Baughman on Birkie podium again
Third in 51k race
Ketchum cross-country skier Brooke
Baughman, 30, once again climbed the podium in North America’s largest Nordic
ski race.
2003 Boulder Mountain Ski Tour queen
Baughman, second in the Birkie last year, placed third in the women’s division
of the 51-kilometer Johnson Bank American Birkbeiner Feb. 22 in Wisconsin.
Out of 3,416 skiers who started the 30th
anniversary Birkebiner, Baughman (2.25:17) finished 48th overall behind women’s
winner Lara Peyrot, 33, of Italy (2.24:21) and second-place Katerina Hanusova of
Truckee, Cal. (2.25:12).
Although an Italian man won the Birkie for
the third straight year, there were five Subaru Factory team men from the U.S.
in the top 15—and Ketchum’s Jon Engen, 45, had a great finish in 24th place
overall.
FIS Marathon Cup leader Gianantonio
Zanetel, 34, of Italy won his second Birkie in three years in 2.10:57.6 and
there ended up to be three Italians on the podium. Top American in fifth place
was Nathan Schultz, 31, of Colorado in 2.12:08.
Engen clocked 2.19:55. Ketchum’s Muffy
Ritz, 45, was second in her age class and the 16th woman in 2.41:19, good for
256th overall.
Two other Wood River Valley racers
finished the 2003 Birkie.
Frances St. Onge, 30, of Hailey did the
Birkie again and finished in 3.25:39, good for 16th in her age class, 77th among
women and 1,103rd overall. Peter Maier, 62, of Ketchum clocked 3.59:34, 35th in
his age class and 1,796th overall.
Yellowstone Rendezvous
Next on the American Ski Marathon Series circuit is the 24th
annual Yellowstone Rendezvous on Saturday, March 8 at 8:45 a.m. on the 25k loop
out of West Yellowstone, Mont.
New this year is wave seeding. You must pre-register by
Thursday, March 6 at 12 noon. No registration on Friday. Distances are 50k, 25k,
105, 5k and 2k. You can do the full 50k marathon if you’re 18-and-older.
Register online at
www.rendezvousskitrails.com