February 1, 2004 – When you grow up in Vermont as a cross-country skier, you soon learn that “Vermont Ain't Flat”. Three Green Mtn Boys capitalized on this home state training advantage to emerge with the leaders in the U.S. Chevy National Cross Country Championships. Hosted by the Chisholm Ski Club in Rumford, ME, the U.S. Nationals brought the best cross-country skiers together at Black Mtn to compete on some of the toughest  courses in America on January 11th.

With temperatures in the single digits, the mass start 50 km event got off to a blistering fast pace as three Olympians moved off the front of the pack to make a clean breakaway. Team Rossignol headed up the lead pack with Marc Gilbertson of Hyde Park, VT, U.S. Ski Team athlete Andrew Johnson of Greensboro, VT, and Lars Flora of Anchorage, AK . As the three top skiers opened up the lead on the main field of  racers, Team Rossignol's Eli Enman of Huntington, VT teamed up with some other  competitors in hot pursuit to bridge the gap to the three Olympians.

The hilly six lap course and gusty artic air proved to be too much for many of the top competitors as the attrition rate took its toll throughout the race. With the confidence of  an aged veteran, Marc Gilbertson led most of the 50 km course only to have his heroic efforts wiped out in the last two kilometers. Lars Flora made a successful effort to break away from Johnson and Gilbertson to win the gold medal in a time of 2:08:09. Close behind were Johnson in 2:08:31 and Gilbertson in 2:08:39 to round out the top three.

As the race was still in full motion for the remainder of competitors, Eli Enman made a decisive break from a group of strong skiers to come across the finish line in a fourth place  finish time of 2:13:18 and have the best result of his career.

In the women's 30 km mass start race, Team Rossignol skier Hilary Patzer from Ketchum, ID raced her  way into a bronze medal behind the winner Sarah Konrad of Laramie, WY. Team Rossignol racer Kate Pearson of Anchorage, AK raced to a strong 7th place finish.