January 14, 2007 (Rumford, ME) – The 2-kilometers of snowmaking held up to 435 competitors yesterday in Day 2 of the TD Banknorth Tour de Rumford / Chummy Broomhall Cup Weekend. Not only did the event set records for the number of participants, but it also provided arguably the most competitive field ever assembled for an Eastern Cup.

The early racers featured J2 skiers covering three laps of the Black Mountain course. Megan Killigrew (Peru, VT/Stratton Mtn School), a member of last year’s New England Junior Olympic Team started fast and held her pace to earn a 16-second victory over Hilary Rich (Andover, MA/CSU). Killigrew’s Junior Olympic teammate Kaitlynn Miller (Morrisville, VT/Crafsbury) held on for third. The J2 Boys featured Green Mountain School’s Preston Butler (Marion, MA) leading from start to finish to earn the victory. Craftsbury teammates Ethan Dreissigacker (Morrisville, VT) and Jake Barton (Morrisville, VT) were 2nd and 3rd.

The perennially strong Stratton Mountain School team put on a good show in the women’s event. Parker Tyler (Londonderry, VT) took solo control of the Tour de Rumford overall standings with the victory. Her co-leader going into the day, teammate Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT) kept the overall title within 15 seconds and took the third spot. Sabra Davison (Jericho, VT/Middlebury) grabbed 2nd, showing huge improvement over previous years.

Dartmouth College teammates Ben True (Cumberland, ME) and Mike Sinnott (Sun Valley, ID) skied together for the almost the entire race to earn first and second place in the men’s race. Sylvan Ellefson (Vail, CO/Bates College) took the final podium spot. One had to look a bit further down the men’s result to find the battle between the two coaches from Green Mountain Valley School for the Tour de Rumford overall. Head coach Jon Arne Enevoldsen put on a classic technique clinic for the spectators and posted a 45-second lead over assistant coach Justin Beckwith. Enevoldsen is known for strong classic technique, so things could still get interesting in tomorrow’s skate technique event.

On November 3, Maine Governor John Baldacci announced the first annual Maine Collegiate Nordic Ski Championships to be held at Black Mountain of Maine in Rumford. The event, hosted as part of the TD Banknorth Tour de Rumford weekend is called the Chummy Broomhall Cup, is named in honor of Rumford native, 10th Mountain Division veteran, two-time Olympian and the head of the Chisholm Ski Club, Wendall “Chummy” Broomhall. Governor Baldacci will be present at the awards ceremony on Sunday to award the Cup to the winning team. After one day of the Chummy Broomhall Cup competition Bates College holds the lead, with Colby andBowdoin standing in 2nd and 3rd.

The event is hosted by the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) and Chisholm Ski Club. Chisholm Ski Club is located at Black Mountain of Maine Ski Area in Rumford, Maine. The Club has a rich tradition dating back to the early days of the 20th century at its Spruce Street location and its mid 1900’s days at Scottie’s Mountain. Over the years the Club has hosted several world class Nordic skiing events, including the 1950 World Championships, 1976 NCAAs, 1991 National Biathlon Championships, 1993 US Nationals, 1993 U.S. Masters Nationals, 1996 National Junior Olympics, 1996 US Nationals, the 1999 NCAAs, and the 2003 and 2004 US Nationals. Black Mountain is also the site of Chisholm Ski Club’s annual Winter Carnival, a traditional event that dates back to 1924.

The weekend’s events conclude with Sunday’s Freestyle races beginning at 10AM. All events are open to day of race registratnts. See NENSA.net for full details.