Record high temperatures of 41 degrees greeted a huge field of 424 cross-country ski racers Wednesday on the opening day of the 2007 U.S. Cross Country Championships at the Michigan Tech Nordic Training Center in Houghton, Mich.
Two-time Olympian Kris Freeman, 26, of New Hampshire, who won four straight SuperTour races after returning from a snowless Europe in December, continued his hot streak in the Michigan heat with a 42-second victory in the men's 10-kilometer classic with 248 racers.
U.S. Ski Teamers placing 2-3-4 after Freeman's seventh national championship were Andrew Newell, Chris Cook and Andrew Johnson. Former Sun Valley Junior Nordic ski team racer Lars Flora of the Subaru Factory Team was fifth, 1:03 behind Freeman's winning 25:07 clocking.
The top U-23 man Wednesday was Ketchum's Mike Sinnott of Dartmouth College, in 12th place overall at 26:46, 1:39 back.
Meanwhile, Sun Valley Olympic Development racer Kate Whitcomb, 26, was 10th of 174 women in the 5k classic national championship with a time of 15:32. It was 41 seconds behind winner Lindsey Weier, 22, of Northern Michigan University. Two-time Olympian Weier won her first-ever national gold medal.
Posting another outstanding result in a field of older, more experienced racers was Older Junior winner Alexa Turzian, 18, of the Sun Valley Junior Nordic team. She was 13th in 15:42, 0:51 back. Turzian finished eight seconds ahead of Fairfield's 20-year-old Morgan Arritola, who was 18th overall in 15:50. Arritola's strength is freestyle.
Sun Valley's Reid Pletcher and Mali Noyes podiumed in their classes with third-place finishes.
This week's races are part of the $130,000 Cross Country Super Tour, with double points awarded. Nationals continued Thursday with the 15k men's and 10k women's freestyle. Forecasters predicted warmer temperatures, making it tough to wax. Classic sprints are Saturday.
For more details visit seniornationals.org. The following are Wednesday's local classic results:
Men's 10k classic: 1—Kris Freeman 25:07. 5—Lars Flora 26:10. 12—Mike Sinnott 26:46. 15—Zach Simons 26:49. 31—Reid Pletcher (3rd OJ) 27:47. 60—Colin Struthers 29:19. 77—Taylor Sundali 30:06. 79—Ian Havlick 30:08. 95—Mike Matteson 30:48. 187—Chris Holmquist 33:57. 193—Scott Krankkala 34:04 (248 finishers).
Women's 5k classic: 1—Lindsey Weier 14:51. 10—Kate Whitcomb 15:32. 13—Alexa Turzian (1st OJ) 15:42. 18—Morgan Arritola 15:50. 35 (tie)—Mali Noyes (3rd J1) 16:30.2. 37—Nicole DeYong 16:30.7. 39—Kate Underwood 16:32 (174 finishers).
