Phinney and Norris Win SuperTour Sprint
LAKE PLACID, NY (Jan. 30, 2016) – Period II of the USSA SuperTour continued Saturday at the Jump Site in Lake Placid, following a three week break after the 2016 U.S. Cross Country Championships in Houghton, MI January 3-9. Competition kicked off with a 1.4k freestyle sprint, in which Kelsey Phinney (Middlebury College) and David Norris (APU Nordic Ski Center) grabbed titles.
Phinney and Caitlin Patterson (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) were neck-and-neck at the finish, but it was Phinney who snagged the victory just 0.45 seconds over Patterson. Annie Hart (Stratton Mountain School) was close behind in third. Patterson and Hart proved their strengths in sprinting once again, after having successful sprints at the U.S. Championships earlier this month. Patterson finished second in the freestyle sprints and Hart was second in the classic sprints.
Norris skied to a convincing first place finish in the men’s sprint, 2.16 seconds ahead of teammate and 2016 classic sprint National Champion, Eric Packer. Norris was undefeated throughout the heats winning his quarterfinal, semifinal and final heat. Akeo Maifield Carucci (Bridger Ski Foundation) finished close behind in third.
Competition continues Sunday with a 10k classic individual start race, which will be on a 2.5k loop. The women’s race starts at 11:30 a.m. EST followed by the men at 1:15 p.m. EST.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chelsea Holmes, who finished fifth overall in Saturdays sprints, joined the U.S. Ski Team on the World Cup circuit after the U.S. Championships and competed in the Planica, Slovania sprints, January 16, and the 10k freestyle race in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic, January 23.
- The venue for the SuperTour races had to be changed from Mt. Van Hoevenberg to the Jump Site in Lake Placid.
- The Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) had been making and stock-pilling snow to allow the races to happen.
- The 10k classic race will be a 2.5k loop
RESULTS
Men’s 1.4k Freestyle Sprint
Women’s 1.4k Freestyle Sprint