January 8, 2010 (Anchorage, AK) – US top sprinter Kikkan Randall (USST/APUNSC) made good taking the women’s 1.5km Classic Sprint final as part her final prep for the 2010 Games just over a month away. Randall’s APU team mate, Laura Valaas, finished in second while Ida Sargent (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) claimed 3rd. It was Randall’s 14th overall title in conditions she described as perfect for a classic sprint.

The men’s sprint final was dominated by Alaskan skiers with Tyler Kornfield (University of Alaska Fairbanks) earning his first national title as the top American, while Sweden’s Erik Soederstroem, Kornfield’s team mate, had the fastest time. Mike Hinckley (APUNSC / Rossignol) took the second spot on the podium with Fairbanks’ Reese Hanneman claiming the bronze. Einar Often (University of Alaska Fairbanks) was 4th. Dartmouth’s Eric Packer was the lone non-Alaskan in 5th. Michael Sinnott (SVSEF) won the men’s B Final.

“It’s definitely exciting,” Randall said. “I knew going into this championships that each one of the events could be good for me, so I’m happy to have felt strong through the whole week and finish strong at the end.”

Randall said she’s particularly pleased to perform so well in a classic sprint, the style on tap in Vancouver. “I was looking forward to it, to run my body through a good test, and even after three hard races already this week, I felt really strong out there,” Randall added. “Once I got on the course, I didn’t feel totally switched on, I felt like it took my body a little bit to wake up. But it was a solid qualifying round, and I wanted to race hard during the heats – to kind of test myself out – and I just felt stronger and stronger as we went.”

The U.S. Championships are international races and while Soederstroem had the fastest time in the men’s race only Americans are eligible for U.S. titles. “At the time I didn’t really know that I had won [the title],” Kornfield said. “I don’t think it really has sunk in, even now.” Earlier in the week Kornfield was fourth in the freestyle sprint.

In the classic final he started at the back of the pack but made up ground on a long downhill portion and was third in the last stretch tucking in behind Soederstroem to pass Hinckley at the finish for the title. “It gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season and hopefully it’s a motivation for this summer,” Kornfield said.

The Championships were also the final opportunity for earning USSA National Ranking List points, one of the criteria for the 2010 Olympic Team which will be formally nominated on January 19.

With files from USSA.

Women’s full results here.
Women’s brackets here.

Men’s full results here.
Men’s brackets here.

Results (brief)

Women
1. Kikkan Randall (USST/APUNSC) 3:26.6
2. Laura Valaas (APUNSC) +2.7
3. Ida Sargent (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) +5.5
4. Holly Brooks (APUNSC) +8.3
5. Rebecca Dussault (CXC) +8.4
6. Katie Ronsse (APU Nordic Ski Center +28.1

Men
1. Erik Soederstroem (Sweden, University of Alaska Fairbanks) 3:15.8
2. Tyler Kornfield (University of Alaska Fairbanks) +0.2
3. Mike Hinckley (APUNSC/Rossignol) +1.73
4. Reese Hanneman (Fairbanks Alaska Ski Team) +0.4
5. Einar Often (University of Alaska Fairbanks) +6.7
6. Eric Packer (Dartmouth Ski Team) +8.2

Qualifications

Women
1. Kikkan Randall (USST/APUNSC) 3:32.97
2. Ida Sargent (Craftsbury Green Racing Project) +3.59
3. Holly Brooks (APUNSC) +5.86
4. Laura Valaas (APUNSC) +6.04
5. Rebecca Dussault (CXC) +11.16
6. Eliska Hajkova (University of Colorado Ski Team) +11.70

Men
1. Garrott Kuzzy (USST/CXC Team Vertical Limit ) 3:16.88
2. Mike Hinckley (APUNSC/Rossignol) +1.73
3. Chris Cook (Steinbock Racing) +2.31
4. Erik Soederstroem (University of Alaska Fairbanks) +3.31
5. Michael Sinnott (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) +3.42
6. Simeon Hamilton (Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation) +4.89