Wednesday, March 12, 2014

PowderKeg ~ North American Championship ~ 2014

 5 climbs, 6,500′ climbing, 10 miles
Brighton Ski Resort, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah
A great weekend of racing in Utah.  I participated in both the Sprint and the Individual races.  I didn't race the teams event as I'm saving some for this coming weekends US Nationals Ski Mountaineering Race in Crested Butte.
Starting Line
(Photo Rick Carter)
 Leaders in the Individual Race
(Photo ISMF)
20 degrees and blue skies on race day.  The race started out with local Salt Laker, Tom Goth leading.  He was followed closely by Marshall Thomson (Crested Butte), Jason Dorais (SLC) and myself (Durango).  At the top of the first climb we had a small gap over Reiner (CAN), John Gaston (Aspen) and Max Taam (Aspen).  I had a sloppy transition and the top 3 left me behind.  A conservative downhill run allowed Gaston and Taam to catch me.  I caught up with the lead group again and the 5 of us topped out together on the second (and third) climb.  By the top of the 4th climb, five of us were still together.  I was charging it in fourth place as I skied over one of the drops we'd been warned about at the pre-race meeting.  I managed to catch the most air I've had in years.  As I was picking myself up from my yardsale I heard a Course Marshall exclaim "That was HUGE, maybe I should stand up there and warn people about that".  Maybe....
Goth passed me as I was recovering and there was no passing back on the downhill. 
1.  John Gaston
2.  Jason Dorais
3.  Marshall Thomson
4.  Tom Goth
5.  Scott Simmons
 
Women's Top 5
1.  Janelle Smiley
2.  Gemma Ribot
3.  Stevie Kremer
4.  Sari Anderson
5.  Kate Zander
 
 Starting line of the Sprint Race.
 
 Finish Line ~ Sprint
My time didn't qualify for the next round as my skis fell off my pack at the start of the bootpack. 

 PhotoCopter
 Boot Pack ~ Team's Race
 Scarpa on the Podium
 (photo ISMF)
 (Photo ISMF)

While Dad "works" we play.
 Checking out the course Friday afternoon.
 
Pine Needle Mountaineering athletes Miles Venzara, Nick Gould and Scott Simmons enjoying beer, brauts and sunshine post-race.

Quinn getting some.
 
Thanks to Race Director Chad Brackelsberg and crew for a great weekend of racing.  Thanks to Scarpa, SkiTrab and Tailwind for the support.