Spring ski racing continues!

Though Junior Nationals has come and gone, the snow has not! With great conditions all around New England, some more exciting racing has been going on over the past few weeks. Here's some photos and results. I'll try to go in chronological order:

L-R: Adam, Jason and Chad representing Mid-A and showing Alaska how to throw down on the Trapps course during the JN "Coach's Race", which took place mid-week in Stowe. Lots of athletes came out to cheer on (and laugh at?) their coaches during the race, which was a mass-start 5k classic. Team Mid-Atlantic had a great performance with myself (Adam) taking the win ahead of Alaska, with Jason and Chad not far behind in 3rd and 4th...nearly a podium sweep for team NY! (Ryan Young photo)

A few days later, Kyle Curry added another SLUSKI victory with a win in the 25k freestyle at the Lake Placid Loppet. (VanHo photo)Results

A day later in Richmond, VT, Eric and I competed in the inaugural Cochran's Nordic Cross event! This might give the Stowe Derby a run for it's money in terms of most fun ski race ever. Any nordic race that involves taking an alpine lift to the start is bound to be a good time...this race didn't disappoint with slalom gates, jumps galore, banked turns, backwards sections and ripping downhills...not to mention sun, blue skies and pancakes at the finish! I have no doubt Eric would have won had he not gone for a crowd-pleasing air off one of the bigger jumps and taken the world's most massive faceplant! Not that it mattered; I think everyone who raced was laughing the entire time

Results

Moving back to Trapps, the Frielinghaus men Will and Chris had a great series of races at the US Ski Orienteering National Championships in Stowe. Chris recorded 2 silvers in the middle and long distance events, while Will picked up 2 bronze medals in the middle and long distances (despite a broken pole). Congrats!

What's next in the racing scene? I don't want to spoil the news before it becomes official, but we are planning on hosting a ski race ON CAMPUS for the first time in who knows how many years...I am calling it the Larry Loppet (for those unaware, a "Larry" used to be a common moniker for SLU students) and it will be a fun, low-key event making use of our campus trail system and grooming equipment. More info when it it is finalized!