Holt 8th at Nordic nationals in Maine

Makes top ten in women’s 15k skate

Dartmouth College’s Abi Holt, 21, of Ketchum had an outstanding women’s 15-kilometer effort Saturday on the first day of the 1999 Chevy Truck U.S. National Cross-Country Ski Championships at Rumford, Me.

Holt, a Sun Valley Junior Nordic ski team product, placed 8th of 65 female finishers in 46 minutes and 39 seconds—just 2:56 behind winner Nina Kemppel, 28, the Olympian from Anchorage, Ak. (43:43). It was Kemppel’s fourth national title.

Last March at nationals in Oregon, Holt placed 15th in 5k classic and 21st in 10k freestyle, so Saturday’s result was her best-ever at a national competition. The women raced 5k classic and the men tackled 10k freestyle Tuesday.

Ketchum’s Jen Douglas of WIND (Women in Nordic Development) was Saturday’s silver medalist just 24 seconds behind Kemppel. Former Sun Valley skier Hilary Patzer of Middlebury finished 14th in 48:06.

John Bauer, 29, of Minnesota (1.13:43) captured his ninth national title by winning Saturday’s men’s 30k freestyle race. Hailey’s Pat Casey (1.20:56) was 20th of 76 skiers.

Kemppel is the only skier who has qualified for the U.S. team headed to the World Nordic Ski Championships Feb. 18-28 at Ramsau, Austria. She did so by earning World Cup points in Davos, Switz. just before Christmas.

So, this week’s American championships will determine four women’s berths and five men’s spots for February’s world meet.

Results from Rumford:

Senior women’s 15k freestyle: 1—Kemppel 43:43. 2—Douglas 44:07. 3—Tessa Benoit (Vt.) 45:08. 4—Rebecca Quinn (Colo.) 45:21. 5—Sarah Conrad (Mt.) 46:19. 8—Holt 46:39. 14—Patzer 48:06. 23—Kelly McCann 49:33. 25—Jennifer Fayette 49:37. 31—Heidi Rhinehart 50:52. DNF—Heidi Poehling.

Senior men’s 30k freestyle: 1—Bauer 1.13:43. 2—Carl Swenson (Co.) 1.13:51. 3—Marcus Nash (Me.) 1.14:37. 4—Justin Wadsworth (Ore.) 1.14:45. 5—Marc Gilbertson (Vt.) 1.14:55. 20—Casey 1.20:56. 44—Matt Cleveland 1.28:42. 46—Pat Sinnott 1.28:48. 65—Robert Parker 1.33:37. 73—Will Resko 1.36:41. DNF—Toby Ripsom.