January 16, 2010 (Winthrop, WA) – It was home-state favourites, Laura Vaalas (APU) and Torin Koos (USST), who made sprinting look easy at Saturday’s SuperTour Classic Sprints hosted by the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association. Race day dawned bluebird clear with overnight temps dropping into the low 20s leaving a PERFECT race track. The event drew big crowds and many racers to a fantastic new Pacific Northwest venue at Liberty Bell High School in the Methow Valley, WA.

Throughout the elite senior men’s heats local favourites Brian Gregg (CXC) and Sam Naney were obvious crowd pleasers. Each gave a valiant effort as Gregg made the A final and Naney was in the B final (he gloriously puked his guts out at the finish). But it was Leavenworth’s hometown Olympian, Koos, who took no prisoners on his way to victory over Mike Sinott in second and Chris Cook (Steinbock) in third.

The women’s races were hotly contested as well with former Olympians Leslie Hall and Laura McCabe drawing big cheers from local crowds as Vaalas took the win with Katie Ronsse (APU) in second and Canada’s Rhonda Jewett (Alberta Academy) claiming 3rd spot on the podium.

The Methow Valley SuperTour continues on Sunday with the classic ski time trial at Ski the Loup up on Loup Loup Pass. Visit here for more information.

Sprint Qualifications here.

Results (brief)

Women

1. Laura Vaalas (APU)
2. Katie Ronsse (APU)
3. Rhonda Jewett (Alberta Academy)
4. Caitlin Compton (Go Training)

Men

1. Torin Koos (USST)
2. Mike Sinnott (SVSEF)
3. Chris Cook (Steinbock)
4. Mike Hinckley (APU)
5. Brian Gregg (CXC)
6. Drew Goldsack (Canada)