Many of North America's best cross-country skiers converged on the trails of West Yellowstone, Mont. over Thanksgiving for the Yellowstone Ski Festival and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association's (USSA) Super Tour races.
At stake was award money for the top skiers, but also the training and race experience that Nordic racers need early in the season. Nearly 300 skiers enjoyed the groomed trails in an event co-sponsored by the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation.
Head coach Rick Kapala of the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation's Nordic program said 30 of the Sun Valley skiers made the Yellowstone trip—18 from the high school-aged team, eight middle-school kids and the others from the Olympic Development Team (ODT).
Sun Valley posted some good results in last Wednesday's sprint races and also in Saturday's classic event, he said. Nicole DeYong had the best week, especially with her eighth place—the fourth American—in Saturday's 5-kilometer classic race.
Other highlights: Daniel Sundali first place J1 (ages 16-17) 10k classic; University of Colorado's Reid Pletcher fourth place U23 10k classic and second place 1.5k sprint; Erik Fagerstrom fourth place OJ 15k skate and fourth 1.5k sprint; and Simi Hamilton first place U23 1.5k sprint.
Results:
Saturday, Nov. 28, Super Tour women's 5-kilometer classic: 1—Madeleine Williams, 26 (Alberta) 16:16. 8—Nicole DeYong, 27 (SVSEF ODT) 16:53 (6th FS). 27—Kaelin Kiesel, 24 (Montana State) 17:27 (14th FS). 28—Kate Whitcomb, 29 (SVSEF ODT) 17:28 (15th FS). 42—Alexa Turzian, 21 (Univ. of Colorado) 17:55 (11th U23). 63—Mali Noyes, 20 (Independent) 18:42 (21st U23). 95—Morgan Atkinson, 16 (SVSEF) 20:16 (13th J1). 98—Emily Williams, 16 (SVSEF) 20:45 (15th J1)—(118 finishers).
Saturday, Nov. 28, Super Tour men's 10-kilometer classic: 1—Garrott Kuzzy, 27 (CXC/USST) 29:25. 14—Mike Sinnott, 24 (SVSEF ODT) 30:17 (10th MS). 25—Reid Pletcher, 21 (Univ. of Colorado) 30:35 (4th U23). 38—Colin Rodgers, 28 (SVSEF ODT) 31:23 (23rd MS). 63—Simi Hamilton, 22 (SVSEF ODT) 33:00.3 (19th U23). 64—Max Durtschi, 18 (SVSEF) 33:00.4 (6th OJ). 71—Daniel Sundali, 17 (SVSEF) 33:28 (1st J1). 98—Scott Schoen, 17 (SVSEF) 35:45 (7th J1). 104—Torin Tucker, 16 (SVSEF) 36:33 (10th J1). 107—William Spiller, 17 (SVSEF) 36:53 (12th J1)—(129 finishers).
Saturday, Nov. 28, junior classic races (results for SVSEF racers)—J2 women (14-15): 1—Sloan Storey 19:24. 2—Maggie Williams 19:40. 6—Maranda Stopol 20:21. J2 men (14-15): 3—Zach Lindahl 17:40. 4—Jackson Long 18:07. 5—Ketchum Wilt 18:48. 11—Jake Adicoff 21:00. J1 men (16-17): 3—Andrew Pfeiffer 17:38.
Friday, Nov. 27, Super Tour women's 10-kilometer free: 1—Holly Brooks, 27 (APU) 24:36. 14—Nicole DeYong, 27 (SVSEF ODT) 25:44 (8th FS). 22—Kate Whitcomb, 29 (SVSEF ODT) 26:06 (13th FS). 26—Kaelin Kiesel, 24 (Montana State) 26:25 (16th FS). 30—Alexa Turzian (Univ. of Colorado) 26:31 (8th U23)—(88 finishers).
Friday, Nov. 27, Super Tour men's 15-kilometer free: 1—Leif Zimmermann, 26 (Bridger SF) 31:38. 24—Mike Sinnott, 24 (SVSEF ODT) 33:25 (15th MS). 54—Colin Rodgers, 28 (SVSEF ODT) 35:06 (31st MS). 58—Max Durtschi, 18 (SVSEF) 35:19 (3rd OJ). 60—Erik Fagerstrom, 19 (SVSEF) 35:20 (4th OJ). 110—Willie Devin, 18 (SVSEF) 40:58 (19th OJ)—(122 finishers).
Wednesday, Nov. 25, Super Tour women's 1.5-kilometer sprint qualifier: 1—Dasha Gaiazova, 26 (Canadian National Team) 4:52. 13—Nicole DeYong, 27 (SVSEF ODT) 5:11 (9th FS). 29—Kate Whitcomb, 29 (SVSEF ODT) 5:22 (18th FS). 54—Alexa Turzian, 21 (Univ. of Colorado) 5:37 (18th U23)—(110 finishers).
Wednesday, Nov. 25, Super Tour men's 1.5-kilometer sprint qualifier: 1—Garrott Kuzzy, 27 (CXC/USST) 4:04. 2—Simi Hamilton, 22 (SVSEF ODT) 4:05 (1st U23). 5—Reid Pletcher, 21 (Univ. of Colorado) 4:06 (2nd U23). 22—Colin Rodgers, 28 (SVSEF ODT) 4:17 (14th MS). 41—Erik Fagerstrom, 19 (SVSEF) 4:27 (4th OJ). 78—Scott Schoen, 17 (SVSEF) 4:55 (5th J1). 82—Brandon Wade, 16 (SVSEF) 4:58 (9th J1). 87—Daniel Sundali, 17 (SVSEF) 5:04 (12th J1). 91—Willie Devin, 18 (SVSEF) 5:11 (13th OJ). 100—Torin Tucker, 16 (SVSEF) 5:34 (16th J1)—(120 finishers).
