January 06, 2013 (Midway, UT) – Instead of a foggy morning, skiers were greeted on Day 3 of the U.S. Cross Country Ski Championships at Soldier Hollow with high clouds and temperatures in the positive single digits (Fahrenheit). The sun made brief appearances, yet stayed mostly behind the clouds to the relief of the waxing teams.

The 20/30km CL mass starts with 100+ starters saw many broken poles as the skiers climbed out of the stadium and up to the hollow. Then the final steep ramp out of the top of the hollow was the scene of herringbone-hell while the crowded lane saw skiers stepped on as some fell and bloodied each other’s faces while emerging from the pile.

Although Matt Liebsch (Borton Volvo XC United) led out of the stadium, it was Matt Gelso (SVSEF) who forced the pace trading the lead with Sylvan Ellefson until Ellefson took a fall at the bottom of Hermod’s. Gelso continued leading the front pack of eighteen men that gradually took its toll dropping to ten.

On the last climb up Hermod’s Hill, Torin Koos (Bridger Ski Foundation / Rossi) put the hurt on the younger skiers to create the gap that he rode easily to victory telling SkiTrax he was holding back for a double pole dual down the stadium straight-away that never developed. It was the Wenatchee, WA skier’s eighth career U.S. title and second of the week at the U.S. Cross Country Championships at Soldier Hollow.

“It feels great to win these titles here, they do such a good job on the courses here – they’re world class. It’s always good to get that first one done [classic sprint title on Friday]. This one is maybe even a little more special in that this is the first time that I’ve done a national championship distance race and come across the line first. It’s like a new experience,” said Koos at the finish.

“I put in a huge move with about 500 meters to go and tried to blow up the race. It’s an amazing feeling to come down the finish line and realize I’m going to do it.”

APU’s Erik Bjornsen from Winthrop, WA, claimed the silver to go with his first US title in the 15km freestyle race won on Friday, while David Norris (Montana State Univ.) who hails from Fairbanks, AK, took home the bronze.

Logan Hanneman (University of Alaska Fairbanks) took the Junior Men’s 10km CL race over Kyle Bratrud (Northern Michigan University) in second with Utah’s Tucker McCrerey in third.

The women’s front pack pulled out to an early lead of eight skiers including three APU veterans. The pack held together for the first laps through the stadium. SuperTour leader, Sadie Bjornsen, told SkiTrax that on the final climb under the bridge she gave a false push to test the other skiers, especially Sophie Caldwell (Stratton Mt-SMST2) who held on “barely” according to Bjornsen.

Climbing over Hermod’s, Bjornsen attacked again with the real push where she opened up a gap on Caldwell and Kate Fitzgerald (APU), providing an easy ski down the final straight-away for the APU skier. Her second career U.S. title, it was her first gold of the week after a pair of silvers.

“I have been looking forward to trying to get a win this week so I’m happy to get to stand on the top. I knew the key was to go out there and relax and go for it when I could,” commented the winner. “On the sprint hill I tried to surge and break her [Caldwell’s] legs a little bit and I looked and she was still with me and so going up the hill I just gave it my all and I could hear that the gap was growing bigger. From there I just hammered the rest of the way home. Going up the final climb I lost her.”

She added that both she and her brother Erik are quite competitive and currently feel even – each with a first and second place at this year’s Championships.

Katharine Ogden (Stratton Mt School) nipped Dartmouth’s Mary O’ Connell by 0.6s in the Junior Women’s 5km CL race with Heather Mooney (Middlebury College) on the podium in third.

Full results HERE.
Junior results HERE.