The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Solstice Showdown expected to draw 250 skiers
by Stan Cola
Crested Butte will be inundated with Nordic ski racers this weekend as Crested Butte Nordic hosts the Solstice Showdown on Saturday and Sunday, December 19-20.
The Solstice Showdown is a Junior National Qualifier and National Rankings List Points Race. Two hundred fifty junior and collegiate racers from around the state and beyond are expected to attend. Chief of competition Brian Dale estimates that with racers, friends, family, and coaches, the event could bring well more than 500 people to town.
Races will provide an opportunity for junior skiers from around the state to earn points to qualify for Junior Nationals. Additionally, skiers have the opportunity to improve their points ranking with the International Ski Federation and the United States Ski Association.
Saturday features freestyle sprint races in which racers duke it out head-to-head in heats throughout rounds that end in final heats for each gender and age division. Over the course of the day, there will be 62 sprint heats. On Sunday, there will be classical technique mass start races, in which competitors of each gender and age class will line up, start together, and duke it out to the finish. Sprint races and mass starts offer the most exciting races for spectators.
The races will be held on Ruthie’s Run on the Bench. Spectators should park at the Nordic Center or close-by in town and walk or ski a few hundred yards up the Nordic track to Journey’s End Road on the Bench where the races are being held. Please do not park on Journey’s End Road next to the venue.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, December 19 Freestyle Sprint (1.2km)
9:00 a.m. –
Qualifying (interval starts)
10:45 a.m. –
Elimination rounds (heats)
U12 and U14 top 18 move on to elimination rounds
U16 top 30 move on to elimination rounds
U18+ all age groups combined, top 30 move on to elimination rounds
3:00 p.m. Final heat finishes
3:15 p.m.
Awards Ceremony (held in the stadium)
Sunday, December 20 Mass Start Classic Distance Race
(These Times are Subject to Change)
10:00 a.m. –
SR/U18/U20/U16 Males – 5km
10:30 a.m. –
SR/U18/U20/U16 Females – 5km
11:00 a.m. – U14/U12 Males – 3km
11:25 a.m. –
U14/U12 Females – 3km
11:50 a.m. – U10/U8 Males – 1.2km
11:55 a.m. –
U10/U8 Females – 1.2km
12:30 p.m. –
Awards Ceremony (held in the stadium)
