March 20, 2007 (Mont Ste Anne, Que.) – High winds and a fresh blanket of snow again reminded skiers of mid-winter conditions, as the second day of racing got underway at the 2007 Canadian Cross-Country Ski Championships in Mont Ste Anne, Que.

Battling gusting winds of up to 45 kilometres per hour, that whipped up the fresh snow on the free technique short course races, Dan Roycroft, of Arrowhead Ski Club and Dasha Gaiazova, of Skielite, were crowned national champions in the Open Men’s and Women’s categories.

Fresh from the World Ski Championships in Sapporo, Japan, Roycroft, of Port Sydney, Ont., set the pace early in the Open Men’s 10-kilometre race, quickly catching up to Dave Nighbor, who started 30 seconds ahead. The two skiers paced each other throughout the race, with Roycroft eventually taking the lead and crossing the line in top-spot with a time of 26 minutes 2.0 seconds.

Nighbor, of North Bay, Ont., settled in to the silver medal position, +10.8 seconds behind, while Chris Jeffries, Gatineau, Que., who was also in the hunt for the national title, eventually took the bronze medal, +13.5 seconds off Roycroft’s pace.

Montreal native, Dasha Gaizova, set the standard in the Open Women’s five-kilometre race and successfully defended her 2006 title, after posting the fastest time of the day of 14:11.5. Edmonton’s Madeleine Williams was the runner-up, finishing the day +36.5 seconds behind Gaiazova, while Perianne Jones, of Almonte, Ont., rounded-out the top-three in the bronze medal position, +55.4 seconds out of the lead.

Having just returned Sunday from an extremely successful Junior World Championships, Brittany Webster, of Caledon, Ont., and local favourite Alex Harvey, of St.-Ferreol les Neiges, Que., led their respective classes in the Junior division.

Webster missed the podium in the open class by a mere three seconds with her time of 15:09.9, but comfortably won the Junior Women’s category by 31.6 seconds over Allyson Marshall (15:41.5). Alana Thomas secured the bronze medal (16:08.7), +58.8 seconds behind Webster.

Still reeling from his silver medal performance at the Junior World Championships, Harvey also held his own with the senior athletes, putting together the sixth-fastest time in the open category (27:09.1) and taking the title in the Junior Men’s division. Haakon Lenes, of Canmore, Alta. crossed the line for second place, +54.3 seconds off top-spot. Noah Hoffman was the bronze medallist, stopping the clock +1:03.3 behind Harvey.

Cross Country Canada is the governing body of cross-country skiing in Canada. Its 45,000 members are athletes, coaches and officials, including members of the Canadian Cross-Country Ski Team and Canadian ParaNordic Cross-Country Ski Team. Cross-country skiing is Canada’s optimal winter sport and recreational activity with more than one million Canadians participating annually.

Open Men
1. Dan Roycroft, Port Sydney, Ont., 26:02.2
2. Dave Nighbor, North Bay, Ont., +10.8
3. Chris Jeffries, Gatineau, Que., +13.5
4. Ivan Babinov, Foothills Nordic, +31.4
5. Leif Zimmerman, USA, +54.9
6. Alex Harvey, St.-Ferreol les Neiges, Que., +1:07.1

Open Women
1. Dasha Gaiazova, Montreal, 14:11.5
2. Madeleine Williams, Edmonton, +36.5
3. Perianne Jones, Almonte, Ont., +55.4
4. Brittany Webster, Caledon, Ont., +58.4
5. Brooke Gosling, Calgary, +1:00.2

Junior Women
1. Brittany Webster, Caledon, Ont., 15:09.9
2. Alysson Marshall, Larch Hills, +31.6
3. Alana Thomas, Team Hardwood, +58.8
4. Kate Brennan, Pakenham, Ont., +1:01.9
5. Sophie Caldwell, Stratton Mountain School, +1:11.8

Junior Men
1. Alex Harvey, St.-Ferreol les Neiges, Que., 27:09.1
2. Haakon Lenes, Calgary, +54.3
3. Noah Hoffman, Aspen Valley Ski Club, +1:03.2
4. Jesse Winter, North Bay, Ont., +1:08.2
5. Frédéric Touchette, St.-Ferreol les Neiges, Que., +1:25.3

Junior Girls
1. Bryn Knight, Whitehorse, 16:13.9
2. Emily Nishikawa, Whitehorse, +7.3
3. Stephanie Drolet, Tremblant Nordique, +23.1
4. Sophie McClelland, USA, +36.1
5. Alison Clarke, Sovereign Lake, +40.8

Juvenile Girls

1. Michaela Howie, Banff Ski Runners, 16:47.8
2. Janelle Greer, Whitehorse, +11.8;
3. Noemi Berube, Nakkertok, +15.3
4. Flurina Keller, Banff Ski Runners, +18.4
5. Isabel Caldwell, USA, +21.7

Junior Boys
1. Curtis Merry, Edmonton, 28:27.1
2. David Greer, Whitehorse, +8.6
3. Graeme Killick, Banff Ski Runners, +12.1
4. Jesse Cockney, Banff Ski Runners, +50.6
5. Luke Viljakainen, Big Thunder Nordic, +1:13.4

Juvenile Boys
1. Raphael Couturier, Skibec, 14:19.7
2. Zach Holland, Banff Ski Runners, +22.8
3. Jordan Casagnette, Team Hardwood, +33.5
4. Aaron Gillmor, Rocky Mountain Racers, +39.9
5. Nansen Weber, Kanata Racers, +46.4

CCUNC Men
1. Gavin Hamilton, Carleton University, 29:04.2
2. Tim Reynolds, Middlebury College, +8.6
3. Edward McCarthy, Carleton Univeristy, +52.3
4. Jeff Cameron, Lakehead University, +1:10.9
5. Chris Mamen, Carleton University, +1:12.6

CCUNC Women
1. Alysson Marshall, UBC Okanagan, 15:09.9
2. Jacqui Benson, UBC, +37.5
3. Alana Thomas, +58.8
4. Christine Bisson, Université Laval, +1:00.2
5. Sarah Peters, UBC, +1:13.5

For full results, please visit www.zone4.ca.