Relay Results: Men 2nd. Women 3rd. Go USA!

Today was our best of the trip. The women started the day with an amazing third place finish. Hilary Rich, Elisabeth Guiney and Katie Gill impressed the crowds with gutsy skiing and fast striding.

The challenge was set for the boys...who stepped up and took SECOND, losing only to Norway's first team. Our Alaskan trio went hard from the gun and stayed at the front of the race the whole way. Once again it was one of the neat moments where the Norwegian cell phones were ringing with each lap. "Ja. Finland...USA...10 second then Norway."

Wow.

With each leg the comments kept coming and the boys not only held on, but pushed the pace at the front. Truly cool!
Due to cold temps, the races were moved further up the mountain to the town of Krokhaugen. The tight, wooded trails lent themselves to the classic style, as the TD described as, "three times, the old fashioned way." He also later disclosed that he thought the US would not be able to keep up with Norway with this new format, as the race was supposed to have one classic and two skate legs. Turns out it suited us just fine.
Andrew Dougherty about to uncork one.
Coming up the final climb. At the end of the first leg Dougherty tagged off in second. That's Finland's poles right there!
And that is the Norwegian's view of Andrew.
Scott Patterson held strong to remain on the front. A Norwegian in tow.
Tyler rebounded from yesterday's skate race to distance himself from all but the Norwegian team that was just around the corner.
Hilary Rich's gutsy first leg brought her in just behind Norway. Coming into the finish.
Elisabeth Guiney skied a solid second leg, tagging off in third.
Guiney to Gill. GO!
Katie held on to it for Bronze!
The boys relay awards under Durtshci's watchful eye.
The Girls's Awards. Norway. Norway 2. USA. Sweden. Not too shabby.
Durtschi coming home for USA 2.
Rose to Ellis. USA 2 took seventh place. The tag zone was on a slight downhill and also served as the starting tracks...some twenty meters long all told.
There is more than one use for a Swix tuning bench. Here Lacy, Halvorsen and Gill illustrate the more exciting use, and easier way to go the 600 meters back down to the team vans.

We are travel waxing and getting ready for the drive back to Oslo. A great trip!

Many thanks to Dan and Brenna for all the help this week. We had great skis, well organized meals and travel, lots of smiles and some results to prove we're on the right track.

Till soon.
jb

Sprint Pictures

I will update this with more text in the coming days.

We had some great results in the Sprint Competition. Tyler Kornfield and Hilary Rich both narrowly missed the A Final and placed 9th and 7th in the Championship event. Five out of six of our girls advanced to the rounds. Four out of six of the boys advanced.
Lacy headed to the start. It was cold--the whole afternoon--and the entire sprint competition was processed in less than three hours. A very competitive field of local and international skiers battled on a lit track with firm tracks, quick corners and one large striding hill.
Alicia Rose headed into the first corner during qualification.
One of Tyler's heats. Notice the Swede going down at the front. Tyler fought like a bull the whole way, often leaving the start lanes near the back and battling his way through to finish strong.
On the home stretch against a Norwegian!
A well deserved award. K 74 Jump in the back round.