March 23, 2010 (West Yellowstone, MT) – Sunny skies, mild temperatures and a fast course contributed to several new event records and countless personal records being set by the 89 participants of the 4th Annual Equinox Ski Challenge.  The Challenge is both a welcome to spring and an exciting finale to the Nordic ski season, held on March 20th and 21st at the Rendezvous Ski Trails in West Yellowstone, MT. The event is full of camaraderie, challenge, and commitment to the well-being of the local communities. Similar to the 24 Hour mountain bike races, skiers complete as many laps as they can in the 6 Hour, 12, Hour or 24 Hour division. Those wishing to test their limits can enter as a soloist. Others, pursuing a more sensible experience, can enter as a relay team of 2-8 skiers.

The course is a rolling 9 kilometer loop located just 100 yards from several hotels. Toko had a wax technician present to help competitors adjust to the changing conditions. A warming hut was also available at the start/finish. The festivities included a potluck with beverages on Saturday evening and the requisite all-night bonfire at the start/finish line.

For the fourth year in a row, the Equinox Ski Challenge raised $700 for the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation and to Manaia Youth Programs in an effort to support organizations keeping our communities mentally and physically healthy. And they collected 217 pounds of food for the West Yellowstone Food Bank.

The current 24 Hour soloist record is an incredible 326km set by Snorri Einarsson in 2007. The 24 Hour team record was set in 2009 at 401km by the Bozeman trio of Chad Anderson, Brandy Stewart and Sarah Willis. New for 2010 was a 2.4 Hour category on a 3km course for young junior skiers.

Equinox records set this last weekend are as follows:

24 Hour Men’s Big Team- 450.1 km by Michael Vlases, Andy Gerlach, Jamie Greene, Marcus Engler, and Shawn Marshall-Pryde  (Bozeman/West Yellowstone, MT)
24 Hour Men’s Small Team – 289.1 km by Ian Anderson and Wilson Dippo (Salt Lake City)
24 Hour Mixed Team- 443.8 km by Heidi Hittner, Jeremy Kunzman, Michael Tallichet, Kevin Heglund (Big Sky, MT)
24 Hour Solo Women- 269.5 km by Kat Hickman (Bozeman, MT)
12 Hour Solo Women- 188.3 by Sarah Willis (Bozeman, MT)
6 Hour Solo Women- 109.2 km by Inge Travis (Park City, UT)
6 Hour Solo Junior Men- 81.7 km by Morgan Holland (Concord, NH)
6 Hour Mixed Team- 127.4 by Angelica and Gary di Silvestri, Zach Violett and Stephanie Howe (Big Sky, MT/Bend, OR)

Of note, the old 24 Hour Solo Women’s record was surpassed by 99.5 kilometers by Kat Hickman of Bozeman, MT.  Her effort even surpassed all the Solo Men’s results for the 2010 event!  Kat took about 3.5 hours of rest during the 24 hours and still had energy for banter and laughs every single lap!  Joe Holland of Concord, New Hampshire posted the best Solo Men’s distance, with 259 km, sneaking just 2 km ahead of Riley Hopeman of Lander, Wyoming in the closing 30 minutes.  Another amazing performance came from Sarah Willis in the 12 Hour Solo Women’s event.  Sarah came into the finish with 10 seconds to spare in order to begin her lap before the 12 hour buzzer sounded.  With this final lap, Sarah posted a 12 Hour best of 188.3 km.

The new 3 Hour division and 24 Minute Kids Challenge brought some new additions to the Equinox weekend of racing as well, joining the laughter, family efforts, moonlit evening skiing and the incredible efforts by top athletes from around the country.

24 Minute (ages 4-7)
Felix Gerlach 4.9 km
Miles Hoover 3.5 km
Brynn Engler  3.5 km
Margarite Engler 3.5 km
Sterling Marshall-Pryde 2.1km
Leisl Gerlach 2.1 km
Claire Vlases 2.1 km
Myla Hoover 1.4 km
Ursula Vlases 1.4 km

24 Minute (ages 8-14)
Emma Anderberg 8.5 km
Bridgett Pritchard 8.5 km

3 Hour
Solo Men
1. Dick Swanson 63.7 km in 3 hours and 12 minutes
2. Norm Cessna 54.6 km in 3:21
3. Bob Tyler 27.3 km in 3:21

Solo Junior Men
1. Thor Sheppard (age 5) 6 km in 2 hour and 9 minutes

6 Hour
Family Team
1.    The Anderbergs (Andree, Carl, Emma) 69.7km in 6 hours and 8 minutes

Mixed Team
1. XC Oregon (Angelica and Gary di Silvestri, Zach Violett and Stephanie Howe) 127.4 km in 6 hours 11 minutes
2. CWJ (Sam Robbins and Josh Blomquist) 109.2 km in 6:22

Solo Junior Men
1. Morgan Holland 81.7 km in 6 hours 41 minutes

Solo Women
1. Inge Travis 109.2 km in 6 hours and 7 minutes
2. Jenny Wolfe 91km in 6:31
3. Sarah Williams 72.8 km in 6:14
4. Mimi Matsuda 63.7 km in 6:00
5. Leila Sterman 63.7 km in 6:16
6. Erika Matsuda 54.6 km in 5:18

12 Hour
Women’s Team
1. SMEK (Sally Gerlach, Marianne Filloux, Katy Brandis, Erin Shanahan)  186.9 km in 12 hours and 19 minutes
2. Yellowstone Alpenguides (Molly Moore, Brenda Holland and Magen Crowley) 131.6 km in 11:55
3. Muleterro (Jenny Zikovich and Heather McKain) 127.4 km in 9:15

Mixed Team
1. Freeheel and Wheel (Kelli Sanders and Jack Hart) 201.6 km in 11 hours and 57 minutes

Solo Women
1. Sarah Willis 188.3 km in 12 hours and 26 minutes
2. Amy Chiuchiolo 131.6 in 11:48
3. Larissa Swain 125 km in 11:38
3. Bre Hickel 125 km in 11:38
5. Missy White 100.1 km in 8:53
5. Aileen Brew 100.1 km in 8:53
7. Margarita Bunske 9.1 km in 1:11

Solo Men
1. Robert Knapp 156.1 km in 12 hours and 19 minutes
2. Andy Clauson 137.2 km in 10:40
3. Eric Scranton 127.4 km in 7:43
4. Jeff Minnema 109.9 km 10:47
5. Scott King 36.4 km in 8:45

24 Hour
Men’s Big Team (5-8 members)
1. Skiglorious Bastards (Michael Vlases, Andy Gerlach, Jamie Greene, Marcus Engler, Shawn Marshall-Pryde)                                          450.1 km in 24 hours and 6 minutes

Men’s Small Team (2-4 members)
1. La Banda (Ian Anderson and Wilson Dippo)     289.1 km in 24:04

Mixed Team
1. Lone Mountain Ranch (Heidi Hittner, Jeremy Kunzman, Michael Tallichet, Kevin Heglund)  443.8 km in 24 hours and 9 minutes
2. Blonde and Buxom (Laura and David Holien, Amanda and Lucas Osborne) .4 km in 24:11
3. Team On Point (Marc and SJ Sheppard, Stella Fong, Joe Dillard) 315.7 km in 24:15
4. Calamity Jane and the Midnight Gliders (Mary and Tyler Hollow, Jordan LaRue) 312.9 km in 24:17

Solo Women
1. Kat Hickman 269.5 km in 24 hours and 23 minutes
2. Jennifer Zeigler 222.6 km in 24:23
3. Susan Wolff  191.1 km in 23:33
4. Michelle Mazade 27.3 km in 3:56

Solo Men
1. Joe Holland 259 km in 24 hours and 15 minutes
2. Riley Hopeman 256.9 km in 23:40
3. Todd Cedarholm 216.3 km in 24:01
4. Tom Owen 210 km in 24:07
5. Koy Hoover 210 km in 24:21
6. Alfred Swanson 193.4 km in 23:49
7. Dan Botwinas 165.9 km in 23:48
8. Emmett Purcell 137.8 km in 24:00
9. Thor Godar 58.1 km in 24:01
10. Jim Simons 9 km in 1:34