“In the final it was the first time all day I had a bad start and it came back to bite me. There were only two or three lanes in play when you’re going around the course, so when I fell down to sixth from the gun there was no way for me to move myself up,” he said of the final.
But he did move himself up, and by the time he reached the bottom of the last climb Saxton was third with a considerable distance to make up on Hjelstuen who was sitting in second. With a surge of energy Saxton reached the Norwegian and skied past him to gain an advantage on the straight away into the finish and earn silver.
While Saxton said he was hoping to win Tuesday’s race, he explained that a podium finish is never disappointing.
“Dakota is a good friend and he is the standard for domestic sprinters so there is no shame in watching him do his thing. I’m barely 21 and Dakota is almost 8 years older than me so there’s some catching up to do. I have so much to learn from him and I’m just psyched to do that for now,” he said.
The finish comes after Sunday’s 15 k freestyle in which Saxton finished 57th – a result that he said left him shaken.
“It’s nice to have some mojo back. It was a pretty tough day on Sunday,” Saxton explained.
Brian Gregg (l) Logan Hanneman (c) and Håken Hjelstuen Men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Hjelstuen, a student at local Michigan Tech and native of Oslo, Norway, qualified first and had a successful campaign throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals. However, by the time he reached the final, his kick wax was deteriorating.
“My kick was not good in the semifinal. We tried to fix it for the final, but it got worse. Up the last hill I was fourth or fifth and I really wanted that podium so I was just double-poling all I could. Maybe with better kick I could maybe fight Dakota. I would have been fun to have a fight close to the end,” he said after the final’s completion.
While he is a student at MTU, Hjelstuen has yet to become a racing member of the Huskies’ ski team. Since he is an exchange student, his eligibility for NCAA racing has been up in the air. However, he predicted that within the next week the issue would be resolved.
A Strong Showing for Vermont
Men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Despite challenging Blackhorse-von Jess in the middle of the course, Morgan ultimately ended his day in fourth. The University of Vermont senior from Bozeman, Mont. originally worried that the day would be a “grinder” due to the slow snow he faced in qualification, but found that conditions improved once organizers had groomed the trail between then and the heats.
While Morgan said he normally has a tendency to start too hard, a key factor in Tuesday’s strategy was to hold back until it the second third of the race.
“I just tried to tuck behind people for most of those heats until the last half kilometer where it was just rolling. It worked in the quarter and the semi, but in the final I got a little tired so I didn’t really have quite the punch as the other ones,” he explained.
Morgan was the second U23 skier behind Saxton, thus earning valuable points for a possible bid to make the U.S. U23 World Championship team. In regards to the U23 Championships, Morgan said he’s more focused on the season’s college races, but will see where he stands when the selections are announced Saturday.
“That wasn’t one of my big goals coming into here. I’m just looking to get some good racing before the college season. We’ll see how it ends up at the end of the week and how I feel there,” he said.
The University of Vermont saw another of its skiers in the final in the form of Jørgen Grav.
Grav, a junior from Oslo, Norway, said that he felt faster in the qualification and quarterfinal because he could ski his own pace. In the semifinal and final, he said it was more difficult to ski efficiently due to the grouping of the pack.
Men’s 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
“Other than that I’m pretty satisfied. I didn’t expect to get to the A-final. I would say I was a very lucky loser,” Grav, who advanced to the final as a lucky loser, said after the race.
With their fourth and fifth place finishes, Morgan and Grav, were the top affiliated college skiers (as Hjelstuen has yet to gain eligibility). Prior to Tuesday’s race, UVM was ranked second behind Northern Michigan University in the Championship’s College Cup rankings.
“We worked pretty hard and we tried to hang on. We finished strong… It was great having a teammate in the final,” he said.
Taking the last spot in the final was Sun Valley’s Miles Havlick, who said that despite making a few tactical errors, he was happy with his result.
“I think the longer sprint and the conditions played in my favor as more of a distance skier,” he said in a post-race phone interview.
The 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships continue Thursday with a 20/30 k classic mass start for senior skiers and a 10/5 k classic mass start for juniors.
Rosie Brennan (APU) celebrates her definitive win in the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Tuesday at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich., where she notched her third national title. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)
HOUGHTON, Mich. — As Rosie Brennan plowed through the fresh powder and tried to pick out what she thought was the best lane for the women’s 1.5-kilometer classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Tuesday, she thought, this is brutal.
Not only did she have to start first in the qualifier, which began at 10 a.m. after nearly half a foot of fresh snow had fallen since two hours earlier, when the groomer last passed over the Michigan Tech course, but Brennan had nobody starting directly behind her, either. Caitlin Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) in bib No. 2 had scratched.
“I had no idea how fast I was going relatively, plus I was plowing the tracks for everybody so it actually was kind of unfortunate,” Brennan recalled with a laugh. “But I just tried to tell myself that if I skied well, that I had to be moving fast enough and just hope for the best.”
The Alaska Pacific University (APU) veteran ended up second in the qualifier, 1.16 seconds behind Eliška Hájková, a 2013 University of Colorado Boulder graduate and current Boulder Nordic Junior Racing Team coach, who clocked the fastest time of 5 minutes, 18.63 seconds.
After the race, several described it as more like a prologue or even a distance race than a typical sprint. At least for many, it felt that way.
“I kind of felt like I was doing a 5 k,” said Brennan’s APU teammate Becca Rorabaugh, who qualified 10th.
Fortunately for the racers, the track got faster by the time the heats rolled around at 12:30 p.m., and there were more options that the one track Brennan picked to lead 136 women out in the qualifier.
The organizers re-groomed the loop after the men’s qualifier ended at 11:50, and with wet snow from a northwest wind off Lake Superior about 10 miles north, the course set quickly before the women’s quarterfinals started 40 minutes later.
It was still about 7 degrees with a biting wind shooting across the stadium start and finish, but racers seemed unfazed once they got moving. With the snow still falling, as long as they could find a skied-in track, they were generally happy.
Rosie Brennan leading her quarterfinal in Tuesday’s 1.5 k classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
The blizzard let up by the afternoon, right about the time Brennan started to come into her own. With three SuperTour victories out of four races on the circuit this season (and a national podium on Sunday), she had the confidence — and she soon realized she had the ski speed as well.
“I thought it would be more prudent to be patient basically on top of the big climbs because it’s still half a [kilometer] to the finish,” she explained, “But I just noticed how fast my skis were.”
Seeing that, the 26-year-old Park City, Utah, native decided to take advantage of the gap she had created and extend her lead on the downhills then up the final gradual climb to the finish.
Brennan won her quarterfinal by 2.55 seconds over 17-year-old Katharine Ogden of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) in second. In the semifinal, she again stole the show ahead of 16-year-old runner-up Hannah Halvorsen (Sugar Bowl Academy) and Anne Hart (SMST2), who advanced as the lucky loser in third, 1.18 seconds behind Brennan.
Ogden in fourth — ahead of Erika Flowers (SMST2) in fifth and another New England skier, Julia Kern (Cambridge Sports Union) in sixth — did not advance. The three women went head-to-head in the B-final (along with Hájková, Michigan Tech’s own Deedra Irwin, and APU’s Rosie Frankowski), where Ogden bested Hájková by nearly a second to win the heat and tie her best-senior-nationals result in seventh.
Stratton’s Katharine Ogden (l) winning the women’s classic-sprint B-final for seventh overall on Tuesday, ahead of Eliška Hájková (Boulder Junior Nordic Racing Team), at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
“I kind of went in with not a lot of expectations, just hoping to do the best I could and I was pretty psyched with how it ended up,” Ogden said. “It’s also really cool to see Julia Kern [who qualified in third], is a junior; she was in my heat, and Hannah Halvorsen is even younger than me and she [was] in this A-final.”
Six women lined up for the A-final, four of them ages 23 and under. Brennan and Rorabaugh were the most experienced in the group, and Hart had raced one national A-final before, but none of the other three — Halvorsen, Liz Guiney (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) and Heather Mooney (Middlebury College) — had previously made it that far in national sprint.
“At that point, it was just very exciting,” Halvorsen recalled. “I wasn’t really worried — I just wanted to have fun out there. It was just an honor to get to race with those super-fast girls and go as hard as I could.”
For Brennan, it was a matter of business. She wondered if she had the snap she needed to win her third national title, especially given how long the course felt and how cold it was.
“It’s hard to feel great all the time,” Brennan said. “I really just tried to trust the fitness that I’ve built and try to keep skiing and not look back and just keep going.”
That’s exactly what she did, and to no one’s surprise in the final.
Rosie Brennan (2), leads Liz Guiney (4), Anne Hart (15) and Hannah Halvorsen (23) shortly after the start in the women’s 1.5 k classic sprint final at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
“I knew Rosie was just gonna blow it out of the water so I just tried to hang on,” Rorabaugh said with a laugh.
Brennan did just that, surging to front of the pack out of the start, slightly ahead of Rorabaugh and Guiney, and directly in front of Hart before the downhill out of the stadium. According to Rorabaugh, Brennan attacked on the course’s two steeper climbs — most notably on the slight downhill in the middle and on the second hill about two-thirds of the way through.
“It’s kind of like training, like, ‘Oh, Rosie’s going away on a hill again, this is my chance to hang on,’ ” Rorabaugh said.
But unlike some training sessions in Anchorage, Alaska, this time, Brennan dropped Rorabaugh and the rest of the field for good.
“I actually was putting most of my time in over the top of that first uphill and in the downhill,” Brennan said. “And then I guess the second uphill, I just surged to the top of that and then just tried to relax and ski it in.”
Becca Rorabaugh (10) leads Heather Mooney (l) and Liz Guiney (4) into the finish in the semifinal of the U.S. Cross Country Championships women’s 1.5 k classic sprint on Tuesday in Houghton, Mich.
Just like each of her preceding heats, she won the final comfortably by 6.82 seconds in 4:52.72.
Rorabaugh sensed a couple women gunning behind her for second, so she sped up on the final gradual climb before the stadium straightaway.
“I figured they were close enough that I should just go as hard as I could, so I was happy that the finishing stretch was striding today,” she said of the still-dragging conditions.
After securing the win, Brennan looked behind her to welcome her teammate and the rest of her competitors (including Guiney as a former Park City teammate) across the line. She and Rorabaugh embraced after delivering the 1-2 APU punch, and Guiney, who finished 3.67 seconds later, stayed 2.4 seconds ahead of Hart for her first national podium in third.
“[I’m] tired, cold. I’m ecstatic, honestly,” Brennan said with a laugh after. “Last year, I technically got the national championship [in the classic sprint], but I was second [to Russia’s Natalja Naryshkina] so to win outright is that much sweeter. I really like classic sprinting so it was just good — good course and good skiing for me.”
“It’s hard to feel great all the time. I really just tried to trust the fitness that I’ve built and try to keep skiing and not look back and just keep going.” — Rosie Brennan (APU), two-time national classic sprint champion
APU’s Rosie Brennan (c) and Becca Rorabaugh (l) on the podium in first and second, respectively, and Liz Guiney (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in third in the women’s classic sprint at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
It was also her fourth win out of six SuperTour races this year. Rorabaugh said she was happy the two could team up to take first and second.
“We work really hard together all the time so it’s really great to have it play out like this,” she said.
Guiney, a 23-year-old, first-year senior who qualified in fourth, placed ninth the last two years at nationals in the classic sprint (in 2013) and freestyle sprint (in 2014).
“It’s really exciting,” said Guiney, who won her quarterfinal ahead of Frankowski and placed third in her semifinal behind Brennan and Rorabaugh, respectively. “It’s kind of a cool realization for me that I can be up there.”
Hart improved upon her best nationals finish (which was fifth in the 2013 skate sprint) in fourth on Tuesday, about 13 seconds behind Brennan, and explained her main goal after qualifying in 15th was to keep an open mind and chip away at the heats.
Anne Hart (SMST2) leads her quarterfinal ahead of Middlebury’s Heather Mooney (16) and Northern Michigan University’s Vivian Hett (6). (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)
“It was really anyone’s day out there,” she said. “When you look at [Sunday’s 15 k] skate race with Kyle [Bratrud] having such a standout race, you just have to remember that anything can happen.”
Hart won her quarterfinal by 1.32 seconds over Mooney, advanced out of the semifinal in third, and by the time the final rolled around, she was mostly aiming to stay in front of her fellow U23 competitors.
“[Stratton coach] Pat [O’Brien] gave us stunningly fast skis today, so all of the starts the plan was, I figured Rosie was going to be the fastest out there,” Hart recalled. “I was just like, if I can just get myself right behind her and stay on her as long as possible…”
She did so on the first climb, but by the second hill, she thought, “ ‘OK, maybe not,’ ” Hart said. “From there on out, it was just kind of battling for spots and with U23’s, every spot matters, so I was just willing myself to the finish line.”
Her father was cheering her on from the sidelines, which helped, she said.
“I graduated from Dartmouth last year and the first year out of college, I’ve been told a million and a half times by everyone and their mother that … it’s really different,” Hart said. “I just had what I call a bunch of vanilla races [to start the season], and so it’s just a confidence booster to say, ‘I’m doing this for a reason, I can do this.’ … So it’s gonna help me sleep better at night I think.”
“It’s just a confidence booster to say, ‘I’m doing this for a reason, I can do this.’ ” — Anne Hart (SMS T2 Team), fourth
Sixteen-year-old Hannah Halvorsen celebrates her quarterfinal win on Tuesday in the women’s 15 k classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.
Halvorsen in fifth (+15.16) said her parents also buoyed her throughout the day.
“My parents were really believing in me so I decided I’d give it what I have and I was pretty surprised that I was able to do really well in the heats,” Halvorsen said. “I had a lot of fun skiing with some fast girls.
“I’ve been training this year with World Juniors kind of on my mind, but just trying to focus on the process and ski as well as I can,” she added. “So we’ll see what happens and how the points play out.”
Twenty-year-old Mooney in sixth (+15.36), in her senior year at Middlebury, improved upon her two eighth-place finishes at nationals in the classic sprints in 2013 and 2011.
“I was in the A-final at Spring Series when I was a J2, same race, but I was psyched [about today],” she said after qualifying 16th. “[I] tried to go into it without any expectations … definitely was intimidated by a six-minute sprint course, but just took each one as it came.”
As for her goals for the rest of the season — and whether U23 World Championships are at the heart of them — Mooney said not necessarily.
“This sounds really silly — I’d like to race fast enough to be among the top U23’s, but I love college racing and this is my last year and I’m really excited to try to race really consistently and be at the top of the college circuit, focusing on NCAAs,” she said. “I’d love to make [U23 World Championships], but also I’m going to spend the winter in the East and I’m excited for that.”
Note: The defending freestyle sprint champion and 2013 classic sprint champion, Jennie Bender of the Bridger Ski Foundation crashed out of contention while leading up and over a climb near the end of her quarterfinal. She placed fifth, 7.8 seconds behind Rorabaugh as the quarterfinal winner, and did not advance to the semifinals.
“I was leading, then I was on my face,” Bender recalled in an email. “Knocked the wind out of me. … I am pretty disappointed, because I came into this race with high hopes, but that’s sprint racing. Looking forward to the skate sprint.”
Northern Michigan University senior Kyle Bratrud leads Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) about 5 k into the first of two laps in the men’s 15 k freestyle, the first race of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Bratrud went on to win by 50 seconds for his first national title, and first top 2o at senior nationals, and Gregg finished 14th.
When Kyle Bratrud woke up Sunday morning, he thought, great — a couple inches of fresh snow, temperatures hovering around the single digits — perfect.
The 21-year-old Northern Michigan University (NMU) senior was actually serious when he talked about reveling in the conditions after the men’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start, which kicked off a blustery and snowy first day of U.S. Cross Country Championships.
“As a smaller guy, the slower the better for me,” Bratrud said.
And the longer the race, like twice around a new 7.5 k loop at the Michigan Tech Trails, the better, he added. “I’m a pretty endurance-based guy,” he said.
Three weeks ago, Bratrud placed third in a 15 k classic mass start and fourth in a classic sprint, both Central Collegiate Ski Association (CCSA) races held on the same courses in Houghton. NMU is 100 miles southeast in Marquette, Mich.
Sunday marked his first time skating Michigan Tech’s new 7.5 k course, at least in a race, yet he already knew it well. And when he burst out of the start in bib 35 of 197 men, he quickly found he was the race leader through every point he received splits.
“I never actually got a number [for time ahead], but just to get the first split, to hear that I was the race leader, it felt like a Central race,” he recalled. “I get leader splits a decent amount there so to get it here was something else. I definitely wasn’t expecting that.”
With just five other A-seeded skiers behind him, Bratrud realized he was beating top contenders like Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) and Matt Gelso, of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Gold Team, who started before him.
By the end of the first lap, he had a 27-second lead over Freeman in second. One of Bratrud’s friends and summer training partners at Alaska Pacific University (APU) in Anchorage, Logan Hanneman of ranked third through 7.5 k, another 4.2 seconds after Freeman.
Bratrud said he never knew exactly how much he was leading by, but he did know that if he kept it up, he was on his way to his first national title and his best national finish by 23 places.
With U23 World Championships on his mind in his last year of eligibility (Bratrud turns 22 on Feb. 9th), the Minnesota native held his own and won the 15 k in 42:01.6, exactly 50 seconds ahead of Freeman, who started three minutes ahead of him.
“I was just excited the whole way; I’ve never been in the top 20 at U.S. nationals so that was a little bit an improvement,” he said with a laugh.
Last year at the U.S. championships in Midway, Utah, Bratrud posted a best result of 24th in the classic sprint. He was 29th in the 15 k classic and 48th in the 30 k freestyle mass start. Two seasons ago, he made it to the 2013 Junior World Championships in Liberec, Czech Republic.
“Last year [nationals] was at altitude and I don’t ski very well at altitude, so I didn’t feel like my results there were very indicative of where I should be,” he said. “I’ve had some good results at NCAA’s [Championships] and I knew at least a top 10 was possible, that was my goal, so to win was something else.”
His goal had been to peak at nationals, less than 1,000 feet above sea level in Houghton. With a win, he put himself in a prime spot to be nominated to the U23 World Championships team, which will be announced after the final national race next Saturday.
“To make U23s, you’ve got to race well at nationals,” he said. “I’ve been skating well all year so the 15 k was kind of my goal and I’m really excited for the 30 k as well, but it’s sweet to start the week with a win.”
Kyle Bratrud (second from r) with his mom, sister, dad and brother after he won the 15 k freestyle on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
His family was also there to watch him do so, including his mom, dad, sister and brother. Bratrud said he was happy to ski well in front of them, as well as several Midwest (and non-Midwest) friends and parents.
“Being from Northern Michigan, we ski here almost every weekend … so I knew the course really well and I knew where I could push myself and where I need to take it a bit easy,” he explained, emphasizing he attacked the long, gradual uphills as opposed to the steepest terrain. “It just felt like another Central Region race for me, just a few more people, but it was really good.”
Bratrud led two NMU skiers in the top five with sophomore Fredrik Schwencke in fifth, 1:11.6 back. In his second season at NMU (after coming to the university from Norway with assistant coach Haakon Baanerud last year), Schwencke also knew the Michigan Tech Trails well.
On Dec. 21, he won the CCSA 15 k classic race, edging Bratrud in third by 1.1 seconds.
“We know this course very well, we’ve raced here a lot and we know we have a good team,” Schwencke, 22, said after Sunday’s race while standing near his dad, who was visiting from Oslo, Norway, with his mom and brother.
While he was pleased to race well in front of his family, in Michigan for a week and a half and leaving before Thursday’s 30 k classic mass start, Schwencke thanked NMU head coach Sten Fjeldheim, the 2014 national collegiate coach of the year.
Matt Gelso (SVSEF) led NMU sophomore Fredrik Schwencke for most of the men’s 15 k freestyle individual race at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gelso placed fourth and Schwencke finished 18.8 seconds behind him in fifth.
“I was hoping for great skis and we had really great skis today,” Schwencke said. “I think our team benefits from slow conditions. We’re not that fast of skiers so we do well when it’s slow.
“It’s been two exciting years,” he added. “Today was a really good day. I feel much better in classic so it was kind of a surprise doing that well in skate so I’m really excited for the next couple races.”
Also for NMU, Adam Martin placed 13th and Ian Torchia was the top junior in 16th.
Fjeldheim called the men’s team’s performance “solid” and a direct result of an entire season of training. He was also proud that they’re all full-time students who trained 85 to 92 hours a month from September through November.
“Our guys have been super positive and they have been a really fun group to coach,” he said. “They have been working together really, really well. Not just our top four guys, but our whole men’s team; we have seven guys. We have some young enthusiasm in the team .. and right now, it is just good energy and solid training, you know, there is no secret.
As for Bratrud, Fjeldheim referred to him as a straight-A student with a “hell of a motor.”
“He has really made a huge commitment to this sport,” he explained. “We work a lot on balancing the athletes’ life between academics and athletics and I think that is what has really helped him. He has kept a really good perspective and I know and Kyle knows now that developing to be a good skier takes anywhere from five to ten years.”
Now that Bratrud has almost four years of collegiate-skiing experience, Fjeldheim said in another six, he could be “one of the best skiers we have had in a long time. He has just a really, really solid attitude.”
Freeman Second, Caldwell Captures Third
Kris Freeman (Freebird) racing to second in the men’s 15 k freestyle on the first day of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.
Freeman in second was surprised to see Bratrud at the top of the results list, but said that’s what nationals is all about.
“He wasn’t really on my radar, but I guess that’s what nationals is for — for people to come out of the woodwork,” the 34-year-old,16-time national champion said.
After a slower start than he would’ve liked, the four-time Olympian rallied to post the fastest splits through 23 starters.
“I was surprised I was behind in the splits early and I just fought as hard as I could,” Freeman said. “[In] the initial couple kilometers, I was twenty seconds down which was not normal and I didn’t go out easy, either, so I’m not sure what was going on there.”
He tried to latch onto Scott Patterson (APU), who started 15 seconds ahead of him, and closed on him in the first kilometer, but Patterson began to pull away on the initial long climb back up.
“I was getting pretty discouraged until we got to the top of the course and both he and [Sun Valley’s] Miles [Havlick, who started 30 seconds ahead of Freeman] came into view,” he added.
The three skied together and Freeman clawed back the time on Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth College/Stratton Mountain School T2/U.S. Ski Team) and Gelso, who started behind him.
“I guess it was OK,” Freeman said of his result. “I was second to Kyle, who had a hell of a day so, what can you do?”
Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMST2/U.S. Ski Team) racing to third in the men’s 15 k freestyle individual start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., for his first-ever podium (and top 15) at senior nationals.
The eventual third-place finisher, Caldwell was fifth fastest at the halfway point, 0.7 seconds behind Gelso in fourth, 1.1 behind Hanneman, and 5.3 back from Freeman — whom he started 30 seconds after.
“I was hearing five to twenty [seconds] behind Kris most of the time,” Caldwell recalled. “I saw him only once in the beginning of the race and then I was just hearing that I was some distance behind, but that’s all I heard.”
The 20 year old ended up third overall for his first senior-nationals podium, 2.7 seconds behind Freeman and one-tenth of a second ahead of Gelso in fourth. Last year at nationals in Utah, he was 16th in the 15 k classic for his previous best.
“That was awesome,” Caldwell said of Sunday’s race, after pulling his neck warmer over his eyes for a moment to defrost his eyelids. “It was definitely an intense race: real cold, snowy, a lot of people out there, which is really fun, but … tough. But it’s awesome doing a 7.5 k loop. I don’t know if I’ve ever done that, that was pretty fun.”
At his last race at the Eastern Cup in Middlebury, Vt., Caldwell won the 15 k freestyle mass start by a minute and 17 seconds. He explained that he used that event — which was of the same distance and skate format on a similarly hilly course — as a tuneup for nationals.
“I wanted to go as hard as I could that race … because I knew today was going to be a day with a lot of solo skiing, which it was” he said. “I skied by myself about the entire time [today] so I really wanted to test that out a couple weekends ago.”
Gelso started 1:45 behind Caldwell and nearly matched his time, but fell 0.1 seconds short.
“I am slightly disappointed in that. I was hoping to be a little higher,” Gelso said of fourth place.
After starting 15 seconds behind Schwencke, he caught up to the Norwegian within the first two kilometers and the two stayed together for much of the race. Schwencke called sticking with Gelso his “main task.”
“It was kind of nice … he caught up with me, I just tried to hang on,” he said. “He gapped me a bit at the very end, but … I benefited from that.”
Gelso topped Schwencke by 18.8 seconds at the finish. He spent the holidays at his home in Truckee, Calif., training at some 6,000 meters above sea level.
“Coming from altitude, I just wanted to go out hard because I would have the benefit of being able to recover quick,” Gelso reflected. “So go out hard and keep it rolling.”
At points throughout the race, he heard he was in second or third. At 7.5 k, his time ranked fourth, 0.4 seconds behind Hanneman.
“I knew it was super tight,” he said.
Rogan Brown of the University of Vermont placed sixth, 1:19.4 behind Bratrud, David Norris (APU) was seventh (+1:26.2), Matt Liebsch (XC United/Gear West) eighth (+1:27.3), Lex Treinen (APU) ninth (+1:45.6), and Patterson 10th (+1:49.7).
Hanneman ended up 11th (+1:53.9), and Havlick was 12th (+2:02.5).
One of APU’s World Cup skiers, Reese Hanneman was listed to start but did not race. According to APU Head Coach Erik Flora, he had been planning to race three out of four events at nationals.
“Going through Period 1 [on the World Cup] is a good stress and a good experience, and coming here, we are looking at the sprint races and the 30 k,” Flora said. “We thought focusing on the three out of the four was going to be a good way and that was going to give him an extra day of prep as well.”
During the women’s 10 k on Sunday afternoon, the sprint race was rescheduled from Monday to Tuesday because of forecast sub-zero temperatures and high winds. Flora said if they’d known about the switch beforehand, Reese Hanneman might have done the 15 k with an extra day of rest before the sprint.
Former U.S. Ski Team member Tad Elliott, of the Ski & Snowboard Club Vail Elite Team, was also missing from Sunday’s race as he recovered from “some sort of flu/cold” in Durango, Colo., he explained in an email.
“Then [I] coughed so hard I injured my back!” Elliott wrote. “I am on the mend and hope to show up later in the week to race. I am still in Colorado getting mom’s love and soup and broth!”
![Michigan Tech Huskies logo](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/07/Cdlm38jUAAAe7Sl.jpg")
![Left to right: APU head coach Erik Flora runs along side APU athletes Eric Packer and Reese Hanneman during the final of the men's 1.5 classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Packer won the event, while Hanneman took second.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_9923-e1452412155935.jpg")
![APU teammates and brothers Logan Hanneman (7) and Reese Hanneman (4) lead teammate Tyler Kornfield (17), Welly Ramsey (Mountain Endurance Sports) and Fredrik Schwencke of Northern Michigan University (far left) during their quarterfinal of the men's 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_9354-e1452411312711.jpg")
![The start of the men's classic sprint final (from left to right), with Didrik Elset of Michigan Tech, Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess of Bend Endurance Academy ), Tyler Kornfield (APU), and Reese Hanneman (APU) at the start of the final for the men's 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/2016-nordicNats-classicSprint-0198-S.jpg")
![APU coaches and wax techs celebrate with hugs after having three APU athletes in the top four, including overall race winner Eric Packer (not shown) for the men's 1.5 k classic sprint on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_9938-e1452411164850.jpg")
![Caitlin Patterson of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project trailing Chelsea Holmes of Alaska Pacific University with 200-meters to go in the women's 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson took the overall win in 1:01.03.5. Holmes placed second overall, 4 seconds behind Patterson.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_8826-e1452268547253.jpg")
![Chelsea Holmes (201) leads a train with Caitlin Patterson (202), Anne Hart (213), Katharine Ogden (203), and Eliska Hajkova and Erika Flowers (not shown) heading towards the lap lane during the women's 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson went on to win in 1:01.03.5.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_8542-e1452224704646.jpg")
![Chelsea Holmes of APU drives the front pack of women during the women's 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_8533.jpg")
![Stratton Mountain School skier Katharine Ogden and teammate Anne Hart head towards the finish of the women's 20 k freestyle mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Ogden placed third overall (+7.8) Hart fourth (+16.5).](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_8845-e1452223399428.jpg")
![Alaska Pacific University's Scott Patterson (l) leads Northern Michigan's Adam Martin during the second lap of the men's 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson won the individual start in 40:26.4 and Martin placed third (+20.6).](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/2016-nordicNats-6122.jpg")
![The men's 15 k classic podium on the first day of 2016 U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., with winner Scott Patterson (c) of APU, Canadian Kevin Sandau (l) of the AWCA in second, andAdam Martin (r) of NMU in third.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_6108-e1451865238450.jpg")
![Canadian Kevin Sandau (Alberta World Cup Academy) racing to second place in the men's 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/2016-nordicNats-6087.jpg")
![Alaska Pacific University's Eric Packer was the third American and fourth overall in the men's 15 k classic on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/2016-nordicNats-6075-e1451875496818.jpg")
![The Craftsbury Green Racing Project women's team: (from l to r) Caitlin Patterson, Kaitlynn Miller, coach Pepa Miloucheva, Liz Guiney, and Heather Mooney after the women's 15 k classic individual start on Sunday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Patterson and Miller placed first and second, respectively, on Sunday in the women's 10 k classic on Day 1 of U.S. nationals.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_6432-e1451874930841.jpg")
![From left to right: runner-up Kaitlyn Miller (CGRP), winner Caitlin Patterson (CGRP), and Chelsea Holmes (APU) in third on the podium in the U.S. nationals women's 10 k classic individual start on Sunday in Houghton, Michigan.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_6427-e1451871370821.jpg")
![Elevation profile of the 7.5 k course being used for U.S. nationals at the Michigan Tech trails in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/Screen-Shot-2016-01-02-at-8.17.32-PM.png")
![Kris Freeman (Freebird) clinches his 17th national title in the men's 30 k classic mass start, ahead of APU's Lex Treinen (left, behind), NMU's Kyle Bratrud (behind Treinen) and APU's Eric Packer (behind Freeman at right), at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Thursday in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/16050277180_33ecc88eae_b.jpg")
![Kris Freeman (near) and Dartmouth's Paddy Caldwell (l) skiing near the front of the pack around 2 k into the men's 30 k classic mass start on Thursday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/freeman-caldwell-around-2-k.jpg")
![Kris Freeman pushing hard for first with 200 meters to go in the men's 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Freeman-pushing-hard-with-200-meters-to-go.jpg")
![APU's Lex Treinen (111) celebrates his second-place finish and first national podium after the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/16050147068_88ee2c254b_b.jpg")
![Kyle Bratrud (NMU) and Scott Patterson (APU) leading the U.S. nationals men's 30 k mass start around 2 k on Thursday in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Bratrud-and-Patterson-leading-around-2-k.jpg")
![Sun Valley's Matt Gelso (l) and Miles Havlick (r) lead the 11-man pack (with a fleet of APU and NMU skiers) around 22 k in the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Gelso-and-Havlick-around-22-k.jpg")
![Jørgen Grav (University of Vermont) was an early frontrunner in the men's 30 k classic mass start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/16211697316_9a6c706aa4_b.jpg")
![Dakota Blackhorse-von Jess strides to a near seven-second win in Tuesday's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/DBHVJ_final.jpg")
![Men's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/BHVJ_morgan2.jpg")
![Men's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Saxton_Packer_Hanneman.jpg")
![Men's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Gregg_Hanneman_Hjulstuen1.jpg")
![Men's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Morgan.jpg")
![Men's 1.5 k classic sprint at the 2015 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Havlick_Grav2.jpg")
![Rosie Brennan (APU) celebrates her definitive win in the women's 1.5 k classic sprint on Tuesday at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich., where she notched her third national title. (Photo: Jake Ellingson)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Brennan_Sprint.jpg")
![Rosie Brennan leading her quarterfinal in Tuesday's 1.5 k classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Rosie-Brennan-leading-her-quarterfinal-Christopher-Schmidt.jpg")
![Katharine Ogden (SMS) winning the women's classic-sprint B-final on Tuesday at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Ogden3.jpg")
![Rosie Brennan (c), leads Liz Guiney (l) and Anne Hart shortly after the start in the women's 1.5 k classic sprint final at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Brennan-Liz-Guiney-and-Anne-Hart-early-in-the-final-Photo-Christopher-Schmidt.jpg")
![Becca Rorabaugh (10) leads Heather Mooney (l) and Liz Guiney (r) into the finish in the semifinal of the U.S. Cross Country Championships women's 1.5 k classic sprint on Tuesday in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/Rorabaugh_Mooney_Guiney.jpg")
![APU's Rosie Brennan (c) and Becca Rorabaugh (l) on the podium in first and second, respectively, and Liz Guiney (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) in third in the women's classic sprint at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/womens-classic-sprint-podium-with-Rorabaugh-Brennan-Guiney-Christopher-Schmidt.jpg")
![Anne Hart (SMST2) leads her quarterfinal ahead of Middlebury's Heather Mooney (16) and Northern Michigan University's Vivian Hett (6). (Photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/hart-leading-her-quarterfinal-Christopher-Schmidt-.jpg")
![Sixteen-year-old Hannah Halvorsen celebrates her quarterfinal win on Tuesday in the women's 15 k classic sprint at U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/halvorsen_1.jpg")
![NMU’s Kyle Bratrud leads Brian Gregg (Team Gregg/Madshus) around 5 k in the first of two laps in the men’s 15 k freestyle, the first race of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8506.jpg")
![Kyle Bratrud (second from r) with his mom, sister, dad and brother after he won the 15 k freestyle on Sunday at U.S. nationals.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8583.jpg")
![Matt Gelso (SVSEF) led NMU sophomore Fredrik Schwencke for most of the men's 15 k freestyle individual race at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich. Gelso placed fourth and Schwencke finished 18.8 seconds behind him in fifth.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8503.jpg")
![Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) racing to second in the men's 15 k freestyle on the first day of U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8481.jpg")
![Paddy Caldwell (Dartmouth/SMST2/U.S. Ski Team) racing to third in the men's 15 k freestyle individual start at U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich., for his first-ever podium (and top 15) at senior nationals.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2015/01/IMG_8487.jpg")