April 01, 2011 (Sun Valley, ID) – In an exciting day of sprinting under a warm, spring sun, SVSEF Olympic Development Team’s longest-standing member, Mike Sinnott, skied to gold in the Men’s 1.5 km Classic Sprint. After qualifying in 6th place in very fast, firm tracks in the morning, Sinnott continued to ski well through the rounds taking the win in his quarter and semi final on the way to his finals victory.

Sinnott cemented his win with a strong attack on “Coaches Climb”, the big hill on the course that left all but US Ski Team/Stratton Mountain School star, Andy Newell, off the back. By the top of the climb, even Newell, the world’s 8th ranked Sprinter, could not match Sinnott’s pace, as he went over the top with a 10-meter lead and held it all the way to the line.

In winning today’s SuperTour Sprint, Sinnott also won the SuperTour Sprint title for the season and collected a check for $2,000 along the way. Newell (US Ski Team) held on for the silver, and Alaska Pacific University’s (APU) Lars Flora grabbed the bronze and cemented his SuperTour overall title for the season.

On the women’s side, Kikkan Randall, US Ski Team and Alaska Pacific University (APU) skier remained unchallenged, winning the qualifications and all of her heats on the way to a strong victory in the final. Randall has won every event held this week and if she can hold on to win tomorrow’s Dollar Mountain Hill Climb, she will complete the first-ever “Spring Series Sweep”.

Following Randall into the finish was 2006 Olympic gold medalist Chandra Crawford from the Canadian National Team in second and the impressive Swede, Maria Graefnings (University of Utah), taking the bronze.

Tomorrow brings the series finale, with the 9:00 AM Dollar Mountain Hill Climb, featuring a pursuit start based on time back in the overall SuperTour Finals Series. First on to the top is the Series champion!

SuperTour Classic Sprint Results…

Women’s Qualifications HERE.
Men’s Qualifications HERE.

Sprint Results HERE.
Sprint Results w/brackets HERE.
SuperTour Standings after Sprints HERE. 

SuperTour photos HERE (pls check back as more photos are uploaded)