Locals Shine at U.S. Cross Country Championships

University of Utah skiers takes a 3^rd and a 4^th in Sunday’s Junior Events

Day five of competition at the U.S. Cross Country Championships held at Midway, Utah’s Soldier Hollow, found several members from local ski teams competing in at least one of the four events.  With participants from Team Soldier Hollow, Wasatch Nordic Ski Academy, the University of Utah, Utah Olympic Park Ski Club, and Park City Nordic Ski Club, it ended up being a pretty decent day of finishes for Utah, but it was the U that had the best showing out of the locals.

In the first race of the day, the Senior Men’s 20 km -30 km, it was Torin Koos, of the Bridger Ski Foundation, who had already won a Classic Sprint title on the first day of the championships, taking first, just three seconds over Eric Bjornsen from the APU Nordic Ski Center.  David Norris of Montana State University took the bronze.  Miles Havlick and Einar Ulsund, both from the University of Utah worked their way up in the field to finish 9^th and 10 respectively and Noe Bellet, also from the U, came across the line for a 15^th place finish.  Out of 184 competitors in this event, having three in the top 15 is a very nice finish.

Sadie Bjornsen triumphs in her first place finish.

Rose Kemp from the University of Utah collapses after crossing the finish line in 7th.

Next up were the women in the Senior 20 km – 30 km event.  In an amazing race that saw the top six run in a pack the entire distance, it was Sadie Bjornsen of the APU Nordic Ski Center pulling away from teammate, Kate Fitzgerald in the final stretch to take 1^st place.  Sophie Caldwell from Stratton Mt took third just ahead of Rosie Brennan, breaking up APU Nordic’s shot at a 1-2-3 finish.  Rose Kemp from the University of Utah put on an incredible performance as she dug her way up to the final pack and closed with a tremendous 7^th place finish.

In the Junior Men’s 10k Classic, Logan Hanneman, of the University of Alaska Fairbanks held on to the top spot at the end of the second lap around the circuit to take a first place finish.  Kyle Bratrud, from Northern Michigan University crossed the line six seconds behind to take second and the University of Utah’s own Tucker McCrerey, who had briefly held the lead, finished third. 

University of Utah's Tucker McCrerey (yellow cap) leads the field

Several young men from locally based ski clubs began to show their mettle in this event.  Crossing the line in 45^th place was Kyle Beling of the Park City Nordic Ski Club just eight seconds ahead of Karsten Hokanson of the Wasatch Nordic Ski Academy who took 51^st.  Hokanson’s teammate, Henry Gorman, finished just a few spots behnd in 56^th.  Coming in at just under four minutes of the top finisher was Team Soldier Hollow’s own Fischer Heimburger and Aren Burkemo, coming in at 75^th and 76^th places respectively.  Ben Grodner from Wasatch NSA came in 93^rd and Marc Jackson of Team Soldier Hollow finished three spots behind in 96^th.

Fischer Heimburger and Aren Burkemo of Team Soldier Hollow double-pole to the finish.

Marc Jackson of Team Soldier working towards his 96th place finish.

The Women’s Junior 5k saw Katharine Ogden of Stratton Mt School take first with Mary O’Connell of Dartmouth College coming in second.  Finishing in third was Heather Mooney from Middlebury College.  It was a close finish for the young ladies.  Sloan Storey of the University of Utah gave it her all down the stretch, but could not catch the top three and proudly took fourth place.

Mia Amelia Anderson of Wasatch NSC crossed the line just under a minute and a half after the winner and took 38^th place, while her teammate, Sophie McDonald came in 53^rd. 

The Women's Junior 5k went to the wire.

Two Adaptive SitSki races took place to finish out the day, the women’s 5k and men’s 10k.  Beth Requist outdueled Tatyana McFadden down the stretch to take first in the ladies event, while Daniel Cnossen crossed the finish in first for the men.

Competition continues through Wednesday with more exciting Free Sprint events on Monday and Tuesday with Biathlon Sprint Stand and SitSki races on the last day.