January 26, 2009 (Jackson, NH) – A record field of 288 racers and tour-participants took to the trails of Jackson in the 5th Annual White Mountain Classic XC 30km on Sunday, and two northern New England racers took home the top honors. Winning the race was Eli Enman (Huntington, Vt.) who dominated the field despite breaking a pole in the mass start frenzy and having to race with mis-matched poles. Enman was followed by Eric Eley (Stowe, Vt.) in second and Dartmouth racer Matt Trueheart who placed third. The women’s division winner, Kelsey Allen (Franconia, N.H.) was followed closely by Dartmouth college racer Kristin Dewey, Trina Hosmer (Stowe, Vt.) and Mary Heller Osgood (Putney, Vt).

The White Mountain Classic race course included a spectator-friendly mass start on the Wentworth Golf Course and provided many opportunities for enthusiasts to cheer for passing racers. Many people watched the race from their favorite ski trails and others turned out in large groups, ringing cowbells, to cheer skiers on at road crossings and “walk-to” vantage points near the finish line. Racers commended the cheering crowds as well World Class grooming for making a tough race worthwhile. Thom Perkins, Executive Director of Jackson XC, was happy to report that “everyone had a good time.”

Many of the racers are members of ski clubs that were competing in a one-day Ski Club Championship. The Mt Washington Nordic Club won the women’s competition thanks to top finishing women including Amy Patenaude Gunn (Henniker), Sally Swenson (North Conway), Meredith Piotrow (Jackson) and Jackson XC ski instructor Marianne Borowski (Glen). The winning men’s team was the Cambridge Sports Union. In addition to the winning women’s team, other MWN racers included Charlie Gunn, Nat Lucy, Doug Armstrong, Ron Newbury, Steve Piotrow, Nilton Motta, Suzie Carrier, Ernst Linder, Dave Duncanson, Mike Marino, David McDermott, Bob Yanuck, Nancy Ritger, Cathy Steers, Jana Johnson, Aaron Fox, and Robin Kosstrin, A link to the complete results is posted at www.JacksonXC.org

Mt. Washington Nordic Club was the host club and many of the 40 volunteers who staffed the event were club members, some of whom raced in addition to working at the event. The event was sanctioned by Nordic ski racing’s Eastern governing body, the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) which was represented by its events manager Jim Rodrigues and Technical Delegate (TD) Jim Townsend.

Proceeds from the race benefit the youth programs of Mt. Washington Nordic Club. These programs have grown in recent years and young local racers have enjoyed racing success in high school and college. In next weekend’s U.N.H. Winter Carnival races (Jan. 30-31) there will be MWNC alumni competing for Williams, Bates, and Colby.