6'500 Vertical Feet ~ 16 Miles ~ 3 Hours of Racing
Friday night found me on the road to CB with local Durango skimo racers Miles & Jen Venzara-Gersbach (Pine Needle Mountaineering). 28 degrees as we pulled into Gunnison (3rd coldest town in the country). Felt like summertime. Major relief to not worry about cold hands/feet on race day. Race organizer, Bryan Wickenhauser set a course that included the infamous sidecountry area Snodgrass. Guide Ridge wasn't included this year due to a lack of snow. Brian Smith set a blistering pace from the gun. Mashall Thompson, John Gaston and myself were hot on his tail. Max Taam not too far behind. The top 4 transitioned together at both the 1st and 2nd transitions. Brian had a binding issue and fell back. Somehow we knew he'd turn up again. At the top of Snodgrass the four of us descended into the fog. A snow-snake grabbed me and I yard-saled at the bottom. I gathered everything up and had to push hard for the next 10 minutes to catch the leaders. I caught up to them at the bottom of the 4th climb where we began a series of about 200 (maybe less) kick-turns. I looked back and saw Max Taam coming on strong. Five of us were now racing together 2 hours into the race. Motivational yet very nerve-wracking.... The top 3 pulled away on the last climb leaving Brian and I. Brian pulled away after the final climb and I skied the final descent alone to finish in fifth place.
Congrats to top female finishers Janelle Smiley, Jari Kirkland and Ava Hagan.
Friday night found me on the road to CB with local Durango skimo racers Miles & Jen Venzara-Gersbach (Pine Needle Mountaineering). 28 degrees as we pulled into Gunnison (3rd coldest town in the country). Felt like summertime. Major relief to not worry about cold hands/feet on race day. Race organizer, Bryan Wickenhauser set a course that included the infamous sidecountry area Snodgrass. Guide Ridge wasn't included this year due to a lack of snow. Brian Smith set a blistering pace from the gun. Mashall Thompson, John Gaston and myself were hot on his tail. Max Taam not too far behind. The top 4 transitioned together at both the 1st and 2nd transitions. Brian had a binding issue and fell back. Somehow we knew he'd turn up again. At the top of Snodgrass the four of us descended into the fog. A snow-snake grabbed me and I yard-saled at the bottom. I gathered everything up and had to push hard for the next 10 minutes to catch the leaders. I caught up to them at the bottom of the 4th climb where we began a series of about 200 (maybe less) kick-turns. I looked back and saw Max Taam coming on strong. Five of us were now racing together 2 hours into the race. Motivational yet very nerve-wracking.... The top 3 pulled away on the last climb leaving Brian and I. Brian pulled away after the final climb and I skied the final descent alone to finish in fifth place.
Congrats to top female finishers Janelle Smiley, Jari Kirkland and Ava Hagan.
Thompson Harassing Simmons
(photo credit ~ Wickenhauser)
Gaston, Thompson, Taam, Smith, Simmons ~ Top 5 Finishers
Jen Venzara-Gersbach still smiling after 4 hours of racing.
Back home on the ranch loosening up the legs up with my trainers.
