Visit FasterSkier.com →

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.

Tag: National Championships

Lustgarten in Green Wins 30 k Classic National Championship

Craftsbury Green Racing Project’s Ben Lustgarten on his way to winning the 30 k classic mass start at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Tuesday at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

MIDWAY, Utah — During the men’s 30-kilometer classic mass start on Tuesday at U.S. Cross Country Championships, the eastern slope of the Wasatch was wrapped in a blanket of snow that came periodically throughout the championship week. Beyond the white, race-time skies were slate gray, the leafless limbs of Soldier Hollow’s scrub oak the only sign that during spring and summer, this high-desert place could be verdant.

Green: the most impressionable color during eights laps of the men’s 30 k.

Scott Patterson (1) and Ben Lustgarten (14) leading Kris Freeman (9), and Brian Gregg (behind Patterson) during Tuesday’s 30 k classic mass start at 2017 U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

For the first three of those laps, Ben Lustgarten of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project (CGRP), David Norris and Scott Patterson of Alaska Pacific University (APU), Brian Gregg (Team Gregg), and Kris Freeman (Team Freebird), and Canadian Knute Johnsgaard (Alberta World Cup Academy/National U25 Team) were off the front. The lead skier changed periodically, maybe a calculus of nobody wanting to work through the considerable wind, or a testament to the prowess of the group. For a time, no one seemed to dare expose themselves as not belonging.

In a classic race such as this when the kick is solid, the skis running speed smile-worthy, the fitness at an apex, there’s nothing else to do than eventually take a risk.

“I just went out easy, I wanted to stay near the front,” Lustgarten said about the first half of the race. “I didn’t want to lead as much as I did, because there was a pretty strong wind out there, so I was kind of going easy over the hills to let them catch me and stay behind them, tactically.”

For a time the 24-year-old Lustgarten said his nerves kept him from pushing the pace.

“I didn’t want to lead,” he added. “I know those guys would come in strong, I didn’t want to be too cocky, go out too fast and get caught, I really wanted to avoid that. Those guys are fast, I knew that any one of us could have won. I was nervous.”

The Burlington, Vt., native clad in a green-highlighted suit stole the 30 k classic show, winning in 1:21:06. Lap by lap, his performance became one of staying with the leaders to one of simply listening to his body and exploiting his good skis and eventually lighting out on his own.

Lap 6 was decisive.

“David Norris was kind of with me for a little bit, Lap 6, and I kinda gapped him a bit over some climbs, and I said, ‘You know what? I’m just gonna try to go for it, I’m feeling good, I don’t want to get it down to a sprint,’ and I just sent it.”

Norris hung on. Lustgarten’s move broke the others in the group but simply turned the screws slowly on Norris. At the start of the seventh lap, despite Lustgarten’s accelerations, Norris could be seen three meters arrears of Lustgarten.

Ben Lustgarten (14) celebrating his first career win at the domestic level with a national title in the men’s 30 k classic mass start on Tuesday at 2017 U.S. nationals at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

Come the eighth lap, it was Lustgarten’s race. Norris finished second, 37.5 seconds later, and Freeman placed third, 1:42.6 minutes behind Lustgarten. Patterson, Gregg and Johnsgaard finished in fourth (+1:55.4), fifth (+2:03.7) and sixth (+2:43.8), respectively.

“I was kinda struggling the first two laps,” Norris told FasterSkier after the race. “But my skis were really fast, and no kick, but I could run the hills and kinda keep catching back up on the downhills and flats, just with the speed of my skis. At that point, once the things kind of settled in, I was struggling on the hills, but my skis continued to be fast.”

Norris didn’t fold with less-than-ideal kick, but he had other ambitions.

“I was hoping to win. That was my goal,” Norris said. “I’ve been on the podium several times I was hoping this year was the year to finally win.”

In fact, if Las Vegas ran odds on distance classic events at U.S. nationals, Norris’s name would be a wise bet: Tuesday’s second place for Norris was his fifth national podium and his third in the 30 k classic.

At 36, Freeman remains a skiing force. But by the sixth lap, the four-time Olympian was 17 seconds behind Lustgarten, but still jousting with Patterson and Gregg. The trio remained together until the eighth lap when Freeman gambled.

“Scott just had great energy, his skis were really fast, but he was slick,” Freeman said of his podium-making move. “And then I was skiing with Brian, who also had really good kick and Scott who had terrible kick, so I actually tried to drop Brian on the second hill, which I saw him struggling on the last lap. And then I tried to drop Patterson on Hermod’s [hill] when he didn’t have any kick. I was suffering, and I was definitely strategizing. I was really glad that Patterson didn’t have any answer on Hermod’s, because my move was partially a bluff.”

The men’s 30 k classic mass start podium 2017 U.S. nationals on Tuesday at Soldier Hollow. From left to right: David Norris (APU) in second, Ben Lustgarten (CGRP) in first, and Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) in third.

Freeman’s bluff was just enough for third. The four time Olympian had his eyes set on 2017 World Championships beginning in late February in Lahti, Finland.

“The ultimate goal for my season this year was to race the 15 k at World Championships. You know, fourth and third at [this year’s] nationals, it’s going to be a real long shot to get selected for that,” Freeman said. “In that respect, I am disappointed. For how I felt in these races, I felt strong, I felt I skied well. I think the field is competitive, we’re definitely getting better as a nation. Still in it, I’ll be back next year and hopefully make the Olympic team.”

For as much as Freeman has been an icon on the U.S nordic ski scene and consistent podium threat, Lustgarten was a dark horse.

“It’s a surprise,” Lustgarten said of his win. Considering SuperTours, NorAms, and U.S. nationals, it was his first win. His first podium came last month at the SuperTour 15 k classic in West Yellowstone, Mont.

SoHo’s course is cut into an open side of a mountain, where much of the 30 k course was visible from a single vantage point. On this blustery, monochromatic day, it was all Green.

Results

January 11, 2017
Top Step: CXC’s Bratrud Wins Another National 15 k Skate Title
The “American” podium at U.S. Cross Country Championships for the men’s 15 k freestyle, with Kyle Bratrud of CXC (c) in first, Tad Elliott of SSCV (l) in second, and Patrick Caldwell of SMS (r) third. Moritz Madlener of Germany, competing for the University of Denver, was third overall and ahead of Caldwell.

MIDWAY, Utah — On Saturday at Soldier Hollow (SoHo) many of the variables that make cross-country skiing a conundrum were in play: morning fog and early hours, -8° Fahrenheit temps, a reluctant and too timid sun, a mix of artificial and natural snow.

It didn’t take a robust microphone to pick up the all-too-familiar sound of hard-packed, arctic-cold snow — think styrofoam.

For the men’s race, starting at 1 p.m., the morning’s slow snow had morphed into a slightly more efficient gliding surface. The Central Cross Country (CXC) Team’s 23-year-old Kyle Bratrud made the most of it. He gapped the field and won Saturday’s 15-kilometer freestyle individual start in 34:52 minutes, repeating his title earned at 2015 U.S. nationals in Houghton, Mich.

Two-time World Championships team member Tad Elliott of Ski and Snowboard Club Vail (SSCV) placed second (+21.6).

Germany’s Moritz Madlener, a senior at the University of Denver and double podium finisher at last year’s NCAA Championships, took the third podium spot (+30.4). However, only 0.7 seconds back in fourth was Patrick Caldwell of the Stratton Mountain School (SMS). As the next-best U.S. finisher, Caldwell, a U.S. Ski Team D-team member, was the third American in the talent-deep field.

Kris Freeman (Team Freebird) was fifth overall (+36.0) and Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation (SVSEF) Gold Team member John Hegman placed sixth (+37.9). The pair were the fourth- and fifth-best Americans.

Another Title for Bratrud

Where this reporter sat in the SoHo infield — an intersection of the lap/finish lane in one direction and the beginning of a gutting climb in the other — the names Gelso, Patterson, Elliott, and Freeman were being shouted by coaches communicating who was at the sharp end of the leaderboard.

CXC’s Kyle Bratrud on his way to winning the men’s 15 k freestyle at 2017 U.S. nationals on Saturday at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

The name Bratrud was missing. Yet his statement was loud and clear, winning by 21.6 seconds over multiple national champion Elliott.

“Two years ago when I had a really good season, I basically started every race as fast as I could and either I blew up or did really well because I had a big lead,” Bratrud told FasterSkier after the podium ceremony.

“This last year, being at altitude for these first SuperTours really helped me feel what a good pace is, especially at altitude,” he continued. “I noticed some heart rates where I could sit for a while. If I went too far above that, then I would blow up. I tried to just stick with that and go off the feel of it, but make sure I was in control. I felt good the entire time.”

Although he lives and trains at low altitude, Bratrud’s month out west for early SuperTours and a seven day pre-race stay near SoHo mitigated any altitude adjustment concerns.

“The breathing was high, but it was manageable,” Bratrud said.

The upcoming World Championships in Lahti, Finland, loom large on the horizon for many skiers at nationals. That’s certainly the case for Bratrud, who also competed in 2015 World Championships in Falun, Sweden.

“[World Championships] has been my objective since the summer began, so this puts me in a position for it,” Bratrud said. “I knew after the SuperTours I was a little out of [the running]. I needed to get on the podium in one or both of these races. So today was a good start. I’m excited about the sprint tomorrow, but the 30 k is my next focus.”

The field should pay attention. Four days after winning his 2015 national title race, Bratrud placed third in the 30 k mass start classic in Houghton.

Tad Elliott (SSCV) skiing to second in the men’s 15 k freestyle at U.S. Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Soldier Hollow in Midway, Utah.

American Podium

No stranger to national podiums is the sinewy Elliott.
- First in the 2011 U.S. nationals 30 k skate in Rumford, Maine.
- First in the 2012 national 15 k skate, also in Rumford.
- First in the 2016 national 30 k skate mass start.
Elliott has been second at nationals on five other occasion before Saturday. Take a breather at SoHo’s higher-than-most venue? Not really happening for Elliott: he’s 28 years old and charging.

Upbeat and grateful, Elliott, standing next to his twin brother Evan, mentioned the moment was special.

“It feels good to finish second, for sure,” Elliott said. “I mean, any time you get on the podium, especially at a race like this, it always feels good. My whole family is here except for my sister. But my twin brother Evan waxed my skis. My dad’s here. It’s also my mother’s birthday, she’s here watching, so that was cool, for sure.”

Elliott competed at 2011 and 2013 World Championships. But for a time, he was uncertain of his longevity in the sport as he struggled with fatigue and illness. Incrementally, and as indicated with his nationals win last year, Elliott remains a contender.

“It’s still a long road, I mean, there’s still times where it’s like a rollercoaster,” Elliott said of his gradual return to form. “I’m on the upswing. It’s good in that the symptoms are getting less and less. But I think the main thing today to get on the podium was wisdom: knowing to start slow, knowing to be in control, knowing you can throw down the last lap.”

Elliott also deflected some of the attention and took a moment to reflect on Bratrud’s dominance.

“Huge congrats to Kyle Bratrud, that kid was unbeatable today from the time gap we saw,” he marveled. “That’s quite an impressive effort for him. He’s a young guy too, it’s cool to see. I mean, he came from low altitude, and won here.”

As the third-fastest American, Caldwell stood on the “American” podium on Saturday. The Vermont-based skier has already qualified for U23 World Championships, to be held at SoHo at the end of the month.

“I think going into the day I wasn’t thinking about results as much as just hoping to feel good on the day, and give it my all out there,” Caldwell said after. “And I was definitely really psyched to be in contention for the podium. Bummed to miss [the overall podium] by a close margin, but I was definitely happy with the result overall.”

The race was as much a learning experience as a results oriented end game for Caldwell.

“I’d say the big takeaway is figuring out pacing, it’s definitely tricky up here at altitude,” Caldwell said. “And I think having the chance to race here before U23’s is going to be a huge advantage in figuring out pacing and trying to figure out where you can redline, where you have to keep it under control, and that kind of thing.”

Nationals continue Sunday with a full day of men’s and women’s classic sprints.

Results
January 8, 2017
Nordic Combined Championships Set For Placid

LAKE PLACID, New York – For the second straight season, the best nordic combined and jumping athletes will compete on plastic jumps and roller skis as they attempt to make their mark as America’s finest. The U.S. Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined Championships hit Lake Placid during the town’s annual Flaming Leaves Festival Oct. 10 and it will be only the second time the event is held off snow.

“This has proven to be an ideal time of year to hold U.S. Championships for our nordic combined and ski jumping athletes as it offers a perfect tune-up for the upcoming World Cup and Continental Cup seasons,” U.S. Nordic Program Director John Farra said. “Lake Placid did a superb job in the first non-winter U.S. Championships we held last October, and we look forward to continued success with the event this year.”

The championships, which are expected to attract more than 50 of the nation’s best nordic athletes, will feature a K90 jumping event for men and women. Nordic combined athletes will also jump the K90 as well as compete in a 10K ski race on roller skis.

“We are pleased to host this prestigious event and look forward to an exciting competition. We know these young men and women will be performing at their highest level and our staff at the Intervale Jumping Complex will provide them with the best possible venue to succeed,” said Jim Goff, ORDA Director of Events. “In conjunction, we also will host a public celebration and send-off for the more than 200 athletes from the many different sports who are training and competing in Lake Placid as they endeavor to make the 2010 U.S. Olympic team.”

According to Farra, the event will be an opportunity to showcase the season’s already successful jumping athletes, along with three World Champion athletes.

“It will be exciting to see if jumpers Sarah Hendrickson (Park City, UT) and Nicolas Alexander (Park City, UT) can keep up their impressive jumping that we have seen from them in the Continental Cups and Grand Prix summer events,” Farra said. “Much attention will also turn to the three World Champions, home grown Billy Demong (Vermontville, NY), Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, CO) and Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) to see if they can keep the advantage over all the men fighting for Olympic spots just months away.”

Demong, who won World Championship gold in 2009, is excited to be back in Placid to compete, as well as spend some time with the cross country athletes.

“I’m really excited to go back to Placid again to compete. It is sort of the first real competition of the year and everybody is really fired up. There is sort of a team itch that everybody wants to get started. We’re looking forward to winter also, but it’s a beautiful time of year to be in Lake Placid,” Demong said. “Having the cross country team in town, as well as the entire nordic combined ski jumping nation, is a really productive camp with a lot of crossover.”

Last season’s victories went to Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, CO) in nordic combined, and Lindsey Van (Park City, UT) and Anders Johnson (Park City, UT) in ski jumping. This year, a new crop of athletes will be looking to put their name in the top spot during the event, which coincides with the Columbus Day weekend in October.

Source: USSA

September 16, 2009