February 5 (New Gloucester, ME) – The TD Banknorth Eastern Cup Series ended up at Pineland Farms when the original host site in Massachusetts cancelled because of lack of snow. Today was a perfect day for skiing with a fresh four inches of snow falling on Friday night, cool temperatures, and bright sun greeting the competitors, coaches, and spectators when they arrived.

Competitors enjoyed the well-designed rolling terrain on the Oak Hill, the meticulously groomed snow, the hospitality of the Coastal Nordic Ski Club volunteers, and a wonderful array of prizes including chocolate, baked goods, and cheese produced at Pineland Farms.

The day began with the men’s 7.5 kilometer classic. This distance is shorter than usual ten or fifteen kilometer Eastern Cups for the J1 and older classes – those over age fifteen – but longer than the usual five kilometer distance for the younger skiers.

Gunstock’s Alex Howe (Gilford, NH) had expected to be in Italy this week for the World Junior Championships. Because of the postponement of that event he competed in the region’s most competitive race circuit and earned a narrow victory over U23 Sam Naney (Bozeman, MT). Sam Marshall (Etna,NH/Gunstock), Matt Briggs (Concord, MA/Colby) and GMVS coach Jon Arne Enevoldsen (Waitsfield, VT) rounded out the top five.

Even though they raced together with together with the older skiers, the J2 athletes were recognized at the awards ceremony and should be recognized for their strong performances. Preston Butler (Marion, MA/GMVS) took the victory for his second straight J2 Eastern Cup classic victory. The Craftsbury Nordic Club and Morrisville, Vermont pair of Jake Barton and Ethan Dreissigacker took the next two spots on the podium. Barton finished just three seconds behind Butler, with Dreissigacker another ten sconds back.

Burke Mountain Academy’s Ida Sargent (Orleans, VT) grabbed a large victory in the women’s race. She finished thirty-nine seconds ahead of second place Tyler Parker (Londonderry, VT/Stratton.) Tyler too managed a large-gap on the rest of the field, earning a time forty-seven seconds faster than local start and Burke Mountain Academy skier Lucy Garrec. J2 skiers Megan Killgrew (Peru,VT/Stratton) and Hilary Rich (Andover, MA/CSU) dueled for fourth and fifth and were separated by a mere 2.5 seconds. Crossing the line tenth overall and third for the J2 girls was Stephanie Crocker (Poughkeepsie, NY.)

Located in the rolling hills of New Gloucester, Maine, Pineland Farms is a 5,000-acre working farm, diverse business campus and educational and recreational venue that welcomes visitors to enjoy its beautiful rural landscape. Pineland Farms’ mission is to provide a productive and educational venue that enriches the community by demonstrating responsible farming techniques, offering educational opportunities and encouraging a healthy lifestyle through recreation.

Coastal Nordic Ski Club (CNSC) was founded in 1997 with the goal of developing, supporting and promoting cross-country skiing and related activities in the greater Portland, Maine area. CNCS is a community-based Nordic ski club committed to meeting the needs of a wide range of skiers – including youths, juniors, seniors and masters.

The TD Banknorth Eastern Cup series concludes February 17 and 18 with the Silver Fox Trot in Hanover, New Hampshire and the Cheri Walsh Memorial at the Holderness School in Plymouth, NH.