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.
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)
Miller of CGRP (bib 101) out sprints Hart (bib 109) for the win in the final of the classic sprints (photo: Christopher Schmidt)
HOUGHTON, Mich. — Kaitlynn Miller took charge of every heat she raced in during the women’s 1.5-kilometer classic sprint on Saturday, and in doing so, earned her first national title in the final race of 2016 U.S. Cross Country Championships.
Miller, of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, started the day with the fastest qualifying time of 4:19.42 minutes, 3.5 seconds faster than teammate Liz Guiney in second. The 24-year-old Miller went on to win her quarterfinal and semifinal en route to a commanding victory in the final over Anne Hart of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS) T2 Team and Jennie Bender (Bridger Ski Foundation), respectively.
Earlier this week in the freestyle sprint at nationals, Bender had edged Hart for the win, Craftsbury’s Caitlin Patterson placed third, and Miller finished 0.7 seconds off the podium in fourth. Not all was lost: Miller had finished second to Patterson in the 10 k classic the day before for her first-ever podium at nationals.
But on Saturday, the 24-year-old Miller seized the opportunity to stand one step higher on the podium, made possible by a no-nonsense strategy.
The classic sprint was held on the same 1.5 k course as the freestyle sprint on Monday, featuring a descent at the start, followed by a punchy climb and descent and then a long uphill grind to the finish.
Miller’s strategy was to take it out hard so she could lead and have more control of her race.
“I really like to be able to pick my line on the downhills and choose my track on the way up,” she explained after the final. “It keeps me away from some of the mayhem.”
Her aggressive approach was rewarded as she won both her quarterfinal and semifinal, first by 0.17 seconds ahead of Patterson and then by 1.09 seconds over Bender.
Six women line up for the start of the classic sprint final on the final day of racing at U.S. Nationals in Houghton (photo: Christopher Schmidt)
“I figured if it worked in the quarterfinal and the semifinal, I would do it in the final,” Miller said.
Again in the final, Miller took it out hard from the line while Hart tucked in behind her. Together they gapped the field, making it a two-woman race for the title.
“I knew Kaitlynn Miller was having a really great day so my tactic was to get right on her and hopefully pull it off in the end,” Hart, 23, said.
Behind them, Bender, Patterson, Becca Rorabaugh of Alaska Pacific University (APU), and Natalia Naryskina of Central Cross Country (CXC) jostled for the remaining places.
Bender found herself in last heading down the first hill after picking a slow track off the start.
“I actually got gapped a bit down that first hill and had to work a bit harder to catch up, but I charged the last hill to get into third,” she explained.
Bender’s surge wasn’t quite enough to catch Miller and Hart, and she finished third, 4.19 seconds off Miller’s winning time of 4:16.53.
As the two race leaders sprinted up into the stadium and into the finishing straight, it was all Miller.
“We came to the finishing straightaway together and I swung out to try and pass her, but I just didn’t have it today,” Hart said. Miller held her off by 1.24 seconds for the win.
For Hart, it was her second runner-up performance in as many sprints this week.
“I really wanted to win, but if you would have told me a year ago that I would have been disappointed with second, I wouldn’t know what you were talking about,” she said. “It’s a great, competitive group of women and U.S. skiing is really taking off, especially on the women’s side, so any day you can be second is a good day.”
Following a freestyle sprint title on Monday, Bender achieved her second podium of the week in third.
“I am always hoping one of these years I’ll get a double-win in the sprints, but considering my classic sprinting has been touch and go, I’m happy with third,” Bender said. She has won two U.S. nationals skate sprints (2016 and 2014) as well as a classic sprint (2013) in her career.
Miller (CGRP) takes her first national title in the classic sprints. Hart (SMST2) and Bender (BSF) added to their sprint podium count at U.S. Nationals taking second and third respectively (photo: Christopher Schmidt)
Patterson had to recover from some tactical missteps when she found herself boxed out after a slow start and lost momentum when she was forced wide on the icy and washed-out downhill corner.
“At that point I had a free track in front of me, but not so much momentum or energy,” Patterson recalled. “I tucked behind Jennie and almost covered that move, but she had a little more energy than me coming into the final stretch.”
Patterson placed fourth, 2.28 seconds short of her fourth podium in four races this week after winning both distance races (the 10 k classic individual start and 20 k freestyle mass start).
Rorabaugh finished nearly 10 seconds after Patterson in fifth (+16.25). Like Patterson, she also said she made some sub-optimal tactical decisions in the final, which kept her from fighting for a podium.
“The course is more tricky when it is not as slow as last year,” Rorabaugh explained, referring to the heavy snowfall that made last year’s classic sprint at nationals in Houghton feel like an endurance race. “This year you need to make decisions about when to kick and when to double pole.
“In all honesty, I think people skied really well in the final,” she added. “People made good moves in the right places and I was just on my heels a bit.”
Naryskina followed in sixth (+29.94) after advancing to the final based on time, as a two-time “lucky loser” out of both her semifinal and quarterfinal.
Bender also attested to the strength of the field. “The other two girls [Miller and Hart] were striding really well,” she said. “I’m happy to be on the podium. It was a fight out there for sure.”
Craftsbury teammates Kaitlynn Miller (r) and Caitlin Patterson (111) lead CXC’s Natalia Naryshkina in their classic-sprint quarterfinal on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, MIch. Miller edged Patterson by 0.17 seconds to win the heat and went on to win the final for her first national title.
Patterson was thrilled for her teammate. “I could see her up ahead on the finishing straightaway ahead of Anne and even though I was suffering and trying to maybe catch third, I was so excited for her,” she recalled.
For Miller, this was the pinnacle of a week of personal bests.
“I am really excited. I was surprised, but I was looking forward to this race and I just went out there and gave it all I had,” she said. “I carried my momentum from my qualifier, through the heats and to the final.”
Miller’s results at 2016 nationals have elevated her to second in the overall SuperTour standings behind Patterson. As the overall leader, Patterson plans to race Period 3 of the World Cup and will depart for Europe in late January.
Period 2 SuperTour action will resume January 30-31 in Lake Placid, N.Y.
![Miller of CGRP (bib 101) outsprints Hart (bib 109) for the win in the final of the classic sprints (photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/classic-finish.jpg")
![Six women line up for the start of the classic sprint final on the final day of racing at U.S. Nationals in Houghton](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/classic-sprint-start.jpg")
![Miller (CGRP) takes her first national title in the classic sprints. Hart (SMST2) and Bender (BSF) added to their sprint podium count at U.S. Nationals taking second and third respectively (photo: Christopher Schmidt)](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/classic-podium.jpg")
![Craftsbury teammates Kaitlynn Miller (r) and Caitlin Patterson (111) lead CXC's Natalia Naryshkina in their classic-sprint quarterfinal on Saturday at U.S. nationals in Houghton, MIch. Miller edged Patterson by 0.17 seconds to win the heat and went on to win the final for her first national title.](http://fasterskier.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2016/01/IMG_9502-e1452397710415.jpg")