Grabbing 23 medals, nine Wood River Valley cross-country skiers had plenty to brag about during the 2007 U.S. Nordic Masters Championships staged Thursday through Sunday at Mt. Bachelor, Ore.
The 11-skier Wood River Valley contingent brought home 10 gold medals, nine silvers and four bronze.
Charley French, 80, Del Pletcher, 62, and Norman Clark, 77, swept the golds in their classes in the skiathlon, classic and freestyle races that comprised an event sanctioned for the ninth consecutive year by the American Cross Country Skiers (AXCS).
Ketchum's Bob Rosso, 59, collected three silver medals in the competitive M6 (55-59) age class and Hailey's Andy Andrews, 65, was a three-time silver medal winner in the M8 (65-69) age division near Bend.
Muffy Ritz, 49, provided the other gold medal with a nearly six-minute F4 (45-49) victory in Saturday's 15-kilometer classic race and she tacked on two silvers.
Jim McClatchy, 54, had a skiathlon silver medal while Wilhelm Northrop, 37, came away with three bronzes in the very tough M2 (35-39) group. M4 Jim Santa also earned a bronze medal in 30k freestyle.
Results follow by event:
March 25 at Mt. Bachelor
Bend Bike N' Sport Cascade Crest Championship
Fastest times: F3 Leslie Hall 1.00:58 for women's 20k and M2 Pat Weaver 1.18:51 for men's 30k free.
M11 (80-84), 15k free: 1—Charley French, 80, 1.21:27.
M10 (75-79), 15k free: 1—Norm Clark, 77, 1.07:06.
M8 (65-69), 15k free: 1—Gerhard Schopp, 68, Canmore, Alberta, Can., 1.08:44. 2—Andy Andrews, 65, 1.10:15.
Open, 30k free: 1—Del Pletcher, 62, 1.33:28.
M6 (55-59), 30k free: 1—David Christopherson, 56, St. Anthony, Minn. 1.26:41. 2—Bob Rosso, 59, 1.28:46.
M5 (50-54), 30k free: 1—Larry Katz, 51, 1.28:13. 4—Jim McClatchy, 54, 1.32:57. 9—Will Raff 1.41:10.
M4 (45-49), 30k free: 1—Jack Hart, 49, Bend 1.28:52. 3—Jim Santa 1.31:13.
M2 (35-39), 30k free: 1—Pat Weaver, 37, Bend, 1.18:51. 3—Wilhelm Northrop, 37, 1.30:21.
F4 (45-49), 20k free: 1—Muffy Roy, 46, 1.04:08. 2—Muffy Ritz, 49, 1.05:09. 7—Katharine Sheldon, 49, 1.13:51.
March 24 at Mt. Bachelor
Therapeutic Association classic
Fastest times: Laura McCabe, 40, of Winthrop, Wash. 35:46 for women's 10k classic and Martin Rosvall, 28, of Seattle 41:40 for men's 15k classic.
M11: 1—Charley French 52:39.
M10: 1—Norm Clark 1.01:28.
M8: 1—Gerhard Schopp 44:01. 2—Andy Andrews 45:17
M7: 1—Del Pletcher 37:54.
M6: 1—David Christopherson 48:20. 2—Bob Rosso 48:25.
M5: 1—Brent Turner, 52, 50:40. 4—Jim McClatchy 54:29.
M2: 1—Pat Weaver 41:53. 3—Wilhelm Northrop 50:01.
F4: 1—Muffy Ritz 40:40. 6—Katharine Sheldon 51:46.
March 22 at Mt. Bachelor
SWIX 15k Skiathlon
Fastest times: Laura McCabe 48:53 and Zack Violett 42:42.
M11: 1—Charley French 1.11:02.
M10: 1—Norm Clark 1.01:28.
M8: 1—Gerhard Schopp 1.01:19. 2—Andy Andrews 1.01:39.
M7: 1—Del Pletcher 52:04.
M6: 1—David Christopherson 50:51. 2—Bob Rosso 51:04
M5: 1—Gary Klinger, 52, 54:05. 2—Jim McClatchy 54:18.
M2: 1—Pat Weaver 44:08. 3—Wilhelm Northrop 51:56.
F4: 1—Muffy Roy 54:07. 2—Muffy Ritz 56:00. 5—Katharine Sheldon 1.06:49.
Muffy Ritz was a national gold medalist with a nearly six-minute F4 (45-49) victory in Saturday?s 15-kilometer classic.
