2011 Cross Country Ski Championship Women’s 10k Men’s 15K Exciting Classic Ski Racing
Cross Country Ski Racing. Once again snow making and snow shoveling was in the mix for the second race of the 2011 US Cross Country Ski Championships in Rumford, Maine. Just the day before racers walked the course wondering whether race organizers could move enough snow fast enough to get the race course ready. The original race course was adjusted to a modified course due to lack of snow. But the race organizers pulled it off and the ski racers waxed up their classic skis for a 10K and 15K race for women and men on January 5th.
The women’s 10k race finished in just over a half an hour. The women raced four laps around the 2.5km loop. Sadie Bjornsen of Alaska Pacific University took the gold, finishing in 32:09.9 minutes. Silver was captured by Morgan Smyth (Park City, UT) just 31 seconds behind Bjornsen and the U.S. Ski Team’s Morgan Arritola (Fairfield, ID) took the bronze finishing in 32:58.5 minutes. Bjornsen finished third in the first race of the event. Snow conditions were tricky and the nordic skiers really had to stay on their wax to get a good kick. But the wax and the conditions were right for Alaska Pacific University skiers who took multiple podium positions.
The men’s 15k classic race was six laps of 2.5km rolling hills. Lars Flora finished in first place with a time of 43:29.1 seconds. teammate James Southam finished in second, just 18.4 seconds behind first. Third place was captured by David Norris of Fairbanks, AK. Most of the cross country ski racers enjoyed the short loop.
