It’s Wadsworth,
in a walk
A record 830 in Boulder Tour, Odegard tops women
U.S. Nordic Ski Team Justin Wadsworth, 32, has done very
well racing on Idaho cross-country ski courses this winter and Saturday’s
26th annual First Security Boulder Mountain Ski Tour was no exception.
Bend’s Justin Wadsworth, headed for
the World Championships in Finland, gives the thumbs-up sign after winning
Saturday’s Boulder Mountain Ski Tour in a breeze. Express photo by
Willy Cook
Wadsworth, tuning up for the World Nordic Ski
Championships Feb. 16-25 in Finland, accelerated away from the largest
field in Boulder Tour history and won the 32-kilometer race by
three-and-a-half minutes in 1.12:49.
It was the fastest Boulder Tour winning time since Havard
Solbakken set the course record of 1.05:34 in 1995, and the sixth-fastest
time ever.
The Boulder Tour also boasted its largest-ever field of
830 finishers, 70 more than last February’s previous standard.
A two-time Olympian, Bend (Ore.) resident Wadsworth won
the men’s 30k freestyle and 10k classic events during the 2001 U.S.
Nordic Nationals at Ponderosa State Park near McCall. They were his third
and fourth national titles—but the first he had won since 1995.
Recent University of Colorado graduate
Unni Odegard of Norway in a relaxed pose after winning’s the women’s
division of the 2001 Boulder Mountain Ski Tour. Express photo by Willy
Cook
Team Atomic racer Wadsworth, a 6-1, 175-pounder born in La
Jolla, Ca., said before the season that his goal was to compete well at
January’s World Cup races in Utah and also at his fifth world
championships, to be held in Finland.
He’s already achieved part of that goal. At Soldier
Hollow in January, Wadsworth placed eighth in the 30k freestyle race—the
first U.S. man since 1984 to crack the top ten at a World Cup Nordic race
event.
Women’s winner Saturday was Unni Odegard of Norway, a
2000 graduate of the Univ. of Colorado where she raced competitively.
Odegard was the bronze medalist in the national women’s 15k freestyle
race Jan. 6 at Ponderosa State Park.
Odegard’s final time of 1.20:16, good for 22nd-place
overall, was the fourth-fastest clocking in Boulder history. Only two
women—course record holder Heidi Selnes (1.12:13 in 1995) and Laura
McCabe (in 1992/1993) have skied it faster.
Ketchum’s Brooke Baughman was the women’s runner-up
with an outstanding 1.21:09 for 27th place.
Three former Boulder Tour champions also did well.
1988 women’s winner Alison Owen, 48, of Ketchum won the
silver medal in the women’s 45-49 class at 1.37:21, good for 232nd
overall. Hailing from Wenatchee, Owen was the first girl to compete in the
Junior National Cross-Country Ski Championships back in 1969.
Gabriele Andersen, 55, who won in 1982, 1980 and 1978,
captured the 55-59 class in 1.33:49, 179th overall.
And 1994 winner Jeannie Wall, 33, of Bozeman, Mt. topped
women’s 30-34 in 1.24:29.
The American Ski Tour Marathon Series event continued to
draw a large field of skiers from outside the Wood River Valley. A total
78% were from out-of-the-area, meaning 185 of the 830 skiers were from the
valley.
But Wood River skiers excelled, winning five of 11 women’s
age classes and four of 14 men’s classes.
Women’s class winners were Jean Cooper, Shauna Thoreson,
JoAnn Levy, Gabriele Andersen and Linda McClatchy. Men’s winners were
78-year-old Phil Puchner, Jim Olson, Del Pletcher and Reid Pletcher.
On the second-place podium in classes were Alison Owen,
Adrienne Leugers, Kim Taylor, Baughman and Alison Deines. Placing second
among men were Norman Clark, Joe Csizmazia, Nello Busdon, Andy Andrews and
Peter Webb.
In third place were Muffy Ritz, Charley French and Rick
Knoebel.
Nearly all local skiers who repeated their 2000 Boulder
Tours improved finishing times on a fast course including Dawson Paschall
37:25, Dede Draper 31:25 and Gordon Martinen 29:49.
Check the results on this page for other time
improvements, and check the Feb. 21 Local Life for more Boulder Ski Tour
photo coverage.
