The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“It shows potential for some awesome things this season”
by Than Acuff
Town was inundated last weekend as more than 200 Nordic ski racers from collegiate ages down to the U8 age class came into town for the Solstice Showdown Saturday and Sunday, December 19-20. Crested Butte Nordic rolled out the red carpet for everyone in attendance, with volunteers and staff members coming out of the woodwork to put on the two-day race weekend, which included the first Junior National Qualifier races of the season for the Crested Butte Nordic Team (CBNT).
“A huge thanks to all of the volunteers who helped make this happen,” says CBNT coach Austin Ross. “The team is super grateful for everyone who put together such an awesome event.”
Ross had 13 of his CBNT athletes compete over the two days and while some rose to the occasion, others had a rough go of it.
“It was an interesting weekend,” says Ross. “Some people did awesome and some people struggled but no one did poorly.”
The event kicked off with freestyle sprint races on Saturday. The sprint race course is 1.2 kilometers long and skiers get at least two races in, more if they continue to post strong results in each heat.
Woody Martineau made a name for himself in his debut in the U18 age class. He qualified for Junior Nationals last year as a U16 athlete but the jump to the U18 class can be big. Nevertheless, it appears Martineau is taking it in stride as he opened with a third-place finish in the sprint races.
“It shows potential for some awesome things this season,” says Ross.
Benjamin Swift and Aiden Truettner race in the U18 class as well and both put in quality efforts despite some mitigating circumstances.
“Benjamin had a really good sprint effort and Aiden held his own without feeling his best,” says Ross.
Seve Petersen posted the other podium finish for the CBNT, finishing the long day of sprint heats in second place among the U14 age class athletes.
Day two provided some turmoil for athletes of all ages as an impending storm eventually opened up on the Nordic skiers just as the first wave was lining up for the mass start classic races.
“It was a hard ski that day,” says Ross. “Conditions were changing all day and it was a good test of which skiers were savvy enough to deal with the changing conditions. Our kids did well with it.”
Martineau, Truettner and Swift all stepped up to the challenge with each one cracking the top 10 in their five-kilometer race. Martineau ended up taking fifth, Truettner placed ninth and Swift was 20 seconds behind him in 10th place.
“Benjamin had one of his best classic races I’ve seen,” says Ross.
Sam Crossett had a rough go during the sprint races on Saturday but shook it off to put together a great effort on Sunday in her classic race.
“She kept her chin up and was able to race much better the second day,” says Ross.
Robbie Oberling cracked the top 20 in his debut as a U16 racer and Petersen made his second trip to the podium in as many days placing third in the three-kilometer classic race.
“He’s a threat in the U14 age group,” says Ross. “He’ll be one of the front runners all season long.”
Several of the CBNT skiers got their first taste of the JNQ race pace over the weekend and managed to hand in there as well and Ross looks forward to building off of what he saw from his team during the Solstice Showdown.
“I was pleased,” says Ross. “It definitely showed us where we need to focus our energy in the next few weeks. It seemed everybody has a pretty solid base of fitness and are ready to take it up to the next level.”
The CBNT will train through the holiday break and then return to racing action in Frisco January 9-10. Their next Junior National Qualifier races will be in Steamboat Springs January 23-25.
