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Freeman and Stevens Win 5th Annual NYSEF Climb to the Castle Rollerski Race

by skitrax.com

September 17, 2011 (Wilmington, NY) – Beautiful weather including bright sunshine, clear skies, no wind and superb visibility – “You could see Montreal,” said Cambridge Sports Union’s Rob Bradlee – greeted a large crew of about 90 skiers as US XC Ski Team and US Biathlon Team members squared off for the 5th annual 5-mile/8km pain-fest up Whiteface Memorial Highway.

The climb features an average 8% grade up to the castle on the summit of Whiteface Mountain, New York’s 5th highest peak with an elevation of 4,867 ft – there was ice on the trees at the summit added Bradlee.

Liz Stephen © NYSEF
Elizabeth Stephen (SR-USST), who was third on the podium last year, claimed the top spot this time with fellow USST member Ida Sargent showing her teeth early in the season landing 2nd on the podium. Tara Geraghty-Moats (OJ/CNSC), who was 10th last year, moved up the ladder grabbing the final spot for the women. USBA’s Laura Spector, the 2010 victor, ended up 5th. The top Canuck was U23 skier Stephanie Drolet from Skibec in 9th.

Kris Freeman defends his title. © NYSEF
In the men’s race the duel came down to three skiers, defending champ Kris Freeman (SR-USST), world-class biathlete Tim Burke (SR-USBA), and rising US star, Noah Hoffman (U23/USST). Hoffman couldn’t hold the pace as Freeman challenged, but the top US distance skier who was leading, tangled with a crack in the pavement and lost a pole tip.

Burke, who was right there with him, elected to wait for his rival as Freeman was soon back on track and the two raced together towards the finish with Freeman outlasting Burke to keep the title for yet another year. Nakkertok’s Yannick Lapierre (OJ) was the top Canadian in 10th.

Results (brief)

Elite Women
1. Elizabeth Stephen (SR-USST) 44:50:00
2. Ida Sargent (SR-USST) 46:14:00
3. Tara Geraghty-Moats (OJ/CNSC) 47:43:00
4. Hannah Dreissigacker (SR-CGRP) 48:37:00
5. Laura Spector (SR-USBA) 50:15:00

9. Stephanie Drolet (U23/Skibec) 55:04:00

Elite Men
1. Kris Freeman (SR-USST) 36:18:00
2. Tim Burke (SR-USBA) 36:29:00
3. Noah Hoffman (U23/USST) 37:03:00
4. Andrew Newell (SR-USST) 37:36:00
5. Sylvan Ellefson (SR-SSCV) 37:58:00

10. Yannick Lapierre (OJ/Nakkertok) 40:46:00





1 Comments For This Post

  1. drojean, Québec, Canada says:
    September 17th, 2011 at 9:16 pm

    Thanks for the coverage of the event.
    Top canuck was Stephanie Drolet 9th and most of Nakkertok athletes were from Quebec.

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