Tyson Flaharty (FAST) made it two for two with a victory at the wire, and the Alaska Nanooks Aurelia Korthauer led from wire to wire to win in the final race of the Besh Cup series at Birch Hill. Following the race, Cross Country Alaska announced the teams selected for the 2010 Junior Olympics in Presque Isle, Maine and the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

The weather on Sunday was a bit cooler than on Saturday — in the single digits above zero, rather than in the high teens to mid-20’s. However, the temperatures were perfect for rock-hard tracks and bomb-proof kick, a critical need if skiers wanted to get a good result on the very challenging courses which included some steep hills which tested the best skiers ability to run straight up and avoid herringboning.

The combination of the great conditions, challenging and well-prepared courses, and excellent race organization drew rave reviews from the competitors and the visiting coaches and parents. Hats off to the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks race crew for another great production. It wouldn’t happen without the great, knowledgeable, skilled, experienced and energetic volunteers.

In the women’s 10Km, Aurelia Korthauer celebrated her birthday by taking the lead from the gun. For the first couple of kilometers her teammate Teresia ”Te-Te” Schnurr and ANR’s Kinsey Loan kept pace, but by the time the skiers returned to the stadium at the end of the first lap, just before the 4Km mark, Korthauer had a huge lead that would only grow for the rest of the race. Both Schnurr and Loan would pay for their attempt to stay with Korthauer, as they faded to eighth and twelfth, respectively.

Meanwhile, many of the out-of-town Junior 1 and Older Junior high schoolers went out overly ambitiously, and were reeled in and then dropped by the UAF skiers who train regularly on the Birch Hill trails, as well as by local skier Hannah Boyer (FXC/WVHS). Pacing was crucial, and skiers who waited until finishing the climb out of the Black Funk loop to put down the hammer did well. Anna Coulter, who was just back of the three leaders early was the runner-up, Boyer moved up to third, Alaska Nanook Elisabeth Angeles ended sixth, and UAF redshirt skiers Heather Edic and Rebecca Konieczny placed ninth and tenth, just behind Schnurr, giving UAF six of the first 10 positions. Korthauer’s winning margin was 1:48.

The men’s 10Km followed a very different pattern, with a lead pack forming early, and the outcome of the battler for first in doubt until the final meters. Initially FAST’s Tyson Flaharty, David Norris and Logan Hanneman joined up with APU coach Dylan Watts to form the lead pack, with ALaska Nanook Tyler Kornfield close behind. However, by the time they had finished climbing out of the Black Funk and ascending the Ramp, it was a duel between Flaharty and Watts, who traded the lead for much of the rest of the race. Norris, just back from Junior World Championships in Hinterzarten, Germany, was relatively comfortable in third, but Nick Treinen (AWS), who hitched a ride with Norris on Saturday, reeled in Logan Hanneman to make a very tight race for fifth place.
Meanwhile, Kornfield, who had great success on these trails at the 2009 ASAA State High School Championships, looked like he was showing the effects of racing and traveling the the Junior World Championships, was slowly fading backward, and finished eighth.

Flaharty and Watts came down the finish lane side-by-side and Flaharty had the extra gas at the end, taking a close, but clear victory. Norris was third, and Hanneman, after getting caught by Treinen, was able to pull away at the end and snag fourth.

The other notable local result was by Pat Nugent (FXC/LHS)who needed a good result to make the JO team. Nugent appeared to be struggling at times, but worked his way up to a position that would assure him a spot on the team, and put on a hard sprint at the finish to hold his finish rank.

In the J2 Boys’ 5Km race, Lathrop HS’ Kyle Hanson cemented his position on the JO team with a third-place finish, one of his best results of the season. John Glen and Austin Hess (both AWS) placed 1-2. Among local skiers, Erich Hoefler (FAST) and Riley Troyer (WVHS) placed 5-6, and Kuba Grzeda was 10th.

Anchorage area skiers dominated the J2 Girls’ 5Km, with Marion Woods (AWS), Celia Haering and Mackenzie Flynn (both APU) taking the podium positions. Mikayla Hamlin (FXC) was the top Fairbanks skier in 10th.

Other class winners were:
J3’s – Lydia Blanchet and Jacob Bassett (APUNSC)
J4’s – Jenna DiFolco (JNC/NSCF) and Tracen Knopp (ANR)
J5’s – Amber Hajdukovich (JNC/NSCF) and Gus Schumacher (AWS)
J6’s – Halene Johnson (Weller) and Rudy Schumacher (AWS)

The Alaska Nanooks’ Julia Pierson and Team FAST’s Tyson Flaharty were the winners in Saturday’s Besh Cup racing on the Jim Whisenhant Ski Trails at Birch Hill Recreation Area.

Saturday’s event was an interval start (15-second intervals) event in free technique. Sunday’s race will be a mass start event in classic technique, beginning at 11:00AM. Sunday’s race is also the final event in the 6-race qualifying series that determines who will qualify for the Alaska teams to the 2010 Junior Olympics in Presque Isle, ME, and the 2010 Arctic Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alberta.

When the decision was made Wednesday night to hold the races as scheduled this weekend, the temperatures were very cold, but the forecast was positive. The weather changed as predicted, and even earlier than scheduled, so that temperatures at the start were in the mid-teens, and the mercury even touched +20F before the racing was concluded for the day.

The course used was the tradiitonal “Three Hills” course, using the Blue Loop, the East Ramp/Tower Direct climb, and the White Bear/White Bear Access ascent back to the stadium. This is the same course that will be used for the ASAA state high school championship girls 5Km interval start event at the end of this month.

Pierson beat her red-shirt teammate, Raphaela Sieber by only 0.3 seconds over the 5Km distance to take top honors. Next behind Sieber was Celia Haering, a J2 from Alaska Pacific University NSC (APU) at 15:02.4. Fairbanks Cross Country (FXC)/West Valley HS teammates Marisa Rorabaugh (1st OJ) and Hannah Boyer (1st J1) were fourth and fifth in 15:10.1 and 15:12.9, respectively.

Behind Haering in the J2 class were Stephanie Kirk of Alaska Nordic Racing (ANR), Marion Woods of Alaska Winter Stars (AWS), Maranda Merkes of Soldotna HS, And Eliza Rorabaugh (FXC/WVHS). Jessie Yeaton (OJ), Kryston McPhetres (J1/ANR) and Mackenzie Kanady (J1/AWS) rounded out the top five for J1/OJ girls.

The USSA points penalty for the women’s 5Km was 116.65.

The J1-OJ-SR-MA men did two laps of the women’s 5Km course. Tyson Flaharty of the Fairbanks Alaska Ski Team (FAST) was 21.9 seconds faster than APU coach Dylan Watts (25:55.8 to 26:17.7). FAST’s David Norris was third and was first in the J1/OJ rankings, Alaska Nanook John Parry of Whitehorse was fourth, and Nick Treinen (AWS) was 2nd OJ and 2nd in the J1/OJ rankings.

Three J1 skiers, Logan Hanneman (FAST), Forest Mahlen and Jack Novak (both APU), rounded out the top 5 in the J1/OJ group.

The USSA points penalty for the men’s 5Km was 60.78. The minimum penalty for regional NRL events for men is 55 points, so this was a very good opportunity for skiers to earn some excellent points with a fast race.

In the J2 boys 5Km, AWS took 1-2 with Austin Hess (14:08.0) and John Glen (14:20.2). Lathrop HS’ Kyle Hanson had an excellent race, placing third in 14:23.7. Douglas Watts (West Anchorage HS) and Jake Prince (AWS) were fourth and 5th.

Local skiers Kuba Grzeda (FAST/WVHS) and Riley Troyer (WVHS) helped their qualifying rankings by placing 6-7, and Eric Hoefler (FAST) was 9th. Eight J2 boys (and eight girls) will go to the Junior Olympics and four J2 boys (and 4 J2 girls) will go to the Arctic Winter Games.

APU’s Jacob Bassett and Tanner Ramey and FXC’s Max Donaldson filled the J3 podium, and Tracen Knopp (ANR), FXC’s Benjamin Koenig and Louis Bassett (APU) were on the steps for J4’s.

Lydia Blanchet (APU), Sarissa Lammers (ANR) and Taryn Hunt-Smith (APU) placed 1-2-3 in the J3 Girls class and Amber Lenze, Jenna DiFolco and Maya Yoshikawa (all Fairbanks Junior Nordic Competition Group/JNC) were on the J4 podium.

Among the littlest skiers, the J5 winners were Gus Schumacher and Amber Hajdukovich, and the J6 winners were Rudy Schumacher and Halene Johnson.

NOTE: Photos Courtesy of Bert Boyer

J2-J1-OJ-SR-MA Women 5Km
1. Julia Pierson, UAF,14:41.0
2. Raphaela Sieber 14:41.3
3. Celia Haering, APUNSC,15:02.4
4. Marisa Rorabaugh, FXC,15:10.1
5. Hannah Boyer, FXC,15:12.9
6. Jessie Yeaton 15:18.8
7. Kryston Mcphetres, ANR,15:24.0
8. Mackenzie Kanady, AWS,15:40.7
9. Tristan Ramey, AWS,15:43.2
10. Davya Flaharty, NSCF,15:51.4
11. Heather Edic 15:52.4
12. Emily Rogers, AWS,15:55.1
13. Rebecca Konieczny 16:03.0
14. Allison Ross, AWS,16:03.6
15. Stephanie Kirk, ANR,16:06.0
16. Greta Anderson, APUNSC,16:11.1
17. Marion Woods, AWS,16:11.3
18. Morgan Bender, ANR,16:15.5
19. Anna Price, AWS,16:19.2
20. Bree Mucha, ANR,16:20.0
21. Rebecca Mamrol, AWS,16:20.3
22. Kimberly Del Frate, ANR,16:20.4
23. Jasmine Clock, ANR,16:21.6
24. Megan Baker, AWS,16:27.8
25. Maranda Merkes, Soldotna HS,16:35.8
26. Brittany Hippe 16:44.2
27. Sarah Cresap, APUNSC,16:44.5
28. Eliza Rorabaugh, FXC,16:48.2
29. Amelia Hennessy, APUNSC,16:48.7
30. Mykaela Mcmullen, AWS,16:51.2
31. Becky Butler, AWS,16:52.6
32. Teagan Yutrzenka, AWS,17:05.2
33. Mackenzie Flynn, APUNSC,17:06.4
34. Deanne Martin, Soldotna HS,17:13.8
35. Elizabeth Whisenhant, FXC,17:13.9
36. Amanda Del Frate, ANR,17:14.7
37. Megan Edic, FXC,17:15.1
38. Bonnie Scott, ANR,17:22.9
39. Mikayla Hamlin, FXC,17:26.6
40. Tsaina Mahlen, APUNSC,17:30.5
41. Erica Barnhart, APUNSC,17:31.3
42. Ema Mayo, FAST,17:34.0
43. Alexandra Okeson, APUNSC,17:36.5
44. Christi Schmitz, North Pole, AK,17:39.6
45. Heidi Rader 17:44.6
46. Sheryl Loan, ANR,17:48.3
47. Jacqueline Klecka, ANR,18:00.6
48. Crystal Pitney 18:20.5
49. Kelly Schmitz, North Pole, AK,18:32.0
50. Kimberly Fitzgerald, Lathrop HS,18:40.1
51. Helen Sudkamp-walker, FXC,18:48.1
52. Claire Ferree, FXC,18:53.8
53. Shannon Wyatt 19:11.3
54. Jeanette Klecka, ANR,19:30.9
55. Madeline Button, FXC,19:52.1
56. Sarah Lilly, West Valley HS,19:58.2
57. Kristan Kelly 21:57.0
Junior 2 Boys 5Km
1. Austin Hess, AWS,14:08.0
2. John Glen, AWS,14:20.2
3. Kyle Hanson, Lathrop HS,14:23.7
4. Douglas Watts, West HS,14:29.0
5. Jake Prince, AWS,14:31.4
6. Jan (kuba) Grzeda, FAST,14:37.5
7. Riley Troyer, West Valley HS,14:37.6
8. Schyler Knopp, ANR,14:43.4
9. Erich Hoefler, FAST,14:43.7
10. Eric Backstrum, AWS,14:44.5
11. Alex Loan, ANR,14:52.4
12. David Mcphetres, ANR,15:05.3
13. Jack Parke, APUNSC,15:20.2
14. Lucas Michael, ANR,15:24.4
15. Auberin Strickland, Palmer HS,15:28.5
16. Hugh Cosgrave, AWS,15:31.6
17. Brandon Kowalski, FXC,15:57.0
18. Bobby Signor, Fairbanks Jr. Nordic,16:29.2
19. Josiah Martin, Soldotna HS,16:42.2

J1-OJ-SR-MA Men 10Km
1. Tyson Flaharty, FAST,25:55.8
2. Dylan Watts, APUNSC,26:17.7
3. David Norris, FAST/NTG/FISCHER,26:30.0
4. John Parry, UAF,26:38.4
5. Nick Treinen, AWS,26:45.9
6. Logan Hanneman, FAST,26:47.6
7. Forrest Mahlen, APUNSC,26:55.9
8. Jack Novak, APUNSC,27:02.3
9. Henri Soom, University of Alaska Fairbanks,27:04.6
10. Silas Talbot, AWS,27:14.2
11. Isaac Lammers, ANR,27:23.4
12. Bobby Miller, APUNSC,27:23.6
13. Ray Sabo, UAF,27:24.8
14. Cole Talbot, AWS,27:38.0
15. Carl Smith, ANR,27:45.7
16. Patrick Nugent, FXC,27:53.7
17. Erik Soederstroem, UAF,27:57.7
18. Don Haering, APUNSC,27:58.5
19. Neil Liotta, AWS,28:00.7
20. Kyle Barnhart, APUNSC,28:01.0
21. Nathaniel Knapp, APUNSC,28:04.3
22. Sam Dougherty, AWS,28:07.0
23. Noah Hagen, AWS,28:12.8
24. Lars Arneson 28:17.9
25. Cody Priest, AKSR,28:19.9
26. Peter Mamrol, AWS,28:21.5
27. Travis Semmens, ANR,28:28.4
28. Galen Johnston 28:32.9
29. Stefan Hajdukovich, FXC,28:35.7
30. Erin Phillips, APUNSC,29:01.1
31. Eric Ryan, AWS,29:02.8
32. Andrew Arnold, Grace Christian,29:03.9
33. Benjamin Fitzgerald, ANR,29:11.6
34. Dunedin Strickland, ANR,29:13.6
35. Hunter Jackinsky, ANR,29:24.0
36. Scott Wheeler, APUNSC,29:29.1
37. Anders Nyquist, ANR,29:31.6
38. David Durst, FXC,29:42.8
39. Erik Gorman 29:48.5
40. Vanya Rybkin, FXC,29:51.1
41. Ian Wilkinson, Fairbanks, AK,29:55.4
42. William Coleman, NSCF,30:00.2
43. David Edic, NSCF,30:12.8
44. Werner Hoefler, FAST,30:19.0
45. Jani Lane, AWS,30:30.7
46. Dan Bradley, ANR,30:33.6
47. Wyatt Mayo, FAST,30:36.3
48. Bad Bob Baker 31:49.5
49. Davis Dunlap, ANR,31:53.5
50. Bryce Monaco 31:55.4
51. Kipp Wilkinson, FXC,32:06.0
52. Mike Hajdukovich, Fairbanks, aK,32:47.9
53. Zach Keskinen, West Valley HS,33:05.3
54. Michael Kowalski, FXC,33:06.8
55. Gerry Hovda 33:54.5
56. Mark F Smith 33:55.0
57. Bruce Talbot, NSAA,35:12.3
58. James Lilly 36:16.1
59. Gunnar Knapp, NSAA,36:35.9
60. Matt Stoller 37:55.8

Bend, Oregon – Racers from across the Pacific Northwest skated through a fresh snowstorm on the first day of the Sunnyside Junior Olympic Qualifier and enjoyed fast tracks and clear skies for the Classic race.

Photos

Results

Photos from the U23 Championship women’s pursuit.  Astrid Oeyre Slind (NOR) took the gold.

A complete report on this race can be found here.

Photos of the Men’s U23 pursuit at U23 Championships in Germany.  Paul Pepene (ROU) won the event with American Tad Elliot finishing 21st, in another great day of racing at Hinterzarten.

A full report on the race can be found here.