Our Captain finished seventh on the day in a field of nearly 90 racers. Matt Gelso was the winner, followed by former USST member Andrew Johnson.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Gold Rush
Look who is in the lead pack at the 45k Gold Rush! Go Atay! (Photo credit: Mark Nadell/Sierra Sun)
Our Captain finished seventh on the day in a field of nearly 90 racers. Matt Gelso was the winner, followed by former USST member Andrew Johnson.
Our Captain finished seventh on the day in a field of nearly 90 racers. Matt Gelso was the winner, followed by former USST member Andrew Johnson.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Good food, good skiing, great races: Dimitri takes 14th, Alice top-30 in mass start skate
The week has been too fun. Leading up to Saturday's races there were several notable events.
On Tuesday night a Williams' alum and his wife - Ned and Liza Weihman - invited the whole alpine and nordic team to their house in Buffalo Pass, just outside of town. I wished I had my camera, as the house was unlike any other I have seen. It was a masterpiece of design which used mining material and metal antique work, with corrugated steel and scrap wood for walls, metal chain and wood chandeliers, and touches of design such as a balcony overlooking the living room and a pistol for a door handle. The food was just as masterfully made, by Liza, and we had a lot of fun talking with Ned and Liza about Williams and Steamboat and everything in general. Ned had graduated Williams in 1971 and had a son recently graduate from Williams as well. Neither was associated with the ski team, though Ned played Lacrosse, and their invitation was both a surprise and a delight for the whole team.
Wednesday night Bud, Alice, Dimitri, and I went to dinner at the Nelson's condo (delicious pesto!) before going to Howelsen Hill where we watched the alpine team compete at the night slalom. It was an exciting spectator event, as the hill was well-lit and you could watch from any point on the course. The course was really tough and there were a lot of racers hiking - combined with loudspeaker commentary and live scoreboard, the races were really fun to watch.
Saturday was a fabulous conclusion to the week and the season, as we had two good races under a day of sunshine and great skiing.
The mass start races were really exciting. The sun was hot and the temp warmed up quick, so feeds were a must and Alice, along with many other women who raced second, even skied in a t-shirt.
The men's race started really slow, the pack held together around the whole first lap and Dimitri had to contend with being in the back of an accordian. Still, he was patient and slowly picked people off on each of the four laps: starting with bib #32 he then came through the stadium in 19th, then 17th, then into a sprint finish for 14th which he won at the line.
Alice's race started more quickly and the field spread out in the first lap. Alice felt terrible in her first lap, but hung in there and began feeling better in the third lap. She was racing along with several other Eastern racers, most of the time with Anya Bean from UNH. There were some other racers yo-yoing back and forth around her, but Alice raced smart and paced herself well, and she kept picking people off until the finish. She was just starting to feel better in her race, and wished she had a couple more kilometers to pass the large pack that was just ahead of her, but it was a solid race nonetheless.
After the races there was a barbeque e with team awards, and then Dimitri caught a ride with several other racers to Strawberry Hot Springs (as the rest of us were too exhausted). Dimitri thought the springs were as fantastic as the company he went with - a certain racer from Wellesley College (too bad she is a senior. . . .).
Saturday night was dancing to a live band at a local pub which was packed with racers, and fortunately our flight the next day was at a reasonable hour.
We are now back home, amazed that our flight went smoothly and none of our bags were lost. . .
Results
Pictures
Dimitri in the pack off the start
Dimitri sprints to the finish with a New Mexico racer and beats him by .7 seconds.
Dimitri's legs are cramping after race
Alice Nelson leads Natalie Ruppertsberger from Bates, Lauren Fritz from Middlebury and Anya Bean from UNH.
Alice
Deb and Dan Nelson watch Alice's last college ski race.
Dinner at the Nelson's condo: great view for the sunset
The Nelsons put on a wonderful pesto dinner
Night Slalom
Alice and alpine teammate Emily Porter
On Tuesday night a Williams' alum and his wife - Ned and Liza Weihman - invited the whole alpine and nordic team to their house in Buffalo Pass, just outside of town. I wished I had my camera, as the house was unlike any other I have seen. It was a masterpiece of design which used mining material and metal antique work, with corrugated steel and scrap wood for walls, metal chain and wood chandeliers, and touches of design such as a balcony overlooking the living room and a pistol for a door handle. The food was just as masterfully made, by Liza, and we had a lot of fun talking with Ned and Liza about Williams and Steamboat and everything in general. Ned had graduated Williams in 1971 and had a son recently graduate from Williams as well. Neither was associated with the ski team, though Ned played Lacrosse, and their invitation was both a surprise and a delight for the whole team.
Wednesday night Bud, Alice, Dimitri, and I went to dinner at the Nelson's condo (delicious pesto!) before going to Howelsen Hill where we watched the alpine team compete at the night slalom. It was an exciting spectator event, as the hill was well-lit and you could watch from any point on the course. The course was really tough and there were a lot of racers hiking - combined with loudspeaker commentary and live scoreboard, the races were really fun to watch.
Saturday was a fabulous conclusion to the week and the season, as we had two good races under a day of sunshine and great skiing.
The mass start races were really exciting. The sun was hot and the temp warmed up quick, so feeds were a must and Alice, along with many other women who raced second, even skied in a t-shirt.
The men's race started really slow, the pack held together around the whole first lap and Dimitri had to contend with being in the back of an accordian. Still, he was patient and slowly picked people off on each of the four laps: starting with bib #32 he then came through the stadium in 19th, then 17th, then into a sprint finish for 14th which he won at the line.
Alice's race started more quickly and the field spread out in the first lap. Alice felt terrible in her first lap, but hung in there and began feeling better in the third lap. She was racing along with several other Eastern racers, most of the time with Anya Bean from UNH. There were some other racers yo-yoing back and forth around her, but Alice raced smart and paced herself well, and she kept picking people off until the finish. She was just starting to feel better in her race, and wished she had a couple more kilometers to pass the large pack that was just ahead of her, but it was a solid race nonetheless.
After the races there was a barbeque e with team awards, and then Dimitri caught a ride with several other racers to Strawberry Hot Springs (as the rest of us were too exhausted). Dimitri thought the springs were as fantastic as the company he went with - a certain racer from Wellesley College (too bad she is a senior. . . .).
Saturday night was dancing to a live band at a local pub which was packed with racers, and fortunately our flight the next day was at a reasonable hour.
We are now back home, amazed that our flight went smoothly and none of our bags were lost. . .
Results
Pictures
Dimitri in the pack off the start
Dimitri sprints to the finish with a New Mexico racer and beats him by .7 seconds.
Dimitri's legs are cramping after race
Alice Nelson leads Natalie Ruppertsberger from Bates, Lauren Fritz from Middlebury and Anya Bean from UNH.
Alice
Deb and Dan Nelson watch Alice's last college ski race.
Dinner at the Nelson's condo: great view for the sunset
The Nelsons put on a wonderful pesto dinner
Night Slalom
Alice and alpine teammate Emily Porter
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Class of '14 Rocks The Cow
Isaac Hoenig '14 (CSU, Lincoln-Sudbury) and Kalle Jahn '14 (Brattleboro Union) are rockin the cow even before they get on campus. Yesterday in the 5k Classic at Eastern High School Championships hosted by the Gunstock Nordic Center in Guilford, NH, Kalle and Isaac finished 1-2 atop the podium. Today in the 1.2k sprint, Kalle took home the top honors again and in the mixed gender, mixed medley relay, Isaac's team won by a sizable margin. Patrick Joslin, (BMA, Mt. Greylock) will also join them in the upcoming freshman class, after taking a PG year this season at Burke Mountain Academy.
EDIT: Isaac also ran away with first place in Sunday's Classic Mass-Start. Kalle finished a solid third position, cementing the top spot in the overall weekend standings.
Friday, March 12, 2010
NCAA's: Classic Racing at Altitude: A little klister and a lot of pain
There was a little snowfall predicted for Wednesday through Thursday morning, but certainly not the deluge of heavy wet snow that began during the slalom races and continued, a little lighter, through Thursday morning's classic races. Thursday morning was cooler, and despite hopes that the waxless skis might work, the tracks were too slippery, causing most of the field to race on a klister-covered combination even through the light snow.
Conditions stayed relatively stable throughout the women's race, but the snowfall stopped with ten minutes to go until the start of the men's race, and we barely got Dimitri's skis waxed in time for him to get to his start.
Alice raced in bib 11, and twenty minutes later crossed the finish line in 36th place. She was disappointed with her finish, as she could tell while she was racing that she just didn't have it in her. Perhaps the altitude, perhaps the conditions, Alice raced hard - and unable to do anything more than that - is now looking forward to preparing for a better skate race on Saturday.
Dimitri started mid-field with bib #28 and paced himself well out of the start. Still, he said he could definitely feel the affect of altitude descend on him during his second 5km lap. After skiing the first lap in 11th place, he managed to hold form enough to cross the line in a very good 15th place finish, less than one second from 13th place.
After a late lunch and some rest the athletes attended a social dinner at Howelsen Hill, catered by Qdoba for all the racers.
This morning we will do an easy skate ski and test waxes in preparation for tomorrow's mass start races. Should be fun!!
Results
Alice and Dimitri watch Wednesday alpine races amidst heavy snowfall
Dan Nelson and Alice Nelson watch slalom
Morning of the classic races - light snow and hectic waxing.
Coach Fisher practices his new system of cooling klister fast: the over-the-head-ski-lassoo
Alice climbs the long hill up to the high point at 3km
Dimitri on his way to a 15th place finish
Conditions stayed relatively stable throughout the women's race, but the snowfall stopped with ten minutes to go until the start of the men's race, and we barely got Dimitri's skis waxed in time for him to get to his start.
Alice raced in bib 11, and twenty minutes later crossed the finish line in 36th place. She was disappointed with her finish, as she could tell while she was racing that she just didn't have it in her. Perhaps the altitude, perhaps the conditions, Alice raced hard - and unable to do anything more than that - is now looking forward to preparing for a better skate race on Saturday.
Dimitri started mid-field with bib #28 and paced himself well out of the start. Still, he said he could definitely feel the affect of altitude descend on him during his second 5km lap. After skiing the first lap in 11th place, he managed to hold form enough to cross the line in a very good 15th place finish, less than one second from 13th place.
After a late lunch and some rest the athletes attended a social dinner at Howelsen Hill, catered by Qdoba for all the racers.
This morning we will do an easy skate ski and test waxes in preparation for tomorrow's mass start races. Should be fun!!
Results
Alice and Dimitri watch Wednesday alpine races amidst heavy snowfall
Dan Nelson and Alice Nelson watch slalom
Morning of the classic races - light snow and hectic waxing.
Coach Fisher practices his new system of cooling klister fast: the over-the-head-ski-lassoo
Alice climbs the long hill up to the high point at 3km
Dimitri on his way to a 15th place finish
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Its Only a Day Away!!
Sunny Steamboat Springs: And now the whole team is together, staying at the Fairfield Inn, which is right on the Main road into town. We are looking at less than 21 hours to race time for the nordic classic races! We were out on the course this morning, testing waxes, getting a good feel for the snow and skis, and getting a couple pick-ups in to freshen the fast-twitch muscle fibers!
Last night the team went to the opening ceremonies and banquet. The ceremonies were at the base of the gondola, with team introductions and welcome speech from the director of the local ski program. Then we boarded the gondola and headed up the mountain to a lodge, mid-way up the mountain, where the banquet was held. Pasta, dessert, and more introductions of athletes and coaches. Plus the title speaker, who talked about his experiences on K2 and what it meant to be a real teammate when the going got tough.
This afternoon we will be waxing more skis and then jetting over to the GS course to watch the men's second run on the alpine hill.
Then: coaches meetings and a dinner at the house of a Williams alum. We are having fun and getting tan (or trying not to get burned) in Sunny Steamboat Springs, and very much enjoying "Ski Town USA". (We even saw Todd Lodwick, whose home ski area is the one we are racing on, riding his bike the other day on the bike path near the ski center.)
pics on picasa
Link to Fasterskier article with more info
a
Alice Nelson and dad, Dan
Where 1km meets 4km on course
Coach Fisher on course
The team is looking spiffy at opening ceremonies: Alice Nelson, Dimitri Luthi, Emily Porter, Geordie Lonza, Alex Dyroff, Laurel Carter
Sunset on the gondola up to the banquet
Last night the team went to the opening ceremonies and banquet. The ceremonies were at the base of the gondola, with team introductions and welcome speech from the director of the local ski program. Then we boarded the gondola and headed up the mountain to a lodge, mid-way up the mountain, where the banquet was held. Pasta, dessert, and more introductions of athletes and coaches. Plus the title speaker, who talked about his experiences on K2 and what it meant to be a real teammate when the going got tough.
This afternoon we will be waxing more skis and then jetting over to the GS course to watch the men's second run on the alpine hill.
Then: coaches meetings and a dinner at the house of a Williams alum. We are having fun and getting tan (or trying not to get burned) in Sunny Steamboat Springs, and very much enjoying "Ski Town USA". (We even saw Todd Lodwick, whose home ski area is the one we are racing on, riding his bike the other day on the bike path near the ski center.)
pics on picasa
Link to Fasterskier article with more info
a
Alice Nelson and dad, Dan
Where 1km meets 4km on course
Coach Fisher on course
The team is looking spiffy at opening ceremonies: Alice Nelson, Dimitri Luthi, Emily Porter, Geordie Lonza, Alex Dyroff, Laurel Carter
Sunset on the gondola up to the banquet
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Spring Sun in Steamboat Springs
Alice and I are set up in a condo right on the side of the alpine hill for these two days before the rest of the team gets in. There are free shuttles and buses everywhere, so transportation is not a problem (though we've found that the bus schedules are really only to be taken theoretically. . .)
We got into the airport yesterday, and as we were waiting for our ride into town (big thanks to UVM coach Paul Stone!!) we read brochures and found out that there was going to be a first-Friday art walk in town during the evening. So as soon as we got lunch and groceries and set-up in our condo, we headed to town and partook in the festivities. really fun walking in and out of art galleries along main street, checking out the art (and cute boys) and eating fancy and delicious hors d'oeuvrs. It was snowing hard all afternoon, a couple inches accumulating.
This morning dawned clear. The classic skiing at Howelsen hill, the race course, was sweet this morning - perfect no-wax skiing, as it was about 40 degrees when we got there and it heated up another 10 degrees by the time we left. We started out way over dressed and had to tie multiple layers around our waist by the time we were finished skiing. . . but we weren't complaining. Most of the course was groomed beautifully, but pretty darn soft from the fresh snow and sunshine.
We both agree that Steamboat seems like a really fun town, and everyone here has been above-and-beyond nice, so we are soaking it all in along with the sun . . .
Morning cereal with the sunrise. Our condo is right on the alpine hill, overlooking town.
river between town and Howelson hill - looking toward the alpine hill
killer tracks this morning
The course winds around the hill above town - very sweet view.
hot day! We started our ski WAY overdressed, but at least we had sunscreen. :)
Alice likes grapefruit: grapefruit fruit, grapefruit juice, grapefruit yogurt. . .
We got into the airport yesterday, and as we were waiting for our ride into town (big thanks to UVM coach Paul Stone!!) we read brochures and found out that there was going to be a first-Friday art walk in town during the evening. So as soon as we got lunch and groceries and set-up in our condo, we headed to town and partook in the festivities. really fun walking in and out of art galleries along main street, checking out the art (and cute boys) and eating fancy and delicious hors d'oeuvrs. It was snowing hard all afternoon, a couple inches accumulating.
This morning dawned clear. The classic skiing at Howelsen hill, the race course, was sweet this morning - perfect no-wax skiing, as it was about 40 degrees when we got there and it heated up another 10 degrees by the time we left. We started out way over dressed and had to tie multiple layers around our waist by the time we were finished skiing. . . but we weren't complaining. Most of the course was groomed beautifully, but pretty darn soft from the fresh snow and sunshine.
We both agree that Steamboat seems like a really fun town, and everyone here has been above-and-beyond nice, so we are soaking it all in along with the sun . . .
Morning cereal with the sunrise. Our condo is right on the alpine hill, overlooking town.
river between town and Howelson hill - looking toward the alpine hill
killer tracks this morning
The course winds around the hill above town - very sweet view.
hot day! We started our ski WAY overdressed, but at least we had sunscreen. :)
Alice likes grapefruit: grapefruit fruit, grapefruit juice, grapefruit yogurt. . .
Last set of Home Intervals
On Thursday a small crew joined Alice and Dimitri in doing their last set of home intervals. The track was colder than earlier in the week and pretty fast, great skiing, and we skated a 2-3-4-3-2 ladder of Level 3/4.
Ian Nesbitt and Coach Fisher
The impressive ice awning on the Prospect Lodge
Mark Johnson, Dimitri Luthi, Caleb Lucy
Alice Nelson
Ian Nesbitt and Coach Fisher
The impressive ice awning on the Prospect Lodge
Mark Johnson, Dimitri Luthi, Caleb Lucy
Alice Nelson
Monday, March 1, 2010
Boys take Second in Regional Classic race! Dimitri and Alice head to NCAA's
We had our best team finish of the season on Saturday, as the men tied Middlebury for second place team score in the 10km classic race. Dimitri Luthi started just behind Keith Kantack in the 30 second interval start and they were able to work together to post their best-ever carnival results at the most competitive weekend of the season. Dimitri took second to UVM's Franz Bernstein, and Keith was 6th. Mark Johnson was the third score, with 28th place, which landed us just behind SLU at the top of the team scores.
It was a wild day on the course, as the temperature was just above freezing, the snow was wet, the tracks were glazed when the snow stopped, and there were sudden flurries of more wet snow. These factors made any kind of wax or klister unusable, as they did not work on the glazed tracks and iced outside the tracks and when the snow flurries hit. But kick was crucial, as the course was all long gradual uphill and subsequent steep downhills.Thank goodness for the new waxless race skis (zeros/multis). Our whole team used them (as did most of the field). Some that did not have them borrowed from parents, friends, and some of the women used the men's skis after their race. The only Williams racer that could not find a zero ski/boot combo was Holly Whitney, and she ended up on my old fish scales, because even though they were heavy and slow they at least kicked up the hills. . . .
Unfortunately for Kirsten and Alice, who were seeded to go out in the last quarter of the field, they were at quite a disadvantage when some heavy snow started just before their start, allowing some of their competitors to finish on faster tracks. As Alice explained, she felt she was having a top-ten performance, and was shocked to see she ended up 22nd. Alice was our top finisher of that race, Kirsten in 31st and Christina Knapp in 33rd.
On Sunday, the women had a better day and the men experienced a brutally tough race in which they had one of their worst team scores of the year.
It was sunny and the course was soft and granular, turning quickly to wet and slow mush by the middle of the ladies race. With 3 and 4 laps of 5.5 kilometer in warm temperatures and slow tracks, the race was tough for all competitors, but even tougher if (as in the case of some of our men) your skis were not running as well as your competitors.
Alice and and Hannah had the top women's scores, with 15th and 26th, while Dimitri and Evan were inside the top 30 with 24th and 29th.
It was a roller-coaster of a weekend, and Sunday was not the best day to end the carnival season on, but we did have some remarkable results over the span of the season. Our best scores as a team and individual racers indicate a consistency not yet obtained - but having a high chance of achievement potential - in the season to come.
Best individual results: Women: Alice Nelson 5th (Williams) Dimitri Luthi 2nd (Middlebury)
Alice Nelson ended the carnival season ranked 14th and Dimitri Luthi was ranked 9th. They will be heading to Steamboat, Colorado this weekend to compete at next week's National Nordic Championships (NCAA's).
Rankings
Results
Photos
EvanDethier, Keith Kantack, Coach Fisher, Bob Kantack talk splits during women's race
Dimitri Luthi, Mark Johnson - waiting for awards to start at the alpine hill
Alice Nelson getting a cheer from Keith and Evan
Kirsten - battling the snow
Caleb fights up the last hill toward the finish.
Holly Whitney: using a pair of very old fishscale skis
Keith Kantack
Aubrey, Sarah, Alice, Hannah, Holly, Kirsten, Christina: dressed up for the banquet.
Alex Taylor leads the mass start pack off the start
Evan Dethier
Alice Nelson, Sarah Tory, watching the second run of GS on the alpine hill
It was a wild day on the course, as the temperature was just above freezing, the snow was wet, the tracks were glazed when the snow stopped, and there were sudden flurries of more wet snow. These factors made any kind of wax or klister unusable, as they did not work on the glazed tracks and iced outside the tracks and when the snow flurries hit. But kick was crucial, as the course was all long gradual uphill and subsequent steep downhills.Thank goodness for the new waxless race skis (zeros/multis). Our whole team used them (as did most of the field). Some that did not have them borrowed from parents, friends, and some of the women used the men's skis after their race. The only Williams racer that could not find a zero ski/boot combo was Holly Whitney, and she ended up on my old fish scales, because even though they were heavy and slow they at least kicked up the hills. . . .
Unfortunately for Kirsten and Alice, who were seeded to go out in the last quarter of the field, they were at quite a disadvantage when some heavy snow started just before their start, allowing some of their competitors to finish on faster tracks. As Alice explained, she felt she was having a top-ten performance, and was shocked to see she ended up 22nd. Alice was our top finisher of that race, Kirsten in 31st and Christina Knapp in 33rd.
On Sunday, the women had a better day and the men experienced a brutally tough race in which they had one of their worst team scores of the year.
It was sunny and the course was soft and granular, turning quickly to wet and slow mush by the middle of the ladies race. With 3 and 4 laps of 5.5 kilometer in warm temperatures and slow tracks, the race was tough for all competitors, but even tougher if (as in the case of some of our men) your skis were not running as well as your competitors.
Alice and and Hannah had the top women's scores, with 15th and 26th, while Dimitri and Evan were inside the top 30 with 24th and 29th.
It was a roller-coaster of a weekend, and Sunday was not the best day to end the carnival season on, but we did have some remarkable results over the span of the season. Our best scores as a team and individual racers indicate a consistency not yet obtained - but having a high chance of achievement potential - in the season to come.
Best Team Scores: Women's skate 4TH (SLU and St Mikes) Womens classic 3RD
Best individual results: Women: Alice Nelson 5th (Williams) Dimitri Luthi 2nd (Middlebury)
Alice Nelson ended the carnival season ranked 14th and Dimitri Luthi was ranked 9th. They will be heading to Steamboat, Colorado this weekend to compete at next week's National Nordic Championships (NCAA's).
Rankings
Results
Photos
EvanDethier, Keith Kantack, Coach Fisher, Bob Kantack talk splits during women's race
Dimitri Luthi, Mark Johnson - waiting for awards to start at the alpine hill
Alice Nelson getting a cheer from Keith and Evan
Kirsten - battling the snow
Caleb fights up the last hill toward the finish.
Holly Whitney: using a pair of very old fishscale skis
Keith Kantack
Aubrey, Sarah, Alice, Hannah, Holly, Kirsten, Christina: dressed up for the banquet.
Alex Taylor leads the mass start pack off the start
Evan Dethier
Alice Nelson, Sarah Tory, watching the second run of GS on the alpine hill
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