Fairfield's Morgan Arritola loves the hills, so Tuesday's course at the suited her fine.
Posting her best finish ever at the national championships, 18-year-old Community School graduate Arritola placed second just two meters behind eight-time national champion Rebecca Dussault in the 15-kilometer skate race at Soldier Hollow, Utah.
The Sun Valley Olympic Development Team racer stayed with America's top-ranked female cross-country skier over three laps on a wet and slushy course. Dussault finished in 46:17 and Arritola 46:20.
"It was a good event for Morgan," said Sun Valley Junior Nordic ski team coach Chris Grover afterward. "It will boost her standing for World Juniors later this winter in Slovenia. The Olympics is probably a stretch for Morgan this year, since she is still 16th or 17th on points."
Tuesday's 15k race was mass start. Dussault, 25, of Gunnison placed first, Arritola second and 26-year-old Larson from Bozeman was third in 46:31. Dussault and Larson are both members of the Subaru Factory Team. There were 49 finishers. Ketchum's Brooke Hovey of Rossignol ended up 10th in 48:50.
On his 28th birthday, Andrew Johnson of Vermont captured the national title in the men's 30k mass-start freestyle race Tuesday. Johnson, who trains at Soldier Hollow, actually finished second in 1.26:54 behind Subaru Factory Team racer Ivan Babikov, timed was 1.25:08.
Johnson's fellow U.S. Ski Teamers Carl Swenson (1.28:32) and Kris Freeman (1.29:10) placed third and fourth, while former Sun Valley Junior Nordic ski team racer Mike Sinnott of Dartmouth College was 14th of 39 finishers with a time of 1.36:38.
The top-ranked cross-country skiers from around the U.S. are competing Jan. 3-10 at Soldier Hollow. It's a last chance to qualify for the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Games at Torino, Italy. The Olympic team is announced Jan. 17. Up to eight men and up to eight women will be named to represent the U.S.
Here is the remaining schedule:
Thursday, Jan. 5—Men's and women's freestyle sprints.
Saturday, Jan. 7—Men's 15k classic and women's 10k classic.
Sunday, Jan. 8 --Women's 5k and men's 10K freestyle.
Tuesday, Jan. 10—Women's 20k pursuit and men's 35k pursuit.
